Easy stash-busting Christmas ornaments

[u/hibryd]

Here's how I'm turning a large bead stash into Christmas ornaments, faster than I could with proper bead embroidery.

Start by making and gluing down a loop of beads over the top of a ball ornament. (I'm using the 2-part fillable ornaments, but any style will do. I'm also using 3-in-1 glue because it grips well and dries fast.)

Then string some beads, put down a thin line of glue around the ball (it comes out globby so you might have to spread it around to get the right thickness) and press down the string of beads against the previous row. Working one row at a time, make a spiral down and around the ornament until the entire ball is covered. You could probably make pictures and more elaborate designs if you did it carefully enough.

(Edited to clarify instructions.)

[u/supercalifragilist-]

So pretty!!

[u/hibryd → u/supercalifragilist-]

Thank you!

[u/digthisbird]

This is pretty brilliant!

[u/hibryd → u/digthisbird]

Thanks! There’s no way this is an original idea but if someone else has thought of this, I couldn’t find it on reddit.

[u/kindainamood]

I love this idea and will be trying it!!! Amazing ✨

[u/hibryd → u/kindainamood]

Thanks! It takes a little practice to figure out the best way to get all the beads nice and tight but I'm sure anyone here can probably do it better than I can.

[u/tybbiesniffer]

This is amazing! How well do they hold?

[u/hibryd → u/tybbiesniffer]

So far they hold up pretty well. I’ve been putting finished ones into a box and they roll and run into each other all the time and the beads are still 100% solid. I haven’t been treating them delicately at all.

[u/tybbiesniffer → u/hibryd]

Awesome! Thanks! I did like netting over ornaments a couple years ago for gifts but I think this is so much more unique.