Multi-Colored Navajo Afghan
Click here for Afghan InstructionsEaster "Bread" Bunny
24 gauge brass or copper wire 1- large body bead (3/4"-1" dia.) 1- smaller matching head bead (1/2"-3/4" dia. silver&pearl are nice!) 1- necklace cap to fit the body bead silver bugle beads gold bugle beads black seed beads Needle-nose pliers Hot glue gun
Cut 4 pieces of wire approximately 12 inches long.Twist all 4 wires together at the center as shown. Each side of each wire gets threaded with beads to form the spider's legs. (I only drew the beads on one side of the legs)Thread each of the wires with an even number of alternating beads (gold bugle, black seed, silver bugle, black seed, gold bugle etc. ) to the length you prefer and bend the end of the wire to retain the beads and trim. Thread a wire through the head bead (twist up the end of the wire, so as not to lose the bead, then through the body bead and the necklace cap....twist that end of the wire (again, so the beads don't fall off!) Twist one end
of a 12 inch piece of wire around the joint between the beads for a hanger wire. Attach the legs at the joint between the beads with hot glue. (you can wrap the hanger wire over the legs for a little more strength) and shape the legs like a spider's. You're done!
Now you use your word processor and make little scrolls with the following story:
A long time ago in Germany, while a mother was busily cleaning house in preparation for Christmas, the spiders that usually stayed in the living room corner fled upstairs to the attic to escape from her broom. From the attic they could hear all the excitement from the living room as decorations were being made for when the Christ Child was to come on Christmas Eve and bring gifts for the children. Frantic to see the decorated tree, the spiders slowly crept downstairs for a view. Oh, what a beautiful tree! In their excitement, they scurried up the trunk and out along each branch. They were filled with happiness as they climbed all through the tree to see the glittering beauty. But alas! By the time they were through climbing all over the tree, it was completely shrouded in their dusty-gray spiderweb. When the Christ Child came, he smiled as he saw how happy the spiders were. However, He knew how heart-broken the mother would be if she saw the tree covered with the dusty webs. So He reached out and touched the webs, blessing them and turning them to silver and gold. Thus, the custom to have a spider ornament amongst all other decorations with tinsel of gold and silver on the Christmas tree was born.
(We make four scrolls to a letter size page, cut them apart and roll them, then tie them to the spiders hanger wire with a little ribbon.)
1 -14 in. wreath form
64-24 in. pieces of Pontinello (43 yds.)
35-12 in. #12 pipe cleaners
(choose a color to match)
1 -25 bulb "mini" light string
Method:
Cut the 64 pieces of Pontinello 24 inches long. Cut the pipe cleaners in half to get 64 pieces 6 inches long. Thread the pipe cleaners thru one edge of the Pontinello, starting at the end hole and weaving thru every second hole. Leave about an inch sticking out on each end. (Bend the ends back to avoid losing them) This will gather one edge of the piece. Once you have all the pieces gathered, attach 8 pieces to each of the wreath form sections using the free ends of the pipe cleaner. This is kind of a prickly job. Hospital-type rubber gloves work great if you can get them. Now poke the lights into the wreath from the back side, about 3 lights to a section. We found out it's best to have lights plugged in when you're doing this because if you loosen a bulb the whole string goes out, and it's pure hell to find the loose one! Try not to electrocute yourself though! Use small pieces of pipe cleaner to fasten the wiring out of sight. You can use the outdoor style light strings if you want to hang the wreath outside but it's hard to find shorter strings for outside. Use a full pipe cleaner to make a hanger. Your Done!
What You Need
1 Styrofoam wreath ring Christmas Material (about 1 1/2 yds. for a 12" wreath) Tacky glue Pinking Shears A few little ornaments (Holly leaves, little balls, cones, etc.) Ribbon to complement wreath color
SUPPLIES FOR EACH ANGEL: 24-gauge gold or silver wire 10 - #3 gold or silver safety pins or #4 for a taller angel 60 - crystal rondels 31 - 10mm starflake crystals;30 for skirt, 1 below halo 21 - 12 mm starflakes; 20 for skirt, 1 for collar 30 - 18 mm starflakes 11 - 12mm faceted bead; 10 for skirt bottom, 1 for bodice 16 - 3mm gold or silver beads for halo 1 - gold or silver head piece; 2 if you wish to use one for a collar 1 - 18mm globe bead faceted or smooth 8 - 6mm faceted beads 2 - 6mm gold or silver beadsSKIRT ASSEMBLY:
On each safety pin thread 2 rondels, 2 - 10mm starflakes, 2 - 12mm starflakes, 3 - 18 mm starflakes and 1 - 10mm starflake. Close pin. Cut a piece of wire 12" long. Assemble 1 safety pin, 1 - 12mm faceted bead, 1 safety pin, 1 - 12mm faceted bead etc. on wire, going through the big (closure) end of the pin. Twist wire tightly together to form a circle. Cut a second piece of wire about 8" and thread through opposite (spring) ends of pins; pull tight to form a small circle.
HEAD - ARMS - WINGS
Cut a 20" piece of wire. String on 16 - 3mm gold or silver beads; push to center of wire and twist once to form a halo. Place 1 - 10mm starflake, then headpiece, then 18mm globe bead on wire. Add one 12mm starflake for collar or add one flattened headpiece + one - 12 mm starflake if you wish. Separate wires. Thread 1 - 12mm faceted bead on one wire; bend wire up so that hole in bead is horizontal. Thread the second wire through the bead from the other end. Pull tight. The 12mm bead should be horizontal. Thread 20 rondels on each wire, then push the end of the wire back through the 12mm bead. This forms the wings. Set the 12mm bead on top of the skirt. Thread wires through the top edge of the skirt from inside to outside. Thread ends of wire back through 12mm bead. Thread 4 - 6mm faceted beads and 1 - 6mm gold or silver bead on each wire. Wrap wire around last 6mm bead and thread through. Pull tight. Trim end and bend back over bead.
