Christmas Tree Decorating With Beads

Making a Beaded Christmas Tree: Beginner Tips

Whether you need an adorable ornament for your tree, a stunning gift topper to make your holiday presents stand out, or a charming tabletop decoration, making a beaded Christmas tree is easier than you may think. It also leaves plenty of room for customization and creativity, allowing you to express yourself in your own unique way this holiday season.

Supplies to Make a Beaded Christmas Tree

You can make your beaded Christmas tree any size you like, so the number and type of beads are up to you. As a starting point, this list of supplies is for a beaded tree about six inches tall. You may already have some of these supplies and tools on hand, and the rest are available at your local craft store:

About eight feet stiff beading wire (gauge depends on the size of the beads you choose)
Green glass beads, any size or shape, enough to fill eight feet of wire
Red, clear, gold, white, silver, and other colors of beads for decorations
Two pairs of beading pliers
Wire cutters

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Basic Beaded Christmas Tree Instructions

Start by placing one green bead on the wire and using the pliers to bend the wire back around it. This will be the top of your Christmas tree.
Using the pliers, bend the length of wire into a tight spiral with the bead in the center. Gradually make each ring of wire a bit looser until you've used up the entire length of wire.
Begin adding beads to the wire. String them on from the outside spiral and push them around the spiral until they reach the center. Use mainly green beads, but mix in some other colors and sizes for decorations on the Christmas tree.
When the entire spiral is covered in beads, use the pliers to finish off the end and keep the beads in place.
Gently pull up on the center bead, forming the spiral into a cone or tree shape. You can adjust the shape as needed to make it work.
If you're going to hang the beaded tree on your real Christmas tree as an ornament, add a hanging ribbon or string to the top bead. If it's going to sit on a surface, make sure the bottom feels flat and stable.

Tips for Beading Beginners

If you're new to beading, these tips can help you enjoy this project and others like it:

Take your time. Beading takes dexterity and practice, so don't get frustrated if you're slow at first.
Consider using a cookie sheet or tray with edges to work. This will help contain all the beads and keep them from rolling off the surface of your table or desk.
Invest in some beading tools. Having pliers the right size for your task can help make it much easier to form the wire into a spiral.
Start small if you feel overwhelmed. You can make your first Christmas tree tiny and then work up from there.

Interesting Beaded Tree Variations

Once you mastered this basic beaded Christmas tree craft, you can try some variations:

Add different shapes of beads, such as faceted designs or even stars.
Try a variety of materials like wood beads or metal beads instead of glass.
Consider using vintage beads if you want a different look. You can recycle these from broken jewelry.
Experiment with changing the color and making your tree be white or gold.

You can also make a more complex version of a beaded Christmas tree with seed beads and wire loops using a technique called French beading.

Make Your Holidays Meaningful With Handmade Decorations

No matter what style of beaded Christmas tree you decide to make, it's fun to get creative during the holidays. You can also use your beading skills to make ornaments to decorate your real tree too. Having something handmade to display or give as a gift makes the holiday season even more meaningful.