Making Sequin and Beaded Christmas Ornaments

!±8± Making Sequin and Beaded Christmas Ornaments

When I was a kid, one of my fondest memories of Christmas was the Sequin and Beaded Christmas Ornaments my mother made. These were absolutely fantastic! I remember her patiently making them on snowy days in the Rockies. She would take a break in the afternoon to put them together, cold sun light shining through the windows. She also worked at them while watching TV in the evenings. I love those memories and today I like everything about those vintage ornaments. I remember how they felt -- the perfect weight and the multiple textures they had. And, of course, I remember how they just added an absolutely fabulous Old World charm to the Christmas tree.

I have a few of her ornaments; and, I've made a few of my own. This is an easy hobby that anybody can do, but it does take some time. So, you've got to get the ornaments now and assemble them over the next few weeks if you're going to be able to put them on your tree this year! The easiest way to get started is to buy some kits. All the kits will provide most of what you need, but will likely include:
Foam balls, satin ornament, or other foam shape 8mm sized sequins 3/4 inch stick pins Beads of appropriate size for the pins Ribbon Corsage or other large fabric pin for making hanger

Kits will usually include reasonable instructions, but this is an activity where the only things that matter are the parts list and the pictures. The general idea is to first put a bead on a stick pin (sometimes two). Then you put a sequin on the pin (so the edges curve out), and then you put the pin with the sequin and bead at the proper place on the ball or molded form. It helps the pins stay better if you stick the tip of the pen in white glue before putting it in the foam ball. This is particularly important when putting in the corsage pin if using that to hang the ornament.

Where does putting ornaments on trees come from and why do we do it? There are tons of different stories and theories and supposed histories, and so many seem well documented and supported -- and plausible. I really don't think we know. But, I do know we've been decorating trees for a very long time Martin Swintin, an expert antique appraiser, states that the first recorded mention of the Christmas tree was in AD 336, and that most of our Christmas traditions came from central Europe. In fact, he says the first Christmas ornaments were food -- apples, candies, nuts, onions, and so on. Glass ornaments were first made in Lauscha, Germany in the 1800s. That wasn't really that long ago. We've certainly gotten more fancy!

Mary Welling-Bonney has a great idea about our inspiration for ornaments. She theorizes that our wonderful ornaments and other Christmas decorations bring light into our homes during the darkest and coldest time of year (at least, in the Northern hemisphere). She says, "When you give an ornament as a gift this year, remember, you are really giving a little sunshine for someone to be able to make it through the winter until spring blossoms once more.