The easiest Snowflakes of all.

This is just a quick post about the absolutely easiest way to make snowflake ornaments. Buy Snowflake Forms.  If you really want to make them yourself you can, but I don’t think it is worth the time or effort to do it. If you are really in to hand made things you can trim three pieces of wire and solder them together.  I still have yet to get my soldering iron out. The other ways are to either wrap three pieces of wire the same way that I did with the pipe cleaners, or you can wrap them together.

Instructions for wrapping the wires together can be found here.

If you want to purchase the frames, I found mine at Craft Warehouse in Oregon. I’ve also seen them at 1 of the three bead shops that I frequent here in Utah.  If you want to order them online you can find them for sale on EBay. Some of them look like they are quite a bit more expensive than others, check the sizes. They come in a wide variety.

A few words of safety about working with the snowflake forms.

1: Wear Safety Goggles:  When I first used them I was under the impression that you were supposed to make a small loop in the end of the wire. The wire is very hard. The first couple of ornaments I made put so much pressure on the glass beads that they shattered.  Aside from being out the cost of the beads, it is also pretty dangerous. If you decide that you want to make loops on the end, please wear safety goggles. Also, while trying to do it this way, several of my forms had spokes break off.

2: Use A Thimble: I decided to use plastic backings for earrings. They work wonderfully. They keep the beads snuggly on the wire. I just nip the extra wire off at the end of the ear backing. BUT, and this is another big but, be very,very careful sliding them on. I cant count how many times I have punctured the end of my finger with the wire and it isn’t comfortable. I was able to grasp the it on the edges and slide it down, but I really recommend that you use a thimble.

Those are my two safety warnings for using ready made forms.

I like to do a mix of seed beads, crystals, silver beads and craft beads. I know, I know, but those silly little paddle beads really make them look like snowflakes. So  many of the snowflake ornaments that I see are just straight spokes with small beads. Be creative! To hang them I just tie a thin string around the wire just below the earring back.

These are some of the ones that I have made.

My Favorite

Close up of earring back

variation #4

Variation #5