Crafts

Beaded Icicle Ornaments

We have been making these beaded icicles for a long time. When Holly and I make them, we set up an assembly line and complete each stage before moving to the next. They can be harder to make than they look like they should be, it just depends on how you choose to do the top pipe cleaner loop and the end of the icicle. Pictured are two, an aquamarine beaded icicle and a clear icicle. Typically we make them in clear beads only, but I had some leftover light blue beads from a beaded angel which I recently made. I'll give bead size and quantities for both.

Materials for Clear Thin Icicle

Makes approximately 50

Round Plastic Beads

200 4-mm crystal faceted beads
200 6-mm crystal faceted beads
200 8-mm crystal faceted beads

Sunburst Plastic Beads

250 10-mm crystal sunburst beads
250 12-mm crystal sunburst beads
1 package of chenille white pipe-cleaners which contains at least 25 pieces. The pipe cleaners are 12 inches long.
Glue
Strong nylon clear thread to use as a hanger (I used beading thread) OR use store bought hangers
Wire cutter pliers (something to cut the pipe cleaners)

Quantity of beads per icicle

5 12-mm crystal sunburst beads
5 10-mm crystal sunburst beads
4 8-mm crystal faceted beads
4 6-mm crystal faceted beads
4 4-mm crystal faceted beads

You can add extra beads to the icicle, but make sure that each completed beaded icicle is a bit shorter than the 6-inch pipe cleaner. Leave at least 1/4 of an inch of pipe cleaner un-beaded at the end the icicle.

 

How to Make Them

Cut all of the white pipe cleaners in half.

The Top

Form a small hook on one end of the pipe-cleaner. Tweak the hook a bit so that the tip turns out a bit. Place a 12-mm crystal sunburst bead on the pipe-cleaner and tuck in the end of the pipe-cleaner into the bead. This is rather difficult, so an adult or older child should probably do all of the icicle "tops."

Adding The Rest of the Beads

Once all of the tops are completed, add beads in this order:

Add 4 more 12-mm crystal sunburst beads.
Add 5 10-mm crystal sunburst beads.
Add 4 8-mm crystal faceted beads.
Add 4 6-mm crystal faceted beads.
Add 4 4-mm crystal faceted beads.

Finishing the End of the Icicles

Once you have added all of the beads to each icicle, make sure the beads are packed on the pipe cleaner tightly, then bend the remaining tip of the pipe cleaner at a 90 degree angle. With a wire cutter, trim the pipe cleaner to around 1/8th of an inch. Pull off the white fuzz. Using the side of the wire cutter pliers, bend the 1/8 th inch wire up against the last 4-mm bead. This keeps the beads from sliding off.

*A messy alternative is to cut the wire flush with the last bead. Then remove the last two beads, add a light smear of white glue to the pipe cleaner, then slide the last two beads back onto the end of the icicle. Set aside to dry.

The Hangers

At this point you can use store bought hangers. I prefer a "string" hanger. Take clear nylon string (or the string you have) and run it through the loop at the top. Cut it to the desired length, then knot the ends together. Bring the knot down to the loop at the top of the icicle and add a drop of glue. Set aside to dry overnight.

 

Materials for the Wider Aquamarine Icicle

NOTE: Quantities to purchase are unknown. I used leftover aquamarine beads.

Round Plastic Beads

4-mm aquamarine faceted beads
6-mm aquamarine faceted beads
8-mm aquamarine faceted beads

Sunburst Plastic Beads

10-mm aquamarine sunburst beads
12-mm aquamarine sunburst beads
18-mm aquamarine sunburst beads
25-mm aquamarine sunburst beads
white chenille pipe-cleaner

 

Quantity of beads per aquamarine icicle

This can be altered, depending on the number of beads that you have.

1 25-mm aquamarine sunburst beads
5 18-mm aquamarine sunburst beads
5 12-mm aquamarine sunburst beads
5 10-mm aquamarine sunburst beads
2 8-mm aquamarine faceted beads
4 6-mm aquamarine faceted beads
5 4-mm aquamarine faceted beads

Follow instructions above to make the aquamarine icicles using the Quantity of beads per aquamarine icicle: as a guide for placement.