Super Snowflakes!

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, ‘Tis the season to be jolly... hmmm, might be a touch early for that yet! But for us crafty people, it’s definitely not too early in the season to be making, and that’s why we’re super excited to once again have the Beadsmith Snowflake wire forms back.

Whether you’re planning the Christmas presents you’re going to make (and everyone we know appreciates something handmade with love), looking to update your Christmas decoration collection, or thinking about hosting a Christmas craft workshop, these easy to make seasonal beadable objects are perfect for creating something that celebrates your own or others personal style.

So let us tell you a little more about them! Manufactured by the Beadsmith, the snowflakes come in four sizes (total diameters):

• 3 ¾ inches (8 in a pack)
• 4 ½ inches (7 in a pack)
• 6 inches (6 in a pack)
• 9 inches (4 in a pack)

Shop the range here

The diameter of the wire arms are approximately 0.8mm and is quite stiff, so it makes it easy to thread on your beads and embellishments whist keeping your design straight and true. The join in the middle of the snowflakes is very secure so you can trust they will stay together for years to come.

If you like things to be symmetrical, then these snowflakes will put a tick in your box as every size has 6 arms to embellish with a variety of beads, crystals, ribbons; really anything with a hole will do, so you can make a traditional style decoration or really go to town and make a completely wild and wacky version for maximum effect!

And even though they lend themselves perfectly for tree decorations, they are so versatile you could also use them for card decorations, gift tags, dinner place settings, window or wall hangings, Christmas bunting... the list goes on! 

Now, the snowflakes are really straightforward to make so we’d thought we’d just give you a quick overview of how create one:

If you like this tool, get it today here

And if you already have chain nose and round nose pliers, check out our video for how to create a loop in wire:

We told you it was simple! But there are a few things to remember when making the snowflakes (we learnt these the hard way of course!):

• Use smaller beads towards the middle of the snowflake to ensure they fit snugly together and there are no gaps in your design
• Due to the diameter of the wire arms, you can use beads as small as 11/0, however cull your stash beforehand and only use those with slightly bigger holes
• When you turn your loop at the end, cover the last bead with your finger to protect it from breakage
• If your loops aren’t the best, you can add a drop of glue to the last bead at each end for additional security
• Finish one snowflake arm and turn your loop before moving onto the next arm – otherwise you’ll have to use something like blue-tack, a cork or Plasticine to keep all the beads on the arms whilst you turn your loops!
• If you have a few snowflakes left over, keep them to make sparkling sun-catchers with fire polished beads for the summer or darker beads and spider focals for Halloween!

And a final note – these snowflakes are also great for kids to get involved with; threading beads can help develop their fine motor skills, and they can use their mathematical and problem solving skills to make sure the number and pattern of beads are replicated on each arm (however please ensure the kids are supervised as the ends of the wire may be sharp – Blue-tack, cork, Plasticine etc to the rescue again!). 

So set your festive self free and rejoice in making these delightful snowflakes as we beaders, jewellery makers and crafters know it’s never too early to start on our Christmas gifts and decorations!

Let it snow (flake!)

Let it snow (flake!)

Let it snow (flake!)