Snowflake Wall Hanging

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• Snowflakes 8 pack (1)
• Doll needle (1)
• Floral wire, 28 gauge (1)
• Wire cutters
• Round unfinished wood beads .9", 19 pack (2)
• Acrylic paint, 2 oz - Regency Blue (1), Granite Gray (1), Country Grey (1), White (1)
• Glitter Paint, 2 oz - Crystal, 1
• Brush 1/2" (1)
• Paint palette
• Blue painters tape (1)
• Scissors
• Yarn:
• Bernat® Baby Blanket™ white (1)
• Bernat® Blanket Extra™ Softened Blue (1)
• Bernat® Pipsqueak™ White (1)
• Bernat® Mega Bulky™ Light Grey Heather (1)
• Lion Brand® Homespun™ Clouds (1)
• Wool and the Gang® Cuddle Me Softly™ Winter White (1)
• Buttercream™ Angel Hair Light Blue (1)
• Dowel or stick, 1"x 25" (1)
• Hot glue gun
• Hot glue

DIRECTIONS:

1. Use the doll needle to pierce a hole in each snowflake center from top to bottom. This hole will accommodate two thicknesses of wire.
2. Paint wood beads and snowflakes. When beads and snowflakes are dry add a coat of glitter paint to the white beads and the snowflakes.
3. The finish length of this wall hanging is 33" from the top of the stick to the bottom edges of yarn.
4. Cut lengths of yarn.
5. For the single strands of yarn, double the finish length plus 1'. These will be folded in half and looped over the stick and will hold beads and snowflakes.
6. For the braided sections, cut three for each braid, four times the finish length plus 1'. As a group of three, these will be looped over the stick and will have a tassel at the bottom.
7. Loop all the yarn on to the stick. Start the loops about 2" from the ends of the stick. Alternate the braids with the straight strands to create space between tassels. Add a small amount of hot glue to the back of the loops to keep them in place.
8. Create a hanger: Cut three 8' lengths of bulky yarn. Fold each in the center. Loop all three folded ends around one end of the stick. Braid to desired length. Wrap the ends around the opposite end of the stick and double knot in the back. Cut the ends to 1" from the knot and hot glue to the back.
9. Hang up the wall hanging.
10. Braid the hanging sections. Wire the approximate end of the braid for a temporary hold.
11. Make sure that the dowel or stick is level.
12. Add the beads to the straight strands. Spiral Painters tape to the ends of the strands. This will create a needle to thread through the beads. Set the height of the center beads and knot below the lowest bead to secure. Work from the center out to the sides to set the height of the other beads in relation to the height of the center beads.
13. Add the snowflakes. Double over a 1' piece of wire. Slide the folded end of the wire through a snowflake. Take the double straight strands and insert through the loop. Slide the snowflake into position. Pull down on the wire to secure the top to the yarn. Wrap the bottom ends of wire around the bottom of the yarn. Fold over the ends of the wire and tuck under the yarn in the back of the snowflake. Repeat. Once all snowflakes are in the desired position add a small amount of hot glue behind the yarn on the back of each snowflake.
14. Locate heights of tassels about 1" below snowflakes. Cut two sets of three folded lengths of yarn for each tassel. Leave the length of yarn from the braid as the center of each tassel. See photo. Wire the two sets of three folded lengths at the center of each and to the end of the braid. This will be the top of the tassel. Fold the sides down. Bundle together to create the ball on the top of the tassel. Wire around to hold in place. Add a spiral of same yarn to finish. Add a small amount of hot glue to hold the ends of the thinner yarn. For the thick yarn, tuck the loose end into the spiral to secure in place.
15. Locate the finished length of the wall hanging.
16. Remove the hanging from the wall. Apply one length of painter's tape to the wall to indicate the cut line for the bottom edges of the hanging.
17. Reset the hanging on the wall. Make sure it's level. Hand comb out all strands of yarn so they lay as straight as possible. Trim the bottom edges of all the yarn to the tape line. Remove the tape from the wall.
18. Fluff all of the tassels and make sure that all snowflakes lay on top of the other yarn strands.

Craft Hack Tips and Tricks:

• Use wood skewers to hold many beads at a time while painting and drying. Place the skewers tips into a block of foam to support the beads and snowflakes while drying.
• When braiding yarn keep the strands flat, side by side, without any twists. This will produce a flat braid.