Fancy Snowflake Glass Bead Ornament ~ Craft Project Kit Assembly Tutorial + Custom Color Variations

The Fancy Snowflake is a gorgeous and elegant design created with fancy figural beads strung onto an 8-branch lataperle (wired center bead) further embellished with smaller beads forming a 3-D garland and fancy center. Five colorways are available as project kits that contain the necessary beads and lataperle to create one ornament. Or easily create your own custom color combos using the supplies and steps noted below. Completed ornament measures about 5" across. The illustrated steps below show the assembly of a project kit.

Supplies to make 1 ornament:

1 Fancy Snowflake project kit

Scissors

Rosary Pliers (needle nose pliers with a wire cutter)

--OR--

8-branch lataperle

8 beads GB073

8 beads GB226

16 beads GB082 (all 16 the same color or 8 each of two colors)

16 beads "3" bump 5mm (project kits use "3" bump 4mm beads, we recommend substituting "3" bump 5mm beads)

24 spacer beads

30inches of 28 gauge wire

1 hook

Scissors

Rosary Pliers

Step 1: Straighten the 6 fixed branches of the lataperle. Working on one branch, string on 5 beads in this order: spacer bead - large faceted - spacer bead - drop - spacer bead.

Step 2: Leaving about 3/8" of wire above the spacer bead, use the rosary pliers to trim away any excess wire. Use the rosary pliers to gently form a loop with the 3/8" of wire to secure the beads on to the wire.

Step 3: Continue adding beads, trimming excess wire and forming end loops for the remaining five fixed branches.

Step 4: Straighten the long piece of wire that will form branch 7 and 8 of the snowflake.

Step 5: Use the rosary pliers to form a loop at one end of the straightened wire.

Step 6: String beads on in the reverse order to form the bottom snowflake branch: spacer bead - drop - spacer bead - large faceted - spacer bead.

Step 7: Guide the wire through the center hole of the lataperle. Next string the remaining beads onto the wire in the appropriate order.

Step 8: Make sure the wire is positioned well. Using rosary pliers, trim away excess wire leaving about 3/8" and form a loop as before.

Step 9: Use rosary pliers to open the looped end of the eye-pin (or hook), place it through the loop formed in Step 8, and close it to secure.

Step 10: Use rosary pliers to form the eye-pin into a hook shape.

Step 11: Wrap the length of wire around the branch between the spacer bead and the large faceted bead, leaving a 1-1/2" tail. String a 6mm faceted bead onto the wire and slide it down so it sits above and between two spacer beads.

Step 12: Wrap the wire around the next branch in the same position (between spacer bead and large faceted bead).

Step 13: Continue adding 6mm faceted beads and wrapping wire until 8 beads total have been added.

Step 14: Twist wires together at back to secure. Trim excess wire with scissors leaving a 1/4" twist. Tuck twist in to hide.

Step 15: Wrap the length of wire around the branch between the large faceted bead and spacer bead, leaving a 1-1/2" tail. String 1 bump bead + 1 6mm faceted bead + 1 bump bead onto the wire and slide down close to the branch. Bend into an inverted point with the 6mm faceted bead at the bottom of the point. The garland will have a 3-D effect and point slightly outward from the main part of the ornament.

Step 16: Wrap the wire around the next branch in the same position (between large faceted bead and spacer bead).

Step 17: Continue adding bump beads + 6mm faceted beads and wrapping wire until 8 sections total have been completed.

Step 18: Twist wires together to secure. Trim excess wire with scissors leaving a 1/4" twist. Tuck twist in to hide.

Variations: This technique can easily be used to create snowflakes in gorgeous custom color combinations. The photo below left shows different snowflakes made from project kits, while the photo below right shows three of our favorites made from loose beads in specifically selected colors. Bead counts for custom colors are noted here:

Below right top: Aquas, pink and gold is tonal and gorgeous.

Use 24 amber spacer beads + 8 light green GB073 + 8 pearl teal GB226 + 8 hot pink 6mm faceted + 8 gold 6mm faceted + 16 gold "3" bump 5mm beads + silver lataperle + silver hook.

Below right center: Purple and blue is icy and elegant.

Use 8 amber spacer beads + 16 clear spacer beads+ 8 light purple GB073 + 8 pearl blue GB226 +16 aqua 6mm faceted + 16 silver "3" bump 5mm beads + gold lataperle + gold hook.

Below right bottom: Red, pink and brown is a beautiful mix of soft and bright.

Use 24 clear spacer beads + 8 light pink GB073 + 8 brown GB226 + 8 copper 6mm faceted + 8 red 6mm faceted + 16 red "3" bump 5mm beads + gold lataperle + gold hook.

Tips and Notes:

-- Always use spacer beads at the tips of the wires where the loop is formed. The thin walls of the blown glass beads are not suitable as end beads alone.

-- Be sure to attach the hanging hook to the long wire from Step 8. This long wire best supports the weight of the entire ornament. Using any of the fixed wires could result in a fixed wire pulling out from the center bead.

-- We love the look of ornaments built on lateperle and stock tons of bead colors to create gorgeous variations of this snowflake style. Peruse our selection of loose beads below and let you imagination guide you!

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