6.12.13

Beaded Tree Tutorial

Christmas Diorama
          Dear friends, my 7 year old daughter is rather taken with beads these days and is forever making necklaces and bracelets [see her Beaded Necklace]..I caught the beading fever from her and tried to make a beaded tree using some seed beads I have had like since forever!
Beaded christmas tree
Beaded Tree Tutorial

My beaded tree is rather amateurish so professional beading experts do forgive me but I was so  thrilled my experiment turned out ok that I am sharing the tutorial so that a novice with no beading experience whatsoever can make a beaded tree
How to make a beaded tree
This beaded tree  is quite simple and quick to put together ! Some of the leafy branches were made by my 7 year old and it took just approximately 1 hour to make the unadorned beaded tree!

Materials required for your DIY beaded tree

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Beaded Tree Tutorial
  • Seed Beads –whatever colour you want your tree to be
  • Wire -24 G or even thicker ones [of less gauge]– I worked with 24 G and it was quite easy to twist and bend.
  • Wire cutter or scissors.
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Beaded Tree Tutorial
Cut a piece of wire  16- 20 inches long[I didn't measure … I just cut wire of length from my fingers to my shoulder!] and  bend it in half
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Beaded Tree Tutorial
Thread 10 to 12 seed beads on the wire.. you don't have to count  but eyeball the length of the beaded area.The commonly available seed beads [unless you buy high quality expensive ones] generally vary in length in one packet and if you thread the same number of beads the length will vary .
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Beaded Tree Tutorial
Push the beads to the bent center of the wire
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Beaded Tree Tutorial
Cross the wires and twist to form a loop of the seed beads.Keep twisting to give the beaded “leaf” a stem. Make your stem as long as you want.
Tip: To quickly and easily twist -hold the beads and twist  rather than holding the wire and twisting
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Beaded Tree Tutorial
Thread beads in the same way on one arm of the wire
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Beaded Leaf Tutorial
Bend the wire at the length you want the leaf to branch out and holding the beads in your hand twist to form a looped leaf like before.Keep twisting till the wire reaches the earlier leaf’s stem.
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Beaded Leaf Tutorial
Thread beads on the other half of the wire in the same way and twist to make one more beaded leaf
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Beaded Leaf Tutorial
Twist the 2 arms of the wire to a length you want . If you want add more leaves on each arm of the wire as before.
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Beaded Leaf Tutorial
You can make a conical “Christmas tree” type of tree by adding leafy branches of different stem lengths and having different number of leaves.You can make  three or four “2 leaf” branches and add them to your 3 leaved top branch.
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Beaded tree Tutorial
Decide how much down the top branch you want the next layer of branches and twist on the leafy branches one by one .
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Beaded Tree Tutorial
So your tree is already shaping up! Add branches with more leaves or longer stems as you go down the tree trunk.There is no hard and fast rule on lengths and number of leaves on how to make your tree..I experimented  quite a bit and my tree turned out different every time and it was fun!
Beaded tree tutorial 1
Beaded Christmas Tree 
You can make a loopy base for your tree with wire [rather tricky !] or insert your tree trunk in play dough/clay  like I have done here.
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Beaded Christmas Tree 
The base of my beaded tree is a plastic play dough container which I dressed up with washi tape, lace and rhinestones.To cover up the play dough I poured a generous amount of white glue over it and covered it with pearls.Can you see the "snow" on the rim of my tree base?
Beaded Christmas tree
Threaded a flower head and a red bead on a pin head and looped them on my beaded tree.I don't know if they look like cherries or Christmas tree ornaments!
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Beaded Christmas tree
Die cut 2 stars from silver glittery foam and stuck a loop of  wire between them.Twisted the star atop the beaded Christmas tree.
DIY Beaded Tree
Click here for the full view and details  of the snowy Christmas Diorama I used the beaded trees on .
Beaded tree tutorial 
These easy to make Trees would look fabulous as home decor and if you sell your crafts  I bet these would be a big hit [but caution you need to pack them well and maybe use thicker wire otherwise the branches can get squished!]
Do tell me how this simple tutorial was.
Supplies :Beads, Wire , wire cutter,head pins, flower caps,pearls,Rhinestones-Itsy Bitsy.

Edited : This beaded tree tutorial was featured at Totally Tutorials!


This beaded tree also got Top honor at Decorate to Celebrate Christmas tree theme
Decorate To Celebrate! Top Honors

62 comments:

  1. absolutely gorgeous Project, Sonia. When you explain with pictures, its more easier. :)

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    1. Thank you so much Shilpa..I am still debating with myself whether you tube videos would be better for tutorials...I personally cant sit through a you tube video!

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  2. Its so wonderful Dr Sonia... lovely Christmas tree.. Thanks for detailed pictorial..you are amazing.. :)

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    1. Radhika you are one amazing crafter yourself..I am always stunned at the ideas you come up with!

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  3. I like the idea of using the bead caps to hold the cherries!! Waiting to see the complete project. I don't think I have the patience to make a branch with seed beads & here I alread see two tress doc :-)

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    1. Tanvi it was quite easy..in fact much easier than quilling!

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  4. Wow Sonia, isn't this so unique and pretty...love that Christmas tree, you are so inspiring with lots of talents.... love it!

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    1. Oooh Thank you so much Shirl. And I am the one always drooling over your projects!

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  5. Lovely beaded tree Dr. Your lovely beaded tree reminds me of a small beaded tree which I made out of compulsion because one of my rosaries broke . You always inspire me Dr.Thank you very much.

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    1. Thank you so much Ghazala..would love to see your tree..have you posted it on your blog?

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  6. Lovely ! I`m off to make one and gift it to my neice. She`s going to love it !

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    1. Thank you so much ...that is praise indeed coming from you

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  7. Lovely tree..Love the hanging red beads...Thanks for the tutorial..

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    1. Thank you so much Sindhu ..yeah the beads look like cherries in a basket!

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  8. I think that the tree is adorable..I have loved christmas trees ever since I was a kid and miss them in apartments

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    1. Thank you so much Divya..this year I have a real Christmas tree in my garden and my daughter is eagerly waiting to deck it up!

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  9. Fantastic Christmas tree n tutorial too ! The red berries look wow on green tree :D ! I am eager to see the diorama ..

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    1. Pooja will soon share the diorama..I didnt want to make the blog ost too long

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  10. very beautiful tree.... for me the christmas season has set in seeing the preps on ur blog!
    :)

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    1. Oh you are so sweet Bijal.Somehow Christmas is one festival I always celebrate though I am a Hindu!

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  11. Dr, I must say u have done a mind blowing work....Its superb....

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    1. Thank you so much for such sweet words Kunda.I felt especially proud as I used to think beading was "difficult"!

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  12. Well Hello Dr. Sonia. It has been a while since I popped in for a visit. You have been busy creating beautiful projects and this beaded tree is so very pretty. I love the way the twisted silver wire shows in the tree. Makes it looks very artsy. Your daughter is growing up too fast, but I am glad you two are still sharing the love of crafting.

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    1. Linda Thank you so much for dropping by ..yes my daughter is growing up fast!!!

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  13. very very beautiful , fixing the tree with the help of clay is a great idea !!looking forward to the complete Diaroma, Sonia !! I can see beautiful snow under your second tree !!

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    1. Thank you so much Suman ..yes the diorama is completely snowladden!

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  14. this is so creative and pretty thank you for joining challenge at dtc. hugs

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    1. Thank you so much Rhonda I love your challenges

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  15. This is so beautiful!! Loved the red beads on the tree, they are making it look more beautiful! Thanks for sharing the tutorial! :)
    Waiting for the Christmas diorama! :)

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    1. Thank you so much Ayushi.I wanted red crystals but couldnt get them anywhere.The red beads are from a broken necklace

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  16. Absolutely adorable!
    Thanks for sharing!
    Hugs!

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  17. I just love this darling little tree! What time and skill it must have taken to make it!
    Pam
    scrap-n-sewgranny.blogspot.com

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  18. Oh wow, this is so gorgeous, Sonia!! What a creative idea!! It looks absolutely amazing!! Thank you so much for linking up at Decorate to Celebrate!! Have a great weekend :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  19. This is incredible -- you are amazing Sonia.
    this would be great in the DL.ART Thankful Thursday Anything Goes December Linky Party. Have a great day
    DIANA L.
    dianamlarson.blogspot.com

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  20. This is absolutely brilliant, Dr. Sonia. Thanks so much for showing the step by step instructions.

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  21. Wow! What a great idea... Its really an unique craft.... I love it so much.. Its great post for Christmas season..

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  22. So adorable Sonia and just love the little scene you created..what a fabulous and clever idea..

    luv CHRISSYxx

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  23. That is very cool. I love how it turned out. I've never done any beading but now I want to try

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  24. Thank you so much for doing this beaded Christmas tree. I had the instructions on how to do and lost them So thanks again for sharing this tutorial. I'm going to make these.
    Hugs, Patricia

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  25. WOW!! This is gorgeous!!! Thanks for sharing how you made it as well!
    Awesome job!!!

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  26. Wow! No words! The Tree is Beautiful Sonia!

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  27. Oh my goodness... this is the most precious Christmas tree I've seen! Your talent is a joy and a delight to all! :o) I hope you have a beautiful weekend. :o)

    Hugs and blessings!

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  28. So beautiful.. thanks for the tutorial :)

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  29. Very Beautiful Tree! Thanks for entering the challenge!

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  30. WOW! What a fabulous project! Thanks so much for the tutorial! Fantastic! Thanks so much for joining us at The Sisterhood’s ‘HANDMADE’ challenge and please come back again soon!
    Darlene
    one of the 'Sistahs'
    The Sisterhood of Crafters
    DAR’S CRAFTY CREATIONS

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  31. I have long been an admirer of yours, Dr.Sonia! I greatly love the fact that you manage to find time for crafting in your obviously packed schedule. I would like to try the beaded tree some day...

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  32. Such a lovely idea!

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  33. thank you for sharing with us at TIOT your inovative, creative tree.EE

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  34. Amazing tree!Well done1
    I'm your new follower!
    hugs from Greece

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  35. This is so beautiful...nicely explained!

    devika
    http://craftncreativity.blogspot.in

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  36. Wow one of the most easily understood tutorials Dr ! :)
    I still cant believe ur a doc :D u are so good at this !
    thanks for playing with us at BGC - Dec challenge !
    Hugs !

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  37. Hello Dr. Sonia:) It's been a while since I've stopped by but I was glad to see your entry over at Decorate to Celebrate:) Your tree is simply amazing and so beautiful. Thank you for joining us over at Decorate to Celebrate.
    Hugs,
    Norma

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  38. Wow such a simple idea, but so gorgeous when done! You must have a lot of patience with all that beading!

    Thanks for sharing with us

    Lin
    Dream Valley

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  39. I know there is a new challenge at TIOT already, but somehow time just slips through my fingers at the moment, so I am catching up a little on the commenting...
    LOVE your little beaded tree, must have been a lot of work, I think I am too impatient to make this...
    thanks for joining us at TIOT
    xxx Ellie Knol xxx

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  40. Thanks for joining us at Miriam's Crafting blog for our monthly challenge! The tree is so great. I will definitely have to try this one. I have been meaning to get some wire, and now I have another reason. Just to let you know, I am having a DT call, in case you're interested.

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  41. This is so sweet. Thank you for sharing it. Marion x

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  42. Oh wow, Dr Sonia, this is just amazing love the little ornaments you hung on the tree.....again a beautiful tutorial.

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  43. U amaze me always Sonia ji
    Thanks for playing with us at BGC #44 - 3D gift challenge
    Hugs
    Pooja

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  44. Wow! Fabulous project! Love the tree, cherries hanging and your tutorial . Thanks for playing along with us at BGC :)

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  45. Amazing tutorial and amazing tree!!!

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  46. WAW! I'm speechless :). Nice work.

    Greetings from Slovenia
    Jerneja

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