This holiday season we stepped up our game in the decorating department. We had more motivation than normal, because we knew we’d be hosting Todd’s work crew, and wanted to have a cohesive and festive look. Our home is a rustic, craftsman style with lots of wood and stone. One project that I would absolutely repeat, and may even add more of next Christmas, is this DIY wood bead garland! I found some inspiration on Pinterest, ordered beads through Amazon Prime, and strung them together while watching TV at night. It was honestly so easy, but it makes a big impact. Plus it fits the more natural holiday look we were going for this year!
It may be too late to accomplish the garland for Christmas this year, but it would be so perfect to use for birthday party or baby shower decorations. Just add it to a banner on your mantle, or lay it out over the table runner, along with a few small floral arrangements! I’m planning to keep mine in my craft bins for such occasions. This would also make a wonderful hostess gift, and I’m sure your girlfriends/mom/sisters would enjoy it, too. It’s not too late to use the Prime subscription. 😉
Supplies You Will Need
- Three sets of beads:
- String**
*The 20 mm set is optional. I did use a few of these in the long strands that I made for our banister, but I probably could have made it work without it. I did use the leftovers to make a strand that I put in the garland over our kitchen window!
**I used some stretchy cord that came with a set of the beads, plus some thin string we have on hand. I do think the hemp string that I linked will work better, though. The reviews say it works well with wood beads. The stretchy cord was a bit bouncy, so I had to make the beads very tight.
How to Make The Garland
Before stringing, use the string to measure the area you want to hang or lay the garland. Cut the string accordingly, leaving some extra room on the end. I recommend hanging your green garland first, then going along that to measure. You can also do this in sets. Mine is in two pieces, but it would have worked as one long string, too.
Tie a large enough knot on one end to keep the bead from falling off of the string.
Pick a pattern you like. If you want to do the same as mine, you will need to start with a 20 mm, then a 10 mm, then a 12 mm, another 10 mm, then a 20 mm, and repeat.
Keep stringing until it is long enough for the space.
I hung mine along the garland on our stairs. I used wire to attach it to the garland that was already hung.
To really get the pretty, natural look, add in fresh greenery after hanging the wood bead garland! My mom helped me with this and added fresh pine, cedar, and eucalyptus branches. I was thrilled with the end result!
Leave a Reply