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Christmas Ball Tree Ornament
Instructions and design by Rita Vainius


What you will need:

    • 1 skein Caron Watercolours (choose a color that has a lot of variegation, since it will make the ornament more interesting)
    • 1 skein Caron Candlelight or other metallic thread
    • 2" - 2 1/2" Styrofoam ball
    • Roll of double stick (2 sided) tape
    • Scissors
    • 1/2" wide masking tape
    • Beads 1/4" to 3/8" round
    • Ruler
    • Yarn Needle with eye large enough for metallic thread to pass through


Step 1:

Take the Styrofoam ball and starting at the middle top, (anywhere you start will be the middle top on a ball!) cover 1/2 of the ball with the double stick tape. Leave the other half of the ball uncovered by tape for now. This will make it easier to work with, when wrapping it with the thread.



 Step 2:

Hold the ball by the unsticky part at the bottom and starting at the center of the taped part, begin winding the Watercolours thread in a circular pattern, in ever larger circles, around the taped part of the ball. As you do this, press the thread down to secure it to the ball. Butt up the thread as you do this so that no Styrofoam shows through. Do this up to where the tape ends. Do not cut the thread you're working with.

Step 3:

Turn the ball over and apply the double stick tape to the other half of the ball, while holding the ball by the already wrapped side. Then continue wrapping the thread around the bottom of the ball by wrapping the thread around from where you left off in the middle.The rotations you make with the thread now will be in ever smaller circles. Do this until the ball is completely wrapped with thread. Trim excess thread closely and press all the thread down to make sure it is all stuck securely to the Styrofoam. It will look pretty neat already at this point!

Step 4:

Cut 6 pieces of the metallic thread to 44" each. Fold each piece in half so that each 1/2 piece is 22" long, but do not cut the loop where you folded them over. Working with each of these pieces individually, hold the 2 loose ends of the thread between your thumb and index finger of your left hand, and hold the looped end of the thread in your right. Now start twisting the cord with your right hand until it is very tight. When it is nice and twisted tightly, bring the two ends of the thread together, without letting go, and allow the thread to twist around itself. Then tie the loose ends of the thread in a knot, to prevent it from un-twisting. Do this with the other 5 metallic threads. Note: For a more detailed description for twisting the threads, see our previous kid's project of Pom-Pom Shoelaces, from the Caron September Website- Steps 3 and 4. (KIDS PROJECT ARCHIVES.)

Step 5:

Using a single strand of the same metallic thread, about 12" long, thread the strand through a yarn needle, and draw the thread through the top loops of all 6 twisted threads (the end of the twisted threads opposite the knots). Remove the needle and pull the two ends of the single metallic thread as close as possible so that all the top loops are very close together. Now tie a double knot to secure them, but do not cut the end of the metallic thread. You will be using these ends later to secure the loop for your ornament to the ball.



Step 6:

Placing the 6 twisted threads at the top of the ball (where you started wrapping the thread around the ball), separate them so that they are all equidistant from each other, going around the ball and down the sides.(It will look sort of like the slices of an orange, but instead you will be dividing the ball into slices with your metallic threads.) Draw these threads down the sides of the ball and gather them all together at the bottom middle of the ball, where you completed wrapping the ball with thread originally. Twist them all together close to the ball and using a piece of the masking tape, wrap the tape around the threads several times to secure them to each other and as close to the ball as possible. Now your ornament is looking even better!

Step 7:

Using the same metallic thread used for the twisted threads, wrap over the masking tape, going around as many times as you need to cover the tape completely. This may take 15 to 25 rotations of thread. When the tape is completely covered, tie the ends of the threads tightly and knot and trim as close as possible.

Step 8:

Using the same Watercolours thread used to cover the ball, cut a piece 28" long. Fold it in half and using the same method as in Step 4, make a twisted cord with this thread. After it is twisted, make a loop with it, about 1" long, and tie the end in a double knot. Trim remaining threads under the knot to about 1/4".

Step 9:

Using the metallic thread at the top of the ball (from where you joined the 6 twisted metallic threads together in Step 5), thread one end of it through the yarn needle. Then draw the metallic thread through the knot at the bottom of the loop you just made with the Watercolours thread. Draw the thread through the knot on the loop 1 or 2 more times to make sure it is fastened to the ball securely. Your ornament will hang from this loop. When you have finished, remove the needle and tie a double knot and trim the threads close.

Step 10:

Thread one bead on the end of each of the metallic twisted thread that is hanging down from the bottom of your ornament. To make it look more interesting, secure the beads at different places on these threads. For example: you could place 2 beads about 2" down from the ball, the next 2 can be placed at about 2 1/2" down, and the last 2 can be placed about 3" down. Or, you can place each bead at a different height. Whatever works for you is right! When you have decided how to arrange the beads, make a double knot in the metallic thread underneath each bead to keep it in place.

Voila! Your Personalized Holiday Ornament is now ready to hang on your tree or actually, anywhere at all where you can best enjoy it. (In your window or in a doorway would be other good places.) And if you're feeling generous, it would make a spectacular Holiday gift for a very special person, since, not only does it look wonderful, but you made it yourself. Actually, I wish I was on your gift list!






CARON email: mail@caron-net.com