Christmas Arts and Crafts Idea

How to Make Safety Pin Angel Ornaments

Here is a super Christmas arts and crafts idea for you -- making this very pretty angel ornament. The angel's skirt is made using safety pins. How's that for clever!

I did not come up with this great design myself. The first time I made one of these angels I used a craft kit I bought years ago at Michaels arts and crafts store. I haven't seen this particular kit in the stores in recent years, but it might still be available. I believe the kit is made by Mac Enterprises.

Here is how to make these lovely safety pin angel ornaments.

Materials

9 gold safety pins -- 1-1/2 inches long (Size 2)

1 white 14mm pearl

1 white 12mm pearl

9 white 8mm pearls

10 white 6mm pearls

2 white 5mm pearls

12 gold 4mm pearls

11 white 19mm X 6mm "rice" beads

• 19mm = approximately 3/4 inch

• "Rice" beads also are known as "spaghetti" beads (although the pasta they really look like is orzo!)

40 inches thin gold wire (26 or 28 gauge)

7 inches thin gold cord (to hang ornament)

Instructions

Create the skirt

Open a safety pin, add one rice bead, then one 6mm pearl.

Close the pin.

Repeat until all nine safety pins are beaded this way.

Cut one 2-inch piece of wire.

Thread the wire through the coiled holes of the nine safety pins.

Twist the ends of the wire together to secure. This will be the waist of the skirt.

Cut one 5-inch piece of wire and thread it through the holes in the heads of the safety pins, inserting one 8mm pearl between each pin. Twist the ends of the wire together. (Secure the wire well but do not pull it too tight or else the 8mm pearls will not hang well between the pins.) This is the hem of the skirt.

Trim off the excess wire.

Make the angel's torso, head, and halo

Cut one 5-inch piece of wire. Coil one end. Slip on one 6mm white pearl.

Insert the wire up through the bottom of the dress and out through the hole at the top. (See photo below, on left.)

Pull the wire up as far as it will go. (The 6mm bead you just strung on the wire will prevent the wire from coming through the hole.)

Thread on one 12mm white pearl (for the angel's torso), one 14mm white pearl (for the angel's head), and twelve 4mm gold pearls (for the halo).

Loop the wire to form the halo. Twist the wire around the base of the halo until it is securely closed. Trim off excess wire.

Add the arms

Cut one 3-1/2 inch piece of wire. Fold in half, and twist the wire once around the neck area so that the wire extends out on each side (for the arms).

On one end of the wire, add one rice bead, then one 5 mm white pearl. Coil the end of wire to secure.

Repeat on the other side.

Make and attach the angel's wings

Cut 23 inches of wire. Wrap the wire around three of your fingers. Squeeze wires together in the center, and twist once (into a figure 8) to make the wings.

Cut one 2-inch piece of wire to attach the wings to the back of the angel. Wrap the 2-inch wire from front to back around the angel's neck area. Twist the wire several times in back to secure the wings.

Shape the wings and halo.

Finishing touches

Cut one 7-inch piece of thin gold cord.

Thread the cord through the halo.

Knot the ends to secure.

If you enjoyed this Christmas arts and crafts idea, you might also like to make the safety pin bell ornament and the dragonfly ornament.

For more ornaments and other Christmas arts and crafts ideas, see Handmade Ornaments for All Occasions and Christmas Crafts to Make.

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