This sparkly ornament craft is perfect for decorating your Christmas tree, making window hanging or mobile, or placing in a decorative bowl. They’re easy to make, require no sewing, and are simple enough to do together with the whole family!
If you want to create this easy DIY project along with us, you can watch our tutorial on YouTube here:
To get started, you’ll want to use a thicker thread that has some shine and sparkle to it. We’ll be using this 8wt thread called Dazzle from the Starry Night Dazzle colour collection. It’s a thicker thread made from rayon with a single strand of metallic, so your ornament will catch the light and glitter wherever it is placed.
You can purchase Dazzle threads in our online shop here
You will also need a water balloon for each ornament you make. These can usually be purchased from your local craft store or party store and they often come in a pack of several balloons.
Before beginning, you will need to make a starch paste to hold your thread together. Add one tablespoon of corn starch to about 3 tablespoons of cold water and mix. In the meantime, boil one cup of water on the stove.
Once that water is boiled, add the cold water and corn starch to the pot and continue to boil until it thickens. It should look like a liquid gel.
You can also purchase a starch mix, such as Sta Flo however we find that the homemade version works best. If you would like to purchase liquid starch, you can find some here: https://amzn.to/3dG00AM
Blow up one of the water balloons to about the size of a large orange and tie it off.
Unravel about 15 inches or 38 centimeters of thread at a time so it isn’t too long to manage and dip it into your starch mixture. Wrap the damp thread around the balloon but don’t knot it. Continue wrapping around the balloon covering it to the desired amount.
To ensure the ball doesn’t compress as it’s drying, you can tie a string around it and hang the bulb in an elevated location for it to completely dry.
Once the bulb is fully dry, puncture the balloon and carefully pull it out between the thread strands. It’s now ready for decorating! You can place these balls in a decorative bowl or tie a small loop of thread through the top to hang it from your tree or turn it into a mobile.
If you like the way these ornaments look, you can use the same materials to make thread-wrapped Christmas trees! We found the perfect tutorial for this project here: http://www.2createincolor.com/2012/11/29/simple-crafted-thread-trees/
We hope you can enjoy making these easy decorations yourself! if you’re making this project for yourself or your family you can tag us on Instagram using the hashtag #wonderfil! You can also sign up for our free newsletter to receive more educational sewing tips, tutorials, and free patterns. Register by clicking here! We’ll see you again next time!