How To Make a DIY Wood Bead Garland

Wood bead garland is such an easy and simple DIY project for Christmas! Wooden bead garlands add such a classic look to your Christmas tree, or draped down the staircase.

I love crafting with my daughters. Its so fun to teach them creative skills and watch them try new things! Making Christmas decorations is such a fun way to prepare for the holidays as a family. I know these are memories my girls will cherish and ideas they might pass on to their own kids some day!

Last year we spent Advent making one decoration a week. The kids loved it and it gave extra meaning to the decorations we put up. We made dried orange slices and strung them, paper bag stars, pom pom garlands and this wood bead garland.

We loved the simple festive look of this garland so much, I left it up for half the year! Haha! Its not specifically a Christmas decoration, so it can be used for other seasons too. I’m no décor specialist or designer, but I think wood bead garlands work well with that modern boho look that’s so popular now. I find I tend toward minimal holiday decorations, and that’s why I love the simple look of this garland so much!

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Supply List:

• Round Wooden Beads – any sizes will work! Using different sizes mixed together makes it more interesting, but you could just use one size for an easier garland.
• String – twine or thick string makes a nice sturdy garland.
• Darning Needle – a large darning needle is the perfect thing for stringing the wooden beads quickly and easily.

What Size Wooden Beads Are Used For Garland?

The most common size beads used for making garland seems to be 20mm. But a mixture of various sizes makes garland more interesting and pretty. Depending on how you plan to decorate with it, you might want to go with larger or smaller beads to get the look you are going for.

I used a mixture of 30mm, 20mm and 16mm and 12mm beads for my DIY wood bead garland.

What kind of String Do You Use For Wood Bead Garland?

Twine or a thicker string work well for making a DIY wood bead garland. You could even use yarn. Neutral colors like white or tan look best since they don’t stand out against the beads themselves. This is the kind I use. Really durable and easy to work with.

How Many Wood Beads Do You Need For a DIY Garland?

Depending on how long you want your garland and the size beads you use, you could use anywhere from 50 to 800 beads.

If you are using a variety of sized beads, I’d suggest starting with a total of 500 so that you have enough of each type to create your pattern without running out. Smaller beads, you’ll need more, and larger beads you can get away with less.

For my garland that I made to drape down my staircase banister, I wanted a 12 foot garland.

For my 12 foot garland I used:

• 24 – 30mm beads
• 48 – 20mm beads
• 98 – 16mm beads
• 48 – 12mm beads

You can find wood beads at most craft stores like Michaels, JoAnn Fabrics and Hobby Lobby. I got all of mine on Amazon and was very happy with the consistent color of the wood and the overall quality.

If you are in a pinch and need a remade garland right away, you can buy one here.

Ways To Decorate With a Wood Bead Garland:

The way you decorate with your wooden bead garland will depend on the length and size of beads you use. That’s the great part about the project! You can really make it however you like!

Shorter garland made with larger beads looks pretty draped in a tray on your coffee table, or tied around a potted plant.

Longer garland looks beautiful used to decorate your Christmas tree, looped around a staircase banister or intertwined with evergreen garland around a cased doorway.

I hung mine with a strand of dried oranges and grapefruit. I love how simple they look together!

How Do You Make DIY Christmas wood bead garland?

Plan Out Your Pattern

Play around with your beads, alternating sizes until you are happy with the pattern.

I decided to go with this pattern: 16 mm, 16 mm, 20 mm, 12 mm, 30 mm, 12 mm, 20 mm, 16 mm, 16 mm and repeat.

Prepare Your Supplies

Divide your different sizes of beads into bowls and arrange the bowls in the order you want to string your beads. This makes it easier to remember what size bead comes next as you string them. Having them in bowls keeps them from rolling around and getting all over the place while you work.

Cut the string to the length you want your garland to be, plus an additional 12 inches for tying the ends and making loops for hanging.

String The Beads

Thread your string on a needle. Working one bead at a time, string the beads until your strand is as long as you are wanting it.

Finish The Ends

Once you have your string completely strung with beads, tie the ends and knot them forming a three inch loop.

Tips

Extra String – leave a little slack in the string before finishing the ends so that your garland isn’t too tightly strung. This makes it more flexible for hanging and looping.

Variations – Tassels make a pretty addition to the ends of shorter bead strands. Here is a tutorial for making tassels, or you can buy them here.

To make the wooden bead garland extra fun and festive for Christmas, paint some of the beads red, white or green using acrylic paints.

How to Attach To Greenery – To hook the garlands to an evergreen garland or Christmas tree, use bits of crafting wire or ornament hooks twisted around both the garland and the branches.

More DIY and Handmade Holiday Ideas:

If you liked this tutorial, I think you’ll really enjoy these other holiday ideas on the blog!

• Homemade Gingerbread Body Lotion
• Homemade Cocoa Mix Without Powdered Milk
• Old Fashioned Hot Apple Cider Recipe
• Homemade Healthy Marshmallows
• How To Dry Orange Slices For Decorations

I hope you love this tutorial! If you make them, I’d love for you to come back and leave a comment and rating so that I know how you like them!

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