DIY Wire and Bead Christmas Ornaments

Updated 11/2025

There’s something magical about decorating the Christmas tree with each ornament carrying a memory or a spark of inspiration. This year, as I unpacked my decorations, I found myself wanting to add something handmade and uniquely mine. 

These wire and bead ornaments turned out to be the perfect creative project: simple, relaxing, and a great way to use up extra beads and leftover wire. Whether you trace favorite ornaments for shape ideas or bend your own freehand designs, these DIY wire ornaments are endlessly customizable and surprisingly quick to make.

Wire and Bead Christmas Ornament Materials

Gather a few basic jewelry making supplies (and some holiday inspiration) to make your ornaments.

Wire

• 18 gauge copper base wire is inexpensive and works well for shaping the ornament wire frames. Aluminum may be too soft to retain the ornament shapes. Some to try are 
• tarnish resistant silver-plated wire
• tarnish resistant gold-plated wire
• bare copper wire or brass wire (brass is slightly harder to bend but holds shape better)
• ParaWire colored copper wire
• 22-26 gauge wires work well for attaching beads to the wire frames. Thinner wire allows you to wrap around the frame and secure the beads without bulk.
• 22 gauge copper wire
• 24 gauge copper wire
• Beads - this project is perfect for clearing out some of your bead stash
• leftover beads from other projects, crystals, pearls and anything sparkly. 

Jewelry Making Tools

Basic jewelry making tools and possibly some items from around the house are helpful. 

• Round-nose step pliers
• chain-nose pliers
• wire cutters (make sure they're ok for 18 gauge wire!)
• mandrel or existing ornaments to use as shaping templates

Optional Additional Supplies

• Ribbon or ornament hooks for hanging
• felt beading mat to keep beads from rolling away.

Making the Wire Ornament Shapes

Using existing ornaments as templates is a fantastic way to create wire shapes without needing special tools or measuring and worrying about symmetry. Simply choose a shape you already love such as bells, icicles, drums, or vintage silhouettes, and use it as a guide.

Using Existing Ornaments as Templates

If you have ornaments that are cracked, broken, or missing their hanging loop, don’t toss them. They make perfect shaping guides.

Bell Shape

I started with a bell ornament whose hanging stem had snapped off. Instead of throwing it away, I wrapped 18g brass wire around the outside, following its curve. A simple loop at the top turned it into a new ornament frame.

Egg/Oval Shape

For smoother shapes like an oval (egg) or teardrop, place the ornament in one hand and gently guide your wire around the perimeter. Work slowly as glass ornaments can be fragile. This method gives you a clean, even outline.

Freehand Wire Ornament Shapes

Not all designs need a template. Some shapes, especially ones with curves or scrolls, are fun to make freehand.

Drum Shape

This one came together with a pair of pliers and curiosity. A few bends, a couple of adjustments, and soon it looked like the original version.

Vintage Silhouettes

An old-fashioned shape from my sister’s ceramics import line provided great inspiration. To keep both sides of the wire frame symmetrical, I folded the wire in half first, shaped one side, and then unfolded it to complete the opposite side. A great way to make symmetric shapes easy.

Icicles and Finials:

These shapes often have twists or curves that don’t trace well. For these, I formed the wire by hand and with pliers rather than wrapping it against an ornament. No need for perfection, slightly irregular shapes have character.

Adding Beads to the Wire Frames

This is where the ornaments really come to life - and where you can embrace total creative freedom.

Freeform Bead Wrapping

There’s no strict pattern here. Simply:

1. Anchor the thin wire to the frame with a couple of tight wraps.
2. Pick up a few beads.
3. Wrap the wire once or twice around the frame.
4. Add more beads.
5. Keep going until the space is filled or you like the look.

It’s wonderfully liberating—not worrying about matching bead sizes, counting rows, or fussing over symmetry.Next, I needed some beads - and I just searched for assorted odds and ends that need to be used up.

Beaded Ornament Examples

Barrel / Drum Ornament:

For the barrel/drum shaped ornament, I crisscrossed the beads across the frame. It looked unimpressive on the bead mat but sparkles beautifully once hung on the tree.

Icicle Beaded Ornament with Mixed Greens

For this elongated ornament, I ran out of dark green halfway through and switched to light green. Instead of fussing over it, I leaned in—and it turned into a lovely ombré effect.

Let unexpected bead combinations surprise you. Sometimes a stray blue bead or mismatched crystal ends up being the thing that makes the piece interesting.And the results are great!  

Enjoying the Creative Process

One of the best parts of these ornaments is how stress-free they are. No trimming perfect wire ends. No matching pairs of beads. No worry about whether the shape is perfectly even. These ornaments are truly “make it your way” projects—simple, whimsical, and satisfying.

They also make wonderful handmade gifts, especially when you don’t want to commit to a big project but still want something personal and festive.