Comet Glass Bead Ornament ~ Craft Project Kit Assembly Tutorial

The Comet is a beautiful design created with a mix of round, faceted and oat beads woven into a shooting star shape. Four colorways are available as project kits that contain all necessary beads and wire to create one ornament. Completed ornament measures about 4" long. The illustrated steps below show the assembly of a project kit.

Supplies to make 1 ornament:

1 Comet project kit

Scissors

Form the star.

Step 1: Uncoil the length of wire (about 32" long) and string 6 round beads onto the wire near center. Form beads into a circle and twist wires once to secure the shape.

Step 2: String two 4-bump beads onto one end of the wire. Slide beads down and bend wire between bump beads to form the first point of the star. The first point sits above a round bead. Weave wire through center of ornament and bring up to starting position to secure point in place, as shown below right.

Step 3: Continue adding bump beads and creating star points for 2 more points.

Step 4: Working on the second wire, form 3 points in the same manner.

Step 5: Bring the two wires together and twist twice to secure. Do not cut.

Form the tail.

Step 6: With wires together, string 12 oat beads onto both wires. Form the shape of the comet's tail. Take care to not crowd the beads and secure the wires in the spot from where they originated. Pull the wires through, wrap once to secure and trim excess wire.

Step 7: Cut 8" of wire and bend it in half. At the mid-point, attach it at the place the tail originates from.

Step 8: Working on the top wire, string on seven 2-bump beads and slide them down the wire. Secure the wire by wrapping it between the 5th and 6th oat beads.

Step 9: Working on the second wire, string on six 2-bump beads and slide them down the wire. Secure this wire by wrapping it between the 7th and 8th oat beads. (Please note that one oat bead is left over for later.)

Add 10mm round beads to the center of the star.

Step 10: Cut 6" of wire and bend it in half. Weave the wire through and fasten it at the mid-point where the comet's tail begins.

Step 11: Working on one wire, string on a 10mm round bead, center it in the star and secure the wire opposite. Trim excess wire.

Step 12: Flip the star over. Working on the other wire, repeat as before.

Attach the hanger.

Step 13: Cut 8" of wire and bend in half. Turn the comet over and place the mid-point of the wire between the 1st and 2nd oat beads on the lower part of the tail.

Step 14: String on the last 2-bump bead onto both wires.

Step 15: Wrap both wires around between the 1st and 2nd oat beads on the upper part of the tail. String on the spacer bead and the hanger.

Step 16: Bend both wires around the skewer to form a loop and twist the wire twice to secure. Take care to allow the hanger to be included within the loop and hang freely. Trim excess wire.

Step 17: Adjust ornament if needed