Friday, December 9, 2011

Handmade Christmas: Beaded Serving Spoons

I love making beaded baby spoons for baby showers and decided to take that same "pattern" and try to make fancy serving utensils. These turned out beautifully and I may just have to keep them for myself!
The process is so simple that I didn't get many pictures, but I think you can do it without a photo tutorial! If you are a jewelry maker like I am, you'll have the main supplies you need on hand. You will want jewelry wire- this should be thick enough to be sturdy, but small enough to string through your beads. You also need wire cutters (the other tools pictures below were not used). The fun part is picking out your beads. You'll want some larger impact beads and smaller fillers. Think about the recipient- entertain during Christmas, go with a favorite football team for tailgating, you get the idea!
Cut a long piece of wire, maybe 1.5 yards. Begin by wrapping the wire at the non-serving end of your fork. Wrap it around 5 or 6 times making sure to cover up the end piece of wire. Then, string a couple of beads and wrap around 2 times, repeat over and over. If you find your beads are not staying close to each other and sliding down the spoon, I would wrap the wire between beads to give a little reinforcement. When you get to the end, wrap your wire 5 or 6 times and trim. The exposed end should be on the back side and if you can, tuck it into the wrapped wire.
Ta Da! A pretty fork and spoon set that works great as a hostess gift! I had to buy a fork and spoon and the large statement beads. My grand total- $11!

Thanks for joining me for the 12 Days of Handmade Christmas. I hope you have found something new to make, love, and share! Come back soon for more crafts, recipes, and party planning tips. If you are new to the blog, leave me a comment. I'd love to get to know you.