Jingle Bell Ornaments
These jingle bell ornaments are really cute and they’re SO EASY to make! You can make a wreath and candy cane ornament with jingle bells and wire in less than 10 minutes. You can even use pipe cleaners instead of wire to make it even easier for kids to make.
These homemade ornaments make such a festive jingling sound when you move them! They’re perfect for the Christmas tree – but they also make a great homemade gift idea that’s thoughtful, simple and inexpensive to make!
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How to Make Jingle Bell Ornaments
Materials:
- 10inchesJewelry wire(or a pipe cleaner)
- 34Jingle bells(1/2 inch)
- 8inchesThin cord(for hanging ornament)
- 10inchesRed ribbon
Equipment:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
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Gather your equipment and supplies. For the wreath ornament we used 18 gold and 16 silver jingle bells. For the candy cane ornament we used 12 red and 14 silver jingle bells.
Step 2: Cut wire and attach bells
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Cut a 10 inch length of wire.
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For the wreath ornament: Add a gold bell and use needle nose pliers to loop one end of the wire through the top of the bell a couple of times (this secures it in place).
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Add another gold bell and let it fall down to meet the first.
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Add two silver bells to the wire, then two gold again, then two silver, etc.
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Continue adding bells in the same pattern until you’re happy with the size of your wreath.
Step 3: Close off the wreath
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Thread the end of the wire through the top of the first bell.
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Use the needle nose pliers to loop the wire a couple of times, being sure to pull the wire tight (make sure the bells are close to one another to avoid any gaps).
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Use the wire cutters to cut off any extra wire.
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Bend the wire towards the center of the wreath so it’s not sticking up.
Step 4: Tie hanger and add bow
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Tie an 8 inch length of string around the wreath to use as an ornament hanger.
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Cut a 10 inch length of red ribbon and tie it into a bow. Use glue tape (or hot glue) to attach the bow to the top of the wreath.
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Your wreath ornament is complete!
Step 5: Candy cane jingle bell ornament
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To make a candy cane ornament, follow steps one and two above.Add two silver bells (or white, if you have them), then two red bells and continue the pattern until you’re happy with the length.
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When you’ve finished adding the bells, use needle nose pliers to loop the end of the wire through the top of the last bell a couple of times.
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Cut off any extra wire.
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Use the needle nose pliers to tuck in the end of the wire so it’s not sticking out.
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Bend the wire into a candy cane shape.
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Tie the middle of an 8 inch length of string around the top of the candy cane. Then tie the ends into a knot to make the ornament hanger.
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Your jingle bell ornaments are complete!
How many bells do you need per ornament?
We used 34 bells for the wreath (18 gold, 16 silver) and 26 bells for the candy cane (14 silver, 12 red). The amount you need will depend on the size of your jingle bells, and the ornament shapes and sizes that you choose. You can definitely use more jingle bells to make larger ornaments!
What size bells did you use?
Any size between 3/8 inch and 1/2 inch jingle bells can be used to make these ornaments.
We used these jingle bells listed at 1/2 inch from Amazon, but they ended up being quite a bit smaller than half an inch.
Where can I buy jingle bells?
You should be able to find jingle bells at the dollar store, especially during the holiday season. Otherwise, a craft store like Michaels will have them, or you can buy a large assortment of jingle bells on Amazon.
What gauge wire is best for making these ornaments?
We used inexpensive crafting wire from the dollar store which was strong enough to keep its shape. I’d recommend a 22 gauge wire for making these ornaments, but you could probably use anything from 20 – 24 gauge.
What other ornaments can you make with jingle bells?
If you follow the directions for the wreath, but use a longer wire, you can shape the ornament into a heart or a star shape. You could also use pipe cleaners to make a 3D jingle bell ball ornament or a dangling jingle bells ornament.
Customize your jingle bell ornaments by choosing different colours and sizes of jingle bells! Hang them on your Christmas tree or use them to decorate the top of a gift box.
Here’s even more homemade ornament ideas:
Glittering Popsicle Stick Christmas Trees
Our book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books- A- Million | Indiebound | Indigo | Amazon Canada
