These eight-pointed stars are made from glass beads and an old-fashioned type of tinsel called lametta. A flexible wire covered in shiny tufts, lametta is easy to work with -- and since it is silver-plated, it tarnishes from a bright shine to a soft glow. The result: tinsel ornaments that look like you've had them for ages.
Tools and Materials
Lametta
Glass beads
Hot-glue gun
Needle-nosed pliers
Scissors
28-gauge nickel wire.
Tinsel Stars How-To
1. Bend lametta seven times at 1 1/2-inch intervals.
2. Bring the points into a star shape, and join ends with a dab of hot glue. Repeat to make a second star.
3. Sandwich the stars together, then turn the top one slightly so the two four-pointed stars form one eight-pointed star. Glue centers together.
To add a bead in the center, thread the end of a piece of wire through one of the star's interior points. Bring the wire's ends together, and thread them through the bead. Secure wire ends to the opposite interior point, and snip excess wire.
Ornament Hook How-To
4. Thread a piece of wire through a space in the ornament, such as the point of this star; bend ends together, then twist.
5. Wrap the twisted wire around a pencil for a round hook, and trim ends.
Seems like this would be a fun project for kids, if you substitute the shiny silver or gold chenille stems for the lametta, and an ornament of any kind, or even a decorative bead, for the center. Just my own humble opinion, but you don't have to spend a fortune to end up with something that will last a lifetime. :)
Hi Donna0322 and Bufbilt, yes if you want to be truly vintage you would have to find an old blown glass beaded garland--hard to find and expensive! Or you can get new blown glass beads from Europe that were actually made in the same molds as the garland originals. Vintage Ornaments carries them all, you could get really creative with rose shaped beads, acorns, fancy drops:
http://www.vintage-ornaments.com/craft-supplies/czech-blown-glass-beads
I believe those beads come from old bead garland - very hard to find
Where do you find what you call "beads" (I've never seen beads that shape) or ornaments with openings top and bottom? I've been looking for these for years as I make "antique" replica ornaments. Even Blumchen doesn't carry them. Where did you get them??? And by the way, Blumchen has this type of lametta, gold
Sorry I should add....I know them as tinsel (as in icicles) not to be confused with garland.
Lametta is the German word for tinsel.
What is lametta?
These are really cute, have to make some this year!