Rickrack seems to shimmy and skip, its dips and points all but doing a dance. You can weave it into decorative braids, gather it with needle and thread to fashion flowers, or stiffen it to create wreaths, holly clusters, and candy canes.
Use our techniques to create holiday ornaments with a charming twist.
Twisted trim can be used to make candy cane ornaments. Because of rickrack's wavy weave, two pieces of it can be made into a single strand with interlocking points. Use embroidery or other fabric scissors to cut two equal lengths of a single color, or one in each of two hues for a candy-stripe effect. Intertwine the two pieces. The result will look bumpy; press it with a steam iron on high heat. Snip the ends evenly, and glue them together. Allow to dry.
The wider the trim is, the bigger the flower will be. Cut a 13-point piece of rickrack. We used contrasting thread to demonstrate, but you should use a matching color. Baste and tightly gather points on one side of trim, and knot (top); without cutting thread, secure folded ends with a running stitch (center), and glue to prevent fraying. Snip wire from floral pips; attach to front with contact cement.
Make a work surface for pinning and coating ornaments: Cover a piece of corrugated cardboard with clear packing tape to prevent rickrack braids from sticking to the surface. With your fingers, shape finished lengths of rickrack twists into a circle, cane, or leaf, using straight pins to hold in place on the cardboard. With a small art brush, generously coat ornament with fabric stiffener, which is white when wet (as shown) but dries clear. Run a length of thread through the top, and knot to form a loop.
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