A Christmas Fan Pull | Crafts

The other day,  I found myself gazing at this tiny,  intricate, beautiful little ceramic egg, that I spontaneously hung from our fan pull in our sun room one day, quite awhile ago.

I wondered why it never struck me as a little Easter decoration until then, and how it really didn’t look quite right hanging there, the way it was.

It bothered me a tad more, when I realized Christmas was really coming very soon.   I needed to do something about the egg, hanging there.  I had a little more time on my hands than I have had for the past few months, so I decided I would make a Christmas fan pull, to replace the egg.

Then I thought about the year ahead, and my imagination ran wild.  You all know I love holiday and seasonal themed ‘anythings’, and especially for my home decor.  So, if all of the ideas in my head come to be, you all will be seeing some more themed fan pulls crafts around here, as the coming year progresses.  I’ve got a whole array of a collection of fan pulls in my head, and I think it’s a lovely idea to have that collection, to change my fan pulls with the holidays and seasons as we roll through the year.

So here is my first fan pull craft, for Christmas.  It’s not quite the vision I had in my head, only because I didn’t see the beads in the store, that I created in my head. (I don’t get why I can never find the stuff I make up?  I mean, if  “I”  thought of it…..). I also sort of winged the construction of it this time around, but I am sure with experience will come…near perfection.

Here’s all I needed at the store for this craft:

Some pretty beads that said ‘Christmas’ to me.  I love the ‘strands’ of beads found in the craft stores….because you can really take a good look at them, without them being in a container and such. Also needed, was some thin but strong gauged wire.  I went with 26 gauge.  And then…..I wanted a ‘star of Bethlehem’ of some sort.  Whatever form I could find one….which was found in a back aisle in the way of a tree topper.  I think.  But I could fix that.

So first I cut the string and spread my beads out on the table.

Then Michael cut the star off the wire spring, leaving some wire to twist into a circle, which I covered with the small beads that came on my strand, and closed the loop more tightly.

Next I measured how long I wanted my pan full, doubled that length and added a couple more inches to that, and started stringing the beads, alternating between the larger color-faceted beads, with the clear crystal ones.   Once through all of the beads, I slid the wire through the loop of the star, and back UP the whole wire of beads, until both ends were coming out of the top.

As an after-thought, I could have just hung the star on the center of the wire, grabbed both of the other ends of the wire, and fed them together through all of the beads, until they came out the top.  But that would have been too easy I guess. lol

For security, I took both ends of the wire, and re-routed them again up the bottom of the top bead, so they came back out the top once again. So yes, 2 thin wires are now showing on the outside of that top bead.

With the excess wire coming out of the top of the strand of beads (with the star on the other end), I balled up the remaining wire, and just worked it into the clasp on the piece of chain hanging on the fan.  Then I gave the whole thing a yank.  It was nice and strong, and the fan turned on and everything. : )

I noticed a bit of wave to my hanging piece, and realized it was from the doubled wire.  Perhaps I could bend it more here and there to try and straighten it a little more, but I rather like the bit of wave I think.  It adds a little character and design.  I decided to pass it off like I totally did that on purpose.

Fan pull chain and clasps can be found at hardware stores, etc.   So in the future, if my current project involves beads with large enough holes, I may just decorate the chain itself.  I already have some craft items for my plans for a new fan pull come January, as a winter theme.

But for now, I’ll enjoy my Christmas fan pull.  I wondered if midnight blue beads would have been more appropriate, with the star of Bethlehem, but I still thought this looked rather pretty and Christmas-sy.  It really twinkles, and displays such beautiful colors, when the room is filled with sun!

It was fun to make.  I’m really going to enjoy creating this collection.

Oh, the possibilities!

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