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Simple and elegant, the illuminated snowflake ornament will brighten up your holidays.
These LED snowflake ornaments are super-easy to make and only take about 15-20 minutes each (depends on how long you experiment with the beading). This is the first project that I've really "beaded" but I can imagine such beautiful forms from crafters/makers with actual beading experience.
You can download a detailed PDF here.
Note: If you are planning on making more than a few LED ornaments, it is more efficient to create a "power ribbon" using traces of conductive thread connected to a rechargeable battery. Later this week, I will upload a diagram of the "power ribbon".
Materials:
— 3" Head Pins {6} Any conductive wire can be used—brass, nickel and copper jewelry wire works great.
— Beads (with a large center-hole to fit head pin AND wire wrap wire)
— Crimp Beads {6} *optional
— 3 or 5mm LED
— Wire Wrap Wire {12"} You can substitute wire wrap for any other thin insulated wire
— Metallic Magnetic Jewelry Clasp
— 3V Coin Cell Battery
— Solder
Tools
— Needle-nose pliers
— Wire cutter and stripper
— Soldering Iron
— Glue Gun
These LED snowflake ornaments are super-easy to make and only take about 15-20 minutes each (depends on how long you experiment with the beading). This is the first project that I've really "beaded" but I can imagine such beautiful forms from crafters/makers with actual beading experience.
You can download a detailed PDF here.
Note: If you are planning on making more than a few LED ornaments, it is more efficient to create a "power ribbon" using traces of conductive thread connected to a rechargeable battery. Later this week, I will upload a diagram of the "power ribbon".
Materials:
— 3" Head Pins {6} Any conductive wire can be used—brass, nickel and copper jewelry wire works great.
— Beads (with a large center-hole to fit head pin AND wire wrap wire)
— Crimp Beads {6} *optional
— 3 or 5mm LED
— Wire Wrap Wire {12"} You can substitute wire wrap for any other thin insulated wire
— Metallic Magnetic Jewelry Clasp
— 3V Coin Cell Battery
— Solder
Tools
— Needle-nose pliers
— Wire cutter and stripper
— Soldering Iron
— Glue Gun
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Signing UpStep 1Design the Snowflake
String the beads on the head pin, leaving at least 1/4" of the pin free on opposite end. If you have crimp beads handy, add a crimp bead at each end to prevent the beads from moving. Repeat four times, creating a total of 5 beaded pins.
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If you are looking to begin experimenting with LEDs, than I would look into buying a package of 50 or more from various sources on ebay. I buy my LEDs from here. It takes a few weeks to receive them though.
Sparkfun also has LEDs and they ship pretty quickly.
Wire wrap wire is not beading wire. It is a thin electrical wire (30 AWG or so) that is coated.
You can use any type of thin wire — including nylon coated stainless steel beading wire. Just make sure to strip the ends (remove the nylon coating) before you solder. You MUST use a coated wire otherwise you'll short the circuit.
I hope I've answered your questions! Let me know if you need more help!
Good Luck!