How to Make a Safety Pin Christmas Tree

How to Make a Safety Pin Christmas Tree

Create a sparkling safety pin Christmas tree using beads and safety pins for a fun, vintage-inspired holiday craft. This easy DIY makes a beautiful handmade decoration or thoughtful gift that will shine all season long.

Active Time3

Total Time3

Yield: safety pin tree

Author: Debbie Chapman

Cost: $5

Equipment

Scissors

Materials

Instructions

Step 1: Find what you need

Gather your supplies and materials.

Step 2: Add beads to safety pins

Open a safety pin and add about 6 green seed beads to the pin, filling it until there's just enough room to close it.
Close the pin carefully.
Now add green beads as well as one coloured faceted bead to another pin.
Repeat until you have 60 pins with all green beads, and 60 with a coloured accent bead.
Important: Place the accent beads at different spots on the pin (some in the middle, some at the top, etc.), so that they'll look like scattered ornaments across the tree, rather than sitting in a line.

Step 3: Construct the top tier of the tree

Cut a piece of clear elastic cord, about 3 inches long.
Thread 8 all-green pins onto the elastic, placing the thread through the loop side of the pins (the clasp will be at the bottom, hanging downwards).
Make sure all the pins are facing the same direction (beads out).
Tie the elastic in a tight double knot. Cut off the excess cord close to the knot. This is the top of your tree.

Step 4: Make the second tier of the tree

Cut another piece of elastic, about double the length of the first piece.
String the elastic through the clasp of a pin from the first tier.
Thread an all-green pin onto the elastic, going through the loop side. Make sure the beads face out (the same direction as the first tier).
Then add a green bead onto the elastic (the same kind as you used on the pins).
Now add a pin to the elastic that has a coloured bead on it (again, going through the loop side).
Bring the elastic through the clasp of the next pin on the first tier.
Repeat this pattern all the way around (green pin, green bead, coloured pin, clasp) until you reach the first pin you threaded.
Tie the elastic tight and cut off the excess near the knot.

Step 5: Create the third tier of the tree

Repeat the same steps from the second tier to create the third. (Elastic through clasp, green pin, bead, coloured pin.)

Step 6: Make the fourth (and final) tier

Begin by cutting another piece of elastic. Thread it through the clasp of a pin from the third tier.
Add 2 safety pins to the elastic (one green, one with colour), loop side up. Then slide the elastic through the next clasp from the previous tier.
Repeat this pattern around (green pin, colour pin, clasp) and finish by tying a knot and cutting off the excess thread.

Step 7: Finish off the tree

Cut another piece of elastic and thread it through the clasps of 3 pins in the 4th tier.
Add a green bead onto the elastic and then slide the elastic through the next 3 clasps.
Repeat this pattern (green bead, 3 clasps) around. At the end you should have 4 pins left. At this point you can create 1 section of 4 pins, or 2 sections of 2 pins.
When you reach the beginning, where you first added the elastic, add one last green bead. Then tie the elastic into a tight knot, cutting off the excess near the knot as usual.
Your safety pin Christmas tree is complete!

Notes

Looking for more Christmas tree crafts? Here's a few of our favourites:

Pipe Cleaner Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree String Art

Pasta Christmas Tree