Hanukkah Ornaments

Materials:

eight 3-1/2" x 5" pieces of brass wire mesh
3-1/2" x 6-1/2" piece of brass wire mesh
thread - one skein of each:
- thread 1 - Caron Collection Rachel B18
- thread 2 - Caron Collection Watercolours African Sunset
- thread 3 - 12 inches of Silver Pearl Purl Real Metal Thread
coordinating Mill Hill seed beads
100 4mm accent beads or size-six seed beads
nine five-inch head pins in gold tone
30 yards of 1/4-inch or wider foil tape
28-inch piece of painted, 1" x 2" lumber or molding
nine screw-in hooks
embroidery and sewing needle
sewing thread
wire snips
round-nose pliers

Steps:

Note: The same design is repeated on all nine pieces of brass wire mesh. The only difference is that the ninth piece is larger and will require more stitches.

3. For the center candle, which is larger than the rest, continue the satin stitch for approximately one inch longer than what is shown on the diagram.

4. Next, stitch the candle's flame with thread 2. To hide the waste knot, go down through the wire mesh on the left side of the satin stitches, below the level of where the flame is going to start. Use the master chart and count up to where the top stitch of the flame starts then come up through the wire mesh there.

6. Finish by burying the thread underneath the stitches on the backside of the wire mesh (figure D).

7. Now, attach thread 3--the metal Pearl Purl. This is a coil that will be couched down to the flame. It is best if you do not cut the Pearl Purl until you have most the wick secured to the wire mesh. Lay one end of the metal coil at the base of the flame.

9. The candle is done. Repeat these steps on the rest of the brass mesh pieces.

Finishing

10. Move on to the finishing the edges of the wire mesh. Use the metal foil tape to cover all edges. To do this, cut two pieces the same length as one side of the wire mesh. Overlap one piece of tape with the edge of the wire mesh, so half of the tape is adhered to the wire mesh and the other half hangs over the edge.

12. To prepare the hanging bar, you may choose to paint the 1" x 2" molding that you will be hanging the candles from. Then, screw the hooks in at even intervals across the bar, starting at the center and working your way out to each side (figure H).

13. Attach the beaded hangers to the wire mesh by using your round-nose pliers to enlarge one hole at the top center of your wire mesh. This hole should be made large enough to poke the flat end your beaded hanger through. Poke the hanger through from the backside of your wire mesh. Use pliers to reshape the hole and make it smaller so that the hanger cannot slip back through. Bend the hanger around the area of the first accent bead so the wire meshes hang straight up and down. The candles are ready to hang.