Showing posts with label creative craft blog hop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label creative craft blog hop. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Nylon Wrapped Lighted Pumpkin Garland

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It's September and Fall is just about here - although it's still hot in some areas! But it's never too early to begin decorating around your home with fall items such as mums, gourds, wreaths plus other autumn goodies! Let the change of the seasons inspire you with fall inspired crafts! And who doesn't love making all sorts of DIY pumpkins for your beautiful Fall home decor! I'd like to share with you a fun and charming way to make a garland of nylon wrapped lighted pumpkins! One that's easy to make and oh, so adorable!

Hello and Welcome to this month's Creative Craft Hop!  I'm so glad you're here! We have two wonderful hosts - Donna @Modern on  Monticello and Sara @Birdz of a Feather  who take turns every other month! The talented and creative Sara is our host this month!  

If you're coming over from Decorate and More with Tip, wasn't Terrie's Paper Mache Pears irresistibly charming and adorable!!

So let's get started with making this super cute Nylon Wrapped Lighted Pumpkin Garland!

You Will Need:

Disclosure I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, this post may contain links. I may receive a very small commission at no cost to you! Plus Google Adsense provides a platform for me to monetize my content by hosting ads from Google's network of advertisers. The money I earn helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!

How To:

To begin making the pumpkins, I must start by saying all 18 gauge wires are not the same. An 18 gauge aluminum wire will be very soft and easy to bend, while 18 gauge stainless steel will be much stronger and harder to work with. You need to make sure you are working with a strong wire - one that's not easily bendable. A soft wire will not keep the shape of a pumpkin - especially once the nylon is covering the wire. For this craft I'm working with an Ook brand 18 gauge wire. 

That being said, begin by leaving the 18 gauge wire on its' roll and wrapping the wire around the center of a small round glass bottle creating . . .

eight full loops. Cut off excess wire using wire cutters, leaving enough of the wire ends (beginning and ending) across from one another.
Then slide the wrapped wire from the glass .  .  .
holding the wire ends and loops together.
Next, cut off a small piece of wire and wrap around the end wires and loops .  .  .
in the center of the wire loops .  .  .
twisting the wire together. It's easier to twist the wires together using nylon jaw pliers. 

Once that's done, separate the loops and cut off the excess twisted wire using wire cutters and .  .  .


BAM! You have a wire pumpkin shape! 
I made nine more wire pumpkins since I was using a 10 count LED light set. 
Next, attached the first LED light on the set to the center of the wire pumpkin by wrapping orange thread around both to secure .  .  .
and then cutting off excess thread.
Carefully cover the wire pumpkin and light with the end of an orange nylon stocking, 
starting at one side, stretching and covering the nylon over the wire pumpkin down under the wires to the center until .  .  .
the wire pumpkin is completely covered and the nylon is gathered underneath in the center.
Then tightly wrap the nylon with orange thread many times, while also tying it into a few knots while wrapping. To get a clean finish around the wrapped thread, use your fingers to stretch the excess nylon that's protruding out below the thread while cutting the excess nylon off.  
If necessary, adjust the nylon over the wire loops for a lovely nylon wrapped pumpkin!
To mimic a pumpkin stem, wrap a bit of the joining center light wire with floral tape .  .  . 
 to complete the pumpkin look!
I mentioned earlier that I made ten wire pumpkins since I had ten LED lights on the set, but the lights were too close together ( 4" spacing) to place the pumpkins side by side, so I had to skip a light to attach the pumpkins for the garland to look neat and not crowded! Perhaps I will find another light set in my stash or elsewhere  to include all ten pumpkins. But for now, this one will have to do. 
Don't you just love the look of these nylon pumpkins attached to the lights! 
I know I do!
And finally, added small ready made fall leaves to add texture and natural beauty to the pumpkins and to create a more elegant and cohesive look for this adorable lighted garland!     

How cool is this garland lit!
Cuteness Overload!!!!


I hope you enjoyed reading about how I made my Nylon Wrapped Light Pumpkin Garland! And don't forget to PIN! Thanks!!!!

Up next is Cecilia @My Thrift Store Addiction, sharing her delightfully precious Simple Sunflower Pumpkins!

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Handmade Nylon Iris Flowers

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The Iris is one of my favorite flowers. In Greek mythology, Iris is the Goddess of the Rainbow. Iris, is from the Greek word for "rainbow' and is aptly named because of the variety of flower colors available. I love that it comes in a variety of colors including purple - my favorite color! Do you know that the color purple symbolizes royalty, nobility, dignity, wisdom, spirituality, imagination and creativity? Wow! Can you believe creativity is included? I've created lots of flowers out of paper, foam, burlap, ribbon, pinecones, plastic, clay, beads, wire, hot glue, floss, cork, and cans. So I decided to make my newest flower project out of nylon! You know the kind of nylon that stockings are made of! I haven't worn stockings in a very long, long time - but I digress, lol! 

Hello and Welcome to this month's version of our Creative Craft Hop! I'm so glad you're here! We have two wonderful hosts - Sara @Birdz of a Feather  and  Donna @Modern on Monticello  who take turns every other month! The talented and creative Sara is our host this month!  


If you're visiting from Donna @Modern on Monticello,  wasn't her Harry Potter Flying Key ornament adorable! At the end of my post, you'll be directed to the next Creative Crafter - Sara, sharing her cool Circle Earrings! And be sure to check out all the creative crafters for lots of fabulous ideas!

So let's begin with what you'll need to make a Nylon Iris Flower!

Supplies:
Disclosure I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, this post may contain links. I may receive a very small commission at no cost to you! The affiliate money I earn helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!

How to:

The showy blooms of the iris are usually in three distinctive layers of three petals from small, medium to large. So start with the small petals first and use floral wire (24, 22, and 18 gauge - the smaller the gauge number, the thicker the wire) to make the petals.
 Use a small round object like a bottle or jar to wrap the wire around. Here, I'm using a jar with diameter of 6" for the small petals. Twist the wire a few times and cut the wire at the base using wire cutters. You will need wires for six upright petals - small (internal), medium - and three downward or drooping petals imitating the structure of a real iris flower.
 Make three petals for each layer. 
Medium - 8"

Large - 11"
Since the petals on the lower level are slightly elongated, I use a smaller jar inside the wire tip to pull on the wire to make it a bit of a pear shape.
Nine petal frames:
Nylons stocking material to wrap around the petal rings.

To cover the rings, take the ends of a nylon in the color you want, stretching the material over the wire frame, making sure the fabric is smooth and tightly stretched. It was easier for me to pull down the back first since that's where the excess fabric is and then pull the front down together. Secure the nylon tightly at the base of the petal with matching thread wrapping and knotting it several times to prevent it from coming loose.

             

Trim away excess nylon fabric using scissors.



Use green floral tape to cover the thread, fabric and wire.



First layer (small), called standards.
Second layer (medium) of standards - which actually surround the first layer.

Third layer of downward facing petals (falls) 
Repeat the same steps for making these as before.


Since the first set of small petals were white, I decided to add a bit of color to blend in with the shade of the larger petals using transparent glass paint. 
I thought it was a great match and blended in so well!

To assemble the iris flower:
Arrange the smaller petals .  .  .
securing them with floral tape.
Then arrange the medium size petals evenly around the first layer.

Once satisfied with the look, arrange the larger petals (third layer) bending them downward at the base of the flower. Use floral tape to secure all three layers together. Then use your fingers or small rod shapes to gently curve and shape the petals to resemble the natural form of the iris flower.
    

Add additional stem wires to lengthen the flower and wrap the entire stems with green floral tape - from the base of the flower down to the end.

                     
To make the petals, fold a stem wire into a petal shape and secure with wire. You can also squeeze the top of  large circular frame with your hands to mold it into an oval shape, mimicking a leaf.

                

Use green nylon stocking to stretch it over the oval wire frame and secure with wire or green thread.


To make a iris bud, take a tissue and .  .  .

fold several times to create a small bud. 

I used a small amount of water to shape the tissue into a bud and then inserted the stem wire. Let dry.

Once dry, cover the bud with a piece of nylon in the same color as the larger petals (falls) securing with thread and floral tape.

Assemble petals and bud with additional floral tape for a 
stunning iris flower look!





I hope you enjoyed how I made these colorful handmade nylon Iris flowers!
Up next is Sara @Birdz of a Feather, our awesome host for this month, sharing her gorgeous Circle Earrings!  Be sure to check Sara's post out and all the creative crafters' projects listed below: