To hang your Inchies with beads, for one ornament you’ll need:
- Assorted small beads
- Needle and beading thread
- Craft glue that dries clear
- Small paint brush
When you’re using beads between the Inchies, you can either arrange the Inchies hanging like squares, or like diamonds, or some of each. This tutorial is written with the top and bottom Inchies hanging like squares, and the middle hanging like a diamond so that you can see where to put the needle and beads for each method.
Lay out your six Inchies in the order you’d like to put them together.
Set three of the Inchies aside for now. Working with just the remaining three Inchies, pick up the bottom Inchie, and insert your needle into the back of the Inchie, traveling between the layers (not through to the front!), and come out on the very edge of the Inchie in the center of the bottom edge.
Pull the needle and thread all the way through, until the knot is flush with the back of the Inchie.
Pick up a few small seed beads on the needle, and string them onto the beading thread. Choose bigger or specialty beads for the last bead or two on the string, and then pick up one more seed bead, but hold it on the needle for now.
Guide the needle back into the second to last bead as shown below, through all the other beads on the thread, and back through the edge of the Inchie, coming out on the back of the Inchie. Pull the needle and thread all the way through.
Your Ornament should look like this from the front.
Insert the needle into the back of the Inchie a little below the top, and come out in the middle of the top edge of the Inchie, just as before. Pick up a few seed beads, a larger or specialty bead and a few more seed beads, to fill up about ½” on the bead thread. Pick up the next Inchie, and insert the needle into the very corner of the Inchie, travel between the layers (again, not out the front of the Inchie) and come out the back.
Pull the needle and thread all the way through the Inchie until the beads are snug between the bottom and middle Inchies as shown.
Insert the needle into the back of the Inchie a little below the top corner, and come out right at edge of the corner. Add the same amount of beads between the middle and top Inchies as you added between the bottom and middle Inchies. Insert the needle into the center of the bottom edge of the top Inchie, travel between the layers, and come out on the back. Take a couple of small stitches to anchor the threads.
Add a hanging loop of ribbon or fine cording that has been folded and tied at the ends with an overhand knot. Center the knot on the back of the top Inchie as shown above, and whip stitch above the knot to secure. Tie off the beading thread on the back of the Inchie with a flat knot.
To finish, use a paint brush to apply a small to medium amount of glue to the back of each Inchie.
Tip: Use only enough glue to make the Inchies stick to each other, but not so much that glue seeps out the edges!
Press each remaining Inchie into place, Inchie backs together, and keeping the edges of the Inchies aligned. Let dry, following glue manufacturer’s instructions. Hang and enjoy!
These Inchie Ornaments were created especially for the first-ever Inchie Ornaments Christmas Swap at Quilting Gallery.
Registration is open until October 15!
*All portions of this tutorial are ©Nadine Ruggles 2009. You are welcome to use the tutorial to make ornaments for gifts or for your own personal use, but not for sale.
