DIY Candle Christmas Ornament - Free Christmas Pony Bead Patterns

1. Most patterns like this call for folding your cord in half. For this one leave one end about 6 inches longer than the other. We'll use that extra length to make the candleholder's handle at the end. If you're using a key ring or lanyard hook, attach the cord with a lark's head knot as shown in the photo.

Note: Omit the previous step if you are using a different type of connector for your ornament. You still want to do the 6 inch longer side as described above.

2. Using the beaded candle diagram below as your guide, begin weaving the rows of beads from the top of the candle. Thread the beads for your first row onto one cord, then pass the other cord back through those same beads from the opposite direction, as shown in the illustration. Pull both cords until the beads sit snugly together.

Note: The tension of your cord does make a difference. The rows should sit snugly together without being pulled so tightly that your candle begins to curl or twist. If a row doesn't sit straight, loosen it, straighten the beads and pull the slack out again.

3. Continue working your way down the candle, following the bead arrangement and cord paths in the diagram. You'll be making the flame, candle and holder as you work through the pattern.

4. When you reach the wider sections of the candleholder, take a look at how the rows are sitting together. If your candle isn't holding its shape as well as you'd like, you can weave a piece of pipe cleaner or wire through one of the wider rows for extra support. You may not need it at all, depending on the cord you're using.

5. When you finish the last row of the candleholder's base, tie off the shorter cord where it ends. Take the longer cord and thread it back through the previous row, then add 5 beads to make the handle. Thread that cord through the top row of the base, and tie it off there. Apply a drop of glue to the knots to prevent them from coming untied, then trim the excess cord when dry.

That's all there is to it!

The illustration below uses red and blue to show how each side of your cord is woven through the beads. You can click it to open a larger version and refer to it as often as you need to.