A craft for kids that uses simple pipe cleaners to make beautiful candy cane ornaments for the Christmas tree.
Method One
This method requires only four materials: two red pipe cleaners and two white pipe cleaners. To start, take the two red pipe cleaners and twist them together from the top to the bottom. After you have twisted the red pipe cleaners, twist the two white pipe cleaners together next. Then, twist the red set of pipe cleaners together with the white set of pipe cleaners so that they look like the colors of a candy cane. Next, bend the top quarter of the pipe cleaners over into the shape of a candy cane. This project is that simple! If you would like, you can take an ornament hook and hook it into the top of the pipe cleaners. This works well for hanging the ornament on a Christmas tree because it allows a better view of the ornament as a whole.
Method Two
While this method is a bit trickier, it is still not very complicated. You will need a bag of red beads and a bag of white beads. Take one white pipe cleaner and tie a small knot into one end of the pipe cleaner. Then start slipping beads onto the pipe cleaner, alternating colors from red to white. You can find triangularly shaped beads that interlock when they set on top of each other. Continue slipping beads onto the pipe cleaner until you reach the top. Bend the end of the pipe cleaner together so that the beads will not slip off. Then bend the top quarter of the pipe cleaner over into the shape of a candy cane. You can add a ribbon around the candy cane for some extra decoration. Add an ornament hook to the top of this candy cane, as well, as this will keep you from having to use the curved part of the candy cane as an ornament hook. If you cannot find ornament hooks, you can tie a piece of ribbon around the top of the candy cane and use this to hang it from a Christmas tree.
There are a few variations to the methods listed above. You can vary the first method by using only two pipe cleaners for a thinner candy cane. Also, you could add a green pipe cleaner for a third color. You can also use green, red, and white beads for the second method to add more color to the candy cane. Make as many as you would like: enough to fill up your Christmas tree, enough to give to family and friends as gifts, or just one for you to keep yourself!
