Materials and Tools

Dry out, ripe wheat or rye stalks are selected. The nodes are clipped out, keeping straight pieces of various lengths. The stalks are and then soaked in hot water for pliability, dried, cut and graded according to length and thickness. Pieces may vary from 1 to eight inches (2 to 20 cm) in length. When the straws are dry, glue may be applied to the within of each end to preclude splitting. Once the glue is dry out, the straws are fix for threading. Today many crafters employ white paper or plastic drinking straws to make ornaments.

Fine twisted linen or cotton thread is used for threading, although cotton thread is preferable for its softness and elasticity. Long needles of medium width pass easily through the hollow centres of the straws. A thick needle or thread may hamper the formation of intricate designs since it must pass through the same shaft a number of times.

Threading usually starts with basic two-dimensional shapes, get-go with triangles and working upwards to multi-dimensional constructions.

MATERIALS:

  • Straw, prepared every bit above, or white plastic drinking straws
  • Cord or thread (lightweight kite thread or other sewing thread)
  • Needle (one brusk and one very long)
  • Ruler
  • Scissors or cutting blade

General Instructions

diagram A

Thread a needle and keep the string as a single strand while working the entire ornament.  If additional string is required, remove the needle and attach more than string, rethread and keep.

Pull the needle through iv (see diagram A) straws of equal length, necktie a knot at the end of the concluding straw, pull information technology inside the straw to hide it, leaving plenty string to keep with the rest of the decoration.

VARIATIONS

ELONGATED Decoration

The shape of the ornament can be changed merely by irresolute the length of the straws used in the instructions for the basic decoration. For example, using 8 iv-inch (10 cm) straws and substituting four 2-inch (5 cm) straws for the iii-inch (8 cm) ones, the ornament will be more elongated. Experiment with other sizes.

SIX-SIDED Ornamentation

  1. Cut twelve 4-inch (10 cm) lengths of straw.
  2. Cut six 1½-inch (four cm) lengths of straw.
  3. Cutting half dozen feet (1-2 metres) of string, and thread needle.
  4. String four long straws to form a square, tie end knot, at the top bending, do not cut cord.
  5. Add together two long straws to the string, wrap it around the opposite (lesser) angle.
  6. Thread two more long straws and bring the needle up to wrap the string around height bending, continue until all long straws are used.
  7. Push needle through whatsoever straw to the middle angle, add a brusk straw to the string, wind it to the next eye angle, continue until all short straws are used. Thread the needle back up to the top and necktie securely, leaving plenty cord to hang the ornament earlier cutting.

Eight-SIDED Decoration

For an viii-sided ornament employ sixteen four-inch (10 cm) straws and eight 1-inch (3 cm) straws, continue as for the 6-sided ornament, repeating equally necessary.

FRINGES

Fringes are made by cut straws into minor half-inch or one-inch lengths on the diagonal. Sew these pieces together through the mid-point of each slice, every bit in stringing popcorn. Long strings of fringe may exist hung every bit garlands on a Christmas tree, or in short lengths to cease an ornament.

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