Easy Peasy Bead People

I made some bead people ornaments today and thought maybe you'd like to make some too.

Did you know that if you paint cotton fabric with acrylic craft paint it behaves like really strong paper? It's true. Easily cut with reasonably crappy scissors. No fraying. I paint a lot of fabric for beastie dresses and such, and thus happen to have plenty of scraps around. So I used painted fabric, but felt would work too.

You'll need 2 pipe cleaners (aka chenille stems). 

Bend one in half, and cut one into thirds.

I made a simple little dress template, 

then traced in onto my fabric with a fold at the shoulder line.

Slide that little dress onto the folded pipe cleaner, 

leaving enough space at top for your bead head plus a little loop for hanging.

Insert the shorter piece of pipe cleaner. . .

. . .and glue the dress together and the head on.

I used Tacky Glue to glue the head on, and hot glue for the dress.

Then it's time to pick some beads.

I don't have a lovely organized bead stash, I have bead soup.

 Using tacky glue, glue on beads for hands and legs.

I painted on a simple face, hot-glued a button on her dress, and added an embroidery floss hanger.

All done!

A happy little bead person-

Then I made her some friends!

You could go all out with details. Maybe even make them not-so-bald.

I plan on tying them to gifts, but I suspect they'll end up hanging all over the house.