Handmade Braided Wreath Ornament

Handmade Ornament #5

It’s no secret I love Polymer clay. Half of my Christmas tree is decorated with clay ornaments I have made. This one is especially beautiful, and a great project for someone who is new to working with Polymer clay. (Check out these beginner tips for working with Polymer Clay.)

What you need:

1. Polymer Clay
(Green and Red)

2. Polymer Clay Blade
(Optional)

3. Glossy Glaze
(Optional)

What you do:


1. Knead your clay (most brands are very hard at first. For this project, some clay softener might make things easier). Make three long and even clay rolls. Different widths and lengths will give the wreath a slightly different shape and look.

2. Squish the three ends together and start braiding. I tried to braid pretty tightly.

3. As you braid, gently curve the clay in a circular shape.

4. When you run out of clay, carefully slice the ends off both sides.

5. Make the braid into an even circle now. If your wreath is too large, slice off a little more from one end until you are happy with how it looks.

6. Smooth together the different ends of each side of your wreath. Try to get it to look pretty and smooth without squishing or damaging the rest of the wreath. This will be covered up mostly by the bow, so it doesn’t need to be perfect.

7. Make your bow. To make the bow, I made a long flat piece of red clay (sort of like a ribbon) before I started, and used pieces of this to make the entire bow. This keeps everything uniform and even. Cut a piece with your blade and fold the two ends into the middle.

8. Cut out two pieces that will be the ribbon ends, and attach them to the bottom of the bow.

9. Wrap a single piece of clay ribbon around the middle of the bow. Now place the bow on top of the wreath and press down slightly. This seems to be enough to keep the whole ornament secure.

10. Bake according to your clay’s instructions. Each brand of clay has slightly different baking instructions. You don’t want to over bake the clay, but you want to make sure that the clay is hard to the touch almost like plastic. For a more polished and professional look, add a coat of glaze after your ornament has cooled. I used a satin glaze, but I think that a glossy glaze might be even better. Add some twine or ribbon to hang your ornament.

Also check out the other ornaments in this Handmade Christmas Ornament series.