Beaded Mrs. Claus Christmas Ornament – Free Pony Bead Pattern

Materials Needed:

• 1 - Lanyard Hook OR 1 - Key Ring

• Cord - Approximately 2 yards

  There are lots of different types of cord you can use for your beaded Mrs. Claus. Of all the different kinds of cords we've tried, flat plastic lacing such as Rexlace (also called boondoggle or plastic lace) seems to work best on all of these types of patterns. It just seems to help the rows of beads sit neatly together without bunching or curling as easily and keeps your finished ornament shape better. Round cords, about 1 1/2mm to 2mm thick also works well. If you prefer a thinner cord, you can weave a little wire or a pipe cleaner into your ornament for extra stiffness.

  Helpful Hint: If your cord end frays easily, try dipping it into a little melted wax and smoothing it out with your fingers. This helps prevent fraying and creates a stiffer end for threading through your beads.

  Monofilament Cord OR 2mm Metallic Cord
• 1 - Clear Pony Bead
• 32 - Red Pony Beads
• 25 - White Pony Beads
• 2 - Blue Pony Beads
• 9 - Beige Pony Beads
• 7 - Black Pony Beads
• 1 - Yellow Pony Bead OR 1 - Gray/Silver Pony Bead

These are the colors we used for Mrs. Claus. You can choose different shades or bead finishes to give her a look of her own!

• Glue (We used super glue.)
• Scissors
• Ruler or Measuring Tape

Instructions

1. Pass your cord through the bottom hole of the lanyard hook or key ring. Bring the two ends together so they are even. Thread both ends through the clear pony bead, then while holding the cord ends, slide the bead up the cords until it rests against the lanyard hook or key ring.

2. Using the Mrs. Claus bead diagram below, begin weaving the rows beneath the clear bead. Thread the beads for the first row onto one cord, then pass the other cord back through those same beads from the opposite direction. Pull both cords gently until the beads sit together beneath the clear bead.

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

2. Continue following the diagram, adding one row at a time. For each row, thread the beads onto one cord and pass the other cord through them in the opposite direction. Gently pull the cords to bring each completed row against the one above it. Continue until you've completed the black beads at the bottom of her feet.

5. There are two ways to finish your Mrs. Claus ornament:

• Tie off at the sides: Tie off each cord where it exits on either side of her feet.
• Tie off in the center: From each side, skip the first black bead and thread the cord back through the center black bead. Do this with both cords and then tie them together, around the middle bead.

Whichever method you choose, secure the knots with a small drop of glue. Trim the excess cord after the glue has dried.

Hang your beaded Mrs. Claus on your Christmas tree, decorate a holiday wreath, or have her join Santa and the other Christmas characters on a festive garland!

The diagram below shows the bead arrangement for Mrs. Claus. Click the image to see the larger pattern.

Did You Know? The Story of Mrs. Claus

Santa Claus has been part of Christmas traditions for centuries, but Mrs. Claus came along much later! References to Santa having a wife began appearing in American writings during the 1800s. In 1889, Katharine Lee Bates wrote a poem called Goody Santa Claus on a Sleigh Ride, which helped bring Mrs. Claus to life as a character with a personality of her own. In the poem, she even persuades Santa to let her join him on his Christmas Eve journey!

Over the years, Mrs. Claus became the warm, cheerful character we know today, often pictured helping with Christmas preparations at the North Pole. And although she doesn't always get as much attention as Santa, Christmas wouldn't seem quite the same without her!