How to Make a Christmas Cookie Cutter Garland

Edited by Flickety, BR, Maluniu

wikihow.com

Garlands are traditional decorative lengths used to beautify the Christmas tree, wall spaces, window frames and other similar parts of the home. While it is possible to buy them ready-made, it's a whole lot more fun and traditional to make your own. This version is based on using cookie cutters that reflect the festive theme of Christmas.

EditSteps

1. 
   1
   Select the cookie cutters. You'll need enough cookie cutters to cover the length of the garland you're making, with even spaces between. The size of the cookie cutters should be taken into account when assessing this. As for the shapes, choose cookie cutter designs that fit with Christmas, such as angels, trees, gingerbread people, candies, Santa, reindeer, stars, etc.
   • Cookie cutters can be purchased from stores that sell kitchen and baking wares, as well as from online stores. Or, you can make your own cookie cutters from scratch.
     
   
   
2. 
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   Prepare the cookie cutters. You'll be threading the cookie cutters onto the garland, which means they need holes poked in them. Choose a spot about a quarter of the way from the top of each cookie cutter (so that most of the design hangs below the garland) and pierce holes in each side of the cutter, at an even alignment. Continue until all cookie cutters have been pierced.
   • Use strong scissors, a screwdriver, a drill, tin snips, or similar, for making the holes. Wear heavy duty gloves to protect your hands from slippage, or consider using a vise to hold the cutter in place while you pierce. Watch fingers and hands!
   • In some cases, to ensure balance, you may need more holes. For example, a cookie cutter shaped like a candy cane will require holes to be pierced in both the hook and the stem of the cane for the entire cutter to remain stable on the garland.
   • Gingerbread cutters, angels and other humanoid shapes are usually best pierced just under the arms.
3. 
   3
   Measure a length of string or ribbon that is being used for the garland. Cut to size. Always err on cutting the garland length longer, as you will lose some of the length when tying knots and it is simply easier to make it shorter than to make it longer. However, if you do need to lengthen it, more can be discreetly knotted in later.
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   Tie a knot in one end of the string or ribbon.
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   Beginning at the unknotted end, thread through the first cookie cutter to just before the knot.
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   Next, make a knot about 2 inches (5cm) from the cookie cutter. (This measurement may vary, depending on how long your garland is going to be.) Thread a medium bead, then a large bead, then a medium bead into position next to the knot. Tie another knot as closely to the last added bead as possible. You will now have a trio of beads stuck between two firmly tied knots forming the design change between cookie cutters.
7. 
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   Slide on the next cookie cutter. If you're using different shapes, mix them up, such as one snowman, one Santa, one angel, one gingerbread man, etc. Space it an even distance from the bead break, with plenty of string or ribbon showing.
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   As before, make a new knot about 2 inches (5cm) from the next cookie cutter.Thread on three new beads and knot off.
9. 
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   Continue in this same way until you have exhausted your supply of cookie cutters and beads, or the length or string, or both. Tie off the end with a knot.
10. 
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    Hang the Christmas cookie cutter garland. Place on the Christmas tree, over a window, on the wall, or anywhere else suitable.
11. 
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    Finished.

EditTips

• Making loops when making the garland end knots is a good way to provide something to hang the garland with.
• Choose a bead color scheme that maintains a pattern, such as all gold side beads with red, green alternating beads for the large beads.
• Children can make the garland provided adults do the piercing of the metallic cookie cutters first. Check for sharp edges and sand them off before letting children handle them.

EditWarnings

• Wear safety goggles when piercing the cookie cutters, just in case a loose piece of metal flies toward your eyes.

EditThings You'll Need

• Cookie cutters in Christmas shapes
• Something to pierce cookie cutters with, such as scissors, tin snips, paper
  stabber, screwdriver, small drill, etc.
• Strong gloves and eye protection
• Vise (optional but might be helpful when piercing cookie cutters)
• String, ribbon or similar garland length, of sufficient length to be hung or
  draped
  for a decoration
• Beads, medium and large; suitable colors include red, green, silver and
  gold