Søstrene Grene, Spare Pipe Cleaners and Some Ten Year Old Sequins

Sometimes I just buy stuff. Then I’m not really sure why I bought it. It happened to me recently. A new store has opened in my hometown, now typically new store openings where I live is a wholly disappointing affair. It’s typically some kind of sports shop shudders or some kind of other shop that just doesn’t apply to me; vapes, phone stuff I don’t understand, fancy dress 🤢, … you get the idea. This time though, a new shop opened that I’m very excited about. 

So much so, I’m low level worried about my spending control going forward. This time Søstrene Grene's opened. I’d never heard of it before, so if you haven’t either, it’s a Scandinavian homeware and crafting materials shop. That’s my description, not theirs, but what matters most is that it’s just full of very lovely, reasonably priced, often miniature things.

I’ve been there three times already, once to show my other half, once to show my dad so he could tell my mum, and once by myself. Which is where you could say the trouble started! First of all I bought these lovely little cardboard houses. I’ve no idea why. They’ve just been sitting next to me on the sofa waiting for a purpose 🤷🏼‍♀️. Love them though.

I did buy some other Christmas bits that do have a purpose which I’ll tell you more about in another blog later, and then I bought a packet of silver and gold pipe cleaners. Again, not sure why at the time BUT, they have now found a purpose. Let me show you what a couple of pipe cleaners and the multi coloured sequins that have been sitting in my crafting trolley for over ten years (something else I bought for no reason) can become! 

Introducing my brand new mini Christmas wreath decorations 🙌🏻.

I’m really thrilled with these mini Christmas wreaths and they were super easy to make. It just takes a little time, but nothing a cup of tea can’t get you through.

The first step is to take a silver pipe cleaner, and a gold pipe cleaner, and twist them around each other to create a striped effect. Then bend this striped pipe cleaner into a circle, overlap the ends a little bit and then wrap them around each other. Et voila! No glue necessary and you’ve got a striped pipe cleaner ring. Repeat the process cutting the pipe cleaners in half first to make a smaller circle too.

Next, grab an embroidery hoop. I like the 3” diameter ones because they are small and cute and the perfect size for Christmas tree baubles. Secure some tulle between the embroidery hoop inner and outer frames, and tighten until it’s held securely in place. This creates the base for the mini wreaths.

Next get a needle and thread. I like to use thread that’s twice the length of my arm. It’s not especially important that you do the same, I’m just sharing what works for me. I find this gives me a manageable length of thread, so it stops it all tangling up during the hand sewing process quite so much. 

Now, place the large pipe cleaner ring onto the tulle base, as close to the edge of the embroidery hoop frame as you can, then simply stitch this in place at the top of the circle. Next place the smaller pipe cleaner circle in the middle of the larger one, creating an equal space between the two rings, all the way around.

Then simply fill in the space with a random mix of different sequin colours and sizes, taking care to keep catching in both pipe cleaner rings as you go to secure them evenly to the tulle. It’s not precise, there’s no pattern to this, just mix and match as you see fit. Keep going until the space between the two pipe cleaners is absolutely festooned with sequins and there are no gaps!

Now trim away any excess tulle. I always cut a square of tulle bigger than my embroidery hoop so I can play with the tension as I work by simply pulling and stretching the tulle in place. This is a really useful tip because sometimes whilst working on the embellishment the tulle can move, sag and stretch, so it’s good to have the excess available for readjustments. Finally cut a short length of ribbon, I’d suggest 5 to 8 inches long and tie this around the top of the embroidery hoop to complete the mini hanging decoration.

For two pipe cleaners and what one day may become vintage sequins, I think these are rather lovely! If you’d like to make one, please do and share some photos, it would be great to see some other versions. If you’d rather just buy one, then you can do that too, right here.