How to Make a Coastal Farmhouse Wood Bead Garland
Wood Bead Garlands are strung all over the place (hehehe) in cute little boutiques, home stores, and Etsy! Today, I’m going to show you how to make a coastal farmhouse wood bead garland for a fraction of the cost!
HOW TO MAKE A COASTAL FARMHOUSE WOOD BEAD GARLAND
It’s early morning where I sit writing this post… 5:30am to be exact. I’m trying to up-my-game by going to bed a bit earlier and waking up earlier, as well.
What about you…Are you a morning person or night owl?
Well, this morning I’m up early so I can share with you how I created this farmhouse wood bead garland… with a twist! I went a bit coastal, too, and even gave the beads an ombre vibe!
If you want to check out another easy and affordable farmhouse DIY, check out how I made this Farmhouse Cake Plate from dollar store items!
Have you seen these garlands all over the place in home décor stores, cute little boutiques, AND Etsy? I have… Anywhere from $15-$50!!! I’ll tell ya, this girl ain’t gonna pay $15 for a string of wood, let alone $50!
I knew I could find the beads for a lot less, AND add my own style, so off to Pinterest (then Amazon) I went!
This post may contain affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. For more information, see my complete disclosure HERE.
What You Need
- Wooden Beads (16mm and 10mm… you could go even bigger for a chunkier look)
- DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paint (I used the color Shoreline (a swag gift from DecoArt a the Haven Conference, but there are LOTS of colors to choose from)
- Varathane Wood Stain (I used Weathered Gray to achieve a ‘cooler’ tone… again, swag from Haven!)
- Small Chip Paint Brush (actually, I would use any cheap ‘throw-away’ brush… I don’t want to clean it if I don’t have to! 😉 )
- Cotton (or Jute) Twine I had this on hand, so there was no cost here (I used 2mm, but this one is smaller, and might be wee bit easier to work with, however, I like how the 2mm looks)
- Large Threading Needle (TOTALLY optional)
- Hot Glue Gun (This is similar to the one I use, and I love it! This is the updated version.)
- Water
- Lint Free Cloths
- Small Mixing Sticks (I had these on hand, but they work great for a lot of projects)
- Large Paint Mixing Stick
- Small bowl
Prepping
The first thing to do is mix the DecoArt Americana acrylic paint with a bit of water in a small bowl. Watering-down the paint will give the washed-ombre look! I used a small fruit bowl and added about a tablespoon of paint with about 2 teaspoons of water then stirred it around with a small mixing stick. I then placed one of the lint-free cloths near the bowl.
The second thing to do is cut a piece of twine about 3 times the length you want for your finished garland to be. This is your “bead string”. You want to create a ‘needle’ at each end of the string, which makes for an easier time of threading the beads. Cut the end of the twine, at a slant, on both ends. Then add a little bit of hot glue to one end and form a ‘point’ by carefully and quickly tapping the glue between your fingers. Repeat for the other end. (I’m sure you can get a big enough needle for this, but I didn’t have one on hand.)
Painting
Place your beads in the paint mixture and quickly, but gently, slosh (yes, I said slosh 😉 ) them around until they are covered in paint. Then take the beads out of the paint and place them on the lint-free cloth, fold the cloth over the beads, then vigorously roll the beads around in the cloth to wipe off as much paint as you can. They should come out looking like this:
Quick and messy… I’m all for that! DecoArt Americana acrylic paint was SUPER easy to work with, and I loved the results!
Do this for both sizes of beads. 🙂
(This photo is actually after I stained the larger beads… oops!)
Staining
Using your large mixing stick (I used a normal paint stick), slowly mix the Varathane stain in the can (you don’t want any splashing going on). Also, if you try to shake the can to mix the stain, some of the pigment may remain at the bottom, so using a stir stick is kinda important.
When the large beads are dry from the acrylic ‘wash’ paint, take a small stick (my mixing sticks worked great for this, but a wooden skewer, etc. would work just as well) and put it through the bead. Then, using the chip brush, paint the bead with the Varathane stain (it doesn’t have to *completely* cover), and, again, quickly wipe it off with a clean lint-free cloth. (I wiped it off this time, as opposed to rolling it around… it took off more of the stain and left more of the ombre effect).
I did the staining on these beads one-at-a-time because I wanted to make sure I could wipe most of the stain off (this quick-dry Varathane stain dries 3x faster than your average stain). I think it would have been more difficult to achieve the look I wanted had I used the same process as the acrylic paint.
How To Make a Tassel
I thought using cotton twine would give the garland a bit more of a coastal farmhouse look, but you can use jute, or any other type of twine that might make you smile! Hehe!
If you want to see more of my coastal farmhouse ‘feel’… take a look at the Spring Tour Part 1 and Part II of My Wee Abode.
- Take the twine and wrap it around your palm about 10-15 times, then remove it from your hand and cut it from the spool. Set aside.
- Take your bead string and thread one large bead onto the twine.
- Now take the bead string and put it through the middle of the bundle of twine. (See photo below)
- Next, feed the bead string back through the bead and pull snugly. You may have to twist and turn the twine to get this, but it does work. (Hint: I also left some ‘slack’ on the long strand and after putting the end of short strand in the bead, pulled through the slack to help feed the short strand through… hope that makes sense!) For added security, you can add a drop of hot glue to the bead where the top of the tassel will hit. The top of your tassel has now been formed! (See photo below)
- Add a tiny bit of hot glue at the other end of the bead, pull the small strand snugly through and clip off.
- Take another small piece of twine (maybe six inches) and wrap it around the bundle, close to the tied end. Then tie it and secure it with a bit of hot glue. Clip-off the leftover ends. (See photo below)
- Now, cut through the bottom end of the bundle to make the tassely part (yes, I think a made a new word… tassely). Trim to the size you desire. Ta da! A tassel!
(This picture was taken BEFORE I figured out an easier way to make the tassels… just pay attention to the wrap part. 😉 It’s that 5 year thing again, peeps!)
Stringing Your Beads
Hint: I took a skewer (for lack of a better word), and turned it through each bead before I started threading them. This made it easier to get the twine through.
- Tie your first knot at the base of the large bead. Then string a small, large, small bead on the string, and knot again. Repeat for the length of your garland, leaving a large bead at the end of the strand.
- Create another tassel for the end using the same steps in the tassel instructions above.
And VOILA! We are done!
Styling two ways…
I actually love this vignette sitting on my media console. Picked up about 6 starfish at HomeGoods… not one broken piece on them! Woot!
Love me some driftwood, too!
Wanna know where you can get this printable????
You can get this printable, and all my seasonal printables in my free Resource Library. Simply subscribe to My Wee Abode, and get the password delivered straight to your inbox, along with all the other fun offered through the blog!
So… this garland cost approximately $5-10, I got exactly what I wanted, and I have supplies leftover for another project or five! Not bad, huh?
You could even make a DIY Fall Wood Bead Garland courtesy of my dear friend Paula from Sweet Pea.
Hope you enjoyed learning how to make a coastal farmhouse wood bead garland!
What would you do to add your own flair to this diy project?
Makes me wanna paint! =D Cute idea!
LOL!!! Thanks! You’ll have lots of opportunities in your new place! Love ya, Boo!
Julie, I love these coastal beads. Your step by step tutorial is easy to follow. They look so pretty with the cotton. Have a wonderful week!
Thanks so much, Pam! As you know, kind and encouraging words are always welcome! Hope you have a great week, too! Hugs!
So pretty. My favorite picture is the beads on the blue jar.
Thank you! I was really torn between the two styles. 🙂 But, I’m glad you liked the jar… it’s a fave item of mine! 😉 Love ya!
OMG, I love everything about this! The two colors and the contrast with he jute twine is spectacular. I also really love your print! I need to go home and print it off when I get home 🙂 The bowl full of driftwood is a nice touch too! I just love coastal decor.
Thank you, dearheart! Love ya, and hope you are having a blast in Germany!
Julie, I love this garland! I bet you could make one of those cute tassel necklaces too. I see a trip to Michael’s in my future!
LOL! Yes, there’s A LOT you could do with this! Let me know if you try it! 😉
Julie, this turned out perfectly! I made one a while back and the ribbon I used to string on fell apart. I’m going to try this again! 🙂
Oh, I want to see it when you’re done, Stacey! Thanks for coming by! Hugs, sweet friend!
So pretty, and would look perfect in my house, too! Thanks for the DIY, I might have to add this to my list of “to do’s”!
Thanks, Chloe… and thanks, again, for the feature today! I’ve added y’all to my Let’s Party page. 😉
Julie, I made a bead garland last fall and loved it, but I didn’t paint or stain it. I love this approach and since my colors are coastal, I definitely be making this. Thanks for sharing the project.
Fun, Carol! When you are finished, I definitely want to see it! 😉
Great tutorial! Now I know how to make a bead garland. Maybe I’ll make one in fall colors. Pinned!
I’m planning on doing one for fall, too, Michelle! We’ll have to compare notes so we don’t make the same one… cuz you know… we’re twins! 😉
Love the colors!!
Thanks, Deeds! I love YOU! 😉
This is such a cute DIY project, Julie! So practical for saving money too, it’s crazy how expensive those wood bead garlands can get when you buy them from a store!
Yes… I was REALLY surprised at how expensive they can be! Thanks for the sweet words, Tiffany… I just saw this after saving some of your pins to my boards! 😉 Love your style!
Oh how pretty! I love the colors, and the coastal theme is always a favorite of mine! Thank you so much for sharing at Thursday Favorite Things!
Thanks, Pam! They were very fun to make… and actually fun to photograph! 😉 Always enjoy TFT! Have a wonderful weekend!
These are gorgeous. I can just imagine all the different possibilities. I really love the way you worked with the paint to give the beads a watercolor feels. So pretty. Hmmm Now, I’m wondering what I can make with this technique. Inspiring!
Hehe!!! Yep… all kinds of ‘washing’ we can do with wood! ;- Thanks, Patti!
Julie those beads turned out so pretty! I love the colors you chose. I will be featuring this project today at The Creative Circle Link Party! I hope you stop by and share with us again!
Thank you SO much, Linda! I did stop by, linked, and left a comment! 😉 You made my day, Linda!
Congratulations on the feature on Thursday Favorite Things. I love blue and all things coastal so I really loved your post.
Thank you so much, Amy, and I’m so glad you enjoyed the post! Take a look at the newest ‘coastal’ post I just published! 😉 Let me know what you think! Have a great weekend!
Thanks for the clear steps on making a wood bead garland. I think I’m going to make one with a tropical feel to it. Pinned.
Thanks for coming by, Erlene! I would LOVE to see how you put a tropical spin on it! Feel free to share on my FB page when you do! Thanks for pinning! Hugs and hearts!
Love this, a fresh clean look! Thanks for the post 🙂
Lori Jo – 50 With Flair
Thanks for the comment, Lori Jo! I love how the paint transformed the room!;-)
Love these colors – so pretty! And the cotton string was a great call! I also love those cotton branches – beautiful styling, Julie!
Thanks so much, Janet! I use them all the time!
Hi Julie!
I LOVE how this turned out and can’t wait to try it! I’m gathering my supplies and noticed you indicated 16mm beads and 10mm beads, but the link for the 10mm beads takes me to Amazon’s 6mm beads. There looks to be a big enough size difference in the pictures that you might’ve used the 6mm. I’m just trying to figure out which one to get. Do you know which one you ended up using?
Thanks!
Julie
You are an eagle-eye, Julie! Thanks so much for pointing this out to me, truly! I used the 10mm… I actually purchased the 6 and 10, but the 6 were way too tiny and I didn’t use them. Not sure how the 6mm link got there (I think Amazon may have changed the link because my order says 10mm, and it takes me to the 6mm when I click on it)… but it is now fixed! Thank you again! Be sure to come over to my Facebook page and share your finished garland! Hugs and hearts!
I am glad to see your technique for how to color them without painting each one individually. I am definitely pinning this. I haven’t tried to make a wood bead garland myself so your tips are very helpful. Thanks for sharing at #HomeMattersParty
Great, Donna! So glad to help, and thanks for pinning!
Love this and the way you explained how too, thank you for sharing
Thanks, Anne! So glad your visited and commented! Hugs and hearts!
So pretty! and such a great idea! I’ve seen these beads in fancy boutiques in California…love this tutorial!
I would love to have you come and link up to my party on my blog and share your post with us. https://karinskottage.com/2020/06/centerpiece-wednesday-linky-party.html
Karin
Well, how fun is that?! So excited that your brought the party back, and def will place you on my party page! Just linked-up!
Julie,
I love your bead garland. I need to make one of those. I keep putting it off. Congratulations, you are being featured on Thursday Favorite Things. https://www.eclecticredbarn.com/2020/06/thursday-favorite-things_25.html
Hugs,
Bev
Thank you, sweet friend! Did you see I’m featuring YOU this week?! 😉
Julie,
I just saw it. Thank you so much. What a wonderful surprise. Have a great day.
Hugs,
Bev
Of course, friend!
You must have been peeking over my shoulder. I came “this” close to donating a gallon size bag full of wooden beads to a thrift shop yesterday. They have been in a drawer for years. I am a former Floridian and my favorites are seashells and many aqua accents. Definitely a beachy feel. This project is perfect. Thank you so much for your inspiration. As an artist I have lots of acrylics, but will have to acquire the driftwood stain. Blessings, Marilyn
Instagram Marilynart2
Oh, I’m so glad you found me and this post, Marilyn! AND that you saved your beads! If you read through the directions, I actually just watered down an acrylic paint for the aqua beads! Easy peasy! Can’t wait to hear and see your new creation! Hugs and hearts!
Wow, no wonder this project was so popular! Your beads are awesome looking! Beautiful pics and great directions. Pinning for sure! Hugs!
Hugs,
Tee
Oh, thank you, Tee!
Love your beads. The colors are so pretty and I like the two sizes. I noticed that the larger beads looked darker. Did you use two colors. I only saw one mentioned. Perhaps I missed it. Please advise.
Thanks, Vicky! I love the two sizes, as well. The colors are linked in the supply list. One is DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paint in Shoreline, the other is the Varathane Wood Stain in Weathered Gray (one is a paint, the other is a stain). 😉 Hope that helps!
Thanks for the link to the hot glue gun. I have gone through a few I HATE – I need a new one that is recommended for sure! Ordered tonight – I hope I love it as much as you! Definitely making one of these wooden bead/tassel projects. Love your colors.
Oh, I hope you are as happy as I am, Joan… I still use mine all the time!
This is so beautiful. love it, and pinned it as an idea to use in the future.
Visited you on Sundays on Silverado #141. If interested, please hop over and come and share your posts with us at Senior Salon Pit Stop. See entries #29, 31, 32…. and navigate to the bottom of my page for SSPS linkup, we hope to virtually meet you there.
Thank you so much for the kind words, Esme. I’ll be sure to pop on over to the party and take a look! Thanks for the invite!
What a gorgeous project Julie ♥
Thank you for sharing your coastal farmhouse wood bead garland DIY at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather party this week. I’m delighted to be featuring it at tonight’s party and pinning too.
Hugs ~ Kerryanne
Thank you, again, Kerryanne! So wonderful to be blessed by your feature!
Hi Julie,
I was delighted to see your link ups at the party this week. Love this sweet project and I’m pleased to be featuring it at tonight’s party.
Hugs,
Kerryanne
Thank you so much, Kerryanne!