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    Home » Holidays

    DIY Pipe Cleaner Candy Canes For Christmas

    Published by Pam Kessler | 661 words. · About 4 minutes to read this article. - 25 Comments

    I'm a sucker for EASY Christmas crafts! And these DIY pipe cleaner candy canes I showed you how to make back in 2010 (I was so young back then) are definitely in that easy category. So I thought I'd replay this oldie but goodie for you today.

    And how cute would these look tied to your Christmas packages!

    They are very similar to the vintage chenille candy canes my grandmother used to have on her tree. I have no idea if someone gave them to her or she actually made them herself, but either way they were a cherished memory of holidays long past.

    How to make pipe cleaner candy canes for Christmas decor. A super simple five-minute holiday craft even the kids will love making.

    DIY Pipe Cleaner Candy Canes

    Pipe cleaner candy canes for Christmas decor.

    Supplies

    Chenille stems, aka pipe cleaners, in red and white (I used the 9mm variety)

    Optional supplies if tea dying stems for a "vintage" or "prim" look:

    Large cooking pot
    box of tea bags
    vinegar

    Instructions

    I bought chenille stems (aka pipe cleaners) at my local craft superstore. Surprisingly, they come in different diameters - I used the 9mm ones for this project since they are a little bit fluffier than a typical pipe cleaner.

    Pipe cleaners to be used in a craft project.

    Then I tea-stained them to give them an aged effect.

    I wanted them to look like I had found them in Grandma's attic. (So if you already know how to tea-stain, you can skip on down to the finished product).

    Boil some water, turn off the heat and throw some tea bags in the pot. I used 10 teabags with 6 cups of water, but there is no steadfast rule of thumb on that formula, so you can play around with the number of bags used.

    Tea dying chenille stems-

    You want your tea water to be dark though. Darker than you would drink.

    After the water has attained the color you want, remove the tea bags, add a couple tablespoons of vinegar (to help set the stain - think Easter eggs here) and put your chenille stems in the water.

    I kept the stems in the water for about an hour. Occasionally I would take one white stem out, run it under cold water and realize that it wasn't dark enough and throw it back in. But after about an hour, they arrived at the color I was looking for.

    Then I rinsed them in cold water to get the sticky tea off, squeezed off the excess water and threw them in the dryer with a dryer sheet for about 10 minutes so they would fluff back up. I had to rescue a couple out of the holes in the dryer where they got stuck. I also counted them to make sure I hadn't left any red ones in the dryer for later surprises!

    Then you just twist your red around the white until you get a candy cane design.

    Twisting a red and a white pipe cleaner together.

    It took me a couple tries to get the twist to look realistic, but once you get the hang of it, it is ridiculously easy (my kind of craft).

    Red and white pipe cleaners twisted together.

    Then you just need to make a bend at the top and you are done. You can use a broom handle or a toilet paper tube to bend them around if you're going for a uniform look.

    Finished chenille stems candy cane.

    The ones pictured are with full sized stems.

    DIY pipe cleaner candy canes.

    To make more petite sized candy canes for tabletop trees, cut the stems in half prior to twisting.

    So if you want a fairly easy craft to make this weekend, these pipe cleaner candy canes are the ticket!

    Ideas For Using Your Candy Canes

    • Hang on Christmas tree
    • Tie on packages
    • String on bakers twine and make a banner
    • Tie a few together with twine and lay about the house as mini decorations
    • Gather a few in a vase or boot as a decoration (see below before you think I'm crazy)

    Chenille pipe cleaner candy canes in a vintage Santa boot.

    Other posts you may enjoy:

    A Vintage, Rustic, Industrial Holiday House Tour
    Where To Find Vintage Christmas Decor Reproductions (At The Stores)
    Pipe Cleaner Reindeer Beer (makes your bottle more festive)
    Retro Christmas Decor Inspiration

    « A Christmas Dollhouse
    A Vintage, Farmhouse, Retro Kind Of Holiday Home Tour »
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Christy Roppel

      January 16, 2017 at 2:45 pm

      These are so cute! I have a couple of questions:
      1. Does the water (tea bath) make the metal rust?
      2. The pix don't really show a big difference in color (from white/red to tea color).
      Is there a big change or only a slight tint?

      Thanks!!

      Reply
    2. Melinda

      December 13, 2016 at 8:32 pm

      Great Memories.

      These look great especially in the boot!

      M : )

      Reply
    3. taryterre

      December 13, 2016 at 12:23 am

      Could have used some of these with my wreath. GREAT idea. Looks so easy.

      Reply
    4. Vickie

      December 12, 2016 at 9:05 pm

      They do remind me of ornaments my mother had on her tree. Have you checked out the Youtube videos to make dogs using pipe cleaners and beads? I made some with our oldest granddaughter (she added markings after I made them) and they are adorable!

      Reply
    5. chris aka monkey

      December 12, 2016 at 12:36 pm

      I remember making these when I was young, we all lived in caves then xx

      Reply
    6. Teri

      December 12, 2016 at 11:30 am

      Pam, you must still be thinking bout the Christmas cookies as you said in your instructions to use a "cookie" pot. Made me laugh!

      Reply
      • Pam

        December 13, 2016 at 8:47 am

        Oops. Yes, cookies one the mind 🙂

        Reply
    7. SALTBOX TREASURES

      November 20, 2010 at 11:13 am

      Thanks for the tutorial. Brings back memories of when my daughters were little. I have not seen them done with tea.
      ~ Julie

      Reply
    8. Linda

      November 20, 2010 at 1:14 am

      What a fun project, Pam! Thanks so much for sharing the tutorial with us!! Thanks for your nice comments on my post today, too!

      Reply
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