tutorial on how-to antique ornament caps

 

cable-knit holiday ornament

clear plastic ornament

Above is a photo of my newest pattern Cable-Knit Holiday Ornaments. A quick and easy holiday gift idea and the ornament is knit up and ready to go within an hour!

I published it yesterday with the promise of a tutorial on how-to antique traditional store-bought ornament tops. NOTE: I sell 20-mm size ornament caps (not the balls) in traditional silver and gold, and fancy silver and gold. They are sold in packs of five tops.

But when you purchase a plastic craft-store ornament ball (2.75-inch size) it already has the 20-mm size cap included. Leave them silver or gold or antique them!

The materials I use to antique are: either a silver or gold cap top, black chalk paint, a brush, either Antique Gold or Spanish Copper Rub'n Buff® and some clear fixative spray (satin finish).

A small bottle of black chalk paint can be purchased at any craft-store, and very little is needed. The chalk paint is opaque enough to cover well in 1-2 coats. 

1. Paint the cap, mainly the outside and loop, making sure to cover all visible surfaces so no gold or silver is showing. Once dry, determine if you need a second coat. If so, do and allow to dry.

2. Once dry, put a very small dab of the Rub'n Buff® onto a piece of paper. A little goes a long way! Using a small dry brush, dip it into the gold paint and lightly brush it across the surface of the ornament top and sides. The dry brushing hits the high spots in the design and accents them and making them pop. You will find that some ornament caps have a lot of detailing and some do not.

3. If desired, do the same thing with the Spanish copper color. The combination of the black, gold and copper creates a rich antique-look. If you needed to choose between the two colors, for sure get the Antique Gold. I love this product and have every color!

4. Once satisfied with the finished results, spray a light coat of clear fixative over the cap's top and sides. The fixative protects the finish and prevents chipping. Allow the ornament cap to air dry completely. Once dry, it is ready to insert into your ornament. 

This is the simplest and most desired method I have found to create this look. It takes your ornaments to the next level or sophistication!

The ornament cap hanger in the photo at the very top is actually from a larger size ball ornament (5-inch), the next size up from the one I usually use in my patterns. I found I liked the look of a larger-size cap on my smaller ball ornaments especially with this bulky sweater-like look. Its personal preference. Don't hesitate to go by the ornaments just for their cap size because right now especially they can sell them for $0.50 depending on where you go. 

NOTE: An antiqued ornament cap hanger would look whimsical on the Buffalo-Plaid Holiday Ornaments pattern, or how about the Holly-Dazzle Ornament Pincushion? And don't forget the Woolly Holiday Ornaments pattern! I'd love to see what you do with this technique!

Happy knitting!