Fan pulls add a decorative touch to ceiling fans.
Fan pulls are novelty items that add decoration to an otherwise plain fixture. Most fan pulls you can buy are in standard colors or designs. Very few fan pulls really stand out or make a presence. They tend to be more function over form.
Making a personalized fan pull allows you to be more creative with the accessories in your home. Create fan pulls in colors of your choice to avoid the standard pull from sticking out in your otherwise coordinated room. Create fan pulls to match the living room décor, the bedroom themes or even the current holiday season.
Instructions
Beaded Fan Pull
1. Cut a piece of 24-gauge beading wire 10 inches long. Use needle-nose pliers to snip the wire to the correct length.
2. Bend the wire in half so the cut ends touch. Allow the center of the wire to stay slightly curved.
3. Lace a decorative pewter charm on one end of the wire and allow it to hang from the middle of the wire. This charm will be at the bottom of the fan pull.
4. Add a to the cut ends of the wire. Make sure both ends of the wire go through the bead. Move the bead down the wires until they are 1/4 inch from the bottom of the wire, where the wire forms the curve.
5. Squeeze the crimp bead with the pliers. This will form the base for the beads.
6. String the beads onto the wire starting by lacing both wire ends through the hole in the bead. Push the bead along the wire until it sits snugly against the previous piece. The pattern for the beads should be spacer, large flat glass bead, spacer and medium crystal faceted glass bead.
7. Repeat the bead pattern again. Add another spacer, large flat glass bead, and spacer to finish the beaded fan pull.
8. Add the last crimp bead to the top of the beaded wire and crimp in place with your needle nose pliers. This is the decorative portion of the beaded fan pull.
9. Attach a stainless steel ball chain connector to the extra wire at the top of the beaded fan pull by knotting the wire around the circle end of the ball chain connector. This end looks like an eyelet. Tie each end of wire into a couple of small knots.
10. Trim the excess wire close to the knots using the snip on the needle-nose pliers. This will give your fan pull a professional look.
11. Connect the beaded fan pull to the existing two-inch ball chain on the fan using the ball chain connector. Use the rounded cap end of the ball chain connector. The cap has a small hole going from the bottom of the cap to the center top. This is to allow the cord of the ball chain to hang through it and allow the fan pull to dangle straight down.
Kid's Fan Pull
12. Screw an eye screw into the top of a child's novelty toy. Use pressure and twist the self-tapping screw into the toy.
13. Attach a ball chain connector to the end of the eye screw. Use pliers to pull the end of the eye screw ring apart slightly.
14. Insert the exposed end of the eye screw end into the round end of the ball chain connector.
15. Close the eye screw circle using the pliers. The ends should meet so the connector will not come off when turning the fan off and on.
16. Attach the ball chain connector to the four-inch ball chain on the fan by pushing the last ball on the chain under the ball chain cap. The wire that connects the ball chains should stick out of the guide hole in the top of the ball chain connector's cap.
Outdoor Fan Pull
17.Lay one flip-flop on the work surface with the back of the shoe facing toward you.
18. Apply a generous amount of hot glue to the bottom of the first flip-flop.
19. Lay the end of the long piece of twine onto the glue on the back of the flip-flop. Arrange the twine so it lies in a flat line starting at the middle of the flip-flop. The excess should extend from the center of the heel of the flip-flop. This will form the hanger for the fan pull.
20. Apply more glue on top of the twine.
21. Press the remaining flip-flop on top of the first flip-flop. The edges should line up evenly. Apply extra pressure to the area with the twine to allow it to attach to the bottoms of the shoes. Allow to dry.
22. Connect the loose end of twine to the round end of a stainless steel ball chain connector with a couple of knots. Allow 1-inch of twine to extend past the connector. Apply a bead of hot glue to the excess twine and press it flat against the longer strip of twine to form a finished look.
23. Tie a single knot in each of the ends of the short twine rope 1/2-inch from the ends.
24. Apply hot glue to the knot and attach two seashells to each end of the twine. The rounded side of the shell should be facing outward. Glue the knot to the inside of the shells to hold them on the twine. The shells will hide the knot.
25. Tie the shell rope around the longer twine rope. Lay the shell rope horizontally on your work area. Lay the longer twine vertically on top of the center of the shell rope so that the ball chain connector is 1/2-inch above the shell twine. Make two knots in the shell rope to attach it to the outdoor fan pull. The shell twine will hang above the flip-flops.
26
Attach the stainless steel ball chain connector to the end of the two-inch ball chain on the fan.
Tags: ball chain, ball chain connector, chain connector, shell rope, crimp bead, glass bead, pliers This