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How to make chicken wire baubles

Three chicken wire baubles illuminated by fairylights sitting on an outdoor deck

Overview

You don’t have to buy all your decorations this Christmas – in fact, with a little forward thinking, a trip to your local Bunnings and some determined D.I.Y., you can create a huge range of festive ornaments, perfect for spreading that Christmas cheer.

Chicken wire baubles are the perfect example of this – using just chicken wire, fairy lights and a few D.I.Y. tools, you can create a versatile and hard-wearing outdoor ornament that’s sure to lighten up any passing neighbour’s night.

Fairy lights are waterproof and won’t overheat, meaning you can leave them out rain, hail or shine and not worry about decay. It’s also an incredibly sustainable option for your outdoor decorations, as the baubles don’t use any single-use plastic and can be used year on year. 

These chicken wire baubles are easy to assemble and move as you see fit, and aren’t too overbearing on your streetscape. For this project, we’re using solar lights, but you can use a range of coloured bulbs, creating a collection of beautiful baubles to dot around your garden.

Steps

1Gather your tools and materials

Below you'll find all the tools and materials you'll need to complete this project.

2Roll out the wire

First up, you'll need to roll out the chicken wire and measure out its dimensions. To make a spherical shape, it must be twice as long as it is wide.

3Cut the wire

Next, pop your safety gloves on and cut the chicken wire at the measured area using the wire cutters. If it's not lying flat, use something heavy to weigh the wire down before cutting.

4Connect the wire

Place the two cut sides together and connect by twisting the wires around each other. Once they are secure, it should have a cylinder shape.

5Sit the cylinder

Sit the cylinder upright and start to pinch the edges together with your pointing finger and your thumb to create a triangle. Continue your pleating motion until you reach the end. Repeat on the other end of the cylinder.

6Continue to sculpt

Your chicken wire probably won't be round just yet. Continue to sculpt the chicken wire to make it as round as possible, by pushing in the curves and pulling on the end to create a spherical shape.

Once you have a bauble shape, it's time to wrap it up with lights!

7Wrap with lights

As we're using solar net lights, all you have to do is throw this over the chicken wire ball.

If you're using alternative fairy lights, take your first string and wrap it around the ball, repeat with the other strings until you've used them all and your ball is fully wrapped.

8Secure your lights

Once you have your lights in place, grab a few cable ties and secure your lights. Push the solar panel into the ground, ready to capture the sun's rays.

The versatility of fairy lights means you can turn them on when it gets dark enough, and turn them off during the day. As they are solar, the lights also won't affect your energy usage, meaning no nasty surprises when the bill comes through.

9Time to make your own!

Get started with your chicken wire baubles by browsing our range of fairy lights. 
Health & Safety

Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.

Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer. You can also use a simple test kit from Bunnings to indicate the presence of lead-based paint.