Best Stocking Hangers Ever - Tutorial

As promised, I'm back tonight with an awesome stocking hanger project. First, lets look at the usual stocking hangers...

You know what I see?

I see three death devices for my toddler. Yep, he would pull that down for sure and bam! - Christmas in the emergency room! Not to mention that most of these things won't hold a stocking full of stuff without tipping over.

I'm very about form and function, just ask my hubby. He watched me drop $300 of his hard earned dollars on a Svan (high chair) and another $300 for a Joovy Ultralight (stroller). In my mind, some things are worth the splurge - if they have great form and function. So, when I found these...
http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?storeId=1&catalogId=1&langId=-1&categoryId=38749&productId=597063&qs=3009650
If they are sold out that link won't work. Try here instead...
http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?categoryId=505795&catalogId=1&storeId=1&langId=-1&nav=tn-ln

I was thrilled! They solved both problems and weren't too busy looking.
I had every intention of ordering them but as my search for stocking went on, it was getting later and later into the season.

Suffice it to say, I ended up not getting around to ordering them. Then, when I finally went on to order them, they were out of stock. They just got back in stock today, but I have already solved my little dilemma...

I've been dying to share this with you all so on with our project!

Supplies

• metal rings - from craft store - mine say 4"x3.2mm but you could a differernt size

• glue
• wooden balls with holes drilled in one side - 2 per hanger - make sure they fit in the loop of your stockings
• paint - if desired
• pliers
  

Take some pliers and look for your rings connection spot, the part where the circle is "welded" together. It's hard to see in this picture but easy to spot in person.
Bend your wire on the sides back and forth and it will snap apart fairly easy.
Now, pull the circle open until it is in this shape and use your pliers to bend down part of the top to sit in the wooden knob. You want the opposite end of the circle to sit a bit further back so the low point is directly under the opposite side's bend...
You can paint the ring and wooden knobs now, if you want. After painting or not painting, take the knobs...
and add some glue - I think hot glue might work just as well or better.
I used a larger ball on the crook we made and a smaller ball on the bottom so you could see better. See how the bottom one sits back more and is on the curve. Again, the top one is on the crook we made. Also, my circle got a coat of silver paint. ;)
That's it. Pretty easy, right?

You can see why it works here...
The weight of the stocking is directly under the contact point of the top knob. The weight is pulling down in a line and not hanging off the front.
Nice, huh? It works the same way as the other stocking holders... you know the ones I procrastinated on?

I'm kinda glad that it happened this way. Wanna know why?

Project Cost
1.99 (balls) + 2.47 (4 rings) =4.46
now divide that by four, the amount I could make with my supplies I bought...
$1.12 per holder
Woohoo!

The other ones were 19.95 per 2 and only sold by the set. The shipping was going to be 6.95 for two sets(4 hangers total). It would have been 4.95 for one set.
46.85 for 4 hangers - not too bad at all but...

46.85 - 4.46...

I just saved $42 and some change! :)

I like the look of mine better, too. The natural wood balls go well with the natural wood stocking letters...
Happy Holidays!

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