Sand Dollar Ornament

By Gina Olkowski

There are hunters and there are gatherers. I am a gatherer—even if I don’t have a plan for the sea treasures I find. One December, much to my frozen delight, I found a bunch of sand dollars on a Long Beach Island beach. They were not broken, but each did have a hole in the center top. I gathered several, knowing I would one day come up with a plan. I wish I had scooped up more.

Supplies

• Small sand dollars of graduated circumferences with holes in the center
• Bleach, white glue, tacky glue, and/or sand dollar hardener to treat sand dollars if needed
• Hanging loops: thin ribbon or cord in 4–5 inch (10–12 cm) lengths or pre-tied hanging ribbons
• String: Fishing line, dental floss, or strong thread
• Sewing needle and thread
• White shirt buttons or flat wide beads if there are large holes in your sand dollars
• E6000 glue or clear Gorilla Glue if you prefer gluing to sewing

• Beads, drilled sea glass, rocks, or shells
• Optional decorations: thin ribbon or bows, stars, paint, embellishments, spray glue, glitter

Prepare your sand dollars

1. Wash the sand dollars. Soak them in a weak bleach solution if you would like to whiten them and then set them out to dry. When they are dry, coat them with a mixture of equal parts white glue and water or Mod Podge to give them some strength. You can also paint them or coat them with spray glue and glitter.
2. Sort the sand dollars by size. You will want three or four of increasing size per ornament.

Hanging loop and string

3. Fold the ribbon for the hanging loop in half. Using the needle and thread, attach the ends with a few stitches to make a loop. If the ribbon or cord is small enough to go through the buttonholes, you can put the ends of the ribbon through the buttonholes and sew the ribbon ends together below the button.
4. Cut a piece of string that is at least twice as long as the height of your stack will be. Knot the thread and sew from the top to the bottom of the bottom of the hanging loop. This will be the top of your tree.

Stack your tree

5. Thread a bead or two onto the string then add the smallest sand dollar, going through the top of the sand dollar and coming out the bottom. If there is not a hole in your sand dollar, push the needle through carefully so you don’t break the sand dollar.
6. If the hole in your sand dollar is large, thread buttons above and below the sand dollars to cover up the holes. Or, try using large beads between sand dollars to cover the holes.
7. Alternate adding beads and sand dollars in increasing sizes, along with buttons as needed.
8. Knot the thread around the bottom bead to hold everything together. Or, attach a bow or tassel at the bottom of your tree stack.
9. Glue a bow, star, or other embellishment to the top of your tree.

Pro Tip:

Not a sewer? You can glue the pieces together instead of attaching them with thread.

Enjoy your daily dose of vitamin sea!

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This article appeared in Beachcombing Magazine Volume 39 November/December 2023.