%&@#! Popcorn Garlands

I love the way popcorn garlands look on Christmas trees.  They're fun, festive and the white looks great on the evergreen tree.  Has anyone else ever made a popcorn garland?  If not, they are not as easy as they may seem.

Okay, I should say it depends on the kind of popcorn you make/get.  The larger pieces the better, but the popcorn I used was about 1/3 the size of the piece pictured above (from a cheap, old air popper that is on the fritz).

I thought it would be a project that my small children and I could do together, but unfortunately, with the sharp needles and thin thread required, it doesn't work out too well with them.

Some tips:
     - use a very sharp, narrow needle.  If you use a thicker needle it will break the popcorn more often and frustrate you more.
     - use thin thread (since I couldn't get thicker thread to fit through the eye of the smaller needle)
     - practice self calming techniques and hold your tongue when you're tempted to spout expletives after the tenth piece in a row crumbles in your fingertips or your children step on the middle of the five foot length you've already completed.

My verdict:  Not worth it.  Only if you've been snowed in for a week and have finished all your other projects.  Or you have no small children or anyone else to possibly get in the way and 10 hours of free time on your hands.

P.S.  None of the pictures are mine.  I was too frustrated to take any photos myself.  And, incidentally, I found the last picture on Bizrate.com where you can purchase a 12 foot length of wax-covered popcorn garland for $20.  Hm... tempting...