Beaded Rings and Beaded Headbands Quick and Simple Beaded Projects It's actually a ton of fun making these simple rings. Kids will love them and I bet you will too. They're great for using up dabs of leftover beads. Here's how you make 'em: First pick out a big bead for the center. "Big" is a relative term, anywhere from 4 to 10mm will work, but you'll want to scale your ring beads to fit the size of your center bead. For a very large center bead use size 6 ring beads, for a small one, use size 10 or 11 seed beads. Use doubled thread for this project. Pick up enough ring beads to reach from the hole halfway around the center bead, and the center bead. Then pick up the same number of ring beads minus one. Go back through the first ring bead you picked up in the first set of ring beads. Tie the short end and the long end of your thread together in a square knot. Now pick up enough beads to fit around your finger and around half the center bead. Go through the center bead. Pick up the same number of beads as you picked up in the second set of ring beads in the first step. Count down the number of beads you just picked up from the center bead back on the other side and re-enter the next bead back.
Continue through the entire ring loop and up around one side of the center bead. Pick up one ring bead and go into the bead just across from the bead you left to bridge the gap. If that doesn't quite fill it, use two beads instead. Continue through the whole ring again and come up the other side of the center bead and bridge the gap on the other side. Continue through the ring again if possible to strengthen it. If you are using larger beads, go through the ring as many times as possible. On your final pass, tie off around the ring threads then complete the pass. Weave in the short end and you're done. You'll be amazed at how well the ring will hold it's shape! This ring is a little more complicated but it's still relatively simple to make. You will need to know how to do brick stitch. Again you'll need to choose a large center bead and some seed beads. I used a 8mm round bead for the center and size 11 seeds for the ring. If you use different sizes you will have to adjust the pattern accordingly. This time we'll start with the part that goes around the back of your finger. Pick up two seed beads and tie them in a circle. Go up through the bead on the right. Pick up two more beads and go down through the bead on the left then back up through the bead on the right and the new bead above it. Pick up two more beads and go down through the upper-most bead on the left then up through the bead to the right and the new bead above it. Continue stacking pairs of beads this way until you have a strip that will reach around 3/4s of your finger. Now treat the final two beads you added as the base row for brick stitch and add 3 rows of normally increasing brick stitch. The 3rd row should have 5 beads in it. Now work 4 rows of 2 beads each up from the left side of the 5 bead row as if you were increasing at the end of a row (you are!:-)). Then thread back down to the 5 bead row and weave to the other side of it and work 4 2 bead rows up the left side increasing at the beginning of
each row. Then thread through the whole thing to get to the other end of the band and do the same thing on the other side. Connect the large bead to each side of the ring in the manner shown below. Now connect the two sides using the thread path shown below. If you have room left, go ahead and thread through the band to reinforce. Now for a couple of headband ideas. Believe it or not, the idea for these came from a discount store! The first one was made from tacky plastic beads and elastic thread, but we'll make it with nicer beads and one of the elastic jewelry cords available, such as Fire Mountain's Stretch Floss brand.
This sample uses size 6 Japanese beads but you could even use semi precious stone beads if the holes were large enough. You need beads with larger holes because the elastic beading cord is quite a bit thicker than regular beading thread. The holes in size 6 beads are perfect. To make this headband use these flat netting instructions to make a strip 3 sets wide and long enough to fit around your head from top to bottom. Connect the two ends of the strip to make a continuous ring. Do this by adding the beads needed to complete the net sections between the two edges. The following diagram shows how this is done. The black beads represent the beads added to connect the two ends. This headband is *really* simple. Make two daisy chains (with regular beading thread) using these directions for Daisy Chains, Open and Closed. Make them long enough to reach from just behind one ear, over the top of your head to just behind the other ear. Then sew the ends to a length of heavy elastic long enough to reach the rest of the way around your head. It should be just snug enough to hold your hair back. Try to find elastic that matches the main color in your daisy chain or, failing that, one that matches the hair color of the person who will be wearing the headband. I hope you have fun with these. They would make great stocking stuffers, don't you think?
Wisteria Earrings A bit of Springtime, made with seed beads We had a huge wall of wisteria along one side of my house when I was a kid and I have always remembered it fondly. Having no room for such a wonder in my current living situation, these will just have to do for now. :-) These earrings look absolutely luscious on and they are very easy to make. It shouldn't take you more than 4 hours to make your first pair and should go even faster with practice. What You'll Need Size A Nymo beading thread or equivalent (white or light green) Size 13 beading needle 2 earring wires About 310 light green transparent size 11 seed beads (less than 1/10th of a hank) About 366 pink-lined blue (or any other purple bead) sized 11 seed beads (less than 1/10th of a hank) Note: When I refer to the "back" of a bead, I mean the side opposite where your thread is coming out. The earring is made up of a stem with 5 sets of branches radiating from it. Each set contains 4 branches. Each set is separated from the next by 5 green stem beads. Begin by tying a single green seed bead to the end of your thread. Leave a nice long tail to weave back in later. I will refer to this first bead and the other beads that serve the same function as the "center bead." Go through the bead once, and pick up 10 more green beads and three purple beads. Go through the back of the last green bead, then through the front of the next two.
Pick up 3 more purple beads and go through the back of the green bead your thread is coming out of and through the next two green beads. Repeat the previous step 3 more times, for a total of 5 purple loops counting the one on the end. Basically what you are doing is adding a little purple loop to every other green bead starting from the last and working back toward the center bead. After you add the fifth purple loop, go through the first green bead of the ten you originally added. Now reenter the center bead from the back. You have now completed your first "branch." Make 3 more branches in the same manner as the first so that you end up with 4 branches radiating out from the center bead. Your thread should be coming out of the center bead. Pick up 14 green beads and 3 purple ones. The first 5 are part of the stem, the 6th green bead will act as the center bead for the next set of branches, the next 8 make up the first branch of the second set. The second set of branches are made the same way as the first, ie go through the back of the last green bead, through the front of the next two, add a purple loop, etc. The only difference is that each branch in this set is 8 green beads long instead of 10 and has only 4 purple loops. Finish off the set by adding 3 more 8bead branches. Now we need to add the 3rd set of branches. The branches of each set are two beads shorter than the branches of the previous set, so pick up 5 stem beads, 1 center bead, and 6 branch beads (12 green) plus 3 purple flower beads. This set of branches has 3 purple flower loops per branch. The 4th set of branches contain 4 branch beads and 2 purple loops per branch and the 5th set contains 2 branch beads per branch and only one loop. Each set is always separated from the last by 5 stem beads. So, whenever you finish a set, pick up 5 stem beads, 1 center bead and however many branch beads are called for in the next set. Add 3 purple beads and you are set to start the first branch of the next set. Once you finish the 5th set, finish the earring by picking up 5 more stem beads and three purple beads. Go through the back of the fifth stem bead and up through the entire stem to the top. Pick up 2 green beads, your earring wire, and two more green beads go back down through the entire stem, around the purple loop at the bottom and up again through the stem and the loop containing the earring wire. Repeat this circuit through the stem and earring wire loop as many times as you can while still leaving enough room to weave in the tail you left when you started. Realistic Fuchsia Earrings Dateline: 08/25/97
A couple of months ago I wrote a feature on what I called my "Fuschia Earrings", they are cool earrings, but they don't look a whole lot like actual fuchsias. I even spelled fuchsia wrong! (The reason fuchsia is spelled strangely is that they were named after a guy named Fuchs.) You'd think I'd never seen one before. Anyway, I recently went to the bead store and bought some gorgeous fuchsia and purple delicas and they inspired me to try to design a more accurate fuchsia. I'm sure you'll agree that they look a lot more like the real flower! I got the idea to use loops for the underneath petals from Lee Baldwin's beaded pot. Take a look at what the earrings look like in red & white, plus a larger image of the purple ones. If you have any ideas about what I should call the old ones, let me know. Fuchsia Fact: Did you know that fuchsias are sometimes referred to as Our Lady's Ear Drops? What You'll Need: 1 package metallic fuchsia Delicas 1 package silver-lined purple Delicas A small amount of transparent dark blue-green seed beads (you can use green Delicas if you want) 2 black iris tear drops 2 french hooks 1 spool purple Nymo size 0 (use black if you can't find purple) Size 12 beading needle I suggest you double your thread for this project. To begin, string on 8 purple beads and tie them in a circle. Go through the first of them and pick up 20 fuchsia beads. Go through the opposite side of the first fuchsia bead and through the back of the purple bead that your thread is coming out of. Continue through the next purple bead and repeat the previous steps. Do this for each bead in the ring, in the end you should have 8 long fuchsia loops hanging from your original purple circle. Think of these loops as fringe, don't pull them so tight that they stick
out. From here on out all of the beads we use will be purple except at the very end where we will use a few green ones. Now with your thread coming out of one of the beads in the original circle, pick up one purple bead and go through the back of the bead directly opposite on the other side of the circle. Go back through the bead you added and through the back of the bead you originally left. Go through the center bead once more and pick up 16 beads and one tear drop. Skip the tear drop and go back up through all 16 beads and the bead your thread is coming out of. This forms the pistil of the flower. Now we will start our first petal. Re-enter the circle. Go through the next bead in the circle and pick up 11 beads. Skip the last one and go up through the second to the last. Pick up 9 beads and go through the back of the next bead in the original circle, and down through the top bead of the 9 you just added.
Pick up 3 beads and go down through the fifth bead from the top in the group of 11 you added two steps earlier. Continue down through the next three beads in the line. Pick up three beads and go down through the fourth (counting the top one which is shared by both sides) bead on the right hand side of the petal. Continue down through the next three beads.
Pick up 1 bead and go through the middle bead of the three you just added. Pick up 1 more and go down through the fourth bead from the top on the left hand side of the petal. This should form an X shape in the middle of the petal. Continue threading through the rest of the beads on the left side of the petal and up through the right side of the petal. Come out through the fifth bead from the top. Pick up four beads and go through the next bead in the original circle. Go down through the top bead of the four you just added. Now you are ready to begin your next petal. (Correction begins here. I originally said to use 3 beads instead of four rather than 10 beads instead of 11, sorry!) It is constructed in the same way except that you start with ten beads instead of eleven because the first one is already there. Similarly, when finishing the fourth petal, use only three beads and go up through the first bead of the group of four you added when you began your first petal. Once you have finished all four petals, weave your way back to the original circle once again. We will use tubular peyote stitch to form the "stem" part of the flower. (It's not really the stem but the fused portion of the petals.) Pick up a bead, skip over a bead in the circle and go through the next one. Do this three more times until you have added a bead over every other bead in the original circle. Then go up through the first of the beads you added. Now fill in the spaces by adding a bead in between each of the beads you added in the previous step. There
should be one bead on top of each of the beads in the original circle. Continue adding rows of beads in this fashion until every other column is five beads high and the rest are four beads high. Now switch to green beads and go around the circle adding beads 3 times. When you finish the third row of green go through the four beads added in that row once more without adding beads and pull the thread tight. This closes up the hole at the top of the stem. Now pick up 4 green beads and your earring hook. Go through the bead opposite of the bead your thread is coming out of and back through the four beads you added and the hook. Go in the back of the bead you originally left. Make this circuit a couple more times to strengthen it and then weave your thread back into the flower to secure it. Ta da! You've got yourself a fuchsia! Understated Gold Elegant and Understated Square Stitch Earrings Well, someone forgot to tell me that gold was going to be in this year! And after I spent all that time collecting silver! Oh well!! Actually, I'll still wear my silver, and all my beads, too! But, of course, every now and then I need a pair of gold earrings. And, every now and then, I need something subtle. That's how these little beauties came about. I saw the original in a fashion magazine. They were a solid plate of gold, and the little fringes were made of chain. I thought they were nice, but figured I could do the same using beads. Actually, I think these are cuter! And they are so easy to make, you could do up a bunch of them for gifts or for yourself! I used the galvanized gold beads, so that they may wear longer, but I sprayed them with protectant, just in case. Here's how to make your own: You need: Approximately 144 gold colored 11/0 seed beads Gold Size "D" Nymo #12 Beading Needle E6000 Glue
Set of 2 Flat Post Backs - 5 mm 1. Begin by making four rows of square stitch, each row five beads long. See actual size pictureon the left. 2. Turn the work on it's side (45 degree angle) and run the needle down the last row you added. 3. Pick up 16 seed beads, and pass the need around the last seed bead added. 4. Pass the needle back up the other 15 seed beads, and back up through the last row of square stitch, so that the needle is coming out of the top of the piece. 5. Pass the needle down the next row and add 14 seed beads, and repeat the step above. Repeat again for the next two rows, adding 12 beads and then 10 beads. This will make fringes 15, 13, 11 and 9 beads long, with an end bead on each. 6. When you are through adding the fringes, tie off the thread and secure with a spot of clear nail polish. 7. Add the earring post with a dab of E6000 cement, and let dry overnight. Now you have a cute and subtle pair of gold earrings!. Another reason I designed these is that I had a number of requests in my email for some small earrings. I thought this was a great idea, as so many earring patterns are for really big earrings. Sometimes, it's nice to have something a bit different. Hope you enjoy these! Fab Fish Brick Stitch Earrings This Content Created by Emily Hackbarth This is one of my favorite simple brick stitch bead patterns. While working with size 15 hex beads I was struck by how much the fabric formed by using brick stitch with these beads resembled the scales of a fish. This got me thinking about what kind of fish I could make to take advantage of the resemblance that would also make nice earrings. I thought about those fancy goldfish with the gorgeous flowing tails and thought, "Fringe!" So this is the pattern I came up with. I hope you like it! Note: You must know how to do brick stitch to use this pattern, if you don't, here are some instructions for this fun stitch. You will need: Opaque blue, opaque red, opaque orange, transparent green-lined and black size 15 hex beads.
Size 12 or 13 beading needle Size 0 or 00 Nymo beading thread. Try to get blue if you can find it. Bees wax or Thread Heaven 2 French earring wires You may either print out this brick stitch pattern or use the detailed row chart provided. Or both! Tips: Feel free to experiment with different color combinations. Peach, pink, pale yellow, and aqua would be nice. I tried to keep the design reasonably small since I know most women are uncomfortable with really large earrings, but if you like them (I do!) go ahead and expand the design to include fringed fins as well. Just keep increasing until the center is about 8 beads wider then decrease 4 beads on each side to finish the bottom half. Note: The black square on the diagram marks where the fringe begins. Decidedly Different Seed Bead Earrings
Seed Beads and Two Needle Weaving I don't know about you, but I sometimes use beads like I use chocolate. Not in place of, mind you, but in conjunction with! If I've had a tough day, I'll go home and make myself a new pair of beaded earrings. Makes me feel better, even better than going shopping, because I beaded them myself. Beaded jewelry in general makes me happy, how about you? Anyway, that's how these pretties were born. Here's what you'll need to make yourself a pair, other than a case of the "bad day blues": 2 10mm pieces French Coil wire Nymo D - color of your choice 2 Size 12 beading needles 72 11/0 seed beads, color of your choice 20 2 mm round sterling silver beads 14 3mm bicone crystals - clear 2 5mm bicone crystals - color of your choice 1 pair ear wires, metal color of your choice Step 1: Start by preparing a 1 yard length of Nymo with Thread Heaven or beeswax, whichever you prefer. Thread each end of the Nymo through one of the needles, you will be working with two needles, but it's not hard! Step 2: Add 1 of the pieces of French Coil onto 1 of the needles, and slide it to the center of the thread. Step 3: Tape this piece down to your beading surface, to make adding the beads a bit easier. Step 4: Place 3 seed beads onto each needle, and slide them toward the center.
Step 5: Add 1 bead to one of the needles and then pass the other needle through the beads, so that your threads cross one another. Pull tight, to snug this bead up to the previous 3 seed beads. Step 6: Add 1 bead to each needle, pushing them up to the single bead. Step 7: Add a 1 seed bead and repeat Step 5. Step 8: Repeat Step 6. Step 9: Repeat Step 5. Step 10: Add 2 seed beads to each needle, then add one 2mm sterling silver bead, 1 small clear crystal, 1 2mm sterling silver bead, then two seed beads. Step 11: Repeat Step five then step six, then step five again, then step six again. Step 12: To each needle, add two seed beads, then 1 2mm sterling silver bead, 1 clear 3 mm crystal, 1 colored 5mm crystal, 1 clear 3mm crystal, 1 2mm sterling silver, 2 seed beads, and finally 1-2mm sterling silver bead. Step 13: Add one 3mm clear crystal to one needle and pass the other needle through it, as in Step 5. Step 14: Pass the needles back through all of the beads on the opposite side it started on, back to the last single bead. Step 15: Remove the needles, pass the threads behind the main thread and tie off. Turn the earring over and tie on the other side. Secure knot with a dab of clear nail polish. Step 16: Repeat all steps to make the other earring. Step 17: Bend the French Coil wire slightly and place the earring onto an earwire. Take care when bending the French Coil, it will get bent out of shape easily, and is very hard to fix once it does. The picture above shows the earring with and without an ear wire, so that you may see the French coil more clearly. Use the point of a pair of sharp scissors to cut french Coil so that you don't squash it flat. Try these earrings with smaller beads, larger beads or with loose ends, just pass the thread back up the strand and tie off, making 2 fringes. There are many variations to try with this basic pattern. Do a few, and send me some pictures! Have fun! Bricks and Strands Beaded Bracelet Easy to Make with this Free Bead Pattern I love the look and feel of bead strands on my wrist, but wondered how I could make a cool closure for such a bracelet. Then, while checking out some basic Brick Stitch earrings, I realized I had my answer! Best of all, this easy to make bracelet is versatile, as you can wear the closure in front or in back of the wrist. Looks great either way.
Here's what you'll need to make you own: Clear AB 11/0 seed beads - approximately 5 grams Silver lined AB 11/0 seed beads - approximately 5 grams Clear AB size 7 (7 mm) bugles beads - approximately 26 Nymo size "D" - white Size 12 beading needle 2-10 mm long pieces of silver colored French wire Magnetic Clasp - silver colored Clear Nail Polish (optional, to use on knots) 1. Stretch and prepare approximately 3 feet of Nymo size "D" and thread your #12 beading needle. 2. Make two brick stitch ladders, 13 bugle beads wide. Use a seed bead at the top and bottom of each bugle for reinforcement, and to keep it from cutting your thread. Leave a long tail, to weave back in and to tie off the ends. 3. Once your ladders are made, rethread your needle, and begin adding the strands of beads. Measure along the top part of the wrist to determine how long to make the strands. These shown are 4 1/4 inches long. Use the clear and silver lined beads in any pattern you find pleasing. This was made with 3 clear, 1 s/l in that order. The strands may use different numbers of beads, as there is variation in seed bead sizes. 4. To add the strands, enter the needle at the top of one of the outside bugles, and stitch through. See photo for clarification of this step.
5. Add the beads to the strand, and exit the end bugle on the other ladder, bringing the needle back through the next bugle in the row, which will now join the two sections together. 6. Repeat this process until all of the strands have been added. Bury the thread into the work, and tie off if necessary, using a dab of clear nail polish to secure the knot. 7. Once the two ladders are joined with the strands, it is time to brick stitch the end points. Start at either end, and begin brick stitching on top of the bugle ladder. See "How To Do Brick Stitch" for assistance with this stitch. 8. Brick in ever-decreasing rows, until you have only two beads on the end of the point. Add your french wire here, and pass the needle through the loop on the back of the magnetic clasp. Pass the needle down through the second bead on top, and tie off. Do not attempt to pass the thread through the French Wire twice, this will only cause it to tangle. 9. Repeat on the other ladder, and there you are! Enjoy this slinky and comfortable bracelet! You can vary the number of strands by using a smaller size Nymo, and passing it through the ladders more than once. And of course, making a matching pair of earrings will be a breeze! Happy beading! Criss Cross Bracelet Free Beaded Bracelet Pattern When I came up with this Criss Cross Beaded Bracelet pattern, I was actually thinking of the "Hugs & Kisses" beaded bracelet. I wanted to use these bigger beads, and needed something
that would not roll around or have the beadwork slip behind the beads. This is what I ended up with and I think it's pretty nifty. Here's what you'll need to make your own: Size 11/0 seed beads, any color, I used a silver lined matte pink Approximately fourteen 8 mm beads, I used a clear matte faceted bead Nymo "D" thread - I used pink, to bring a bit of pink through the crystals Two pieces French Wire, aka Gimp, approximately 8 mm long Lobster Claw clasp and Split Ring, for closures Two Size 11 beading needles 1. Cut (and prepare, if necessary) a two yard piece of Nymo, Power Pro or your choice of beading thread. Thread each end through a needle. 2. Place a piece of French Wire onto the thread. Place your lobster claw on the wire, the go back through it with one needle, forming a loop. 3. Add nine size 11/0 seed beads to each thread. Pass the needle on the right through nine of the seed beads on the left, then pass the needle on the left through nine of the seed beads on the right. The thread and both needles should be coming out of the bottom of the loop. See picture below. 4. The thread will be coming out of the bottom (with the work oriented so that the clasp is at the bottom) of the loop. Turn the needle tips toward the top of the work and add an 8 mm bead to the needle on the right, leaving about an inch of slack in the thread. Now pass the needle through the 9th bead at the top of the loop, from the bottom of the seed bead to the top. Take up the slack left in the thread. Do the same with the left needle. Notice that the needle goes in next to the 8th bead and exits at the top.
5. For the next set, you will add the nine beads, and pass back through the beads on the opposite side. This time, be sure to pass through the last bead of the previous set, on the opposite side as shown below. 6. Repeat step 4 above, then repeat Steps 3, 4 and 5, until your bracelet is the desired length. 7. Finish by adding the other piece of French Wire to one of the threads and adding a split ring through it. Then, make your loop and tie the threads off. You may like to add a drop of Fray Check or glue to the threads, just to hold the knot in place. This pattern makes a nice, flat bracelet, and there are no loops slipping around. If you make one in some different colors, please send me a picture! Cubular Right Angle Weave Bracelet
I have been noticing a lot of right angle weave with beads added into the spaces in the squares lately and I thought I would try putting beads inside a cube of right angle weave instead. It works great! I especially like the effect of using matte beads on the outside with AB or silverlined (or both!) beads inside. I called this a bracelet, but it could also be used as an amulet bag strap, a stand alone necklace, or you could even use short lengths as part of an earring design. You'll need one color of size 11 seed beads and one color of size 6 "E" beads. First weave 3 rows of right angle weave using two beads per side. If you use my instructions, just double the number of beads in each step. Make the 3 row strip as long as you want the finished piece to be. When you get to the end, weave around so that your thread is coming out from in between the two beads in the center row at the end. Pick up enough E beads to reach from one end of the strip of RAW to the other. Then enter the corresponding bead on the same side of the other end of the strip. Thread through the stitch until your thread is coming out in between the two center beads again but from the other side. Then go back through the E beads and go into the bead next to the one you originally left. Don't pull it too tight or it will buckle. Here is what it should look like at this point: Now we need to complete the fouth row connecting the first and 3rd rows and by so doing close up the RAW over the E beads. Weave your thread over to the edge and up through the first set of two beads on one side. Pick up two beads (they are shown pink here so you can distinguish them from the existing beads) and go down through the two corresponding beads on the other side of the strip. Then pick up two more beads and go up through the two beads you originally left. Continue in this manner until you have a solid 4 sided tube. Remember to follow the rules of right angle weave. The easiest way is to just remember that your thread must take a 90 turn for each two beads (2 in this case, it can be more or less) you add or go through, thus the name "right angle" weave.
I closed the ends of my tube by adding beads in each corner of the end square then peyoteing two rows using only one bead in the gap made by the two beads on each side of the square. This forms a natural decrease and fills up the end of the tube so that the E bead won't get squeezed out for any reason. For extra strength you may wish to run a piece of Softflex or other wire (kinking won't be much of a problem here) through the E beads then use that to add your clasp. Dainty earring lovers can make earrings from a single cube of RAW with an E bead inside. You may also wish to add a dagger or other drop bead below the cube to finish it off. Here's what a single cube looks like: Here is the tube in matte black and metallic green:
"Diamond" Tennis Bracelet Copyright 2000 Celia Martin I came up with this pattern by experimenting with the Potawatomi weave. I learned this and other good basic techniques from a book called "Indian Bead Weaving" by Horace Goodhue. Materials: Size 11 silk-finished gold seed beads (SB) Size 6 silver-lined crystal seed beads (CB) Size B nymo thread Wire for clasp (or purchased clasp & jump rings) To start: Pick up 6 gold seed beads and tie in a loop, leaving a 6" tail. *Pick up 6 more SB, 1 CB, and go back through 2 SB on loop, making sure you go through the bead the thread came out of. Pick up 4 SB and go through the 2 SB next to the CB. Repeat from * until desired length is achieved, making sure you pull the thread tight after each section. The center bead will pop up above the surrounding seed beads. To finish: Pick up 6 SB & loop back through the last 2 SB on the bracelet. Go through loop again to reinforce the loop, tie thread off and weave thread end back through the bracelet. Dab knot with clear nail polish. Repeat with thread from the first loop. You can either attach a purchased clasp with jump rings, or make a simple hook from a piece of wire.
Bracelet Inspired by a Bead Mix I went to the Bead Society of San Diego County's 2nd Annual Bead Bazaar a while back. They have a wonderful show with many vendors and tons of beads. The folks from the Society are just delightful and are to be congratulated on a very successful event. I got there just after they had opened, and was amazed that it was already quite crowded. I couldn't get close to any of my favorite vendors, such as Glass Scapes by Mingo & Asho and Pudgy Beads. I was patient, though, and when I did get close, I loaded up! You'll be seeing my spoils in upcoming projects. I discovered a few new vendors, much to my delight. One of them is a particular standout: Wild Things Beads. These folks have a terrific selection of everything. I got some beautiful Charlottes and some hand blown beads, as well as some gorgeous glass. They were friendly and very helpful, too. I went back about 3 times before I got everything I wanted. One of the best parts of the day was winning the the door prize! Now, remember, I had been buying beads all day long, and had some incredible stuff in my bag when I went to check the door prize board. Lo and behold, I had won something! It was a package of six tubes of amazing bead mixes from San Francisco Arts & Crafts. At first I just put it in my bag. Next thing I knew I was sitting in the rest area, and I was captivated. I felt like a kid who's parents have just purchased her a fantastic, expensive toy, but who is having way more fun playing with the box!! The bracelet pictured above is what I created with those beads. It started as a freeform Peyote, and turned into a free for all. I was moving along just fine, when I got impatient. I could hardly stand to go through the process of doing the Peyote. I think if the beads I had had been sorted neatly before I began, I might have come out with a more orderly piece. However, I was following a more "jumbled" feeling. In fact, as I was reading the instructions, I happened upon a comment about taking care in the placement of your
beads on the base strand, as you might otherwise come out with a jumble, and I though "yes, that's exactly what I want here - a jumble, but an organized jumble. Here's what you'll need to make one for yourself: One tube mixed beads, all types, in the same color family Other assorted beads, such as I used here; amber, glass and freshwater pearls Nymo Size B #12 or #13 beading needle Wax or Thread Heaven 1. I used the basic instructions as outlined in this article (Peyote bracelet). 2. I deviated from those excellent instructions by making a base row, 3 passes wide, in Peyote stitch. The I began to stitch on beads in lines and loops, in patterns that made sense to me. 3. Do not be afraid to pass through the beads several times, or to go back and forth to fill in empty spots or stitch down any parts that may stick up or overlap. 4. Add a clasp using a tiny piece of French Coil, to protect the thread. 4. That's about it for instructions for this particular piece! If you have any problems, drop me a line! I am not sure that this piece is really done, as I see some spots I would like to fill in. And to me, that's part of the beauty of this kind of work! No set design, or even a particular technique, you can make it up as you go, or add to it later! It works up very fast. I made this bracelet, scanned it and wrote about it in one day! So take a break from the rules, and enjoy your free-for-all bracelet! I sure like mine! Freeform Peyote Bracelet Dateline: 06/29/98 Y'all have been bugging me for a lesson on freeform peyote for a long time now. Only trouble
is, there is not all that much to say about it! :-) It's incredibly simple, fun, and quick to do. Or it can be, how much time you put in on a piece is entirely up to you. There are no big secrets involved here, all it takes is the courage to let yourself color outside the lines. (g) To prove that this is REALLY EASY, the bracelet (well half of it anyway) pictured above is my very first attempt at this technique and I already feel qualified to teach it, lol! I'm not sure how much time I spent on it, the time just flew by I was having so much fun. Basically I'm just going to tell you what I did and give you a few ideas about how to get started if the idea of just jumping in kinda scares ya. First I went through my stash and picked out a bunch of seed beads in one color family (blue, duh (g)). It's not necessary to stick with only one color, but I knew it would give my work some cohesiveness it might otherwise lack. Besides, you can be sure that the shades you pick out will "go together" that way. I tried to find as many different surface finishes as possible plus a range of opaques, mattes, irises and transparents. I also used several different sizes of seed beads, 10s, 11s, 13s, 14s and a few Delicas. The more variety the better! Then I picked out a lovely little dichroic bead made by my friend Elaine Popelka at Montana Beadworks for the focal point of the bracelet. Once I had my seeds and my "special bead" picked out, I strung groups of each type of seed bead on size B Nymo (I knew I would be weaving in and out a lot so I wanted to stick with a relatively thin thread) until I had enough to go halfway around my wrist. Then I added my special bead and more seeds until the two sides where equally long. Don't make each group of a color the same number of beads. Try to make it look at least semi-random by picking up say, 5 of one color, 2 of another, then 7, then 4, etc. Also watch out for a tendency to want to put the same colors next to each other each time. You may want to make your string of beads a little bit longer than you want the finished bracelet to be because it tends to shrink some. Once my string was complete, I just started peyote-ing back the way I came in regular old peyote stitch. I added two rows on top and two on the bottom. When I came to the big bead I just went through it. This is what it looked like when I was done. Don't worry about keeping your peyote perfectly flat and straight, you can't. Mixing all different sizes of beads naturally makes the work a little wavy and if your peyote is normally a little funky, this is the perfect technique for you! (g) The funkier, the better I say. :-) At this point I went through my stash again and picked out some larger beads that I thought
might look good incorporated into the piece. I didn't plan anything I just grabbed anything and everything that I thought might work. Some E beads, some little 2mm lapis beads, a couple of cut crystal beads, some window beads, teardrops, druks, etc. Now comes the part that is easy to do, but hard to talk about. I just started picking up beads, some little ones and occasionally a big one, and making loops along the sides of the peyote strip. I did not rip out ANY stitches! (That doesn't mean you can't, I'm just proud of myself. (g)) If a loop was too big I just wove back and tacked it down at another point along the loop. I peyoted the loops as I went along, some I peyoted all the way around, some part way and some not at all. Some of the loops connected to other loops, some just to the strip. Don't be afraid to double back and add something whenever you feel it's needed. I let my loops gradually extend farther out from the strip as I went toward the center. The thing is, this all has to do with your own personal sense of aesthetics and your idea of what freeform peyote should look like. I will list some links to other people's work at the end of this article to give you an idea, but most of it has to come from you! :-) Now, if the idea of just grabbing some beads and going wild is a little overwhelming, you can give yourself a framework to work with this way. First pick out your accent beads. Then weave in a new thread and work your way up the edge of the peyote strip adding accent beads at irregular intervals by coming out of one of the beads at the edge, picking up one or two seed beads, an accent bead and one more seed bead. Skip the last seed bead, go through the rest and re-enter the strip. I have probably shown more beads added here than you actually need, but is it possible to use too many? (g) If you have a longer bead you can go ahead and add several beads on each side and make a loop out of it to add it. Once you have your accent beads added, make loops around them by coming out a few beads ahead of the added bead picking up a few seeds, going through the seed at the top of the accent bead, then picking up some more seeds and re-entering the edge on the other side of the accent bead. Don't just make perfect round little loops. Try putting a bunch of beads on one side and only a couple on the other so that the accent bead is bent almost parallel with the edge. Make each loop a different size and shape. Then go back and peyote the loops, either inside the loop or outside, or both! Wherever you think it would look good. Add more loops connecting loops, little "sticks" of beads, whatever. Just let your imagination run wild. If there are spots on the peyote strip that seem "blank" to you, go ahead and add beads there too.
Men's Bracelet This bracelet is made from a double zigzag pattern I learned from Horace Goodhue's Indian Bead-Weaving Patterns. He credits the design to Karen Swan, a Lakota artist. What You'll Need: Size 11 seed beads in permanent finish bronze, opaque medium blue, opaque black, and opaque reddish brown. Size B black nylon beading thread Size 12 needle Lobster claw clasp To begin, pick up 9 black beads and 3 blue ones, do not tie a knot yet. Go back through the 4th from the last black bead. Pick up 2 brown beads and 3 bronze beads. Go forward through the first of the nine black beads you added in the previous step. Tie a square knot with the two ends of your thread. Leave a few inches free on the loose end so that you can weave it in later. [Repeat from the beginning of this step] Pick up 3 black beads and three bronze beads and go down through the third bronze bead down in the previous row. Pick up 2 brown and 3 blue and go down through the 3rd blue bead in the previous row
Pick up 3 black, 1 bronze, 2 brown and go up through the 4th blue bead from the bottom in the previous row. Pick up 3 blue and 2 brown and go up through the top bronze bead in the previous row. Pick up 3 black and 3 blue and go down through the first blue bead in the previous row. Pick up 2 brown beads and 3 bronze beads and go down through the single bronze bead at the bottom of the previous row. Repeat from where it says "repeat from the beginning of this step" until you reach the length you need. Men's bracelets are usually about 7 to 8 inches long. You will note the each row alternates direction and consists of two stitches, one of six beads and one of five. End the bracelet with a downward traveling row of six black, and then another five black to complete the black edging around the piece.the stitches are attached in the same manner as the others, down through the fourth bead from the top (counting the bead your thread is coming out of),
and down though the sixth bead from there. To add a clasp, make a loop with the 4 center beads of your final row, 3 more black beads, the clasp, and another 3 black beads. Go around the loop as many times as you can and then weave back into the bracelet a short way. Then tie the loose end around the thread between two beads, weave into the work a few more inches and trim. Attach the other half of the clasp to the opposite end of the bracelet in the same manner. Midnight at the Oasis Pattern Peyote Stitch in a Traditional Henna Pattern Like the exotic look of Mehendi around your wrist, ankle, or throat? No henna artist in sight? Well, don't fold up your tent yet. You can have that look, without staining your skin, or walking in the sand dunes, here, with this delicate, Middle Eastern inspired peyote stitch piece. This bracelet is made with Delica beads composed of the rich, lush color of Henna (DB 22) and the smooth hue of a pampered Cleopatra's wrist (DB 353). Mehendi, also known as Henna, is a very ancient art, having its origins in India and across the Silk Road through the Middle East and into the desert regions of North Africa. It was (and is) most often used to decorate brides. The legend goes that as long as a bride's henna paintings have not worn off, she need not do housework in her new mother-in-law's home. I'm sure many a desert bride thought up numerous ways of keeping her paintings as fresh and clear as they were on the day of her wedding. Most traditional Indian henna patterns are very curvy and floral in nature. Dots are used to bring good wishes and money, in fact they are sometimes called "money dots". The more Tribal Henna traditions of North African areas such as Egypt and Morocco are more angular and geometric. I like to think that this pattern is a beadwork blend of both styles; lots of angles and some areas suggesting flowers, and, of course, loads of dots, which can also signify beads! Have fun with this Peyote Mehendi! Showcasing Fine Furnace Glass Cross Cross Weaving with Seeds A bit of seed bead cross weaving and some gorgeous furnace glass make this a standout piece of beaded jewelry. You'll love the look and it only takes a short time from design to new bracelet! How many of us have the odd bead here or there that we had to have but now are not sure what to do with? I have an entire drawer full of them, but as I was putting away my
goodies from the last bead show I attended, this wonderful Mingo and Asho bead caught my eye, so I had to make something with it, right away! I want to thank Margie Deeb for the clasp attachement method used in this bracelet. She shows this method, along with lots of other amazing things, in her wonderful new book Out on a Loom. Here's the instructions to make your own bracelet, so you, too can show off those lovely furnace pieces. If you have more than one bead, make another one with a longer ladder section and wear it as a choker, then you'll have an incredible set of jewelry! Here's what you need: 1-20mm long furnace glass bead or equivalent 44-2mm gold round beads 20-4mm Swarovski bicone crystal in a color to complement your bead 250 - Size 11/0 seed beads, also in a complimentary color 1 - gold colored double strand clasp 1. Start by stretching and conditioning with wax (this is important) a 6 foot length of Nymo "D", then thread a needle onto each end. 2. Place the large furnace glass bead in the center of the thread. 3. Add 1 gold bead and 5 seed beads to each needle, move them next to the furnace glass bead. 4. On the left hand needle only, place a gold bead, a crystal and a gold bead. Push these down to meet the seed beads on that side. 5. Using the right hand needle, pass through the first gold bead, the crystal and the second gold bead. Your needles will have changed sides with this move. 6. Repeat until you have a total of 9 links, ending with the last pass through a gold, crystal and gold. 7. Add 3 seed beads to one needle. Pass the needle from bottom to top of one hole in the clasp, making sure your work is face up, and the clasp is also face up. 8. Add a seed bead and pass back through the clasp hole from top to bottom. 9. Pass back through the 3 seed beads, pull the thread taunt and tie off next to the round gold bead. Secure your knot with a dab of clear nail polish. Repeat on other side. 10. Thread your needles with a new, conditioned, 6 foot length of thread, and pass it through the large bead, positioning it on the opposite side of the first thread. Repeat from Step 3 to make the other side of bracelet. Now you have a beautiful new bracelet, just perfect for showing off those fantastic furnace treasures!
Sleek and Stylish Needle Woven Bracelet Using Seed Beads and Leather Cord Here's another "fashion find" seed beaded jewelry item that I was able to whip up in a very short time! I used basic leather cord (available everywhere) and 11/0 Japanese seed beads (not Delicas) to work this little bracelet. These look great worn alone or in a group like bangle bracelets. This technique could also be adapted to make a choker or anklet as well. The one shown here is made in some juicy summery shades of pink, orange and purple but it can easily be done in any color scheme you choose. And, if you prefer a larger look, it works great with rattail cord and 6/0 beads! Here's what you'll need to Make one For Yourself: 24 inches 1mm Leather cord, dark brown Dark Brown Nymo 45 Silver lined rainbow Orange size 11/0 seed beads 18 Magenta color lined size 11/0 seed beads 9 Galvanized Gold size 11/0 seed beads #12 beading needle, blunted Leather Fold-Over type crimper Lobster Claw clasp - small Thread Heaven or wax, to condition thread 1. Prepare approximately 1 yard of Nymo by stretching it and passing it lightly over the Thread Heaven or wax and threading it through the needle. 2. Fold the leather cord over. About 1/2 inch down from the bend at the top, tie your thread onto one strand of the doubled leather cord. Hold the leather cord with the knot on the right. 3. Pick up a Silver lined Rainbow Orange bead, and pass the Nymo over the leather cord on the opposite (left) cord, going over the top of the cord. 4. Bring the Nymo around the bottom of the cord, and pass through the seed bead again. Keep the thread tension even and tight, so that the beads stay in place along the cord. 5. Bring the Nymo over the top of the right hand cord and up from the bottom, and add another seed bead. Pass the Nymo over the top of the cord on the left, and back up from beneath, and pass back through the bead again. You may find it easier to stitch by turning the cord over, with the loop down, when you pass back through the bead. 6. The bead pattern is as follows: 5 Silver lined Rainbow Orange, 1 Magenta color lined bead, 1 Gold bead, one Magenta color lined bead, repeat from the 5 Silver lined Rainbow Orange. 7. Repeat until the design is completed and your bracelet is of the proper length.
8. End by crimping the two loose ends of the leather cord in the fold-over leather crimper. 9. Add the small lobster clasp to the ring at the end of the fold-over. 10. Close the bracelet by simply attaching the lobster claw clasp to the loop of leather at the opposite end. This makes for a casual looking finish to this bracelet. If you prefer a more formal fastener, you can add a fold-over clasp at the looped end as well, and place a loop on that for closure. With this piece, as with many others, there are many variations you may try. It works up well on a larger scale, using size 8/0 or even 6/0 beads, and correspondingly larger leather cord, or even with silk rat-tail cord. It can be made longer, and is durable enough to work well as an anklet. It also makes a nice choker. Make a few for friends or for yourself, and enjoy this sleek, stylish and versatile little bracelet! Soft and Slinky Dutch Spiral Free Bead Pattern using Chic Turquoise Accents This Dutch Spiral Beaded Bracelet uses seed beads in size 14/0, 11/0, 8/0 White Hearts and a couple of turquoise nuggets and it simply never fails to get a compliment. I had originally planned to use this piece as the band for a bracelet with a large piece of turquoise in the middle, but as I neared the completion, I saw that the Spiral was just lovely all by itself. The colors I used remind me of the various hues of turquoise, and I love to work with any kind of white heart. The bead progression on this piece is a bit different, too. I used a size 8/0 as the large bead, and my three bead combination consists of a 14/0, an 11/0 and a 14/0. This makes for a slightly closer weave, and does not cause the piece to curl or twist, but to be a smooth, tight weave. Here's what you need to make your own: 5 grams (approx.) Size 8/0 White heart Beads - Light Blue 5 grams (approx.) Size 11/0 beads - Clear, Turquoise lined seed beads 5 grams (approx.) Size 14/0 beads - Matte Black 2-10 mm (approx.) Turquoise nuggets 1-10 mm Sterling Silver Fancy Toggle Clasp Set Nymo D - Light Blue 2-8 mm (approx.) long pieces of silver French Coil