Flower Bead Necklase June 13 2014

I really enjoy taking smaller pieces of things and making them into something with a greater design. Beading is one of those infectious skills that I know you will enjoy. This is one of my favorite designs. These directions may not be standard beading form. It is written in layman terms for the beginner.

Materials for one beaded flower: 

Next, thread a 5 mm bead, clear bead, 12 mm pearl, clear bead, 5 mm bead. In this drawing the clear bead is smaller than the first bead added here. The necklace made in the video and pictured above have these two beads the same size. Bring the thread through the next 3 mm bead in the original ring. Pull this tight. It will look like the pearl has two legs anchored into the original ring.

Bring the string back up through the last leg or second leg. String a 12 mm pearl and one leg(clear bead, 5 mm bead) Bring the string back through the next small bead in the original ring. Pull this tight. It will look like two pearls and three legs. Return the thread up through the last leg (one 5 mm and one clear bead). Add a 12 mm pearl, one clear, 5 mm (another leg) and bring the thread down through the next small bead in the original ring. Return the thread up through the last leg, add ad 12 mm pearl and another leg (one clear and one 5 mm).

Continue around until there are five legs and four pearls. Bring the thread up through the first leg and string one more 12 mm pearl, bring the thread through the pearl next to it to complete five legs and five pearls.

Pull the whole thing very tight.

Next, come out through a pearl and string on another  5 mm bead. Take the thread through the next pearl. Add a 5  mm bead and go back through the next pearl. Each time pull the unit tight until it all pulls up and mounts.

This picture shows how the unit mounts up. Reinforce this unit by going around the outer edge several times, pulling the thread tight. I like to thread through the beads to the original ring and tie it off with the tail. Trim the tail and pull it up through a bead so that the knot will not show.

You can attach the flowers together anyway you like. I used 3 mm or 11/0 beads to create what may look like a link between the flowers. I used 7 beads attached between the smaller beads added last on the outer edge of the flower. Then another 7 beads on the other side as shown below. I went around this several times pulling tight until it held a rounded shape. Be sure to tie and secure the threads. Notice that there will be more beads on the lower edge of the flower than the top. This is partly because there is an odd number of beads, but it also helps the necklace lay in a gentle curve around the neck.

Add a string of bead to each side and attach a clasp. Make these as long as you like.

 Hope you enjoy this pattern!

Scallop Beaded Necklace June 10 2014

Here is something different. I love putting little things together to create a larger design. I'm using beads instead of fabric. I think you will enjoy. This is a basic stitch that is used as a base for many other designs. I hope you enjoy it.

Using WildFires string by Beadalon string equal number of large a small beads. The difference in the sizes of these beads will determine the number of beads that are needed to scallop around the larger bead. This example only needs three beads. Thread the string back through the first bead and make a ring. I leave a tail to tie off the string. I then go through the ring again so there will be two layers of thread.

Add three small beads and go through the next small bead in the ring. Repeat around the whole ring.

The beads are tighten around the large bead and create a scallop. When the scallops are finished I go back through all of the scallops with another layer of string to reinforce each stage.

To add the center bead, come out through one of the center ring beads. Go through the center bead and then go through the bead on the opposite side. I then go back around the center ring and go through the center bead again so that all beads are reinforced.

To attach each section come out through the point of a scallop, add three contrasting beads and then through the point of a scallop on the next section. Thread through the beads to get to the end of the next scallop. Add three beads and then through the point of the scallop next to the original scallop. Tighten this up and trace back through this same path so the beads have a double thread and are reinforced. Because there are five scallops on each section I attach them so there are more beads on the lower edge and the necklace will gently bend, which will help the necklace lay nicely around the neck. The video will explain this well.

I hope you will enjoy creating what I like to think of as a "Bead Quilt".