Project – bead weaving bud earrings
Tutor Sarah Burnett-Moore recently had to make a basic Peyote stitch bezel for a project so she decided to share the experience by creating this earring tutorial.
For those of you who thought that life is too short for bead weaving, have a go at these great little ‘Bud’ stash-busters.
Materials
Earring findings 2 14mm Rivolis – These are from the new Swarovski patinated range
64 colour A size 8 seed beads – Transparent Rainbow Medium Topaz
32 colour B size 8 seed beads – I’ve used haematite
128 colour C size 15 seed beads – I’ve used silver lined rose gold
38 colour D size 15 seed beads – again I’ve used haematite
Size 10 beading needle
4 or 6lb Fireline in Smoke
1: Thread about 1m of Fireline, pick up one A bead followed by a B bead. Continue until you have a total of 32 alternating beads. Go back through thefirst four beads added, exiting through a B. Pull the circle tight, leaving an approximately 10cm tail.
2: Pick up an A, and go through the next B. Adjust the tension slightly by pulling backwards so the two As sit next to each other. Continue around the whole ring.
3: ‘Step up’ by going through the first A added in the last step.
4: Add one C bead, and go through the next A bead. Complete the ring
5: ‘Step up’ by going through the first C bead added in the last step. See how the bezel is beginning to curve. When you have completed the ring, weave through to the other side.
6: Repeat until you have eight beads added on the second ring.
7: Pop in the Rivoli face up. Complete the ring.
8: Weave back until you have exited a B bead, add a D bead and go through the next B. Add five in total.
9: Add two D beads, the earring finding and another two D beads. Before you add the earring, pop a drop of Superglue onto the loop to seal it, otherwise it’s easy for the Fireline to work its way free.Go though the next B bead. Continue adding D beadsuntil you have completed the circle. Weave back to your tail, knot and trim.
You can also add 3mm bicones or 3mm Czech fire-polished beads between the B beads, or a pendant as shown above