Free beading Pattern: XOXO Band

 XOXO BAND
(©2023 Deborah Roberti)

Use size 8/0 and 11/0 Miyuki seed beads and 6mm round beads for this simple love band.

MATERIALS
(For about a 7-inch bracelet, not including clasp)
• About 4 yards of 6 lb. FireLine
• About 325 size 11/0 Miyuki “rocaille” seed beads
• About 90 size 8/0 Miyuki “rocaille” seed beads
• About 10 size 6mm round beads

Step 1: Thread your needle with a length of FireLine that you feel comfortable working with and add more as you need it.

Leaving about a 10-inch tail for attaching one end of your clasp, string an 8/0 seed bead, an 11/0 seed bead, an 8/0 seed bead, an 11/0 seed bead, an 8/0 seed bead, an 11/0 seed bead, an 8/0 seed bead and an 11/0 seed bead.

Tie the beads together with a tight double knot:

Step 2: Go back around through seed beads that you just added:

Step 3: Go back around through 8/0 seed bead, the 11/0 seed bead, the 8/0 seed bead and the 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 4: String two 11/0 seed beads, an 8/0 seed bead and two 11/0 seed beads.

Go around (but not through) the 8/0 seed bead below and across through the 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:

NOTE: When you add the 8/0 seed bead in this step and subsequent steps like it, use your fingers to push the new 8/0 seed bead toward the existing 8/0 seed bead so that the two 8/0 seed beads are somewhat stacked next to one another and pull your thread tight to keep them in this position as much as possible. This will give you a nice “x” formation when you are fished with the motif.

Step 5: String two 11/0 seed beads, an 8/0 seed bead and two 11/0 seed beads.

Go around (but not through) the 8/0 seed bead below and down through the 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 6: String two 11/0 seed beads, an 8/0 seed bead and two 11/0 seed beads.

Go around (but not through) the 8/0 seed bead above and up through the 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 7: String two 11/0 seed beads, an 8/0 seed bead and two 11/0 seed beads.

Go around (but not through) the 8/0 seed bead above and up through the 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 8: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED:

Step 9: String an 11/0 seed bead, a 6mm round bead and an 11/0 seed bead.

Go around and back across through the five 11/0 seed beads that you just exited (highlighted in RED):

Step 10: Go back around through the 11/0 seed bead and 6mm round bead that you just added (highlighted in RED):

Step 11: String seven 11/0 seed beads. Go around and back through the 6mm round bead that you just exited (highlighted in RED):

Step 12: Go back around through the seven 11/0 seed beads that you just added (highlighted in RED):

Step 13: String two 11/0 seed beads. Go around through the seven seed beads below the 6mm round bead (highlighted in RED) so that the two 11/0 seed beads sit between the top and bottom sets of seven 11/0 seed beads:

Step 14: String two 11/0 seed beads. Go up through the four 11/0 seed beads above (highlighted in RED) so that the two 11/0 seed beads sit between the top and bottom sets of seven 11/0 seed beads:

You should now have eighteen 11/0 seed beads around the 6mm round bead.

Step 15: Go back around through these eighteen 11/0 seed beads that surround the 6mm round bead (highlighted in RED):

Step 16: String an 8/0 seed bead, an 11/0 seed bead, an 8/0 seed bead, an 11/0 seed bead, an 8/0 seed bead, an 11/0 seed bead and an 8/0 seed bead.

Go around and back across through the 11/0 seed bead that you just exited (highlighted in RED):

Step 17: Go back around through the seed beads that you just added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 18: Go down through the two 11/0 seed beads along the top left side of the 6mm round bead below (highlighted in RED):

Step 19: String an 8/0 seed bead and two 11/0 seed beads.

Go around (but not through) the 8/0 seed bead above and up through the bottom 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:

NOTE: Again, when you add the 8/0 seed bead in this step and subsequent steps like it, use your fingers to push the new 8/0 seed bead toward the existing 8/0 seed bead so that the two 8/0 seed beads are somewhat stacked next to one another and pull your thread tight to keep them in this position as much as possible.

Step 20: String two 11/0 seed beads, an 8/0 seed bead and two 11/0 seed beads.

Go around (but not through) the 8/0 seed bead below and across through the 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 21: String two 11/0 seed beads, an 8/0 seed bead and two 11/0 seed beads.

Go around (but not through) the 8/0 seed bead below and down through the 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 22: String two 11/0 seed beads and an 8/0 seed bead.

Go up through the three 11/0 seed beads along the top right side of the 6mm round bead below (highlighted in RED):

Step 23: Continue up and around through the beads highlighted in RED to exit from the top right 11/0 seed bead:

Step 24: Flip the band over horizontally so that you are now exiting from the left side and can follow the repeat instructions as written:

Step 25: Repeat Step 9 to Step 24 until your bracelet is the length you want it, minus the length of your clasp and about a half-inch:

NOTE: You can add more beads when you attach the clasp to make your bracelet longer.

Step 26: String two 11/0 seed beads and an 8/0 seed bead.

Go around through the clasp end and then back through the 8/0 seed bead that you just added:

NOTE: To make your band longer, just add more beads than directed in this step and the next.

Step 27: String two more 11/0 seed beads and go back around through the five 11/0 seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 28: Go back around through the seed beads highlighted in RED and the clasp several times:

Weave back into the band, knot in several places and then cut your thread.

Step 29: To attach the clasp to the other side of your band, thread your needle with the thread tail from Step 1.

Weave your way up through the seed beads highlighted in RED:

Repeat Steps 26 to 28.

Beads used in the photo above:

Red/White/Gold version:
• About 325 size 11/0 Miyuki “rocaille” seed beads: Miyuki #4202 Duracoat Galvanized Gold Rocailles
• About 90 size 8/0 Miyuki “rocaille” seed beads: Miyuki #304 Garnet Gold Luster
• About 10 size 6mm round beads: Sueded Gold Crystal (getting hard to find) or Pearl Shell Cloud

Turquoise/Bronze version:
• About 325 size 11/0 Miyuki “rocaille” seed beads: Miyuki #457L M Light Bronze Rocailles
• About 90 size 8/0 Miyuki “rocaille” seed beads: Miyuki #4514 Picasso Opaque Seafoam Green
• About 10 size 6mm round beads: Luster Turquoise