Free beaded eyeglass chain pattern!

Beaded Eyeglass Chain
(©2024 Deborah Roberti)

Bead up this simple chain using size 11/0 and 8/0 seed beads, 3mm and 4mm round or fire-polished beads to make a beaded eyeglass chain, perfect for holiday gifting.

MATERIALS
(for about a 24-inch chain, not including findings)
• About 8 to 9 yards of 6 lb. FireLine (or the equivalent)
• About 400 size 11/0 seed beads
• About 220 size 8/0 seed beads
• About 112 size 3mm beads (fire-polished or round beads)
• About 28 size 4mm beads (fire-polished or round beads)
• Two small (3-5mm) soldered closed jump rings and 2 larger (6mm or larger) open jump rings
• Eyeglass findings

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 that you will use to attach your closed jump ring later, string an 11/0 seed bead, a 3mm bead, an 11/0 seed bead, a 3mm bead, an 11/0 seed bead and a 4mm bead.

Tie the beads into a triangle with a tight double knot:

Step 2: Go back around through the beads that you just strung and exit from the top 4mm bead:

Step 3: String an 11/0 seed bead, a 3mm bead, an 11/0 seed bead, a 3mm bead and an 11/0 seed bead. Go around and back through the 4mm bead that you just exited (highlighted in RED):

Step 4: Go back around through the 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead, 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead and 11/0 seed bead that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 5: String an 11/0 seed bead. Go around through the 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead, 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead and 11/0 seed bead below (highlighted in RED) so that this new 11/0 seed bead fits in the gap between the existing 11/0 seed beads:

Step 6: String an 11/0 seed bead. Go up through the 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead and 11/0 seed bead above (highlighted in RED) so that this new 11/0 seed bead fits in the gap between the existing 11/0 seed beads:

Step 7: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED to smooth out the motif and give it some extra strength:

Step 8: String two 8/0 seed beads, an 11/0 seed bead and two 8/0 seed beads. Go around and back across through the 11/0 seed bead that you exited at the beginning of this step (highlighted in RED:

Step 9: Go back around through the seed beads that you just added (highlighted in RED):

Step 10: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED:

Step 11: String an 11/0 seed bead.

Go back down and around through the seed beads highlighted in RED. As you pull tight, the 11/0 seed bead that you just strung should sit astride and a little between the adjacent 8/0 seed beads:

Step 12: String an 11/0 seed bead.

Go back up through the seed beads highlighted in RED. As you pull tight, the 11/0 seed bead that you just strung should sit astride and a little between the adjacent 8/0 seed beads:

Step 13: String two 8/0 seed beads, an 11/0 seed bead and two 8/0 seed beads. Go around and back across through the 11/0 seed bead that you exited at the beginning of this step (highlighted in RED):

Step 14: Go back around through the seed beads that you just added (highlighted in RED):

Step 15: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED:

Step 16: String an 11/0 seed bead.

Go back down and around through the seed beads highlighted in RED. As you pull tight, the 11/0 seed bead that you just strung should sit astride and a little between the adjacent 8/0 seed beads:

Step 17: String an 11/0 seed bead.

Go back up through the seed beads highlighted in RED. As you pull tight, the 11/0 seed bead that you just strung should sit astride and a little between the adjacent 8/0 seed beads:

Step 18: String a 3mm bead, an 11/0 seed bead, a 4mm bead, an 11/0 seed bead and a 3mm bead.

Go around and back across through the 11/0 seed bead that you exited at the beginning of this step (highlighted in RED):

Step 19: Go back around through the 3mm bead, the 11/0 seed bead and the 4mm bead that you just strung (highlighted in RED):

Step 20: String an 11/0 seed bead, a 3mm bead, an 11/0 seed bead, a 3mm bead and an 11/0 seed bead.

Go around and back through the 4mm bead that you just exited (highlighted in RED):

Step 21: Go back around through the 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead, 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead and 11/0 seed bead that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 22: String an 11/0 seed bead.

Go around through the 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead, 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead and 11/0 seed bead below (highlighted in RED) so that this new 11/0 seed bead fits in the gap between the existing 11/0 seed beads:

Step 23: String an 11/0 seed bead.

Go up through the 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead and 11/0 seed bead above (highlighted in RED) so that this new 11/0 seed bead fits in the gap between the existing 11/0 seed beads:

Step 24: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED to smooth out the motif and give it some extra strength:

Step 25: Repeat Step 8 to Step 24 until your beaded chain is the length you want it. I beaded up a 24-inch chain but you can make yours any length that you wish.

There are a number of different ways to attach your eyeglass finding to your beaded chain. I have included the method I like best but there are others you may find preferable. The important thing to remember is that the beadwork will likely last longer than the eyeglass finding—or you may end up wanting a different finding—so keep that in mind when attaching the finding to your chain.

Step 26: To attach the closed jump ring, string three 11/0 seed beads.

Go around through the closed jump ring and then back down through the last seed bead that you just strung. String two more 11/0 seed beads.

Go back across through the same seed bead that you exited at the beginning of this step (highlighted in RED):

Step 27: Go back around through the seed beads highlighted in RED and the jump ring several times:

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

Step 28: To attach your closed jump ring to the other end of your chain, thread your needle with the tail thread from Step 1.

Go up through the 11/0 seed bead, the 3mm bead and the 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:

Repeat Step 26 to 27.

Step 29: To attach your beaded eyeglass chain to your eyeglass finding, slip the closed jump ring at the end of your chain and the loop of the eyeglass finding onto your open jump ring and then close this jump ring:

Free Gemduo earrings pattern: Solitaire Earrings

 

Solitaire Earrings
(©2017 Deborah Roberti)

Some free matching GemDuo (or DiamonDuo) earrings for my Solitaire Bracelets and Solitaire Necklace design!

MATERIALS
• 4 feet of 6 lb. FireLine
• About 60 size 11/0 Miyuki (rocaille) seed beads
• 16 size 3mm beads (3mm round beads or 3mm fire-polished beads work best)
• 8 Matubo GemDuo beads (or DiamonDuo beads)
• Two 3-4mm closed (soldered) jump rings
• A pair of earring findings

Step 1: Thread your needle with about 2 feet of FireLine.

Leaving about a 6-inch tail that you can weave in and cut at any time, string two seed beads, a 3mm bead and a seed bead.

Go across through the bottom hole of a GemDuo bead.

String a seed bead and a 3mm bead.

Grab your tail thread and tie the beads together in a tight double knot:

NOTE: GemDuo beads have a tapered front side and a flat back side. Make sure that the front side is facing you when you add each GemDuo bead.

Step 2: Go back around through the two seed beads, the 3mm bead, the seed bead and the GemDuo bead that you strung in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 3: Go around and across through the top hole of the GemDuo bead that you just exited (highlighted in RED):

Step 4: Go through the bottom hole of a second GemDuo bead.

String a seed bead, a 3mm bead, a seed bead, a 3mm bead and a seed bead.

Go around through the top hole of the GemDuo bead that you just added:

Step 5: Go through the bottom hole of a third GemDuo bead and the top hole of a fourth GemDuo bead:

Step 6: String a seed bead, a 3mm bead, a seed, a 3mm bead and a seed bead.

Go back across through bottom hole of the fourth GemDuo bead, the top hole of the first GemDuo bead and the bottom hole of the second GemDuo bead (highlighted in RED):

Step 7: Go back around through the seed bead, the 3mm bead, the seed bead, the 3mm bead and the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 8: String three seed beads.

Go across through the top hole of the third GemDuo bead (highlighted in RED):

Step 9: String three seed beads.

Go back down through the seed bead, the 3mm bead, the seed bead, the 3mm bead and the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 10: String three seed beads

Go across through the bottom hole of the first GemDuo bead (highlighted in RED):

Step 11: String three seed beads.

Go up through the seed bead, the 3mm bead, the seed bead, the 3mm bead and the four seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 12: String a seed bead, a 3mm bead and two seed beads.

Go around through your jump ring and back down through the last seed bead that you just strung:

Step 13: String a seed bead, a 3mm bead and a seed bead. Go down through the beads highlighted in RED:

Step 14: String a seed bead and go back up through the beads highlighted in RED:

Step 15: Go back around through the jump ring and the outer beads highlighted in RED:

Attach your earring finding to the jump ring. Weave back into your earring, knot and cut your FireLine.

Free crystal earrings pattern: Simplicity Earrings

 

SIMPLICITY EARRINGS

(©2018 Deborah Roberti)

Some matching earrings for my Simplicity Necklace. Again, I used 3mm fire-polished beads and 4mm Swarovski bicone crystals but you can use any type of 3mm and 4mm beads you prefer.

MATERIALS
• 4 feet of 6 lb. FireLine
• About 35 size 11/0 seed beads
• 18 size 3mm beads (I used fire-polished beads but any type of size 3mm bead
should work)
• 10 size 4mm beads (I used 4mm bicone crystal beads but any type of size 4mm bead should work)
• Two top-drilled crystal pendant or briolette of any size
• Two small (2-4mm) jump rings
• A pair of earring findings

Step 1: Thread your needle with about two feet of FireLine.

String a seed bead, a 3mm bead, a seed bead, a 4mm bead, a seed bead, a 4mm bead, a seed bead and a 3mm bead.

Leaving about a six-inch tail that you can weave in and cut at any time, tie the beads in a circle with a tight double knot:

Step 2: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step. Grab your tail thread and tie another knot:

Step 3: Go back down through the 3mm bead, the seed bead, the 4mm bead and the seed bead that you added in the first step (highlighted in RED):

Step 4: String two seed beads. Go across through your top-drilled bead.

String two more seed beads and go across through the seed bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

NOTE: Depending on the amount of space between the drill hole and the top of your top-drilled bead, you may have to add more seed beads.

Step 5: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 6: Go go back up through the 4mm bead, the seed bead, the 3mm bead and the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 7: String a 3mm bead, a seed bead, a 4mm bead, a seed bead and a 3mm bead.

Go around and back across through the seed bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 8: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 9: Go back up and around through the 3mm bead, the seed bead and the 4mm bead that you added in Step 7 (highlighted in RED):

Step 10: String a seed bead, a 4mm bead, two seed beads, a 4mm bead and a seed bead.

Go around and back across through the 4mm bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 11: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 12: Go back through the seed bead, the 4mm bead and the seed bead that you added in Step 10 (highlighted in RED):

Step 13: To add the jump ring, string a 3mm bead and a seed bead. Go through the jump ring and then back down through seed bead and 3mm bead that you just added:

Step 14: Go back around through the seed bead, the 4mm bead, the seed bead, the 4mm bead, the seed bead, the 4mm bead and the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 15: Go back up through the 3mm bead and the seed bead highlighted in RED, around through the jump ring and back down through the seed bead, the 3mm bead and the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 16: Go back around through the 4mm bead, the seed bead, the 4mm bead and the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 17: String a 3mm bead, a seed bead and a 3mm bead.

Go back around through the seed bead, the 4mm bead, the seed bead, the 4mm bead and the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 18: String a 3mm bead, a seed bead and a 3mm bead.

Go back around through the seed bead and the 4mm bead highlighted in RED:

Weave back into the earring, knot and cut your thread. Attach your earring to your jump ring.