Free pattern: Twin Peaks Bracelet & Earrings

Twin Peaks Bracelet & Earrings

(©2016 Deborah Roberti)

BRACELET MATERIALS
• About 2.25 yards of 6 lb. FireLine
• About 325 size 11/0 seed beads
• About 20 size 8/0 seed beads (or 3mm round beads)
• 46 SuperDuo beads
• 11 two-hole beads (can be Silky beads, Honeycomb beads, DiscDuo beads or 6mm 2-hole Cabochon beads)
• clasp

EARRING MATERIALS
• About 4 feet of 6 lb. FireLine
• About 100 size 11/0 seed beads
• 8 size 8/0 seed beads (or 3mm round beads)
• 20 SuperDuo beads
• 4 two-hole beads (can be Silky beads, Honeycomb beads, DiscDuo beads or 6mm 2-hole Cabochon beads)
• two small (2-4mm) closed jump rings
• a pair of earring findings

Step 1: Thread your needle with about 2.25 yards of FireLine.

Leaving about a 10-inch tail for attaching the clasp, hold onto your tail thread and go down the left side of a SuperDuo bead and then around and up through the right side of this same SuperDuo bead:

String two 11/0 seed beads, a two-hole bead, two 11/0 seed beads and a SuperDuo bead:

Go around and down through the left hole of the SuperDuo bead that you just strung:

String two 11/0 seed beads. Go down through the left hole of the two-hole bead highlighted in RED:

String two 11/0 seed beads. Grab your tail thread and tie a tight double knot:

Step 2: Go down through the left hole of the bottom SuperDuo bead, around and up through the right hole of this same SuperDuo bead.

Continue on up through the two 11/0 seed beads, the two-hole bead, the two 11/0 seed beads and the right hole of the top SuperDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 3: String two SuperDuo beads, two 11/0 seed beads, a two-hole bead, two 11/0 seed beads and another SuperDuo bead:

Step 4: Go around and down through the left side of the SuperDuo bead that you added in the last step:

Step 5: String two 11/0 seed beads. Go down through the left hole of the two-hole bead highlighted in RED:

Step 6: String two 11/0 seed beads. Go down through the left hole of the SuperDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 7: String another SuperDuo bead. Go down through the left hole of the SuperDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 8: Go around and up through the right hole of the SuperDuo bead that you exited at the end of the last step.

Continue on up through the left hole of the SuperDuo bead above, the right hole of the next SuperDuo bead, the two 11/0 seed beads, the two-hole bead, the two 11/0 seed beads and the right hole of the top SuperDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 9: Repeat Step 3 to Step 8 until your bracelet is the length you want it, minus about a quarter-inch and the length of your clasp:

Step 10: Go around and down through the left hole of the top SuperDuo bead and the two 11/0 seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 11: String four 11/0 seed beads. Go around the two-hole bead and down through the 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 12: String two 11/0 seed beads. Go down through the left hole of the SuperDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 13: String two 11/0 seed beads. Go down through the 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 14: String four 11/0 seed beads. Go around the two-hole bead and through the 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 15: Repeat Step 12, 13 and 14 until you come to the end of the bracelet:

Step 16: Go down through the 11/0 seed bead and the left hole of the bottom SuperDuo bead. Go around and up through the right hole of this same SuperDuo bead and the two 11/0 seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 17: String four 11/0 seed beads. Go around the two-hole bead and up through the 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 18: String two 11/0 seed beads. Go up through the right hole of the SuperDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 19: String two 11/0 seed beads. Go up through the 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 20: String four 11/0 seed beads. Go around the two-hole bead and through the 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 21: Repeat Step 18 to Step 20 until you come to the end of the bracelet:

NOTE: If you don’t like the “peaks” (they can be too wobbly for some), skip Step 22 to Step 25. Just make sure that you exit from the right hole of the top SuperDuo bead to attach the clasp in Step 26 to Step 29.

Step 22: Go around through the beads highlighted in RED:

Step 23: String an 11/0 seed bead, an 8/0 seed bead and an 11/0 seed bead. Go around the SuperDuo bead and down through the 11/0 seed beads highlighted in RED to form a peak:

Step 24: String an 11/0 seed bead, an 8/0 seed bead and an 11/0 seed bead. Go around the SuperDuo bead and down through the 11/0 seed beads highlighted in RED to form another peak:

Step 25: Repeat the last step on both sides of the the bracelet:

Step 26: To attach one end of the clasp, string three 11/0 seed beads. Go through the clasp and then back through the third 11/0 seed bead that you just strung:

Step 27: String two more 11/0 seed beads. Go down through the left hole of the SuperDuo bead highlighted in RED, around and up through the right hole of this same SuperDuo bead:

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

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

Step 29: To attach the clasp to the other end of your bracelet, thread your needle with the tail thread from Step 1:

Repeat Steps 26-29.

TWIN PEAKS EARRINGS

Step 1-8: Repeat Step 1 to 8 of the Twin Peaks Bracelet but start with about two feet of Fireline and leave a five-inch tail that you can weave in and make disappear at any time:

Step 9: String an 11/0 seed bead and an 8/0 seed bead. Go through the jump ring and then back down through the 8/0 seed bead that you just strung.

String another 11/0 seed bead. Go down through the left hole of the top SuperDuo bead and the two 11/0 seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 10: String four 11/0 seed beads. Go around the two-hole bead and down through the 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 11: String two 11/0 seed beads. Go down through the left hole of the SuperDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 12: String two 11/0 seed beads. Go down through the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 13: String four 11/0 seed beads. Go around the two-hole bead and down through the two 11/0 seed beads and the left hole of the SuperDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 14: String an 11/0 seed bead, an 8/0 seed bead and an 11/0 seed bead. Go around and up through the right hole of the SuperDuo bead and the two 11/0 seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 15: String four 11/0 seed beads. Go around the two-hole bead and through the 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 16: String two 11/0 seed beads. Go up through the right hole of the SuperDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 17: String two 11/0 seed beads. Go up through the 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 18: String four 11/0 seed beads. Go around the two-hole bead and through the two 11/0 seed beads and the right hole of the SuperDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 19: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED and the jump ring:

Step 20: String an 11/0 seed bead, an 8/0 seed bead and an 11/0 seed bead. Go around the SuperDuo bead and around through the beads highlighted in RED:

Step 21: String an 11/0 seed bead, an 8/0 seed bead and an 11/0 seed bead. Go around the SuperDuo bead and through the beads highlighted in RED:

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

Lilac Gray Dragonfly Bangle and Earrings

Week 5 of the RedPandaBeads.com 2016 Spring Fashion Colors Series features the color Lilac Gray, which Betsy has used to bead up my Dragonfly Bangles and Dragonfly Earrings patterns. Click here or on the photo below for exact beads used and links to these two FREE patterns: http://www.redpandabeads.com/category_s/3299.htm. 

The complete 2016 Spring Fashion Colors Series to date is located here: http://www.redpandabeads.com/category_s/3294.htm. Each week features one of my free bracelet and earring patterns that Betsy of RedPandaBeads.com has beaded up in some amazing beads and color combos. Five more weeks to follow! 

Iced coffee, from week 1, is another favorite. It uses my free  Triangle Weave Band and Jeweled Earrings patterns:

Some Truly Delicious Czech Two-hole Beads!

It’s hard to tell sometimes if all these new Czech two-hole beads are a blessing or a curse. Although they can be quite a bit of fun for designers, these days I do sense that some beaders are getting a bit frustrated by all the “new two-hole beads” hitting the market. Me, too… and then I see some really awesome new  beads and I just have to have them.

Such is the case with the new DiscDuo beads and Czech 2-hole Cabochons. What a delight these beads are! In fact, I have enjoyed using them in my MiniDuo Bands pattern so much that I have updated the pattern to include them and am eager to see how well they work in my other patterns.

DiscDuo beads are manufactured and distributed exclusively by the Potomac Bead Company. To me, they look and feel as if you took a Czechmates Tile bead, made it round, but still kept all the wonderful colors and coatings available in the Czechmates line. They are so delicious looking that I would, in fact, keep kids and pets away from them because they do look good enough to eat. DiscDuo beads are available for sale at PotomacBeads.com here: http://www.potomacbeads.com/DiscDuo-Beads-s/3175.htm. Here is what they look like in my MiniDuo Bands pattern (you can get links to the exact beads used by clicking on the picture and scrolling to the bottom of the page):

The new Czech 2-Hole Cabochons are about the same width and height as the DiscDuo, but much rounder and fuller at the top—as if you took a 6mm round bead, sliced it in half and gave it two holes. I have found them very difficult to find for purchase in the U.S. at this writing but I’m sure they will be more widely available soon. I purchased the cabs used in the photo below at Poppy and Gene’s Beadery Etsy shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PoppyAndGenesBeadery. You can also buy them at the Potomac Bead Company and they will be available at RedPandaBeads.com soon. Here is what they look like in my MiniDuo Bands pattern (again, you can get links to the exact beads used by clicking on the picture and scrolling to the bottom of the page):

And while we are on the subject of cool new Czech two-hole beads, there’s the new DiamonDuo... on my bead table right now. They seem to be selling out as fast as they appear. More on these beads to come….

free pattern: Secret Santa Bracelet

Secret Santa Bracelet—another “oldie-but-goodie” pattern updated and made FREE! 

Although quite sturdy, it has somewhat of a delicate, antique feel and works up in under two hours, perfect for holiday gift-giving. 

Step-by-step instructions and a downloadable PDF at the bottom of the page HERE: http://www.aroundthebeadingtable.com/Tutor…/SecretSanta.html.


Enjoy! 

free crystal bracelet pattern

Crystal Picot Bracelet—another “oldie-but-goodie” pattern updated and made FREE! Use size 11 seed beads and any type of size 4mm and 6mm beads to create this pretty crystal bracelet that works up fast.

Step-by-step instructions and a downloadable PDF at the bottom of the page HERE: http://www.aroundthebeadingtable.com/Tutorials/CrystalPicot.html. Enjoy!

Thanks to Betsy of RedPandaBeads.com for beading up the beauties in the photo below!

The word every designer hates to hear... "discontinued"...

There's nothing worse than hearing that a favorite bead color or coating has been "discontinued" by the manufacturer. Such is the case with these gorgeous Toho Hybrid Turquoise Picasso 4mm cube beads (as well as the 3mm version). I had been saving them for the perfect pattern and finally used them for my new Cube Brocade Bracelets pattern only to hear that very soon, these lovely beads wouldn't be available for purchase anymore:

So... if you see them, get them while they last! After a search today, I was only able to find the size 4mm cube bead version used in the photo above on Etsy and eBay—search for "Turquoise Picasso 4mm cube beads" on these sites. Sigh...

Here's a list of the beads used in the photo above for the 4mm Cube Brocade Cuff version:

• About 400 size 8/0 seed beads: Toho #4514 Picasso OP Seafoam Green Miyuki Rocailles

• About 21 Color1 size 4mm fire-polished beads: Opaque Pale Turquoise - Star Dust 

• About 84 Color2 size 4mm fire-polished beads: Opaque Luster Champagne
• About 84 size 4mm cube beads: Toho Hybrid Turquoise Picasso