Crescent Flower Tutorial

I had so much fun creating this piece I just had to share it.  And for those of you who read through to the bottom there is a surprise announcement.  So without further ado I present you all with my Crescent Flower Tutorial.

Materials list:

• Czechmate Crescent beads 
• Rounduo beads - Potomac Beads 
• 15/0 seed beads 
• 11/0 seed beads

1) Pick up 8 11/0 seed beads.  Form a circle by passing though only the first bead added.  You will be making several passes through.

2) Pick up 1 11/0 seed bead and pass through the next 11/0.  Continue all the way around for a total of 8 beads and exit through the first bead added in this step.

3) Pick up 11/0, 15/0, 11/0 and pass through the next up bead creating a picot.  Pass through the next three beads and repeat all the way around.

4) Exit the next three beads in base circle.  Repeat step 3 adding picots on top of first picots. 

5) Weave through beads to exit top 11/0 in top picot.

6) Pick up 15/0, Crescent and 15/0.  Depending on which way you are stitching will determine how the crescent sits you want the points facing inwards.  Go through the 11/0 in the bottom picot.

7) Pick up 15/0, go up through crescent

8) Pick up 15/0 and pass through top 11/0 at the beginning of step

9) Go through all the beads just added to reinforce. Weave through beads to exit top 11/0 in next picot set.

10) Weave through to exit bottom 15/0 of picot.

11) Pick up 2 11/0 and pass through 15/0, 11/0, 15/0 of next picot.

12) Repeat step 11 and exit first 2 11/0 added.

13) Pick up Rounduo pass through 2 11/0 on opposite side

14) Pass through second hole of rounduo and through first 2 11/0 beads.  Repeat to reinforce.

15) With thread exiting rounduo pass through 2 11/0 beads on the side and repeat to reinforce.

16) Weave through to exit second hole of round duo and repeat step 15 on opposite side.

The next steps are for attaching the flowers.

17) Weave through beads to exit back side of crescent 15/0.  Pick up 3 11/0 creating a picot, weave through to exit middle 11/0

18)  Pick up 8 11/0 and pass through starting 11/0 and next two 11/0

19) Pick up 11/0 and pass through next 2 11/0

20) Repeat step 19 adding 3 new 11/0 as "points" pass through the last 2 11/0 skipping the "point beads" weave through to the top 11/0

21) Pick up 11/0 pass through the 15/0, 11/0, 15/0 in next flower.

22) Pick up 11/0 and pass through "point" 11/0 in first flower.  Reinforce and knot as desired.

I hope you enjoy this tutorial.  I have decided that I love playing with beads so much that I will be making and sharing more of my original designs with you all.  Let me know what you think of this design and if you would like to see more.  I would like to get you as addicted as I am to weaving with cool beads.

So I promised a surprise.  I was approached by the folks over at Potomac Bead Company and they will be making a YouTube video of this design.  I can not wait for that and as soon as it is up I will let you know or you can click the link to subscribe.

Free Tutorial - BiBo Buttons

I know we have talked about many of the new beads that have been introduced just this year.  It has been rather overwhelming in the community trying to decide what to play with.  I have been lucky enough to have gotten my hot little hands on some so I thought, with a little push from my teammates, to show you a couple I absolutely love.  So much so that I have come up with a little tutorial for you.

Button Beads are tiny little 4mm funky beads that have me totally infatuated. They are the brain child of the fabulous Sabine Lippert of Trytobead.  You will see in the bracelet they look to me like little nailheads when woven. 
I have been eyeing up these BiBo beads for quite awhile and I can tell you they do not disappoint at all. I love the shape.  Like a twin or superduo they have two holes but instead of having a fatter middle they are larger on the outside.

When I put the beads on my tray a funny thing happened.  This design just came to life on the first try.  I hope you will enjoy this little tutorial.

Materials needed:
18-20 Button beads
36-40 BiBo beads
Less than 5 grams of 11/0 seed beads
Clasp of your choice

On a comfortable length of fireline pick up 8 seed beads.  Go through all the beads two times and exit the next 2 seed beads.

Pick up a BiBo bead and 1 seed bead.  Go through the next hole of the Bibo bead.

Pick up 1 Button bead, BiBo bead and a seed bead.  Go through the next hole of the BiBo, Button and the starting hole of the first BiBo.

Go through the seed bead and the next hole of the BiBo, pick up 2 seed beads and go through the opposite BiBo.

Go through the seed bead, next hole of the BiBo and through the 2 seed beads in the starting ring.

Weave through to exit the 2 seed beads opposite the starting ring.

Pick up 6 seed beads and go through all the beads again.

Exit the top two seed beads and repeat all the steps for your desired length.  Be sure to add 6 beads at the end of your work for your clasp loop.


Be sure to let me know what you think and if you give it a try.  I would be thrilled to see your colorways.

The Dainty Beader strikes again.

I had posted this little tutorial back in April of last year.  I really do love making this rope and I have made several using twins and Czechmate triangle beads.

And now as you all know I love tiny little beads.  I can not stress enough that they are an addiction I do not think I will ever get over.  The smaller the better!  So I know I told you all about the Miniduo's which are a smaller version of a Superduo.  Well this tutorial works for them too!  All you do is substitute the Miniduo's for the twins and size 15/0's for the 11/0's.  Everything else is the same!  Here is a sample.

Here is the tutorial!

Start with 11/0 seed beads and coordinating twin beads.

Step 1 - Pick up an 11, a twin, 11 and twin.

Step 2 - go through all the beads and exit the first 11.

This is what it will look like

Step 3 - Pick up 3 11's and pass back through the starting 11. Go through the twin and the 11 on the opposite side.

Step 4 - Add 3 11's and pass through the twin and 11 on the opposite side.

go up through the next 2 11's.

Step 5 - Pick up an 11, a twin and an 11 and pass back through the starting 11.

Step 6 - Pass the needle through the top hole of the twin and pick up 2 11's.  Pass your needle through the 11 next to the twin added in the previous step and the twin.  It does get a little fiddly at this point but it will snug up. 

Pass the needle through the top 11 in the next section.

Step 7 - Pick up an 11 and a twin and pass through the side bead added in previous step and the starting 11 in this step.  Here is where it will all start to cinch together.

Without adding any beads pass through the top hole of the twin and the side bead of the first set of beads added in Step 5

As you pull the thread you will see how it comes together.

Step 8 - Pick up an 11 and pass through the side bead added in Step 7 , the twin , the 11 and exit the bead you just added.

This is how it will look.

Pass through the next twin, 11, twin and exit the 11.  This will strengthen the thread path.

Go back to step one and repeat all the steps again.

 So tell me what do you think of this?  How will you use it?  Don't forget to show me how you use it.