Bead&Button Online Project 1

2012 Kalmbach Publishing Co. This material may not be reproduced in any form
without permission from the publisher.
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To brush up on any of the
Online Beading Basics referenced
in this story (plus lots of other
beading techniques!), go online
to BeadAndButton.com/Basics.
designed by Mandy Duffy
Embellish a right-angle weave
band for a regal rendition of
the classic pearl bracelet
Boleyn
bracelet
RIGHT-ANGLE WEAVE
Bead&Button Online Project 2
b
d e
a
c
materials
white-pearl bracelet 8 in. (21.6 cm)
23 6 mm fire-polished beads (Czech, jet)
24 6 mm crystal pearls (Swarovski, white)
48 4 mm crystal pearls (Swarovski, white)
5 g 110 seed beads (Toho, galvanized
silver)
46 150 seed beads (blue)
magnetic clasp
Fireline 6 lb. test
beading needles, #12
bronze-pearl bracelet 6
3
4 in. (17.1 cm)
20 6 mm fire-polished beads (Czech,
emerald green)
21 6 mm crystal pearls (Swarovski,
bronze)
42 4 mm crystal pearls (Swarovski,
vintage gold)
5 g 110 Czech seed beads (honey)
40 150 seed beads (Miyuki 595,
Ceylon light beige)
clasp
Fireline 6 lb. test
beading needles, #12
After taking two bead-
ing classes at her local
bead store, Bead Soup
in Savage, Maryland,
Mandy Duffy decided
to teach herself to bead by completing
a project every day for a year. Her
journey is chronicled in her blog,
beadsforbrains.blogspot.com. She
most recently taught classes at
Bead Soup and is designing her
own patterns soon to be for sale
under the name of her new venture:
The Forbidden Bead. Email Mandy
at utoogigi@yahoo.com.
stepbystep
Use medium tension throughout this
bracelet for a supple, fluid drape. See
the Editors Note, p. 3, for more on
ensuring the correct drape.
Right-angle weave base
[1] On 1
1
2 yd. (1.4 m) of Fireline,
pick up a 6 mm pearl, a 4 mm pearl,
a 6 mm, and a 4 mm. Tie the beads into
a ring with a square knot (Online Bead-
ing Basics), leaving a 6-in. (15 cm) tail.
Sew through the first 6 mm, the first
4 mm, and the second 6 mm (photo a).
[2] Begin working in right-angle weave
(Online Basics): Pick up a 4 mm, a 6 mm,
and a 4 mm, and sew through the 6 mm
your thread exited at the start of this
step. Continue through the first 4 mm
and 6 mm just picked up (photo b).
[3] Repeat step 2 until the base is 1 in.
(2.5 cm) short of the desired bracelet
length. End the working thread and tail
(Online Basics).
[4] Add 2
1
2 yd. (2.3 m) of thread
(Online Basics) to one end of the base,
and sew through the beadwork to exit
the end 6 mm. Pick up two 110 seed
beads, and sew through the next 4 mm
along the edge (photo c).
[5] Pick up three 110 seed beads, and
sew through the next 4 mm along the
edge (photo d). Do not pull the thread
tight, but rather allow the beads to form
a gentle upside down V shape (photo e).
Repeat this stitch to add three 110s
between all the 4 mms on this edge.
The base will curve slightly toward the
unembellished edge. If the curve is very
pronounced, your tension is too tight.
[6] With your thread exiting the last
4 mm along this edge, pick up two 110s,
sew through the end 6 mm, pick up two
110s, and sew through the first 4 mm
along the unembellished edge. Continue
adding three 110s between all the 4 mms
along this edge. When you sew through
the last 4 mm, pick up two 110s, and
sew through the end 6 mm. Continue
The popularity of TV series like The Tudors and the recent
Downton Abbey betray our fascination with the English
aristocracy, whether royal or just plain rich. This bracelet
is a little of both crystal pearls and faceted glass beads
put on airs fit for a duchess or debutante. But dont worry,
you can pull off this look running errands, too!
Bead&Button Online Project 3
through the next two 110s and the first
4 mm along this edge.
Fire-polished bead bridges
[1] Pick up three 110s, a 6 mm fire-
polished bead, and three 110s. Sew
through the corresponding 4 mm
along the other edge, with your
needle pointing toward the end of the
base on which you started this step
(photo f). Do not pull the thread tight.
[2] Pick up three 110s, sew back
through the fire-polished bead added
in the previous step, and pick up three
110s. Sew through the 4 mm your
thread exited at the start of step 1,
sewing through it in the same direction
as before (photo g). Continue through
the next three 110s and 4 mm along
this edge.
[3] Repeat steps 1 and 2 to add bridges
along the entire length of the base.
After completing the last bridge, sew
through the last 4 mm along the edge,
the next two 110s, and the end 6 mm.
Clasp and embellishments
[1] Pick up three 110s, a 4 mm, an 110,
and half of the clasp. Sew back through
the 110 and 4 mm, pick up three 110s,
and sew through the 6 mm your thread
exited at the start of this step, sewing
through it in the same direction as
before (photo h). Retrace the thread
path of the clasp connection.
[2] With your thread exiting the end
6 mm, sew through the next two
110s and the following three 110s in
the bridge.
[3] Pick up a 150 seed bead, and sew
through the next three 110s in the
bridge (photo i).
[4] Skip the next 110 in the base,
and sew through the center 110 in the
V in the base (photo j). Sew through
the first two 110s in the next bridge,
pick up an 110, and sew through the
last two 110s in the previous bridge
(photo k). Sew through the center 110
in the V again, and continue through
the three 110s in the next bridge.
[5] Repeat steps 3 and 4 along this
edge, ending with the thread exiting
the last three 110s in the last bridge.
[6] Sew through the next two 110s and
6 mm in the base, and repeat step 1.
[7] Repeat steps 25 along the unem-
bellished edge, and end the thread. w
h
i
g
j k
EDITORS NOTE:
While testing the instructions
for this bracelet, I made two
fatal mistakes: I worked with
tight tension, and I used
Miyuki 110 seed beads that
were thicker than Mandys
sleek metallic Toho 110s.
As a result, while working
the steps for Clasp and
embellishment, the thread in
my right-angle weave base
snapped twice! I quickly
found the solution. First, work
with medium tension for the
entire bracelet. And second,
use thinner rather than thicker
110 seed beads. I used Czech
110s in my bronze-and-green
version and was very happy
with the results! Stacy
f