Two wheelin’
by Sharon Bateman
I think I just did it to see if I could. I
had an odd-shaped stone bead that
looked like a bicycle seat and a piece
of vintage plastic that reminded me of a
chain guard. From those two random
pieces an entire bicycle emerged. Since
then I’ve adapted the pattern to make it
possible for anyone with access to seed
beads and a few simple craft items to
make her own bike.
stepbystep
After beading the wheels and making
assorted bicycle parts including the seat,
chain guard, gear sprocket, axle, and
head set, you assemble the bicycle body
by lacing the parts together with seed
beads on wire. Final steps include
adding the pedals and handle bars.
wheels
I prefer to use brass rings (sold as
macramé rings) because of their weight,
but use what you can find in a local
crafts or fabric store. If desired, cover
the rings with black electrical tape, or let
the metallic glint provide a natural
wheel frame effect.
Build a bicycle with seed beads
If using a white plastic ring, cover it
with black electrical tape, burnishing it
to the ring and trimming rough edges.
Thread a needle with 2 yd. (1.8m) of
thread and tie the end onto the ring
tightly with a square knot and a few half
hitches (see “Basics”).
Transfer 3 strands of black 110 seed
beads to the thread (about 60 in. /
1.5m). Run your needle through the last
bead again to secure the strand tem-
porarily and keep it snug as you work.
Wrap the strand around and around
the ring to cover it. When the end
reaches the beginning, go through the
first few beads (photo a). Then square
stitch (see “Basics”) a few beads at the
end and the beginning together to
secure them (photo b). Knot with a few
half hitches between beads, go through
a few beads after the last knot, and cut
off the thread. Note: If you haven’t
strung enough beads to reach the begin-
ning without gaps, add more; if you
have too many, remove them.
Make the second wheel.
To make a hub for each wheel,
string 8 black 110 beads on a 11⁄2-yd.
(1.35m) thread. Tie the beads into a
tight circle with a square knot and
weave the end in later.
Square stitch two beads at a time
around the circle (see “Basics” and
photo c). Work a second square-stitch
row and leave the thread in place for
making the spokes.
With the hub centered in the tire,
alternately string black 110 seed beads
and silver 2-cuts to reach the bottom
inside of the tire. Go through the beads
around the outside of the tire and string
a parallel spoke back to the other edge
of the hub (photo d). These are the
south spokes. Go around through half
the hub edge beads to the north side
and make the pair of north spokes.
Add the east and west spokes in the
same fashion (photo e). Then add a set
of spokes between each compass point.
Note: You may be tempted to run
through the spokes to tighten them as
you go. Don’t. Make all the spokes first.
If there are any gaps when you are done,
run through them again.
Complete the second wheel.
assorted bicycle parts
Trace, color with colored pencils,
cut out, and bake the Shrinky Dink
chain guard and sprocket (figure 1 and
2a or b, shown full size), following man-
ufacturer’s directions. (Different brands
shrink to different percentages. If you
use another brand, divide the desired
finished size by the finished percentage
after shrinking and make the template
the resulting size.) You can cut the holes
in the chain guard 3⁄4 in. (2cm) from the
edge with a standard hole punch as
shown on figure 1 before baking. Drill a
hole in the center of the sprocket after
baking.
Use a bone bead for the head set at
the base of the handle bars. Drill 3 holes
all the way through both sides of the
bead. Two are side by side placed verti-
cally on the bead toward one end. Drill
the third hole perpendicular to the first
two and a little toward the other end of
the bead (figure 3).
Use a bone bead for the pedal axle.
Drill two holes near the center, slightly
offset and perpendicular to each other
(figure 4).
For the seat, cut a 20-in. (51cm)
length of black 22-gauge wire. String 3
size 60 beads onto the wire and bend it
in half. Run the opposite end of the wire
through the last 2 beads (photo f). For
the next row, string 3 beads on one wire
and run the other wire through from
the other side. Continue in this manner,
following figure 5. When you have
woven the last row, bow the middle of
the seat up slightly. Twist the wires
together 2-3 times right under the seat
and leave the tails for later (photo g).
bike frame
Using 20-gauge wire gives you a sturdier
bike, but it will not go through bugles.
The 22-gauge wire goes through bugles
but not doubled. To build the bicycle
frame, you can use any size or variety of
beads you like as long as they go over
the wire and allow you to reach the
specified measurements.
Cut two 20-in. lengths of 20- or 22-
gauge wire. Cut one 3-in. (7.6cm)
length, one 4-in. (10cm) length, and
one 6-in. (15cm) length.
String a 60 bead, a wheel hub, and a
60 bead onto the center of both 20-in.
wires. Pull one pair of wires forward
and one back and ignore the back wires.
String 14 60 beads (11⁄2 in. / 3.8cm)
on each of the front pair of wires.
Run both ends through a 60 bead,
the middle hole of the axle bone bead
and a 60 bead (photo h).
String 14 60 beads (11⁄2 in.) on each
end of the wire.
String a 60 bead, the other wheel’s
a
hub, and a 60 bead on one wire end and
cross the other wire end through the
three elements. Pull tight (photo i).
String 14 60 beads (11⁄2 in.) on each
end of the wire.
Run both ends through a 60 bead,
the original hole of the bone head set
bead, a 60 bead, and a crimp bead. Make
sure all the beads are tight and even and
b
crimp the crimp bead (photo j). Don’t
crimp it tightly enough to break the
wire. Leave the tails for later.
String 16 60 beads (13⁄4 in. / 4.3cm)
onto both tail wires from the seat held
together. Run the ends through the sec-
ond hole of the axle bone bead (photo
k). Add a crimp bead. Pull the beads
tight and crimp carefully.
c
String 14 60 beads (11⁄2 in.) onto each
end of the second 20-in. wire. Run both
ends through two 60 beads. Pass the
ends of the wire forward on each side of
the seat post wire 3 beads below the seat
and string 16 more 60 beads (13⁄4 in.)
onto both ends held together. Turn the
head set bone bead so the pair of holes
faces the seat. Run both wires through
the top hole (photo l).
d
Separate the wires and run one
through the lower hole. String 20 60
beads (21⁄4 in. / 5.6cm). Wrap the end of
the wire next to the axle bone bead
(photo m). Trim the tail.
To make the light, string the red
bead on the wire tail left on the head set
bone bead. Trim the wire to 1⁄4 - 3⁄8 in.
(6mm-1cm) and make a small loop with
the roundnose pliers (see “Basics” and
e
photo n).
finishing touches
To make the pedals, bend a small
loop on one end of the 4-in. wire. String
a pedal bead, 6 60 beads, the top hole of
the large end of the chain guard and a 60
bead. Run through the original hole of
the axle bone bead. String 6 60 beads
f
and a pedal bead. Trim the wire and
make a small loop (photo o).
 1/4 in. finished
size from edge

1/4 in. finished

size from edge

3/4 in.

3/4 in.

2 in. finished size

figure 1
5/8 in. finished size

11/4 in. finished size

figure 2b

materials
• 2 2-in. (5cm) or 11⁄2 in. (3.8cm) Rings
• Black electrical tape (optional)
• 1 Hank 110 seed beads, black
• 1 Package silver-lined craft store “2-cut”
beads or size 1 bugles
• 1 Spool 22-gauge craft wire, black
figure 2a • 1 Spool 20-gauge craft wire, black (optional)
• 2 Crimp beads
• 10g 60 Seed beads, any colors
• 2 Flat, black pressed-glass beads for pedals
(6-8mm long)
• 1 Red pressed-glass bead for front light
• 4 Cylindrical bone beads, approx. 1⁄2 in.
(1.3cm) long
• 1 Sheet Shrinky Dink
• Colored pencils
• Beading needles, #12
• Nymo D beading thread, black
Tools: scissors, hole punch, wire cutter, round-
figure 3 figure 4 figure 5 and chainnose pliers, tape measure or ruler,
drill with fine bit
 g i n

h j o
To add the sprocket, bend a small
loop on the 3-in. wire. String a 60 bead
and go through the hole on the small
end of the chain guard. String a 60 bead,
the sprocket, and 1-2 60 beads. Go
through the hub of the back wheel.
String a 60 bead, trim the wire, and
make a small loop (photo p).
p
Bend the pedal wire in opposite
directions: up then out on one side,
down then out on the other (photo q).
k
To complete the handlebars, make a
small loop on one end of the 6-in. wire.
String a 60 bead, 1 plain bone bead, and
16 60 beads. Go through the last hole left
on the bone head set bead (photo r).
String 16 60 beads, a plain bone bead,
q
and a 60 bead. Trim the wire and end it
with a small loop.
String 5 60 beads on each of the tail
wires coming out of the head set crimp
bead. Wrap the ends around the handle-
bars between the 5th and 6th beads
l
from the bone head set bead (photo s).
Trim close. Trim the seat post wire and
roll the ends into a small loop.
r
To add a kick stand, wrap the end of
a 2-in. (5cm) wire around the wire in
front of the axle bead and string 60
beads on it. Extend it at a slight angle to
the side to meet the table and bend the
end at a right angle. Trim any excess. w

Sharon has bicycle kits in various colors.

Contact her at www.sharonbateman.com,
m s
or sharondipity@nidlink.com.
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