How to Make Bead Animals

Beads are versatile, easy-to-learn accessories that can be used in a variety of applications. Making animals out of them is one great way to use them for holiday decorations, toys for children or pins for a shirt or jacket. With a few easy steps to follow, almost any animal can be made.

Things You'll Need

• Beads
• Thread or satin cord
• Keychains or hooks
• Crazy Glue
• Bead wire

Instructions

1. 

   Draw out the animal you wish to create. Start with flat designs and then move on to more three- dimensional animals. An example of an easy one is a frog.

2. Gather 50 green beads, 12 yellow and 2 black. Get 2 yards of satin cord and a key chain or hook.

3. Fold cord in half. Take the middle fold and pass it through the hook or keychain and loop through with a half-hitch knot to hold it in place.

4. Line up beads according to pattern created.

5. Cross both threads through the first row of beads, one starting at each end.

6. Continue to the next row, again passing the cord through each end through the entire row. Repeat for each row until the end row.

7. Knot the two ending cords together in a double knot, and place a small drop of Crazy Glue to hold the knot in place.

8. 

   Try a few more flat animal patterns until you have gotten the hang of creating the look you want for each animal.

9. 

   Create more three-dimensional animals by using bead wire. Wire does require pliers and more precaution. Once the beads have been threaded and tied off, shape the wire with your fingers to create the rounded shapes.

Tips & Warnings

• Check online for examples and inspiration

References

• examples

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish