How to Make a Large Bead Flower for a Centerpiece

French beaded flowers are incredibly intricate-looking flowers, often appearing realistic. The term "French beaded" defines the technique in which beads are strung on a wire and continuously wrapped around a central location. The history of these flowers dates back centuries and is still a quite popular craft today. Bead weaving is equally beautiful, yet slightly less skilled, and is a great beginning step into the art of flower making.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 26-gauge brass craft wire
• 28-gauge green craft wire
• 11/0-sized pink seed beads
• 11/0-sized green seed beads
• Floral wire
• Floral tape
• Wire cutters

1. Cut a length of brass wire 20 inches long and thread three pink beads onto it to start the beaded petal.

2. Bend the wire in half leaving one bead on one side and two beads on the other of the fold.

3. Insert the end of the wire with the single bead on it through the holes of the two beads, letting the single bead drop into the fold. Pull the wire ends to tighten the weave.

4. Thread four beads onto one side of wire and pull the opposite end through the four beads. Continue beading with the following bead amounts on each row: 6, 8, 10, 11.

5. Complete the sides using nine beads and threading down through the starting bead's hole at the bottom tip. Repeat with the other side. You may need more or less beads for the length of the sides depending on the size of the beads.

6. Finish by pulling the wires together tightly and twisting them together for approximately 1 cm. Make nine of these petals to finish one flower.

7. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 using the green beads and wire to make a beaded leaf. Continue beading the rows with the following bead amounts: 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

8. Finish the leaf at the last bead, pulling the wires taught and twisting them together. Make five leaves to complete one branch of leaves.

9. Attach the petals in a semi-spiraled layered pattern to the floral wire and secure with the floral tape wrapping to roughly 1 or 2 inches down the "main stem."

10. Assemble the leaves by twisting three together and twisting the other two slightly further down the "stem."

11. Attach the leaves to the "main stem" with the floral tape, wrapping to the desired bead flower length, and snip off any excess wire with the wire cutters. Increase the stem width by wrapping multiple times. Shape the petals and leaves to your ideal design.

12. Weave as many flowers and leaves in a variety of colors and sizes needed to create your final piece.

Tips & Warnings

• The size of the petals and leaves can easily be increased by adding more beads to odd or even numbered layers corresponding to the pattern. Use different sized beads or crystals to create sparkling beaded flower designs.

References

• History and Flower Patterns