How to Make Glass Seed Bead Jewelry

These are examples of seed bead designs.

Glass seed beads are tiny circular or cylindrical-shaped beads primarily used to make jewelry through various bead-stitching techniques. Seed beads may add embellishment to the ends of a larger bead, such as a picot-edge design, or they may create a bezel around a large stone as in a rivoli design. Seed beads may also be the only beads used in the jewelry pattern, as in a net necklace or anything made with a peyote stitch. Seed beads range in size from 6/0 to 15/0.

Things You'll Need

• Beading wire
• Wire cutters
• Crimp beads
• Crimping pliers
• 8/0 seed beads
• 11/0 seed beads
• 6mm crystal bicone beads
• Bugle beads
• 2-inch headpins
• 4mm crystal bicone beads
• Round-nose pliers

Instructions

1. Cut a length of beading wire equal to the desired length of a lariat-style necklace, less the fringe.

2. Slide a crimp bead over one end of the wire. Make a 1/2-inch loop on the same end of wire, sliding the end of the wire through the crimp bead. Crimp the bead with crimping pliers to hold the loop intact.

3. Thread two size-8/0 seed beads, one 11/0 seed bead, one 6mm crystal bicone bead, one 11/0 seed bead and one bugle bead over the open end of the wire. Slide the beads to the crimp bead.

4. Repeat Step 3 until the wire is filled with beads up to within 1/2 inch of the end. Repeat Step 2 to make another loop at the end.

5. Thread a 4mm crystal bicone bead onto a 2-inch headpin. Thread an 11/0 seed bead behind the bicone. Repeat this pattern until the headpin is filled to within 1/2-inch of the end.

6. Hold the headpin as it exits the last bead with round-nose pliers. Bend the pin at a 90-degree angle. Hold the tip of the bent wire with the pliers and twist to form a loop. Leave the loop open.

7. Hook the loop from the beaded headpin over the loop on one end of the wire necklace. Close the loop.

8. Repeat Steps 5, 6 and 7 to make and attach at least four beaded headpins for each end of the lariat necklace.

Tips & Warnings

• To alter this lariat design into a jewelry strand with a clasp, hook the clasp sections to the end loops with a jump ring. You can make the jewelry strand any size for necklaces or bracelets. Omit the headpin fringe or add it to the center of the strand with a jump ring as a pendant for the necklace design.

References

• All Crafts: Lariat Necklace

Resources

• Jewelry Making: How to Use Crimping Pliers