Making Bead Flower Bouquets

Create an elegant bouquet from beaded floral blooms.

Creating beaded flowers is a wonderful way to add some simple elegance to a wedding bouquet. Break with a traditional bouquet and bring a vintage look to the big day. Beaded flowers were popular in Europe in the 1500s, according to the Beaded Flower Patterns website. Bouquets are made from a combination of beads and sequins. The flowers can easily be customized to reflect any wedding color scheme and brides no longer have to worry that their flowers are not in season. Best of all, the bride’s bouquet can easily be kept as a keepsake for years to come.

Things You'll Need

• Silver wire, 30-gauge
• Wire cutters
• Ruler
• Bugle beads, in a color for the flower’s petals (150 beads per flower)
• Silver seed beads
• Sequins, in a color for the flower’s center
• Perforated earring disc, 1 for each flower
• Fine pliers
• Contact adhesive
• Floral wire
• Floral tape
• 1/2-inch wide ribbon
• Straight, pearl-headed pins

Instructions

1. Use wire cutters to cut a piece of 30-gauge wire about 18 inches long. Take a piece of wire and slide a bugle bead to the center of the wire. Thread two more beads on to the right-hand side of the wire. Push the left hand end of the wire through the same two beads and pull tightly. The row of two beads should sit on top of the first bead. Create the third row by stringing three beads on to the right end of the wire. Thread the left hand wire through the beads and pull tightly. Create row four using the same process, threading on four beads. Row five should contain five beads. Row six should contain four beads. Row seven should contain three beads. Row eight should contain two beads. Row nine should contain one bead. After making all nine rows, tie a small knot in the end of the wire to create a petal. Repeat six times to create six petals for a flower.

2. Use wire cutters to cut a length of 30-gauge wire about 12 inches long. Slide one silver, seed bead into the center of the wire. Fold the wire in half and push both wire ends through the center hole in a piece of sequins. Hold the perforated earring disc so that the flat end faces up. Slide the wire holding the bead and sequins through the earring disc. Take the right hand wire and push it back up through the earring disc. Thread on another silver bead and sequins. Push the wire back through the earring disc. Take the left hand wire, push it through the earring disc and thread on a bead and sequins. Pull the end through the earring disc. Repeat until a sequin circle is formed. Be sure to alternate the sides of the wire.

3. Push the wire ends of one petal through the earring disc. Repeat with each petal arranging them so the petals circle the center disc. Cut three or four lengths of floral wire about 8 inches long. Turn the beaded flower over so that the wire ends face up. Twist the wire ends around the floral wire to hold the flower securely on its stem. Secure with a bit of contact adhesive to prevent the flower from wobbling on their stems. Wrap the stem with floral tape.

4. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 until enough flowers are created to create a bouquet. For a small bouquet, make eight to 10 flowers. For a larger bouquet, make 15 to 20 flowers.

5. Gather all of the flowers together in a bunch. Tie ribbon around the top of the flowers, just under the beaded blooms. Wrap the ribbon around the knot to hide it. Continue to wrap ribbon down the stems. Tuck the end of the ribbon inside the bottom ribbon loop. Pin in a straight line from top to bottom with a pearl headed pin to secure the ribbon in place. Be sure the pins catch the ends of the ribbon so it does not unravel.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have trouble finding a perforated earring disc, punch holes in heavy cardstock or flat, plastic discs.