Beaded Flowers - Day One

If you saw my Keishi Pearl bracelet in the February/March 2004 issue of Beadwork Magazine, you saw large loopy flowers created on a single circle, not a two-bead peyote start. That was then, this is now. Today I'm going to do a simple "loopy" flower with 11/0 seed beads and the two-row peyote start as explained "In The Beginning."



Here's the starting circle with two rows of peyote and 5 beads in the round. I've used two different metallic beads for the rows. I start adding loops on the inner or first row of the circle as shown in the diagram.


String on 5 beads and take the needle back through the same bead and then through the next bead in the inner row as shown by the arrow. In other words, skip the bead in the outer row and go through the next one on the inner row. This snugs up the inner row as you proceed around adding the loops.

Start adding the loops to the outer row of beads. I always work from the back, adding the next size loop all the way around. It's a lot easier for me to get to this bead than to work from the front and try and get to the next bead that needs a loop. The diagram shows a 9-bead loop, the photo shows an 11-bead loop. It can be any size you want.

Skip the bead from the inner circle and take the needle through the next bead in the outer row as shown at the arrow. Complete adding the loops all the way around.



You can stop here if you want or you can continue adding loops until the flower is as full as you want. I usually make each succeeding loop larger by four to six beads; I like an odd count for these loops.


If you want a lot of loops, use a #10 Delica or an 8/0 on the outer inital ring and use a lighter weight thread. I used moss Wildfire on the yellow/peach flower, and I had some trouble getting the needle through for the second loop. I used 4-lb crystal Fireline on the yellow flower--a better choice.





Fusion Beads posted a new tutorial for a right-angle-weave beaded bead today. It looks great made with crystals.