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Making a seed bead floral chain


Awhile ago, I was trying to work out an idea that I had for a necklace strap.  I never ended up using the results for that necklace (doesn't it figure?), but I do like the pattern I came up with.  Probably someone has worked this out before, but I don't know who, or what it would be called.  If you recognize it, please let me know...all I can say is that I came up with it independently and am calling it a Floral Chain.

I used size 6/0s and 8/0s so that it would be easier to photograph.  After trying it out, if you'd like to make it smaller and more delicate, feel free to experiment with 8/0s and 11/0s, or with 11/0s and 15/0s.    


1. Pick up 10 6/0 seed beads and form a circle.  Tie a knot and pass through 2 more beads.



2. Add 3 8/0 seed beads and stitch picots over every other 6/0 bead in the base row, five times.  After the fifth picot with 8/0s, pass through 2 6/0 beads, exiting from one of the beads underneath a picot.  Pass the needle out from the back of the link.




3. Pick up 9 6/0s and make a circle up and over the first link.  Pass the needle back through the first 6/0 bead in the circle, which is the bead from the previous link.  Pass the needle from front to back, exiting out the back of the link again. 



4. Flip the links over and pass the needle through 2 more 6/0 beads in the new link.  Add 3 8/0s and stitch picots over every other 6/0, 3 times. 

5. Flip the links over again, and create another picot, passing through the 6/0 from the previous link. 

6. Flip the links over again, and add one more picot to complete the link.

7. Pass the needle through 4 more 6/0s in the circle and bring the needle out from the back to start the next link. 



8. Repeat steps 3 through 7 as many times as needed.    

Copyright 2010 Cyndi Lavin. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distributed electronically provided that entire file, including this notice, remains intact.

The Best Seed Bead Books:

The Art & Elegance of Beadweaving by Carol Wilcox Wells
Art of Seed Beading by Elizabeth Gourley
Bead Romantique by Lisa Kan
Beading With Brick Stitch by Diane Fitzgerald
Beading With Herringbone Stitch by Vicki Star
Beading With Peyote Stitch by Jeannette Cook
Beading With Right Angle Weave by Christine Prussing
Creative Bead Weaving by Carol Wilcox Wells
Zulu Beaded Chain Techniques by Diane Fitzgerald
Seed Bead Fusion by Rachel Nelson-Smith



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Comments

Thank you, very pretty!!!
Cyndi L said…
Thank you! I hope people will find it useful :-)
Lisa Caryl said…
Wonderful tutorial Cindy. I think I'm going to try it out tonight with smaller beads. Also found a link to your beaded bauble tut. Such a cool idea! I want to try that on a flat disk type bead-hoping my idea will work..
Cyndi L said…
I hope it will work out the way you want! I'd love to see pictures of what you make if you'd like to share them :-)
It is lovely and - no, I've never seen the pattern before.

Wouldn't it look gorgeous sewn around the neckline of an evening dress?
Cyndi L said…
Oh, that's a GREAT idea. I can see it in the smaller bead sizes, looking like a lace border :-)
Chloe said…
What a perfect project for the first day of spring! I had forgotten how much fun it is to make beaded daisy chains - I may need to try your pattern out...
I love this, Cyndi... as well as doing it on a smaller scale to look like lace, I think it would be fabulous done in dramatic and large beads to look spectacularly ethnic.
Beautiful!
Cyndi L said…
Thank you, Chloe! Enjoy ;-)
Cyndi L said…
Noreen, I can see some applications in smaller sizes for your dolls :-)
Jeannie said…
Perfect project for this rainy Sunday morning. Thanks for the tut Cyndi.
Cyndi L said…
Thank you, Jeannie! I hope you have fun with it...and that the rain passes quickly :-)
Lisa Crone said…
This is such a fun looking project...fun to make and wear! I like the idea that once you master the pattern, you can create it in so many different colors. :)
Cyndi L said…
Those are Miyuki brand. I've got several seed bead seller linked at this post:
http://www.beading-arts.com/2007/11/seed-bead-suppliers.html

The very first one on the list, WhimBeads, has lots of 6/0 colors available :-) I'd love to see a picture of your chain when you're finished!