Thursday, March 9, 2017

Half Tila Herringbone Bracelet


  • 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
  • Half Tila beads "Matte Metallic Dark Bronze" (HT-2006)
  • Half Tila beads "Matte Metallic Patina" (HT-2008)

I finally learned a beading technique that I had wanted to learn for a long time. I've seen photos of these bracelets all over Pinterest and loved the look but I hadn't seen an English video tutorial until just recently. A while back I tried to follow an Italian YouTube tutorial but ended up hopelessly lost and gave up on it. Now I've found three YouTube video tutorials that are in English. They're all very similar but each one does something slightly differently than the others. All three of them use SuperDuos with 11/0 seed beads but I wanted to use Half Tila beads after seeing THIS pretty bracelet pattern for sale on Etsy. The bracelet in the Italian video that I watched is made with Half Tilas. After watching all three of the English videos and trying out the technique for myself, I discovered that I had a PDF pattern on my computer. It's a free one that I got from THIS site. You don't have to buy anything to download the free pattern but you will need to create an account.



UPDATE: I found another pattern for this design HERE on Etsy.

Here are the links to the three English YouTube videos:

How to Stitch Herringbone with Two Hole Beads - Beadaholique

Make a SuperDuo Knit Herringbone Bracelet - Potomac Bead Company

DIY-Herringbone Stitch with SuperDuos - Gail Deluca/Jewel School

HERE is the link to the Italian video that I mentioned. This is the only video that I know of that features Half Tila beads instead of SuperDuos but the method is the same so that doesn't really matter.

If you want to try something a little different, Sam Wescott has a tutorial with her tweaks to the Potomac Beads tutorial HERE.

The technique for using Half Tilas instead of SuperDuos is basically the same except that you need to use 15/0 seed beads instead of 11/0 beads. That is mentioned in one of the videos but I don't remember which one. 


I love the feel of the Half Tila bracelet. It's very smooth and slinky almost like chain mail. I like the width of the Etsy bracelet better than the much wider version that they make in all of the videos so that's how I made my bracelets and most of my samples. At the top of this post you can see the first complete bracelet that I made.



I decided to try adding a button clasp on the first one because I hadn't worked out how to attach another kind of clasp yet. It does work but it's too big and bulky for the thin bracelet. The button probably weighs more than the whole bracelet. On my second bracelet below I added my usual clasp loop and a magnet clasp and it's much better than the button clasp for this particular bracelet. 



Below is the second bracelet that I made.
It's a little tricky guessing the length to make these bracelets and this one came out much too long for me. I will have to re-make it sometime and will remove that odd bead when I do. Can you spot it in the photos at the bottom of this post? There is one that isn't the same color as the rest. That bead had gotten mixed in with the ones that I was using and I couldn't tell them apart in the dim light the night that I made the bracelet.



  • 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
  • 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
  • Half Tila beads "Matte Black" (HT-401F)
  • Half Tila beads "Matte Metallic Copper" (HT-2005)



To make a bracelet the width of mine, it takes about 4 1/2 to 5 grams of Half Tila beads. You'll also need about 2 1/2 to 3 yards of thread and that's plenty for making clasp loops and reinforcing the bracelet. I used Nymo D thread for mine. My bracelets are half an inch wide.



Below is the bead information for the samples that I made:


  • 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
  • Half Tila beads "Matte Black AB" (HT-401FR)
  • Half Tila beads "Metallic Purple Green Iris" (HT-455)

I made the above sample with three rows which is one row wider than all of my others and one row narrower than the ones in the videos. It's still too wide for my taste.




  • 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
  • Half Tila beads "Metallic Dark Bronze" (HT-457)
  • Half Tila beads "Matte Metallic Khaki Iris" (HT-2035)



  • 15/0 seed beads "Hematite" (no info available)
  • Half Tila beads "Light Amethyst Gold Luster" (HT-316)
  • Half Tila beads "Purple Gray Rainbow Luster" (HT-1898)



  • 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
  • Half Tila beads "Opaque Lilac Gold" (HT-1867)
  • Half Tila beads "Metallic Dark Bronze" (HT-457)

After making lots of samples with Half Tila beads, I decided to give SuperDuos a try. As it turns out, I'm not keen on the SuperDuo version even though I like how they look in the photos that I've seen online. The stitching seems very loose and I don't like the feel of the bracelet very well. I might give it one more go sometime as a very narrow bracelet and see how I like it that way. Below are two samples that I made using SuperDuos. One has traditional SuperDuo beads and I made the other one with the smooth kind of SuperDuos.




  • 11/0 seed beads Toho "Bright Bronze" (221)
  • SuperDuo beads "Matte Purple Gold Iris"



  • 11/0 seed beads Toho "Metallic Bronze Antique Gold" (225)
  • Smooth SuperDuo beads "Picasso Collage Mix"






26 comments:

  1. You've certainly been busy trying out all these herringbone variations. I like the look of the half tila ones better than the super duos but guess they both have a place depending on what effect you like.

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    1. The SuperDuo ones have the feel of a very loosely knit sweater but perhaps I just didn't pull my thread tight enough. Maybe I'll give them another go some day.

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  2. I've made the superduo version, using 8 lb Fireline, which gave it more body. I love the look of the half-tila! especially the very last one, subtle and classy!
    I also like to use buttons because of their uniqueness and often the weight will make the bracelet hang "right". if the clasp is too light-weight it always ends up on top of my wrist.

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    1. Yes, I'd probably go with a button clasp on the SuperDuo version. I should get some 8 lb Fireline one of these days.

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  3. I made a couple of these with the half tilas a year or so ago and love them. I used flat glue in magnetic clasps and they were a little wider than yours. They almost feel like leather to me, very slinky. I've made them with superduos too but I wear the half tila ones more often.

    This one is a bronze/khaki colour and the one I wear the most: https://www.facebook.com/JewelleryByJanine/photos/a.255605591250852.1073741831.251140198364058/643975082413899/?type=3&theater

    and this one is a matte grey colour: https://www.facebook.com/JewelleryByJanine/photos/a.255605591250852.1073741831.251140198364058/626923404119067/

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    1. I love them both, Janine, and those clasps are perfect for that bracelet because they cover the jagged ends. Do they make them in smaller widths?

      In case anyone wants to see Janine's bracelets, here are click-able links to them:

      Bronze/Khaki Bracelet

      Matte Grey Bracelet

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    2. Thanks. I made one for my mum in a thinner width in a kind of matte denimy blue colour (can't remember which colour that is) and she loves it. I just look for nice clasps made for leather when I'm looking on Etsy etc. I was concerned that the clasps may be too heavy and the beads might break but so far so good, they're still going strong.

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  4. Those are nice. Although I am a fan of Superduos, I agree the Half Tilas look better here. I have carts going at FMG and Artbeads so I will probably throw in some Half Tilas and play around with this.

    It's funny how different people learn. I absolutely hate watching videos to learn beading (or any crafting) techniques, but clearly they are useful to others! I prefer diagrams (and also sometimes just trying to figure things out from looking at a finished piece).

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    1. I also prefer to learn from a diagram or text instructions but the videos are free and I didn't want to buy a pattern. If I had remembered that I had that PDF tutorial on my computer I probably would have tried that first.

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  5. FYI, it also works well with Rulla beads (Potomac has a video for this version).

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    1. I got an email from someone who said that it works great with CzechMates Bricks too.

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    2. I did one with the bricks and it came out nice...nice feel to it. TY for you comments on the SD one and it's feel. Here is link to my photo gallery with pix and list of materials used. I use this photo hosting site for my jewelry since I can put detail comments under the pix. http://www.pbase.com/cits_4_pets/image/165376606

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  6. Ooh, thank you. I especially love the look of the Picasso Mix.

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  7. I have tried to get the free pattern, which, by the way, is only free with a purchase. I purchased beads from the site you suggested, but I have no pattern! Can't make the bracelet without it. This is so frustrating. They said there would be a link, but nothing comes up. Any suggestions?

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    1. I just checked that site and you still don't have to buy anything to get the free pattern. I just did it again and it worked. When you log into your account, go to "My Downloadable Products". Under Title (not Order #), you'll see "Half Tila Herringbone Pattern Half Tila Herringbone Pattern". The second version of the pattern name is clickable. When you click it, it downloads the PDF file.

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  8. Which is the site that has the pdf pattern for the half tila herringbone? Your bracelets are beautiful and the colours look gorgeous!

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    1. Hi Cherie. There are links to one free pattern and two patterns that you can buy in the first paragraph above.

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  9. I love your works in general. I love your choices of colors and also your creative and special patterns. I wish you would made a few video tutorials. thank you, nira

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    1. Thank you, Nira. Unfortunately, I don't have any way to make videos.

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  10. Just wanted to thank you for mentioning how many half tilas the narrow bracelet requires. I've started this bracelet a few times with superduos but thought there was just too much thread showing, so didn't continue. Now I want to order some half tilas so I'm happy to know how many I'll need. (PS off topic, I'm down 50lbs on low carb! ☺)

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  11. Hi, I've seen a picture on Pinterest of a bracelet similar to this but it had SuperDuos in the middle and Half Tilas on the outsides, I would like to give it a try but can't find the pattern. Do you think it would work following your pattern, what adjustments do you think would be required, if any. I love your patterns.

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    1. Hi Val. I haven't seen a bracelet made with that combination of beads and I have no idea how they made it work because SuperDuos are so much larger than Half Tila beads. It is likely that they had to do quite a bit of tweaking or maybe they used MiniDuos instead of SuperDuos.

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    2. Hi I've found the picture of the bracelet and I tried to send you the link but couldn't, and also can't send the picture. I suppose its possible that MiniDuos were used, but I honestly don't know. I suppose I could try switching the centre Half Tilas with MiniDuos to see how it turns out.
      Keep up the good work with your patterns, I have quite a few I would like to make , the hard part at the moment is deciding on bead colours.

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  12. I would like to purchase this pattern

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    1. I don't have a pattern of my own but there are lots of links to tutorials for this bracelet in my post above. I also blogged about a good video tutorial here:

      https://craftyinspirationbylinda.blogspot.com/2019/06/2-hole-herringbone-bracelet-video.html

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