Free Beading Pattern - Toni Earrings

TONI EARRINGS

• 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Duracoat Galvanized Champagne" (4204)
• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Duracoat Galvanized Champagne" (4204)
• DiamonDuo beads "Matte Gold"
• DiamonDuo beads "Pastel Burgundy"

I wanted to make some earrings to go with my "Tammy" bracelets. I searched Google and Pinterest for DiamonDuo earring patterns but didn't see anything that went well with my "Tammy" bracelet. I wanted to keep them simple and use only DiamonDuos and seed beads like I did with the bracelet. So, I came up with these diamond shaped earrings that go great with "Tammy" and they even have an accent color in the center of the motif like the bracelet has.

You can download my free "Tammy Bracelet" pattern from THIS post.

You can use either Miyuki and Toho seed beads to make these earrings. Adjustments for Toho beads are given in the pattern.

Click HERE to download the free pattern.

If you like this pattern, please consider making a voluntary donation through PayPal using the DONATE button on the right.

NOTE: I don't mind if you sell the projects that you make with my patterns, but please mention that you got the pattern from Linda's Crafty Inspirations. Please contact me for information about teaching this or any of our other patterns in a class.

• 11/0 seed beads Toho "Nickel Plated" (711)
• 8/0 seed beads Toho "Nickel Plated" (711)
• DiamonDuo beads "Jet Matte"
• DiamonDuo beads "Concrete Gray"

• 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Metallic Chocolate" (461)
• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Metallic Chocolate" (461)
• DiamonDuo beads "Turquoise Bronze"
• DiamonDuo beads "Coral Bronze"

BLOGGER PROBLEM
 
I noticed this morning that my list of free patterns and other lists have gone missing from the right hand side of my blog. I checked the Blogger help forum and read that they are working to restore these missing "gadgets" but it will probably take a few days.

Romantic Era Calendar for October 2016

I'm posting October's calendar a day early so that I can take the weekend off from blogging.

Evangelina Earrings - Arula Earrings with Pinch Beads

If you're like me, you've got beads that you're not all that crazy about that are just sort of taking up space in your stash. I'm always on the lookout for ways to use up beads such as Rullas, Pinch beads, O-Beads, Kheops par Puca beads, Crescent beads and other unusually shaped beads. I think that these earrings are a lovely way to use up some of my stash of Rulla beads and Pinch beads.

I blogged about the original "Arula Earrings" tutorial before HERE. I've also blogged a couple of times about my variation where I replaced the Rulla beads with druks. When I saw ADwade's "Evangelina Earrings" in her shop HERE and HERE, I recognized that the design was basically the "Arula" pattern with a few changes. Click HERE to see the original free "Arula Earrings" tutorial.

Here's a photo of one of the original "Arula" earrings from my previous post so that you can compare it with the Pinch bead version.

For the Pinch bead version, you use six Rulla beads instead of eight. Everything else stays pretty much the same except that you need to switch the 15/0 beads with 11/0 beads, and vice versa, in a couple of steps. The Pinch beads replace the druks in the original tutorial. The top loop of my original "Arula" sample earring is my own idea as is the loop on my Pinch bead earrings.

• 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• Rulla beads "Chalk Lazure Blue"
• Pinch beads "Chalk Blue Luster"

• 15/0 seed beads Toho "Metallic Hematite" (81)
• 11/0 seed beads Toho "Metallic Hematite" (81)
• 8/0 seed beads Toho "Metallic Hematite" (81)
• Rulla beads "Opaque Amethyst Luster"
• Pinch beads "Polychrome Orchid Aqua"

• 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• Rulla beads "Chalk Green Luster"
• Pinch beads "Bronze"

• 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Light Bronze" (457L)
• 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Light Bronze" (457L)
• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Light Bronze" (457L)
• Rulla beads "Aztec Gold"
• Pinch beads "Opaque Rose Gold Topaz Luster"

 

Playing with my beads...Dante Earrings

I saw these on YouTube and thought they were unusual enough to give them a try. The video is in Italian but it's pretty easy to see how to make them. Click HERE to watch Francesca's tutorial. Although this pattern isn't available there, she also has an Etsy shop HERE where she sells beaded earring patterns. She has a lot of very pretty patterns so check it out. Most of them are available in English too. If you go to THIS link on her Facebook page, there is a pretty pair of these earrings that have drop beads added. She also used rondelles in that pair instead of the bicones that she uses in the video.

When I made my sample earrings, I added an 8/0 seed bead at the top of them for attaching jump rings. I also had to change the number of seed beads in a couple of spots because I used Miyuki beads. Using rondelles or druks instead of bicones might also affect the number of seed beads that you'll need.

I don't think that this is mentioned in the video but you really need to reinforce these at least once in each round or they'll be too soft. You'll especially want to reinforce the initial circle of beads several times and also the outer perimeter. As you are reinforcing the perimeter, I suggest doing a "reverse" stitch around the two lower Candy beads to help keep the netting in place. I don't know of an official name for this technique and "reverse stitch" seems applicable. To do this, weave through the seed beads that go around the outer edge of a Candy bead then insert your needle through the outer hole of the Candy bead going in reverse direction. Then, go back through the seed beads again in the original direction. This really makes a difference and sort of attaches the netting to the Candy beads. I use this technique a lot when there is netting going around large beads like this.

• 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• 8mm 2-hole Candy Beads "White Alabaster Pink Terracotta"
• SuperDuo beads "Halo Persian Pink"
• 3mm bicones "Light Topaz AB" (Chinese)

I made this pink sample first to try out the tutorial. I've decided that I don't like the way it looks with transparent/translucent beads. It just looks like a jumble of beads. These 3mm Chinese bicones are much larger than Swarovski 3mm bicones so they kind of bulge up in the center of the earring.

• 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• 8mm 2-hole Candy Beads "White Alabaster Vega"
• SuperDuo beads "Chalk Vega Luster"
• 3mm druks "Lila Vega Luster"

For my next sample, I used all opaque beads and I think this looks much nicer. However, I think there are too many purple beads and they make it look kind of boring.

• 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• 8mm 2-hole Candy Beads "White Alabaster Vega"
• SuperDuo beads "Crystal Gold Luster"
• 3mm druks "Lila Vega Luster"

This time I used mostly the same purple beads but switched the SuperDuos out with bronze ones. It's not bad but I don't think there's quite enough purple this time and too much bronze.

• 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• 8mm 2-hole Candy Beads "White Alabaster Vega"
• SuperDuo beads "Chalk Vega Luster"
• 3mm druks "Bronze"

Lastly, I switched out the purple druks with bronze ones and went back to purple SuperDuos. This sample is my favorite. It doesn't look as cluttered as the last one and everything is nicely outlined by the bronze beads.

Belle of the Ball Earrings - Helpful Diagrams

Belle of the Ball Earrings

I've been getting a lot of questions from beaders who are having trouble following the "Belle of the Ball Earrings" tutorial that's on THIS site. (UPDATE: Unfortunately, this pattern is no longer available) The main problem is that the earring in the tutorial photos was made with transparent beads and there is a lot of glare on them. To clarify the first few steps, I've edited a few of the photos to help you get started.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5 (note path to start step 6)

Step 6 thru 8 - When adding the purple beads, you only go through the two middle red beads of each group of four and go up and around through the three outer green beads of each picot.

 

Bracelet of the Day: Canterbury - Alexandrite Moon Dust

CANTERBURY BRACELET

• 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Duracoat Galvanized Pewter" (4222)
• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Duracoat Galvanized Pewter" (4222)
• 6mm fire polished beads "Milky Alexandrite Moon Dust"
• 4mm druks "Pacifica Elderberry"

These Milky Alexandrite Moon Dust fire polished beads go perfectly with the Elderberry druks. They're an unusual shade of purple so I was lucky to have something in my stash that matched them. I think that these "Belle of the Ball" earrings go very nicely with the bracelet because both pieces feature some of the same kinds of beads and both have scalloped edging.

BELLE OF THE BALL EARRINGS

• 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Duracoat Galvanized Pewter" (4222)
• 3mm druks "Pacifica Elderberry"
• 4mm druks "Pacifica Elderberry"
• 6mm druks "Pacifica Elderberry"

You can buy Nancy Peterson's "Canterbury Bracelet" pattern HERE. UPDATE 3/9/2021: Nancy is no longer selling her beading patterns but she has graciously allowed me to post her "Canterbury Bracelet" pattern on my blog as a free download. To download a copy, please visit THIS post.  You can get these Pacifica druks at Queen City Bead. You'll find the free "Belle of the Ball Earrings" tutorial HERE.

 

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Bracelet of the Day: Demoiselle Bracelet - Chalk Copper

DEMOISELLE BRACELET

• 11/0 seed beads Toho "Metallic Bronze Iris" (83)
• 8/0 seed beads Toho "Metallic Bronze Iris" (83)
• 6mm 2-hole cabochons "Jet Valentinite Full"
• SuperDuo beads "Chalk Copper Picasso"
• 3mm druks "Matte Siam Ruby Bronze Picasso"
• 3mm druks "Green Luster"

Today's bracelet is a grungier version of Sam Wescott's "Demoiselle Bracelet" made with 6mm 2-hole cabochons. I bought these cabs at a local bead shop when they had a 40% off sale on all 2-hole beads recently. The color goes perfectly with these Toho bronze iris seed beads. Miyuki's "Metallic Brown Iris" (458) would also go very well with them. I used the Toho beads because they're larger which allows them to fill the gaps between the beads better. Both colors are close to the same except that Toho's blend is mostly browns and Miyuki's has a lot more purple beads in the mix.

You can buy Samantha Wescott's pattern in her Etsy shop HERE.