Bronzed Bridal Earrings
Hello and welcome to Part 1 of the April Project ~ Bronzed Bridal Earrings.
This month, we are going to expand on the techniques used in the Pearls on the Halfshell Series last month.
You will use Tubular Herringbone Stitch to create the teardrop component. Learn how to close the Bead Work and add the large Pearls in the center.
Once the Bead Weaving is complete, you will learn how to make a Balled Head Pin on a long piece of Wire. Then I will show you how to turn that into a unique and beautiful Earring wire. We will make our own Jump Rings too.
And finally we will construct the Earrings from all of our components.
Project Outline
- Intro – Materials and Tools
- The Bead Weaving
- Making the Balled Head Pins
- Forming the Jump Rings and Ear Wires – Finishing the Earrings
Tools and Materials for Part 1
- 2 – 12 mm Swarovski or Preciosa Glass Pearls – Bronze
- 128 – 8/0 Miyuki Seed Beads – Antique Ivory Pearl Ceylon
- 128 – 11/0 Toho Seed Beads Gold Luster Transparent Pink
- 4 – 8/0 Toho Seed Beads – Rose Gold Galvanized Permafinish
- 4 ft. – .006 Fireline Beading Thread – Crystal
- Size 10 or 11 Beading Needle
- Scissors or Thread Burner
Creating the Base
Herringbone Stitch always begins with a base of beads, Ladder Stitched together.
For this project, we begin with a 2 bead high Ladder of 8/0 and 11/0 seed beads.
If you need help with this Technique, check out:
The working thread should be exiting the bottom of the last two 11/0’s added.
Close the beads into a tubular shape by passing up through the first two 8/0’s, back down through the last two 11/0’s and back up through the first two 8/0’s once more.
Once completed, you will have added a thread bridge at the top and the bottom of the first and last rows the base beads. This is called closing the Bead Work.
Forming the Component
The project calls for 32 rows of Tubular Herringbone stitched for each earring.
By starting with a 2 bead high Ladder base, we already have 2 rows completed.
Herringbone is stitched in columns. In our current project, we have 2 columns. One of 8/0 beads and one of 11/0 beads.
Each row consists of adding beads to both columns and a step up in between each.
The last step up on each round will be to pass up through the bead of the previous row and the new bead added at the beginning of the round.
The working thread is exiting the top of an 8/0. I am left handed and sew towards the right so the thread is exiting the 8/0 on the left.
Stitch 30 rows of Tubular Herringbone as follows:
- Pick up two 8/0 beads and pass down the next 8/0 on the base.
- Step up the next 11/0 bead.
- Pick up two 11/0 beads and pass down the next 11/0 on the base.
- Step up through the next two 8/0’s on the base.
By using two different size beads in the columns, the bead work will take on a natural curve.
It is very important to remember the last step up in each round is through 2 beads or the bead work will start to twist.
Closing the Component
Once you have completed the last row of Tubular Herringbone Stitch and stepped up, the working thread will be exiting the top of an 8/0 bead.
Again, because I am left handed and sew to the right, my thread is exiting the bead on the left side of my 8/0 column.
We want to close the 11/0 column first so we must get into position.
My thread is now exiting the 11/0 on the left side of the column.
Sew down through the three 11/0 beads on the opposite side of the bead work on the left column.
Pull the thread and bring the two ends together for a seamless closure.
Sew down three 11/0’s across to the opposite side of the bead work once more.
Step up through the next three 8/0 beads on this side of the bead work.
Now we want to create a slight point to the top of the component.
To do this, we are going to add a Rose Gold 8/0 bead between each side of the 8/0 column.
Note that my thread is once again exiting the top of the bead on the left side of the 8/0 column.
Pick up 8/0 Rose Gold and sew down three 8/0’s across the center on the left side of column.
Sew up through three 8/0 beads to the right side of column on this side of the bead work.
As we add the last bead we are going to also get into position to add the Pearl.
Pick up an 8/0 Rose Gold and sew across the center down Eleven 8/0 beads on the right side of the column.
You may have to do this in more than one step.
Adding the Pearl
Next we will add the pearl but we want to connect it to the innermost 11/0 beads.
Our stitching will be through the 11th bead down from the top on each side.
The working thread is exiting the 11th 8/0 Ivory bead on the front of the bead work.
Get into position by passing up one 11/0 on the front side of the bead work
Pick up a Pearl and carry it down the center of the component.
Sew down through the 11th and 12th 11/0’s on the right side of the bead work on the front.
Pass the needle through the center of the bead work below the pearl and thread bridge you just created.
Sew up through the 12 and 11th beads on the back side and sew through the pearl again.
Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, Sew down beads 11 and 12 on the opposite side
To end the thread, you can either weave the thread off or tie half hitch knots.
Either way, it will be easier to use the larger 8/0 beads on the outer edge of the bead work.
With the thread now exiting the 12 bead on the right side of the back, stitch up through the 12th 8/0 bead.
If you decide to weave the thread off, make sure to change directions several times to secure the thread completely before cutting it.
If you use half hitch knots, remember to move away from your last knot before cutting the thread.
Repeat the entire process to create the second earring component.
Meet me back here later for Part 2 of the project – Making a Balled Head Pin.