Basic plum blossom bead

Note: You will begin by making the simplest beaded beads before making beads that include seed beads. This first beaded bead is made of 30 2mm round copper beads.

1. String five beads onto a 24-in. length of SuppleMax™ cord and slide them to the center of the strand (Fig. 1). Pass the right end of the cord through bead #1 and pull snug (Fig. 2). The beads will form a star. Adjust the bead group to the middle of the cord.
   

   Fig. 1	Fig. 2

2. String four beads onto the left cord tail (Fig. 3). Note: Throughout the bead-making process, add beads to the left cord tail and make a crossover with the right cord tail through the last bead added. Adding on the left and crossing over with the right tail maintains equal tail lengths throughout. As you work, hold the beads away from you and cord ends closest to you.
   

   Fig. 3

   
   
3. Pass the right cord tail through bead #9 in the opposite direction and pull snug (Fig. 4). The two ends are making a crossover.
   

   Fig. 4

4. Run the right cord tail through the bead to its right (bead #5). At this point, there should be two beads sitting between the two tails and the cord between those two beads will form a triangle (Fig. 5). This triangle will form now as each bead group is added and connected for the remainder of the bead assembly.
   

   Fig. 5

   
   
5. String three beads onto the left cord tail (Fig. 6). Pass the right tail through bead #12, creating the crossover. Run the right tail through bead #4 (Fig. 7).
   

   Fig. 6	Fig. 7

6. Repeat step 5 two more times. After the two repeats, pass the right tail through the TWO beads directly to the right of the last crossover. Now there will be three beads sitting between the two tail ends: bead #18, bead #2, and bead #6 (Fig. 8).
   

   Fig. 8

7. String two beads onto the left tail. Execute the crossover in bead #20. Connect to the right through bead #7. Two beads are sitting between the cord tails (Fig. 9). At this point, the beads will form a cup shape and you will have finished one half of the bead (Fig. 10).
   

   Fig. 9	Fig. 10

8. Add three beads to the left tail. Cross over in bead #23 (Fig. 11). This bead group will stand above the first half of the beaded bead cup.
   

   Fig. 11

   
   
9. Run the right tail through the two adjacent beads on the right. You are now decreasing and forming the second half of the bead. Add two beads on the left and make crossover in bead #25 (Fig. 12).

Fig. 12

10. Repeat step 9 two more times. Upon completion of the second repeat, there will be a gap with eight beads around the opening (Fig. 13). There should be one bead remaining from the original 30.
    

    Fig. 13

11. Add bead #30 to the left tail and run that tail through the four beads on the left of gap. Run the right tail through the four beads on the right with #30 being the exit bead. The tails now intersect (Fig. 14). Tie a square knot and firm the entire bead up with a tug. Run the tails into two or three adjacent beads in different directions and snip the ends.
    

    Fig. 14

12. Make two more beaded beads using 4mm fire-polished caramel beads, and make three beaded beads using 4mm fire-polished green marble beads.

5-petal beaded bead

1. String three rice beads onto a 20-in. length of SuppleMax™ cord and center the beads on the strand. Cross over with the right cord tail through the bead on the left (Fig. 15). These beads will form a triangle when snugged up tight. Center the beads on the cord.
   
   Fig. 15

2. String a rice bead onto both cord ends. Cross the right tail through the far left bead just added (Fig. 16).
   
   Fig. 16
   

3. Repeat step 2 two more times. After crossing the right tail through the left bead on the second repeat, continue with that same tail and pass through the adjacent point bead in the first group of three toward the exterior side.

4. Add the last exterior bead on the left tail and cross through that bead with the right tail (Fig. 17). A five-petal flower shape will be formed with beads completing a circle around the flower. One half is completed.
   
   
   Fig. 17
5. Add one bead to each cord tail. Cross the right tail through the left bead just added and continue that same tail through the exterior bead in the next bead group (Fig. 18).
   
   
   Fig. 18
   
6. Add one bead on the left tail and make the crossover in the added bead with the right tail (Fig. 19). Direct the tail closest to the exterior circle through the adjacent exterior bead.
   
   
   Fig. 19
   
7. Repeat step 6 twice. The exterior bead isn’t added on the second side of the five-petal beaded bead, but the cord must always go through the next exterior bead as you work around building the bead and getting ready for the next bead add.

8. Upon completion of the second repeat, pass the tail through the adjacent bead of the center five, bringing that filament out to the side to meet up with the other tail (Fig. 20). Tie a square knot with the two tails.
   
            
   Fig. 20
9. Going in a different direction with each tail, run the tails through two or three adjacent beads and cut the ends off.

Adding seed beads

1. Position a seed bead between each rice bead as the connections are made and beads are added. When finished, five seed beads will be in the center on both sides and four beads will be between the petal points and exterior beads for a total of 30 seed beads (Fig. 21).
               
   Fig. 21

2. Create two five-petal beaded beads using moss agate rice beads and brown seeds, and two using copper rice beads and green seeds.

Bracelet assembly

1. Create a wrapped loop (with a 1/8-in.-diameter loop) on one end of a 3-in. piece of 20-ga. wire
   (see Technique Guide).

2. String sixteen size 11/0 seed beads, a 4mm fire-polished bead, and one more seed bead onto a length of beading thread. Skip the last seed added, pass back through the remaining beads, and wrap the thread around the dangling loop of the wire wrap twice.

3. Using the same thread, repeat step 2 six times (or more if desired) to create more fringe.

4. To create a collar, PT the first two seed beads added on one fringe, add a seed bead in a contrasting color, and PT the third bead in that fringe length. PT the contrasting seed bead in a wrapping motion, add two contrasting beads, and then wrap thread through the neighbor fringe’s third seed and the last contrasting seed added. Continue adding two seed beads and wrapping the last one added to the next fringe’s third bead until the circumference of the fringe group is completed. Tie off thread.

5. Add an 8mm copper spacer to the straight end of the 20-ga. wire, and wire wrap this end of the wire to the toggle.

6. String a crimp tube and 10-15 olive seeds onto a 12-in. length of Beading Wire. Pass the Wire end through the ring end of the toggle, and then through the crimp tube. Pull gently to snug the beads up, and then crimp the crimp tube. Repeat to add a second piece of Beading Wire.

7. String six olive seed beads onto each Wire, and run the Wires wide apart through both sides of one round bead made of 4mm beads. Note: The seed beads strung into the interior of the beaded beads serve two purposes: to act as spacers to keep the correct distances when snugged up, and to cover the Wire in the interior of the beaded beads. Position the Wire through the beaded bead so a majority of the bead will ride high on the Wire. Guide the Wires through a larger five-bead opening opposite the entry point.

8. Add a five-petal green agate beaded bead, running both Wires through the point where four beads meet. Note: You can guide the Wires through any opening. Add nine brown seed beads to each Wire. Guide one Wire through one of the two points opposite the entry point, and guide the other Wire through the one next to it. (Use a #5 crochet hook to go in through the exit point and pull the Wire out.) The Wire will be forming a triangle inside of the five-petal bead.

9. Add one Czech rust cube bead and six caramel seeds to each Wire. Run the wires parallel through the 4mm caramel beaded bead, keeping the Wires wide apart along the outside periphery. Add a Czech rust cube bead to each Wire.

10. Guide a Wire through one point of the copper five-petal bead. Run the other Wire through the point directly next to where the other Wire entered. Add nine forest green seed beads to each Wire and exit through one point opposite the entry points. A Wire triangle inside the beaded bead will be formed.

11. Add two size 8/0 seeds to each Wire. String a crimp tube over both Wires, snug the Wires up evenly, and crimp the Wires together. Note: Crimping at this point stabilizes the bracelet and facilitates stringing. Direct both Wires through one of the green marble round beaded beads.

12. Repeat steps 7-11 in reverse to complete the stringing sequence.

13. String one 8mm copper spacer bead and one Czech rust cube bead over both Wires to create space for the side of the Toggle to rest when the bar is in place.

14. String a crimp tube and 10-15 olive seeds (or enough to fit around the bar end of the toggle) onto each Wire. Loop the Wires around the toggle bar, and then crimp each crimp tube.

15. If desired, create and wire wrap a few dangles from the round end of the Toggle Clasp to finish
    (see Technique Guide).