This is the 2nd post in my “Rondelle Radiance” series, where I challenged myself to design a matching bracelet, earrings, and necklace set using a single package of rondelle crystals of different sizes.
I wanted to utilize all four rondelle sizes for the earrings, so this is the design I came up with. Making both earrings requires six 8x10mm, six 6x8mm, four 4x6mm, and ten 3x4mm rondelles, plus 11/0 TOHO seed beads and two 8/0 seed beads to connect ear hooks via jump rings. I hope you enjoy this design series, and this free beading pattern. Stay tuned for another upcoming free pattern for the Rondelle Radiance Necklace!
Click on the photos below (or the free beading pattern) to zoom in.
If you wish to print the pattern, download it in PDF format:
This design series was inspired by a sale at Michaels on rondelle crystals, packaged in four 7-inch strands of different sized rondelles (8x10mm, 6x8mm, 4x6mm, and 3x4mm). I bought them in several different colors (purple shown here). The packages varied slightly in the number of beads for each size, but generally all packages had a minimum of 23 8x10mm, 29 6x8mm, 37 4x6mm, and 54 3x4mm rondelles.
I thought it would be fun to challenge myself to design a matching bracelet, earrings, and necklace set, using all the beads in the 4 strands (or nearly all). Here is a sneak peak of what I came up with.
FREE beading patterns: Rondelle Radiance matching set
I will post patterns as I finish diagraming them out, but I’ll start with the bracelet (which is my first cuff bracelet design). This bracelet was too wide to close with a traditional lobster clasp, so I tried a 31mm 5-loop slide lock bar clasp (connecting via 3 jump rings to the outer and middle loops). The connection points did not line up perfectly to the loops, but that was solved by using a smaller jump ring to connect to the middle loop, and slightly larger jump rings to connect to the outside loops.
This pattern requires 20 6x8mm, 18 4x6mm, and 40 3x4mm rondelles, plus 11/0 seed beads and six 8/0 seed beads for the jump rings to go through at either end. To finish, you will need a 31mm 5-loop slide lock bar clasp with 2 smaller jump rings (~3mm) and 4 larger jump rings (~6mm). (I created the 3mm jump rings from my 6mm jump rings by snipping about half off and using round nose pliers to close it smaller). This design is constructed with alternating “main” and “secondary” rows, starting and ending with the “main” row. 10 main and 9 secondary rows will make a 7-1/2″ bracelet when using larger/TOHO 11/0 seed beads (like the purple and gold piece). It will be slightly shorter if using smaller Czech 11/0 beads (like the copper/aqua piece, which came out to 7″). I made the light blue piece with 9 main rows and 8 secondary rows for my own smaller wrist, which ended up being also 7″ using TOHO 11/0 beads. You can add alternating rows for length, as long as you end with a “main” row. I hope you enjoy this design series, and this free beading pattern!
Click on the photos below (or the free beading pattern) to zoom in.
If you wish to print the pattern, download it in PDF format:
This is a bracelet design to coordinate with the FREE beading pattern for Floral Butterfly Necklace in my last post. It requires the same materials as the necklace: Superduos and 4mm round beads of the same color (to form the mini-butterflies), and 3 colors of 11/0 seed beads: one color for diamonds (or “leaves”), one for the flower petals, and one for the flower center. You also need a clasp and jump rings to connect through the 8/0 seed bead at both ends. This bracelet pattern makes a small bracelet about 7 1/4″ long (including clasp), which can be extended by continuing the pattern to desired length, ending with an 8/0 seed bead for the jump ring to go through. I think this bracelet would also work nicely as a wrap bracelet (doubling or tripling the length).
I used 6lb Fireline for these bracelets, and found that the thread shows a tiny bit, so smoke/dark Fireline (as in the blue/green and olive/rust pieces) looked a little better than the white/crystal Fireline (in the pink/red piece). Clear thread of some kind would also probably be good. I hope you enjoy this free beading pattern!
FREE beading pattern: Floral Butterfly Bracelet
More Photos and Demo Video
Floral Butterfly Bracelet
Click on the photos below (or the free beading pattern) to zoom in.
Video Tutorial
BeadDiagrams.com has introduced video tutorials! I plan to create tutorials not only for new designs, but for some of my favorite previous designs as well. Subscribe to my YouTube channel so you can be notified when new video tutorials are posted! Leave a comment on the Discussion tab of my YouTube channel to request tutorials of any of my previous designs — I’m taking requests!
Click on the image below to view the video tutorial for this design:
Video tutorial: Floral Butterfly bracelet
PDF Download
If you wish to print the pattern, download it in PDF format:
I am especially fond of this lacy spring/summer design, featuring mini-butterflies and flowers. Besides the 6/0 or 8/0 seed bead at each end for connecting a clasp via jump rings, this pattern requires only Superduos and 4mm round beads of the same color (to form the mini-butterflies), and 3 colors of 11/0 seed beads: one main color (for diamonds or “leaves”), one for the flower petals, and one for the accent (flower center and butterfly head). I found that smaller Czech 11/0 seed beads seemed to work best for the flower petals color, but really Toho will work if that’s all you have. (Delicas are not really round enough for the flowers). Slight size or shape differences in 11/0 seed beads (i.e. Czech vs. Toho) didn’t seem to matter for the other colors. Even though it takes hours to make, I liked this design so much I found myself making 3 of them, just to experiment with different color combinations!
This pattern makes a necklace about 17 inches long. If you need it longer, you can make extra diamond+flower components (steps 8 – 12) in the beginning before the first diamond-with-Superduo component (steps 2 – 3), and after the last/14th diamond-with-Superduo component. Adding an extra diamond+flower component at each end adds about an inch to the whole necklace (1/2-inch each side).
I used 6lb Fireline for these necklaces, and found that the thread shows a tiny bit, so smoke/dark Fireline (as in the blue/green and olive/rust pieces) looked a little better than the white/crystal Fireline (in the pink/red piece). Clear thread of some kind would also probably be good. I hope you enjoy this free beading pattern!
FREE beading pattern: Floral Butterfly Necklace
Click on the photos below (or the free beading pattern) to zoom in.
If you wish to print the pattern, download it in PDF format:
I love this new butterfly necklace design, made from #3 (7mm) bugle beads, 4mm or 6mm beads or crystals, and 8/0 and 15/0 seed beads. You can create one or more butterfly components in a string, then finish off the necklace with jump rings to attach your chain of choice. I got the idea looking at one of my older designs (Bugle Triangles Necklace), and seeing that part of the triangle component looked a bit like a butterfly wing. It took several tries to construct something that resembled a whole butterfly, and to figure out the best thread path, but I am very happy with the result. It is also fairly quick to make. I always use 6lb Fireline when working with bugles, so the thread does not break on the bugles’ edges. I hope you enjoy this free beading pattern!
FREE Beading Pattern: Bugle Butterfly Necklace
Click on the photos below (or the free beading pattern) to zoom in.
If you wish to print the pattern, download it in PDF format:
