This isn’t the first beaded bead I’ve shared here, and I really doubt it will be the last. I love the idea of making large jewelry elements from small components, mostly because there are so many pretty bead combinations that you can make with modern supplies. In this case, I’m using glass pearls in teal and light blue with some iridescent grey seed beads, but I’ve also made this with blue iridescent crystals and matte black seed beads. (There would be a picture here, but it’s impossible to photograph so you can really see it – trust me, I’ve tried a lot.) The beaded bead method used here is surprisingly simple, and even more surprisingly, fairly fast.

Cut the longest piece of thread you can easily work with, thread the needle on, and add 10 seed beads. Be careful not to let them fall off the end.

 

Go back through the seed beads again to make a loop. Leave a long enough tail that you can thread on a needle and weave it in – at least 6 inches/15cm.

 

Go through the loop one more time.

 

Tie the working thread and tail together with a square knot.

 

Add 5 beads to the needle. Skip a bead in the ring, and go through the next.

 

Add another 5 beads, skip a bead on the base ring, and go through the next bead.

 

Do that 3 more times.

 

Go through the first 3 beads in the first loop added.

 

Add a small pearl, then go through the 3rd (center) bead on the next loop.

 

Add another pearl, go through the 3rd seed bead on the next loop. Repeat 3 more times.

 

Go back through this row again, making sure to pull it all up snug.

 

The outside of the bead will look like this. Make sure the tail is on the outside so you can get to it later.

 

The top/inside of the bead will look like this.

 

Pick up 7 seed beads, and go through the next seed bead between pearls.

 

Add 7 more seed beads, and go through the next seed bead between pearls. Do this 3 more times.

 

You’ll have a flower like shape after this row.

 

Go through the first 4 beads of the first loop to step up for the next row.

 

Add a small pearl, then go through the 4th (center) bead in the next loop.

 

Add a small pearl in each gap from the previous row.

 

Go through that pearl and seed bead row again to secure.

 

Add 9 beads for each loop in this row.

 

Go through the first 5 beads to step up this time.

 

Now add large pearls in each gap, and go through the 5th bead in each loop. Be sure to go through the pearl row a second time to secure it.

 

For this row, the loops should be 11 beads long.

 

Stitch through the 6th bead in the loop, and add another row of large pearls between the 6th bead on each loop.

 

And another row of 11 bead loops.

 

Add one more row of large pearls.

 

Now add a row of loops that are each 9 beads long.

 

Now add a row of small pearls between the 5th bead on each loop.

 

Add a row of 7 bead loops.

 

One more row of small pearls between the 4th bead in each loop.

 

Add a row of 5 bead loops.

 

Now add 1 seed bead between the 3rd bead in each of the 5 bead loops.

 

Pull that loop closed, and go through it at least 3 times to make sure it’s sturdy. Weave in your tails, trim the excess, and you’re done!