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98

Bead&Button

 

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beadandbutton.com

Use a favorite stitch to make a trendy piece of jewelry

designed by

MaikoKage

Large links of chain seem to be everywhere in fashion  

lately, and here’s an interesting way to stitch them. Work 

around the circumference of a ring of beads as if making a 

wheel. Then do it again from the same base row. Sew the 

two halves together to form sturdy circular and oval links.

You can dramatically change the look of this 
piece by choosing seed beads in different 
sizes and colors.

Peyote stitch links

form an intricate

chain

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a

b

c

d

e

a

b

c

[ c ]

beadandbutton.com

|

August2006

99

step

by

step

Circular link

Beads in the photos and 
illustrations are shown in 
several colors for clarity.

[

1]

On 2 yd. (1.8m) of 

thread, center 40 color A  
110 seed beads. Tie the beads 
into a ring with a square 
knot (Basics, p. 140). Sew 
through the next A  

(figure 1, a–b)

[

2]

Work in peyote stitch 

(Basics) by picking up an A, 
skipping an A on the ring, 
and sewing through the next 
A. Continue until you get 
back to the first A in this step. 
Sew through the A to step up 
to the next round 

(b–c)

[

3]

Work an increase in the 

next round by picking up 
two As instead of one in 
every other stitch 

(c–d)

[

4]

Work the next round, 

using one A per stitch and 
sewing through both increase 
beads on the previous round 

(d–e

 and 

photo a)

.

[

5]

Set aside the working 

thread, and thread a needle 
on the tail. Work two rounds 
of peyote off the first row, 
remembering to step up 

(photo b)

.

[

6]

Repeat steps 3 and 4, 

making sure the increases 
match the increases on the 
existing rounds 

(photo c)

[

7]

With the thread exiting a 

single A on the last round, 

pick up two As, and sew 
through the next single A on 
the opposite edge 

(figure 2, 

a–b)

. Pick up one A, and sew 

through the next single A on 
the opposite edge 

(b–c

 and  

photo d)

.

[

8]

Continue around the 

ring until you reach the first 
As added in step 7. Sew 
through them, and continue, 
sewing through the As  
opposite the ones you sewed 
through in the last round.

[

9]

Secure the tails using 

half-hitch knots (Basics) 
between beads. Make six  
circular links. 

Materials

bracelet 8 in. (20cm)

• 66–8mmroundgemstone
 beads
• 123mmbiconecrystals
• size110Japaneseseed

beads
30gcolorA
30gcolorB

• NymoB
• beadingneedles,#13

earrings

• 44mmpearls
• 26mmroundcrystals
• 5g150Japaneseseed
 beads
• NymoB
• beadingneedles,#13
• 24mmsolderedjumprings
• pairofearringfindings
• chainnosepliers

figure 3

figure 2

figure 1

chain

[ a ]

[ b ]

[ d ]

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[ f ]

[ e ]

Toggle

[

1

]

On 2 yd. of thread, 

make a flat, odd-count  
peyote strip 21 As long and 
six rows wide (Basics and 

figure 3

). 

[

2]

Sew the first row to the 

last row by zipping up the 
edge beads (Basics).

Connecting the links

[

1]

Secure a 2-yd. length of 

thread in the first ring, and 
exit one of the single edge 
beads from step 7 of the 
circular link.

[

2]

Pick up a 3mm bicone 

crystal, a 6mm gemstone, 
and a 3mm crystal. Sew 
through a corresponding 
bead on a second chain link, 
back through the beads just 
added, and back into the 
bead from step 1 

(photo e)

.

[

3]

Retrace the thread path 

to secure the connection. 

Then, sew around the  
outside edge of the second 
link to a single bead on the 
opposite side. Connect the 
remaining links in the same 
manner. Connect the toggle 
to the end link. 

Oval link

Make oval links in the same 
manner as the circular links, 
with the following changes: 
Pick up 52 color B 110s 
instead of 40 As. Sew 
through two circular links 
before tying the beads into  
a ring 

(photo f)

. Refer to 

figure 4

 for the increases 

and bead counts. 

Earrings

[

1]

Make a circular link 

using 150 seed beads, but 
don’t trim one of the tails. 

[

2]

With the tail exiting  

an outer edge bead, pick up 

a 4mm pearl, a 6mm round 
crystal, a 4mm pearl, a  
150, and a 4mm soldered 
jump ring. 

[

3]

Sew back through the 

beads and through the bead 
on the link where you  
started. Reinforce with a 
second thread path, tie a few 
half-hitch knots between 
beads, and trim the tails.

[

4]

Open the earring  

finding, and slide the  
soldered jump ring into it. 
Close the finding 

(photo g)

[

5]

Make a second earring 

to match the first. 

w

You can contact Maiko 
Kage at 1474-6 Nakasho 
Izumisano-shi Osaka 
5980002 Japan, rosette_c@
hotmail.com, or visit her 
website at homepage3.nifty 
.com/thebeadmilkyway. 

EdiTOr’s nOTE:

  

If you prefer a more  
delicate bracelet, use 15
0 
Japanese seed beads for 
the circular and oval links. 
Use a 4mm gemstone 
bead instead of a 6mm to  
connect the circular links.

100  Bead&Button

[ g ]

figure 4

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