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DRAGONFLY EARRINGS

Dragonfly Earrings

Free step-by-step illustrated instructions for these easy earrings that match my Dragonfly Bangles pattern. Perfect for stash busting.

Links to exact beads used at the end of the page.

MATERIALS
• 4-6 feet of 6 lb. FireLine
• About 60 size 11/0 seed beads
• 8 MiniDuo beads
• 2 SuperDuo beads
• 8 Color1 size 4mm beads (can be any bead type)
• 4 Color size 4mm beads (can be any bead type)
• 2 drops or accent beads (can be any bead type or size you prefer—round, fire-polished, pearl, teardrop, etc.—vertically-drilled or top-drilled, one or two-holed dagger bead)
• two small (2-4mm) closed jump rings
• a pair of earring findings

Step 1: Thread your needle with 2-3 feet of FireLine.

Leaving about a 6-inch tail that you can weave in and make disappear at any time, string a Color1 4mm bead, two seed beads, another Color1 4mm bead, a seed bead, a SuperDuo bead and a seed bead.

Grab your tail thread and tie a tight double knot:

Step 2: Go back around through the Color1 4mm bead, the two seed beads, the Color1 4mm bead, the seed bead and the bottom hole of the SuperDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 3: Go around and through the top hole of the SuperDuo bead that you just exited (highlighted in RED):

Step 4: String a seed bead, a Color1 4mm bead, two seed beads, another Color1 4mm bead and a seed bead.

Go around and across through the top hole of the SuperDuo bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 5: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 6: String two MiniDuo beads. Go around through the seed bead, the Color1 4mm bead, the two seed beads, the Color1 4mm bead and the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 7: String two MiniDuo beads. Go up through the seed bead, the Color1 4mm bead and the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 8: String a Color2 4mm bead and a seed bead.

Go through your jump ring and then back down through the seed bead and the Color2 4mm bead that you just strung:

OPTIONAL: Instead of a jump ring, you can go directly through the loop on your earring finding if you prefer not to use jump rings.

Step 9: Go back down through the seed bead and the Color1 4mm bead highlighted in RED:

Step 10: String a seed bead. Go down through the outside hole of the MiniDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 11: String a seed bead. Go down through the outside hole of the next MiniDuo bead (highlighted in RED):

Step 12: String a seed bead. Go around through the Color1 4mm bead, the two seed beads and the Color1 4mm bead highlighted in RED:

Step 13: String a seed bead. Go up through the outside hole of the MiniDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 14: String a seed beads. Go up through the outside hole of the next MiniDuo bead (highlighted in RED):

Step 15: String a seed bead. Go up through the Color1 4mm bead and the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 16: Go up through the Color2 4mm bead and the seed bead, around through the jump ring, back down through this same seed bead and Color2 4mm bead, and exit out of the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 17: Go back down through the beads highlighted in RED:

There are several different ways to add accent or drop beads to your earring. Instructions for each follow.

Vertically-Drilled Accent Bead

Complete Step 1 to Step 17. The vertically-drilled accent bead can be any bead type or size you prefer: fire-polished bead, crystal, pearl, gemstone, teardrop, etc.

           

Step 18: String a Color2 4mm bead, a seed bead, an accent bead and three seed beads:

Step 19: Go back up through the accent bead, the seed bead, the Color2 4mm bead and the seed bead highlighted in RED. As you pull tight, position the three seed beads to form a picot:

Weave your way back into your earring, knot and cut your thread. Attach your earring finding to the jump ring.

Top-Drilled Bead

Complete Step 1 to Step 17. You can use any top-drilled bead type or size you prefer, including Czech one-hole dagger beads (photo on right).

           

Step 18: String a Color2 4mm bead, three seed beads and a top-drilled bead:

Note: You may have to adjust the number of seed beads used here and in the next step, depending on the amount of space between the drill hole and the top of the bead.

Step 19: String three seed beads. Go back up through the Color2 4mm bead and the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 20: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED and the jump ring:

Weave your way back into your earring, knot and cut your thread. Attach your earring finding to the jump ring.


Two-Hole Dagger

Complete Step 1 to Step 17.

Step 18: String a Color2 4mm bead and three seed beads. Go across through the top hole of a two-hole dagger bead:

Step 19: String three seed beads. Go up and around through the beads highlighted in RED and the jump ring:

Step 20: Go back down through the Color2 4mm bead and the three seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 21: String three seed beads. Go across through the bottom hole of the two-hole dagger bead (highlighted in RED):

Step 22: String three seed beads. Go up through the three seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 23: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED and the jump ring:

Weave your way back into your earring, knot and cut your thread. Repeat for the tail thread from Step 1. Attach your earring finding to the jump ring.

 

Click on the photo below for a free matching Dragonfly Bangles pattern:

 

Beads Used in Photo Above:


Brown/Beige version:
• About 60 size 11/0 seed beads: Miyuki #461 Metallic Chocolate
• 8 MiniDuo beads: Opaque Luster Picasso
• 2 SuperDuo beads: Jet Bronze
• 8 Color1 size 4mm round beads: Opaque White Picasso
• 4 Color size 4mm round beads: Dark Bronze
• 2 accent beads: 10x7mm Czech oval beads

Green/Purple version:
• About 60 size 11/0 seed beads: Toho #2108 Silver-Lined Milky Amethyst
• 8 MiniDuo beads: Chalk Light Green Luster
• 2 SuperDuo beads: Opal Lavender Luster
• 8 Color1 size 4mm round beads: Pearl Coat - Fiesta Pearl Colors - Hollyhock
• 4 Color size 4mm fire-polished beads: Czech Opaque Pale Turquoise-Star Dust
• 2 accent beads: Swarovski #5200 9x6mm Violet barrel bead (discontinued)

Turquoise version:
• About 60 size 11/0 seed beads: Toho #1703 Gilded Marble Turquoise
• 8 MiniDuo beads: Turquoise Blue Picasso
• 2 SuperDuo beads: Crystal Bronze Pale Gold
• 8 Color1 size 4mm beads: Swarovski Light Turquoise
• 4 Color size 4mm beads: Swarovski Bright Gold glass pearls
• 2 drops: Swarovski #6000 Light Turquoise 15x7.5mm Teardrop Pendant

Purple/Green version:
• About 60 size 11/0 seed beads: Miyuki #4221 Duracoat Light Pewter Rocailles
• 8 MiniDuo beads: Chalk Light Green Luster
• 2 SuperDuo beads: Opaque Violet
• 8 Color1 size 4mm beads: Satin Lavender Luster
• 4 Color size 4mm beads: Czech Opaque Pale Turquoise-Star Dust
• 2 Czech one-hole 15x5mm Dagger beads: Peacock

Black/Gold version:
• About 60 size 11/0 seed beads: Miyuki #4204 Duracoat Champagne Rocailles
• 8 MiniDuo beads: Jet
• 2 SuperDuo beads: Crystal Bronze Pale Gold
• 8 Color1 size 4mm beads: Jet Bronze Picasso
• 4 Color size 4mm beads: Swarovski Bright Gold glass pearls
• 2 Czech two-hole 15x6mm Dagger beads: Antique Chrome