NETTED PEARL BRACELET

(©2004 Deborah Roberti)

MATERIALS (for a 7-inch bracelet, not including clasp)
• About 6 yards waxed Nymo or C-Lon thread, size D, or 6lb FireLine
• About 72 size 8/0 hex beads (you can also use size 11/0 or 8/0 seed beads and even 3mm cube beads)
• About 400 size 11/0 seed beads
• About 73 freshwater rice-shaped pearls, about 3-4 mm in length (or any 3mm or 4mm beads will work just fine)
• clasp

Step 1: First you’ll create a triangle for one side of the bracelet using the brick stitch.

Wax 3 feet of Nymo or C-Lon, and thread your needle. String 2 hex beads. Leaving an 8- to10-inch tail, tie the beads together with a double knot so that they are side by side:

Go back up through the bead on the right side of the knot. This is your first row:

Step 2: You’ll now start the second row.

String 2 more hex beads. Put your needle through the thread loop between the two beads on the first row:

Go up through the second bead in row 2.

Pull tight and the beads in row 2 should snap together side by side:

Step 3: String another hex bead and go through same thread loop that you just went through but pick it up on the other side of the bead you just added. Then, go through the bead you just strung:

Step 4: Flip the work around so that your thread is now exiting from the right side. (Note: You don’t have to do this. I just find it easier to work right to left, rather than left to right.)

String 2 hex beads, and like before, go through the thread loop between the two beads on row 2.

Go up through the second bead on row 3:

Step 5: String another hex bead, pick up the the next thread loop on row 2 and go back through the bead you just strung:

Step 6: String another hex bead and go through same thread loop that you just went through but pick it up on the other side of the bead you just added.

Go through the bead you just strung:

Step 7: Flip the work around. String 2 hex beads, go through the thread loop between the two beads on row 3, and up through the second bead on row 4:

Step 8: String another hex bead, pick up the the next thread loop on row 3 and go back through the bead you just strung:

Step 9: String another hex bead, pick up the the next thread loop on row 3 and go back through the bead you just strung:

Step 10: String another hex bead, pick up the thread loop on the other side of the bead you just added and go through the bead you just strung:

Step 11: Continue in this fashion until you have 7 rows. Basically, you will always start a new row by adding two hex beads. When you get to the last thread loop, you will be adding two hex beads, one after the other, to that loop. In the middle of a row, you simply add a single hex bead to each thread loop.

When you get to the end of the 7th row, weave back to row 1 and exit from one of the beads in the first row:

Step 12: Set this triangle aside. You will use it after you’ve created a second triangle.

To create the second triangle, thread your needle with 3 yards. String 2 hex beads and bring them down the length of the thread until you have about 1 yard left. Tie the hex beads together like you did in Step 1. Use this short, 1-yard thread to create the next triangle. Follow the instructions for Steps 1 to 11. You will use the remaining 2 yards of thread for the interior pearl net. You can start with less thread if you want but I hate adding thread so this works better for me.

Step 13: Once you have completed the second triangle, thread your needle with the long, 2-yard length of thread. Weave it through the triangle so you are exiting from the first bead on row 7 of the triangle:

Step 14: String 3 seed beads and a pearl. Continue to add sets of 3 seed beads and a pearl until your bracelet is the length you want it, minus about 1.5 inches and the length of your clasp.

String 3 more seed beads. Weave into the first triangle you made to connect it, and exit out of the second bead in this first triangle:

Step 15: String 3 seed beads and go down through the first pearl.

String 3 seed beads, a pearl and 3 more seed beads. Go down through the third pearl from the top.

String 3 seed beads, a pearl and 3 more seed beads. Go down through the fifth pearl from the top.

Continue in this fashion (use the diagram below as a guide if need be) until you go through the last pearl. Then, string 3 seed beads, go through the second bead in the second triangle, weave inside the second triangle, and exit out of the third bead of the second triangle:

Step 16: String 3 seed beads, a pearl and 3 more seed beads. Skip a pearl and go up through the next one (the second pearl in the second row of pearls and seed beads you added in the last step).

String 3 seed beads, a pearl and 3 more seed beads. Skip a pearl and go up through the next one (the fourth pearl).

String 3 seed beads, a pearl and 3 more seed beads. Skip a pearl and go up through the next pearl (the sixth pearl). Continue until you reach the end. Go up through the third bead of the first triangle, weave inside the first triangle, and then exit out of the fourth bead of the first triangle:

Step 17: Repeat Step 15 but go down through the fourth bead in the second triangle, weave inside the second triangle, and exit out of the fifth bead of the second triangle.

Step 18: Repeat Step 16 but go up through the fifth bead in the first triangle, weave inside the first triangle, and exit out of the sixth bead of the first triangle.

Step 19: Repeat Step 15 but go down through the sixth bead in the second triangle, weave inside the second triangle, and exit out of the seventh bead of the second triangle.

Step 20: Repeat Step 16 but go up through the seventh bead in the first triangle, weave inside the first triangle, and exit out of the eighth bead of the first triangle.

Step 21: Repeat Step 15, but go down through the eighth bead of the second triangle, and then weave your way out of the second triangle (follow the diagram below):

Step 22: To attach the clasp, use any excess thread. Exit out of one of the two hex beads in the first row. String another hex bead, go through the end of your clasp, and back through the hex bead you just strung:

I usually weave my way around the triangle and go back through the clasp twice. I also go back into the net weave and knot once (because it’s easier to knot in the net than in the triangle).
After you’ve clasped both ends, get rid of excess thread by weaving it inside the triangles. Knot (which is easier to do at the edge of the triangle) and cut the thread tails.

For more color and bead combinations, click on the photo below to visit the RedPandaBeads.com Gallery of Color Suggestions!