AZTEC BAND

(©2017 Deborah Roberti)

This design uses Potomac Bead Company's AVA® beads: hand-pressed, 10x4mm, three-hole, angled beads shaped like a “v”!

Click HERE for a complete selection of AVA® beads!

MATERIALS

(for a 6.75-inch bracelet, not including clasp)
• 3 yards of 6 lb. FireLine
• About 150 size 11/0 seed beads (I used Miyuki #454 Metallic Dark Plum Iris)
• 20 size 8/0 Color1 seed beads (I used Toho #PF569F PermaFinish Turquoise Metallic Matte)
• 38 size 8/0 Color2 seed beads (I used Miyuki #454 Metallic Dark Plum Iris)
• 20 AVA® beads (I used Crystal Labrador Full)
• clasp

Step 1: Thread your needle with about 3 yards of FireLine (or start with a length that you feel comfortable with and add more later).

AVA beads have three holes—a hole in the bottom of the “v” and a hole in each of the legs:

Leaving about a 10-inch tail for attaching the clasp, string three size 11/0 seed beads and go through the bottom leg of an AVA bead.

String an 11/0 seed bead, a Color1 8/0 seed bead and another 11/0 seed bead. Go through the top leg of this same AVA bead.

String four 11/0 seed beads. Go through the hole in the center peak of this same AVA bead.
String one more 11/0 seed bead. Grab your tail thread. Tie a tight double knot:

Step 2: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED:

Step 3: Go up through the hole in the center peak of a new AVA bead.

String four 11/0 seed beads. Go down through the top leg of the AVA bead that you just strung.

String an 11/0 seed bead, a Color1 8/0 seed bead and another 11/0 seed bead. Go through the bottom leg of this same AVA bead.

Go back across through the four 11/0 seed beads that you strung in Step 1 (highlighted in RED):

Step 4: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 5: Go back up through the center hole of the AVA bead and then across through the four 11/0 seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 6: Go through the center hole of a new AVA bead.

String four 11/0 seed beads. Go down through the top leg of the AVA bead that you just strung.

String an 11/0 seed bead, a Color1 8/0 seed bead and another 11/0 seed bead. Go through the bottom leg of this same AVA bead.

Go back across through the four 11/0 seed beads that you strung in Step 3 (highlighted in RED):

Step 7: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 8: Go back up through the center hole of the AVA bead and then across through the four 11/0 seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 9: Go up through the bottom leg of a new AVA bead. String an 11/0 seed bead, a Color1 8/0 seed bead and another 11/0 seed bead. Go up through the top leg of this same AVA bead.

String four 11/0 seed beads. Go down through the center hole of the AVA bead that you just strung.

Go back across through the four 11/0 seed beads that you strung in Step 6 (highlighted in RED):

Step 10: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 11: Go back up and around through the bottom leg of the AVA bead, the 11/0 seed bead, the Color1 8/0 seed bead, the 11/0 seed bead, the top leg of the AVA bead and the four 11/0 seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 12: Go up through the bottom leg of a new AVA bead. String an 11/0 seed bead, a Color1 8/0 seed bead and another 11/0 seed bead. Go up through the top leg of this same AVA bead.

String four 11/0 seed beads. Go down through the center hole of the AVA bead that you just strung.

Go back across through the four 11/0 seed beads that you strung in Step 9 (highlighted in RED):

Step 13: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 14: Go back up and around through the bottom leg of the AVA bead, the 11/0 seed bead, the Color1 8/0 seed bead, the 11/0 seed bead, the top leg of the AVA bead and the four 11/0 seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 15: Go through the center hole of a new AVA bead.

String four 11/0 seed beads. Go down through the top leg of the AVA bead that you just strung.

String an 11/0 seed bead, a Color1 8/0 seed bead and another 11/0 seed bead. Go through the bottom leg of this same AVA bead.

Go back across through the four 11/0 seed beads (highlighted in RED):

Step 16: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 17: Go back up through the center hole of the AVA bead and then across through the four 11/0 seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 18: Go through the center hole of a new AVA bead.

String four 11/0 seed beads. Go down through the top leg of the AVA bead that you just strung.

String an 11/0 seed bead, a Color1 8/0 seed bead and another 11/0 seed bead. Go through the bottom leg of this same AVA bead.

Go back across through the four 11/0 seed beads (highlighted in RED):

Step 19: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 20: Go back up through the center hole of the AVA bead and then across through the four 11/0 seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 21: Go up through the bottom leg of a new AVA bead. String an 11/0 seed bead, a Color1 8/0 seed bead and another 11/0 seed bead. Go up through the top leg of this same AVA bead.

String four 11/0 seed beads. Go down through the center hole of the AVA bead that you just strung.

Go back across through the four 11/0 seed beads (highlighted in RED):

Step 22: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 23: Go back up and around through the bottom leg of the AVA bead, the 11/0 seed bead, the Color1 8/0 seed bead, the 11/0 seed bead, the top leg of the AVA bead and the four 11/0 seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 24: Repeat Step 12 to Step 23 until your band is the length you want it, minus about .75 inches and the length of your clasp. NOTE: You can always lengthen your band later when adding the clasp:

Next you will add Color2 8/0 seed beads in the gaps between the AVA beads. This will give the band some needed stability and keep it from rippling.

Step 25: Go back down through the center hole in the AVA bead highlighted in RED:

Step 26: String a Color2 8/0 seed bead and go down through the center hole in the AVA bead highlighted in RED:

Step 27: String a Color2 8/0 seed bead and go down through the top leg of the next AVA bead, the 11/0 seed bead, the Color1 8/0 bead, the 11/0 seed bead and the bottom leg of the same AVA bead highlighted in RED:

Step 28: String a Color2 8/0 seed bead and go down through the top leg of the next AVA bead, the 11/0 seed bead, the Color1 8/0 bead, the 11/0 seed bead and the bottom leg of the same AVA bead highlighted in RED:

Step 29: String a Color2 8/0 seed bead and go down through the center hole in the AVA bead highlighted in RED:

Step 30: Repeat Step 26 to Step 29 until you come to the end of the band:

Step 31: Go back around through the four bottom 11/0 seed beads and up through the center hole of the first AVA bead highlighted in RED:

Step 32: Repeat Step 26 to Step 30 to add Color2 8/0 seed beads to the left side of your band:

Step 33: To attach one end of the clasp, go through the three 11/0 seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 34: String an 11/0 seed bead, a Color1 8/0 seed bead and an 11/0 seed bead.

Go through the clasp and then back through the 11/0 seed bead and the Color1 8/0 seed bead that you just strung:

NOTE: To lengthen your band, just add more beads—or larger beads—in this step.

Step 35: String another 11/0 seed bead.

Go across through the two seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 36: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED and the clasp several times:

Weave back into the band, knot in several places and then cut your thread.

Thread your needle with the tail thread from Step 1 and repeat Steps 34 to 36 to add the other end of your clasp.

AVA® beads are Potomac Bead Exclusives. You can view and purchase the entire color and bead line at PotomacBeads.com HERE: