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SPLASH EARRINGS (©2023 Deborah Roberti)
Made exclusively for Beadsmith, Czech Wave beads measure 3x7mm and look a lot like an elongated SuperDuo bead but with a twist at each end, creating a lovely wave, especially when the beads are stacked or side-by-side. More pictures and links to beads used at the end of this pattern page! MATERIALS
Step 1: Thread your needle with about a yard of FireLine. When beading these earrings, the hardest part is the beginning—getting the Wave beads going in the same direction. It does not matter which direction but make sure that they all curve in the same direction. I find it easiest to lay them out on my bead mat as I add them, using the picture below as a guide. Leaving about a six-inch tail that you can weave in and cut at any time (and the sooner the better—I prefer to weave the tail through two Wave bead inside holes and cut after Step 6), string sixteen Wave beads, using one color or however many you want:
Step 2: Tie the beads in a circle with a tight double knot, forming a ring of Wave beads:
Step 3: Go back down through the inside hole of the Wave bead below your knot and then go around and through the outside hole of this same Wave bead (highlighted in RED):
Step 4: String a seed bead and go through the outside hole of the next Wave bead on the ring (highlighted in RED):
NOTE: The Wave beads will flop around like crazy but don’t worry about that now.
Step 6: Repeat the last step, adding seed beads between each of the outside holes of the Wave beads in the ring (highlighted in RED):
NOTE: Again, the Wave beads will flop around. Push them down flat as you add the seed beads so that the motif becomes more of a solid circle as you add this outer row of seed beads. Step 7: Go back around through the outer ring of seed beads and outer holes of the Wave beads highlighted in RED:
Step 8: Go around through the beads highlighted in RED:
Step 9: To add your jump ring, string three seed beads, a size 3mm or 4mm bead of any type and another seed bead. Go around through your jump ring and then back down through the seed bead, 3mm or 4mm bead and seed bead that you just added. String two more seed beads and continue around through the beads highlighted in RED:
Step 9 Optional: Instead of using a jump ring, you can use a Beadsmith Bead Ending Cymbal Element. String two seed beads. Go through the bottom loop of a Cymbal Element. String two more seed beads and go around through the beads highlighted in RED:
Step 10: String five seed beads. Go around (and not through) the tip of the next Wave bead on the ring. Continue down though the seed bead, the outside hole of the Wave bead and the seed bead highlighted in RED. Pull the middle seed bead that you just added out with your fingers to form a point as you pull tight:
Step 11: String five seed beads. Go around (and not through) the tip of the next Wave bead on the ring. Continue though the seed bead, the outside hole of the Wave bead and the seed bead highlighted in RED. Pull the middle seed bead that you just added out with your fingers to form a point as you pull tight:
Step 12: Repeat Step 11 to add another “arm”:
Step 13: Repeat Step 11 to add another “arm”:
Step 14: Repeat Step 11 to add another “arm”:
Step 15: Repeat Step 11 to add another “arm”:
Step 16: Repeat Step 11 to add one last “arm”:
Step 17: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED and you jump ring/Cymbal:
Knot and cut your thread. If after you finish your earrings you find they are not as stiff as you would like them to be, I have a tutorial on stiffening beadwork on my website here:
Beads used in the photo above
Blue/white version
Purple/Yellow version
Lavender/Blue version
Rainbow/Bronze version
Pink/Gold version
Gold version
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