Bead Woven Emerald Earrings Pattern

I thought I would try to make a “quick” pair of earrings to match the new Be Jeweled Bracelet pattern and about 10 cut-apart-and-start-over-designs later, this is what I came up with. I have put in parenthesis how I will refer to the beads in the tutorial.
Here’s what you will need for these 2″ long and 1″ wide earrings:

-12 of 3MM Czech Fire Polished Beads, Emerald (3MM)
-18 of 4MM bi-cone crystal or glass beads, Emerald(4MM bi-cone)
-16 of 4MM glass pearl beads or similar, Steel Grey or Dark Grey(4MM pearl)
-1/2 grams  size 11/0 Miyuki Transparent Grey Silver-lined #21(Grey 11/0)
-1/2 grams size 15/0 Miyuki Silver-Lined Crystal #1(Silver 15/0)
-2 earring components/findings. I used hooks.
-FireLine (or thread and wax), size 12 beading needle, scissors

For a FREE downloadable PDF of this tutorial please visit Craftsy.com (you will need to set up a free account).

1. Pull about 3 1/2 to 4 feet of thread and thread your needle. Leaving about a 6-7 inch tail for the bottom crystal, pick up beads in this order: 3MM fire polish, grey 11/0, 3MM fire polish, grey 11/0, 3MM fire polish, grey 11/0, 3MM fire polish, and grey 11/0 for a total of 8 beads. Pass your needle back through the beads to make a loop, then back through once more to reinforce the loop. This is not completely necessary but to help simplify things, position your thread to come out the of the first 3MM you strung, which will be the same bead your tail thread is coming out from. Position the beads to where you have a left, top, right and bottom 3MM fire polish(Photo below- Step 1a).

2. Working clockwise, bring your needle through the next 3MM fire polish to the right, skipping the grey 11/0 in between the 3MM fire polish beads.

3. Bring your needle through the next 3MM to the right, skipping the grey 11/0. Try to pick out the 11/0s with your needle as you work so they pucker out a little and keep your thread somewhat snug.

4. Repeat Step 3 for the last two 3MM fire polish beads, picking out the 11/0s with your needle or fingers as you go and pull your thread so they stick out. Your thread should be positioned out of the 3MM you started with.

5. Pick up beads in the order: silver 15/0, 4MM bi-cone, silver 15/0, 4MM pearl, silver 15/0, 4MM bi-cone and silver 15/0. Bring your needle through the next 3MM to the right, skipping the grey 11/0 in between the 3MM fire polish beads.

6. Repeat Step 5 by picking up beads in this order: silver 15/0, 4MM bi-cone, silver 15/0, 4MM pearl, silver 15/0, 4MM bi-cone and silver 15/0. Bring your needle through the next 3MM to the right, skipping the grey 11/0.

7. Continue to repeat Step 5 for the next two 3MM fire polish beads.

8. With your thread positioned back through same first 3MM bead as in Step 4, weave through the first corner by bringing your needle through the silver 15/0, 4MM bi-cone and silver 15/0 to the immediate left of where your thread is coming from.

9. Pass through the 4MM pearl.

10. Continue to weave through the corner by bringing your needle down through the silver 15/0 and 4MM bi-cone to the immediate right of the pearl you just came from, skipping the bottom silver 15/0. Your thread should now be positioned out of the bottom of the 4MM bi-cone.

11. Pick up 1 grey 11/0 and bring your needle up through the bottom of the next right 4MM bi-cone and up through the silver 15/0 on top of the 4MM bi-cone. We will now weave through this corner to add the next grey 11/0.

12. Pass through the 4MM pearl on this corner.

13. Continue weaving through the corner by bringing your needle down through the silver 15/0 and 4MM bi-cone.

14. Pick up 1 grey 11/0 and bring your needle up through the bottom of the next right 4MM bi-cone and up through the top silver 15/0. Now we will weave through this corner to add the next grey 11/0.

15. Continue to repeat Steps 12-14 for the last 2 grey 11/0s between the 4MM bi-cones. Once complete, your thread should be positioned out of the same first 4MM bi-cone from Step 8(Photo below-Step 15a).

16. Weave your needle through the 4MM pearl to the right.

17. Continue to weave through this corner by bringing your needle down through the silver 15/0 and 4MM bi-cone.

18. Pass through the grey 11/0 in between the 4MM bi-cones and up the right 4MM bi-cone, skipping the top silver 15/0.

19. Pick up beads in this order: silver 15/0, 4MM pearl, grey 11/0, 4MM pearl and silver 15/0. Bring your needle down through the top left 4MM bi-cone.

20. Bring your needle back through the bottom middle grey 11/0 and up the right 4MM bi-cone.

21. Reinforce this loop by bringing your needle through all of the beads you just added and through the bi-cones and grey 11/0 below it. Weave back up  and position your thread through the top grey 11/0 of the beads you just added in Step 19.

22. Pick up beads in this order: silver 15/0, 3MM fire polish, silver 15/0, 3MM fire polish, and silver 15/0. Bring your needle through the opposite side of the top middle grey 11/0 you added in Step 19. Reinforce this loop and position your needle out of the top middle silver 15/0 between the 3MM fire polish beads.

23. Pick up 6-7 silver 15/0s and your earring finding. Bring your needle through the opposite side of the silver 15/0 you started from in the previous step to add this top final loop. Pass through all the beads you just added to reinforce.

24. Reinforce and straighten the top section by bringing your needle down through the 3MM fire polish, silver 15/0s, 4MM pearl, and 4MM bi-cone on that side.

25. Continue to reinforce and straighten these beads by coming up the left 4MM bi-cone on bottom, then up the silver 15/0, 4MM pearl, silver 15/0, and 3MM fire polish. Repeat twice if your needle/beads will allow.  If you did not leave a 6-7 inch tail in the beginning, use the thread you are working with now and weave down towards the bottom of the earring. If you did leave a 6-7 inch tail thread, weave through your piece making a couple of half hitch knots in the earring and cut your thread.

26. I had to flip my piece to get to the tail. Thread the 6-7 inch tail you left at the beginning. Weave your needle through to the 4MM bi-cone, skipping the bottom silver 15/0.

27. Pick up 1 silver 15/0, a 4MM pearl, 1 grey 11/0, a 4MM pearl, and a silver 15/0.  Bring your needle up through the 4MM bi-cone on the opposite side. Pull your thread.

28. Reinforce all beads by bringing your needle through all of the beads you just added and the 4MM bi-cones and grey 11/0 above them.

29. Position your thread to come out the very bottom grey 11/0 of the beads we just added in Step 27.

30. Pick up 1 silver 15/0, a 4MM bi-cone and 1 grey 11/0. Skip over the grey 11/0 and bring your needle through the 4MM bi-cone.

31. Pick up 1 silver 15/0 and pass through the middle grey 11/0 on the opposite side you started from in Step 29.

32.  Pass through the silver 15/0s, 4MM bi-cone and tip grey 11/0 to reinforce and straighten. *Note- you may need to use your fingers to straighten the end first then reinforce beads.

Repeat Steps 1-32 for the second earring.
Here are the two pieces together. The same beads were used in both pieces however the 3MMs in the bracelet appear darker because they are stacked on other beads.

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial! Please email or leave a comment if you need additional help with the instructions or have any questions