Triangular appeal

SUPPLIES

necklace 11 in. (28 cm) plus ribbons

• 13 14 x 10 mm oval crystal (Swarovski #5050, amethyst)
• 12 3 x 2 mm crystal rondelles (Thunder Polish 18AB, light purple)
• 18 g 8/0 triangle beads (Toho SB0438, metallic silver)
• 3 g 11/0 cylinder beads (Miyuki DB041, crystal silver lined)
• 2 34-in. (86 cm) satin ribobns
• Fireline 6 lb.test (crystal)
• beading needles, #11 or #12

Crystal components
1. On 5 ft. (1.5 m) of thread, pick up two 8/0 triangle beads, leaving a 6-in. (15 cm) tail. Working in ladder stitch, sew through both beads again, positioning the beads side by side so that their holes are parallel. Retrace the thread path twice using a tight tension. You will work this reinforced ladder stitch to add all the other triangles in the necklace.

2. Pick up a triangle, and stitch it to the previous triangle as in step 1, positioning the triangle as shown in FIGURE 1. Exit the triangle just added.

3. Repeat step 2 until you have a total of six triangles, positioning them as shown in FIGURE 1. Work a ladder stitch through the first and last triangles to form a circular unit. Sew through the beadwork to exit the last triangle added.

5. Hold the 14 x 10 mm oval crystal in place, bending the row of triangles around the crystal. Stitch the last triangle in the row to the first triangle in the circular unit, forming a loop, and exit the first triangle in the circular unit (refer to FIGURE 3). 

6. Sew through the crystal and the ninth triangle in the loop. The ninth triangle should have a flat side facing outward. Continue back through the crystal and through the last triangle in the circular unit (FIGURE 3). Retrace the thread path, exiting the first triangle in the circular unit. If the triangle loop is a little loose around the crystal, retrace the thread path through the triangles in the loop to tighten them.

7. Sew through the beadwork to exit the second triangle in the circular unit, and stitch a triangle to it (refer to FIGURE 4). 

8. Sew through the beadwork to exit the third triangle in the circular unit, and stitch a triangle to it. With your thread exiting the new triangle, stitch a triangle to one side of it. Repeat twice to add a triangle to the opposite side of the same triangle and a triangle between the two triangles just added.

9. Sew through the beadwork to exit the next triangle in the circular unit. Work as in step 7 to add triangles to the next two triangles in the circular unit. Sew through the beadwork to exit the first triangle in the loop.

10. Stitch a triangle to the first triangle in the loop. Sew through the next two triangles so your thread is exiting the next triangle with a flat side facing outward. Stitch a triangle to this triangle in the loop. Repeat around the loop to add a total of nine triangles (refer to FIGURE 4). End the working thread and tail.

11. Repeat steps 1–10 to make a total of 12 crystal components.

Center component
1. Work as in steps 1 and 4 of “Crystal components” to make a straight row of 18 triangles. Form the triangles around a crystal, and join the first and last triangles at the bottom of the crystal. The triangles will fit tightly around the crystal, and the three triangles at the bottom will each have a flat side facing outward. Your thread should be exiting the center triangle of these three (refer to FIGURE 5).

2. Sew through the crystal, and continue through the ninth triangle in the loop. The ninth triangle should have a flat side facing outward. Sew back through the crystal and the triangle your thread exited at the start of this step. Retrace the thread path, exiting the center triangle of the three at the bottom (FIGURE 5).

3. Referring to FIGURE 6, embellish all the triangles with a flat side facing outward, adding a group of four triangles at both the top and the bottom. End the working thread and tail.

Connecting the components
Right side of necklace
You will connect the crystal components for the right side of the necklace first. 
1. Position the components so that the beaded “tail” is at the bottom of each component and is curving to the left (refer to FIGURE 7).

2. Add a comfortable length of thread to a component, exiting the triangle shown (FIGURE 7, point a), and add a triangle. Stitch the triangle just added to the next triangle on this edge to form a circular unit. Leave the center of this circle open for attaching the ribbon later.

3. With your thread exiting up out of a triangle, pick up an 11/0 cylinder bead, and sew back down through the same triangle. Sew up through an adjacent triangle, and repeat this stitch for the remainder of the triangles in this component. Exit the triangle shown (point b).

4. Stitch the triangle your thread is exiting to the triangle shown in the next component (point c), exiting the triangle in the new component. Stitch this triangle to the following triangle in the previous component (point d) to form a circular unit.

5. Sew up through the center of the circle. Pick up a 3 x 2 mm crystal rondelle, and sew back down through the center of the circle. Sew up through an adjacent triangle.

6. Continue adding cylinders to all the triangles in the new component, exiting the triangle shown (point e).

7. Repeat steps 4–6 to connect a total of six components, ending and adding thread as needed.

Center component
1. Position the center component as shown in FIGURE 8, with the larger cluster of triangles at the bottom and your thread exiting the triangle shown (point a). Stitch the triangle your thread is exiting to the triangle shown in the center component (point b), exiting the triangle in the center component. Stitch this triangle to the following triangle in the previous component (point c) to form a circular unit.

2. Sew up through the center of the circle. Pick up a rondelle, and sew back down through the center of the circle. Sew up through an adjacent triangle.

3. Add cylinders to the center component as before, exiting the triangle shown (point d).

Left side of necklace
1. Position the remaining crystal components for the left side of the necklace so that the beaded “tail” is at the bottom of each component and is curving to the right (refer to FIGURE 8). 

2. Stitch the triangle your thread is exiting to the triangle shown in the next component (point e), exiting the triangle from the center component. Stitch this triangle to the following triangle in the next component (point f) to form a circular unit.

3. Add a rondelle to the circle as before, and then add cylinders to the component, exiting the triangle shown (point g).

4. Continue to connect and embellish the remaining components, ending and adding thread as needed. When you finish, your thread should be exiting the last component as in point g.

5. Add one triangle to form a circular unit, embellish it, but do not add a rondelle. End the thread.

Finishing
Center a 34-in. (86 cm) ribbon through an end circular unit. Tie the ribbon to secure it to the beadwork. Tie an overhand knot on each end of the ribbon if needed to keep it from fraying. Repeat this step to add the other ribbon on the other end of the beadwork.