Spike bead bracelet

Use baby spike beads, bicone crystals, SuperDuo beads and seed beads to weave this elegant but edgy bracelet. Repeating patterns of beads create an intricate floral design held together with jump rings. This project calls for a 4-strand box clasp, but you could use a 2-strand clasp instead.

Below are instructions on how to complete the bracelet components. For the full set of instructions – including how to complete the connections – download the free project PDF by clicking here.  

Materials
Bracelet 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm)
    •    30 5 x 8 mm baby spike beads (nickel silver
    •    44 4 mm bicone crystals (Swarovski, crystal comet argent light 2X)
    •    82 2.5 x 5 mm SuperDuo beads (crystal Labrador full)
    •    seed beads (Miyuki 4201, Duracoat silver)  
          - 2 g 11/0 seed beads  
          - 3 g 15/0 seed beads
    •    1 four-strand box clasp
    •    8 5 mm jump rings
    •    Fireline, 6 lb. test
    •    beading needles, #11 or #12
    •    2 pairs of chainnose, flatnose, and/or bentnose pliers

Instructions:

Components
[1] On 4 ft. (1.2 m) of thread, pick up a repeating pattern of a SuperDuo and an 11/0 seed bead four times. Sew through all the beads again to form a ring, leaving a 6-in. (15 cm) tail. Continue through the next SuperDuo, 11/0, and SuperDuo (Figure 1, a-b), and the open hole of the same SuperDuo (b-c).

[2] Pick up a repeating pattern of an 11/0 and a SuperDuo three times, then pick up an 11/0. Sew through the SuperDuo your thread exited at the start of this step, retrace the thread path (not shown in the figure for clarity), and continue through the next 11/0 and SuperDuo (c-d). Sew through the open hole of the same SuperDuo (d-e). Repeat this step once more (Figure 2, a-b).

[3] Pick up an 11/0, and sew through the open hole of the next SuperDuo from the first round (b-c). Pick up an 11/0, a SuperDuo, an 11/0, a SuperDuo, and an 11/0, and sew through the SuperDuo your thread exited at the start of this step (c-d). Retrace the thread path (not shown in figure for clarity), sew through the next 11/0 and SuperDuo (d-e), and continue through the other hole of the same SuperDuo (e-f).

[4] Pick up a baby spike bead, and sew through the corresponding SuperDuo on the other side of the center opening (Figure 3, a-b). With the tip of the spike pointing up, push the spike down into the center opening so the base of the spike sits below the surrounding beads. Sew through the other hole of the same SuperDuo (b-c) and back through the spike and the corresponding hole of the SuperDuo from the start of this step (c-d). Sew through the other hole of the same SuperDuo and the next 11/0 (d-e).

[5] Pick up three 15/0 seed beads, skip the next SuperDuo, and continue through the following 11/0 (Figure 4, a-b). Repeat this stitch three times (b-c), and sew through the beadwork as shown (c-d).

[6] Pick up a 15/0, a 4 mm bicone crystal, and a 15/0, and sew through the open hole of the next SuperDuo (Figure 5, a-b). Pick up a spike (with the tip pointing up), and sew through the open hole of the following SuperDuo (b-c). Repeat these stitches three times to complete the round using a medium tension, and continue through the first 15/0 added (c-d). Stitching this round too tight may make sewing through the beadwork more difficult when adding the remaining beads.

[7] Pick up four 15/0s, skip the adjacent crystal, and sew through the next 15/0 and SuperDuo (d-e). Pick up eight 15/0s, skip the next spike, and sew through the following SuperDuo and 15/0 (e-f). Repeat these stitches three times to complete the round (f-g), and continue through the first two 15/0s added in this round (g-h).

[8] Pick up a 15/0, and sew through the next three 15/0s, SuperDuo, and four 15/0s (Figure 6, a-b). Pick up a 15/0, and sew through the next four 15/0s, SuperDuo, and three 15/0s (b-c). Repeat these stitches three times to complete the round (c-d), and end the working thread and tail.

[9] Repeat steps 1-8 to make five more components for a 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm) bracelet (not including the clasp).

For full project instructions, download the free PDF.