Video Beading Tutorial – Free Projects: Mediaeval Charms Part 1

Video Beading Tutorial – Free Projects: Mediaeval Charms Part 1

 

This is a quick and easy little project. The shapes are simple and very effective, but this design not only produces pretty little beady charms, it gets you practising good tension and is also a great way of using up tiny amounts of leftover beads! The technique used here is rather debatable as it could be Right Angle Weave (RAW) or Square Stitch or a combination of both. Either way, you get to learn an excellent way of making picots which I call Super Picots, because once you’ve made them, they stay perfectly, primped, pristine, perky picots!!!!!

I start by making the basic unit which is actually a Quatrefoil (from Anglo-French and Middle English, meaning four leaves) shape, which is commonly seen in Mediaeval architecture. I also show you how easy it is to modify the design to a Trefoil (three leaves) shape.

I use a jump ring to attach the charm to a chain bracelet and I thought I’d briefly mention the way I’d opened up the ring to attach it. Normally to open up a jump ring, I would grip it on either side of the opening with two pairs of flatnose pliers, then make a small twisting action turning one side away from me and the other side towards me. Doing it that way maintains the integrity of the ring’s shape. On this occasion I anticipated the jump ring might not easily pass through the hole of the end seed bead, so I chose an alternative way of attaching the jump ring; I opened it like a yawning mouth by pulling the sides of the ring apart and was ready to squeeze the two sides together again, allowing the two sides of the ring to enter the hole of the bead from both sides, having first threaded the ring through a link of the bracelet chain. Fortunately the ring did pass through the bead and I just squeezed the ring closed.

I’ve chosen Miyuki metallic bead colours and finishes, including some of the galvanised ones as they worked well with the chain. There’s nothing stopping you choosing a different colour of chain, and working the charms in a dazzling array of colours and finishes. You can also see that I’ve used the charms as delicate little earrings, simply by adding an ear wire of the appropriate colour metal.

In this video I’m wearing:

  • Isabella necklace in the Aqua colourway. I teach the Isabella necklace as a workshop, and Isabella kits are also available in Topaz, Bermuda Blue, Peridot and Dorado. Email me for further information.
  • Crystal Finger Candy ring – Pattern available.
  • Emilie Bracelet – Pattern available.

Find me on Facebook: Beadschool Mel

Find me on Twitter: BeadschoolMel

Materials used & links to Suppliers:

Fireline 4lb Smoke – Stitchncraft
Size 12 needle – Stitchncraft
Miyuki Size 11 seed beads – Stitchncraft
Chain and Clasp – Bead Aura

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