The sum

of their parts
Embroidered components pair off
in beautiful earrings

by Sherry Serafini

W
hile I enjoy all aspects of beadwork, I truly
love the freedom of bead embroidery and the
challenge of making a multitude of shapes with
tiny beads. These earrings are such a kick to make that
I often find myself beading many components and
arranging and rearranging them to make different
earring patterns before putting them together. I like
bold designs that feature large fringe with daggers,
freshwater pearls, and Czech beads, but you can make
your earrings as elegant or as funky as you like. Just
toss the rule book out the window and let your
imagination be your guide.

Bead & Button June 2004 85


a e
b f
c g
d h
stepbystep
Here are the basic steps for making
bead-embroidered earrings. As always,
feel free to experiment and put your
own ideas into play.
getting started
Decide on the size and shape of your
four components. Determine how much
beadwork will surround each cabochon
and draw the basic shape with a pencil.
86
Leaving yourself room all the way
around, roughly block out and cut each
component from the Lacys Stiff Stuff.
Apply a thin, even layer of E6000 to
the back of a cab with a toothpick. Glue
one cab in the center of each piece of
Lacys (photo a) and let them dry.
beading the bezels
Thread a needle with 1 yd. (.9m) of
conditioned Nymo and knot the end. Come
up through the Lacys against the cab.
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Backstitch around the cab using size
140s (see the diagram on p. 74 and
photos b, c, and d on this page). End
with an even number of beads.
Once the cab is encircled, begin
even-count circular peyote from the
base row (see Basics, p. 180). Go up
through the first bead, pick up one 140,
skip the second bead in the base row,
and go through the third bead (photo
e). Continue around, going through the
odd numbered beads.
If you need to add another row, step
up by going through the first beads of
rows 1 and 2 (photo f). My cabs only
needed two rows of circular peyote as
they arent very high.
When the cab is secure, weave
through several beads to get back to the
Lacys. Backstitch around the first row
of beads. I usually like to keep the
earring tops simple by backstitching
three to four rows around the cab,
occasionally stitching in a freshwater
pearl on one side.
Repeat steps 2-4 to make the other
earring top.
The bottom half of the earrings are
made the same way as the top, but I like
to be more creative with the bottoms.
Instead of just circling the cab, stitch in
a pearl or a small chunk of stone. You
can also take a second or third row only
halfway around your cab to create some
interesting shapes.
When all the cabs are beaded, trim
the Lacys. Stay as close to the beadwork
as possible, taking care not to cut your
threads.
finishing the backs
For the earring top, apply a thin,
even layer of glue to the finding. Adhere
it to the Lacys at the center of the bead-
work and let it dry (photo g).
Cut out a piece of Ultrasuede the
size of your earring top and pierce a tiny
hole for the post with a thick needle.
Apply E6000 over the base of the
post and the Lacys.
Place the Ultrasuede over the post
and push the stem through the hole.
(photo h). Smooth it down and let
it dry. Repeat with the other earring top.
Adhere Ultrasuede to the backs of
the earring bottoms and let them dry.
 Carefully trim the Ultrasuede close
to the beadwork.
finishing the edges
Beading along the edges makes your
work look finished and secures the
Ultrasuede to the beadwork (photo i).
Thread 2 yd. (1.8m) of Nymo and exit
through a bead near the edge. Make
half-hitch knots (see Basics) in
between several beads.
Pick up a 140 and come through an
edge bead and through the Ultrasuede.
Come up through the same 140 and
pull snug. Continue around until you
reach the bead where you started.
Finish by going back through this
starting bead, but dont go through the
Ultrasuede. Go through a few beads,
making half-hitch knots.
Edge all the components.
connecting tops and bottoms
Locate the center top edge bead of
an earring bottom and the center
bottom edge bead of an earring top.
Thread a needle with 112 yd.
(1.4m) of Nymo and weave through
the beadwork near the top of an earring
bottom. Make a half-hitch knot in
between several beads but dont cut
the thread.
Go through the center edge bead.
Pick up one 140, one 80, and one
140. Go through the center bottom edge
bead of the earring top and pull snug.
Go through this bead again and
through the beads you just strung.
Then go through the edge bead you
began with.
Go through the bead next to the
connecting bead on the earring bottom
and pick up five 140s.
Go through the corresponding bead
on the earring top and pull snug.
Repeat on the other side of the first
group of corresponding beads. You
should have a total of three connectors
to secure the top of the earring to the
bottom (photo j). You can also weave
through a stone nugget or a large-hole
bead to make a secure connection
(photo k).
Weave through the beadwork
towards the bottom of the earring.
Dont cut the thread.
i l
j m
k
adding fringe
Determine the amount of desired
fringe and weave through to the bottom
edge bead where the fringe will start.
Pick up an assortment of beads
ending with one 80, four 140s, the
bottom fringe bead, and four 140s.
Photo l shows a close up of one of my
fringe patterns.
Go back through the 80 and through
the beads toward the earring.
Go through the next bottom edge
bead and repeat steps 2 and 3. One way
to vary the fringe length is to add several
140s before picking up the rest of the
fringe beads. Continue until youve
made the desired amount of fringe.
To make a strand to drape across
the front of the fringe (photo m), go
through the next bottom edge bead.
String an assortment of beads, bring
the strand across the front of the fringe,
and go through the edge bead before the
Bead & Button June 2004
materials
4 x 4-in. (.1 x .1m) piece of Lacys Stiff Stuff
(www.lacysstiffstuff.com, 505-623-1544 or
Designers Findings, see ad p. 149)
4 x 4-in. piece of Ultrasuede (available from
fabric stores)
4 cabochons; two matching for the tops and
two matching for the bottoms (Rio Grande,
see ad p. 153)
assortment of size 140, 110, and 80 seed
beads, freshwater pearls, Czech faceted
rounds, daggers, and drops
1 pair flatpad ear posts (Rio Grande)
Nymo B
beeswax or Thread Heaven
beading needles, #12
E6000 glue
first fringe. Weave back through the
beadwork and tie an overhand knot (see
Basics). Hide the knot, go through a
few more beads, and trim the tail. w
Sherry is not only a busy mom from
Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania, but she is
becoming widely acclaimed as one of the
premier beaders in the U.S. Visit her website
at serafinibeadedjewelry.com.
87
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