Secrets to Seed Beading Video 10: Back Stitch, Couching, Edging Necklace Single-Strand Necklace with Seed Beads, Dichroic Glass Cabochons and Preciosa Czech Crystal Beads

Add a beading needle to an arm-length of thread. Leaving an 8-inch tail, add a stop bead.

Cut the head off a head pin then create a wrapped loop. Tightly stitch the working thread of the beaded rope to the wrapped loop, then tie a small knot and trim.

String a cone over the wire then create a wrapped loop.

Repeat Steps 1 - 4 to create a second beaded rope.

Backing Preparation

Cut a 3-inch square and two 1 1/2 inch squares of Lacy’s Stiff Stuff. Color the backing with black acrylic paint or permanent marker.

Add a small amount of adhesive to the back of a 30mm cabochon then press into the center of the 3-inch square of backing. Repeat to add 12mm cabochons to the smaller squares.

Add a sharp needle to an arm-length of thread. Tie a knot approximately four inches from the end of the thread.

Large Embroidered Focal

Pass up through the backing, exiting at the edge of the cabochon.

Use the tubular peyote technique to add the following rows around the cabochon:

• Two rows of cobalt #11
• Two rows of green #11
• Two rows of dusty red #15

Pick up a dusty red #15 then pass through the next two dusty red of the previous row. Repeat to add a spaced row all the way around.

Pass through various beads to exit at the base of the beaded bezel then pass down through the backing.

Pass up through the backing and pick up four cobalt #15 seed beads. Pass over the chain between two cups (over the thread previously stitched) and back through the backing. Repeat to embellish the couching stitch along the length of cupchain.

Use backstitch to add the following concentric rows:

• One row of galvanized dark berry #11
• One row of zest #11
• One row of green #11

Secure the thread with a knot on the bottom of the backing and then trim.

Small Embroidered Focals

Use backstitch and cobalt #11s to encircle the 12mm cabochon.

Use the tubular peyote technique to add the following rows:

• Two rows of cobalt #11
• One row of green #11
• One row of dusty red #15
• One spaced row of dusty red #15

Pass through various beads to exit the base row of the beaded bezel then use backstitch to add the following concentric rows:

• One row of galvanized dark berry #11
• One row of zest #11
• One row of green #11

Secure the thread with a knot on the bottom of the backing and then trim.

Beaded Edging

Trim the backing of the large focal 3mm from the beads.

Prepare a new length of thread with a sharp needle and a knot. Pass up through the backing, exiting just outside the beading.

Avoiding the outer 1/4 inch of both materials, glue a piece of leather to the back of the backing on each focal. Once the glue has dried, trim the leather and backing to 1mm from the beading.

Pick up one cobalt #11 then bring the needle to the back of the piece.

Pass through near the edge of the leather and backing, approximately one bead width from the previous stitch.

Pass through the picked-up bead again and pull tight.

Repeat to add a brick-stitch edging around the entire focal.

Add another stitch without adding a new bead, instead passing through the first bead to secure it.

Add a row of brick stitch off the edging, 5 beads wide. Continue to add rows, decreasing to the last row of 2 beads.

Pass in and out through edge beads to exit out an edge bead adjacent to the triangle.

Repeat Step 25 to add a second brick-stitch triangle, then add fringe around the rest of the focal.

Repeat Steps 21 - 24 to add a brick-stitch edging to a small focal.

Add a row of brick stitch off the edging, six beads wide. Continue to add rows, decreasing to the last row of 3 beads.

Pass through various beads to exit the edge bead directly next to the brick-stitch triangle. Repeat Step 26 to add fringe to the small focal.

Repeat Steps 28 - 31 to complete the second small focal.

Assembly

Remove the stop bead from the tail of one beaded rope then add a beading needle. Tightly stitch the end of the beaded rope to the edge of a small focal, directly opposite the brick-stitch triangle. Tie a small knot to secure then trim.

Repeat to complete the other half of the necklace.

Use jump rings to add a clasp to the ends of the necklace.