Free Design: Beaded Snowflake

Follow our free step by steps and learn how to make your own beaded snowflake, perfect for a little Christmas tree decoration, a necklace, or a pair of earrings. All you need is Size 11/0 seed beads, a beading needle and some beading thread!

Materials we used:

5g Size 110 silver lined seed beads ( S1131 )

A reel of white beading thread ( any of our beading thread will suitable )

Tools Required

A size 13 beading needle ( ND13 )

A sharp pair of scissors ( SCIMX )

A beading mat ( BMT-2 )

Instructions

Legend A = Size 11/0 seed bead

1. We used red beads and thread, as it's easier to see then silver lined silver beads!

2. Take a comfortable length of stretched beading thread ( we used approx a metre )and thread on your beading needle

3. Thread 6A, move to along your beading thread and position so you have a 15cm tail, circle around and pass through the first bead you picked up - to create a little circle ( photo 1 ) , pass around again. Do not pull too tight, as in the next step you need to add a bead in between ( photo 1 a )

4. Pick up 1A, pass through the next A ( photo 2 )

5. Repeat step four 5 more times for the rest of the circle ( photo 3 )

6. Pass through the A you picked in step 4 ( photo 4 )

7. Pick up 3A, miss out the next A, pass through the A after that ( photo 5 ) position the beads so the central beads points out

8. Repeat step 7  five more times ( photo 6 )

9. Pass through the 2 outside As and exit on a point ( photo 7 )

10. Pick up 5A, pass through the central A you picked up in step 7 ( the bead that makes the point ) Position the middle bead so it points out ( photo 8 )

11. Repeat step 10 five more times ( photo 9 )

12. The next step is to pass around the outside thread path to make it stronger, and to 'poke out' the points of the snowflake. Pass through the next outside 2As, miss out the next A ( the point of the snowflake ) pass through the next 3 outside As ( photo 10 )

13. Repeat step 12 five more times ( photo 11 )

14. Pass through the next 2A, miss out the next A ( the point of the snowflake ) pass through the next A ( photo 12 )

15. Pick up 5A, miss out the next 3 outside As, pass through the next 1A, miss out the next A ( the point of the snowflake ) pass through the next A ( photo 13 )

16. Repeat step 15 five more times ( photo 14 )

17.  Pass through the next outside 2As, miss out the next A ( the point of the snowflake )  pass through the next 1A ( photo 15 )

18.  Pick up 7A, miss out the next 5 outside As, pass through the next 1A, miss out the next A ( the point of the snowflake ) pass through the next A ( photo 13 )

19. Repeat step 18 five more times ( photo 17 )

20. Pass through the next outside 3As, miss out the next A ( the point of the snowflake ) pass through the next A ( photo 18 )

21. Pick up 7As, miss out the next 7As, pass through the next A, miss out the next A ( the point of the snowflake ) pass through the next A ( photo 19 )

22. Repeat step 21 five more times ( photo 20 )

23.  The next step is to pass around the outside thread path to make it stronger, and to 'poke out' the points of the snowflake. Pass through the next outside 4As, miss out the next A ( the point of the snowflake ) pass through the next 4 outside As, miss out the next A ( the point of the snowflake from the steps previous ) pass through the next A. ( photo 21 )

24. Repeat step 23 five times, so all the points of the snowflake are pointy ( photo 22 )

25. Pass through the As until you reach an outside point of the snowflake ( photo 23 )

26. Pick up 3A circle around and pass through the first A you picked up to create a little circle ( photo 24a & 24b ) pass around twice more to strengthen.

27. Repeat steps 25 & 26 five more times ( photo 25 )

28. If you're making earrings or a pendant, weave in and secure your thread.

29. If you're making a Christmas tree decoration, weave around to one of the points of the snowflake, and exit on the top bead, pick up and many beads as you need to create a loop, and pass back through the top A ( photo 26 )  pass around your beaded loop again to strengthen. Weave in and secure your thread

We used silver lined silver seed beads...

TIP you could make smaller snowflakes by skipping some of the middle steps and going straight to step 25 to 27...

Products we used