In this tutorial, we'll add the bottom fringe to our maple leaf peyote stitch amulet bag. The fringe consists of two layers of beading accented with long magatama beads.
Please click on any image in this tutorial for a full-size view.
1. Gather Your Materials
The completed fringe.
The fringe uses the following size 11/0 Miyuki Delica cylinder beads (these are the same colors used in the peyote stitch portion of the bag):
- About 1.7 grams of opaque cream AB; I.D. DB0157 (A)
- About 0.3 grams of silver-lined dark burnt orange; DB0601 (B)
- About 1.6 grams of white-lined topaz AB; DB1778 (C)
- About 2.0 grams of opaque chartreuse luster; DB0262 (D)
You'll also need the following accent beads:
- 58 4mm Czech glass faceted round beads in lime green (E)
- 29 long magatama beads in transparent silver lined gold (F)
Additionally, you'll need the same basic beadweaving supplies you used for making the peyote stitch portion of the bag. I used size D Nymo nylon beading thread and my size 10 Tulip beading needle.
2. Flatten and Align the Bottom of the Bag
Flattening and aligning the bottom rows.
3. Start and Position a New Thread
A new thread woven-in and positioned for the first fringe piece.
Prepare a new length of beading thread that is just a little over an arms' span long (the maximum distance between your hands when you hold your arms out at your sides). Add the thread to the beadwork by weaving it into the front side of the amulet bag (the side with the maple leaf).
Stitch back and forth through the beadwork, taking a zig-zag route, until you approach the bottom of the bag. Then navigate through the beadwork and bring the needle out through the first bead at the bottom of the front panel, moving outward away from the amulet bag.
4. Zip Up the Bottom
How to zip up the bottom of the amulet bag.
5. Make the First Fringe Piece
How to make the first fringe piece.
Reverse direction by passing through the last bead on the front panel of the amulet bag ("A" in the photos on the left.) Then, following the fringe pattern diagram, string all of the beads for the first piece of fringe:*
7A, 1B, 1C, 6A, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
* The letters in these number-letter combinations refer to the bead key from Step 1.
- Learn more: Terms and Annotations Used in Beading Patterns
Slide these beads up against the bottom of the amulet bag. Reverse direction and pass back up through the last 1B that you strung (see "B" in the photos), and through all of the rest of the beads in the fringe piece. Be careful not to skip over any beads.
Hold the very end of the fringe gently with one hand while using the fingers of your other hand to pull the thread gently taut. Eliminate any gaps between beads where the thread shows through, but keep the tension just loose enough that your fringe piece drapes softly.
Complete the first fringe piece by passing through the next protruding bead in the same row at the bottom of the amulet bag (see "C" in the photos). Pull the thread gently taut again.
6. Make the Second Fringe Piece
The second fringe piece completed.
String the following beads for the second fringe piece:
8A, 1B, 1C, 6A, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
Use the same technique you used for the first fringe piece. Reverse direction and pass back up through the last 1B, gently tighten the thread, and then pass horizontally through the next protruding bead at the bottom of the amulet bag.
7. Complete the First Layer of Fringe and Weave-In
The first layer of fringe completed and the needle reversing direction to weave-in the thread.
Use the same technique to complete each of the remaining fringe pieces in the first layer of fringe. Here are the patterns for each of the remaining fringe pieces:
3rd = 9A, 1B, 1C, 6A, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
4th = 10A, 1B, 1C, 6A, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
5th = 11A, 1B, 1C, 6A, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
6th = 12A, 1B, 1C, 6A, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
7th = 13A, 1B, 1C, 6A, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
8th = 14A, 1B, 1C, 6A, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
9th = 13A, 1B, 1C, 6A, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
10th = 12A, 1B, 1C, 6A, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
11th = 11A, 1B, 1C, 6A, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
12th = 10A, 1B, 1C, 6A, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
13th = 9A, 1B, 1C, 6A, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
14th = 8A, 1B, 1C, 6A, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
15th = 7A, 1B, 1C, 6A, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
Be sure to count beads carefully so that all of the fringe pieces are the correct length. At the end of the row, pass back through the same protruding bead that your needle last exited, and then weave the thread into the front panel of the amulet bag. After reversing direction a few times to secure the thread, trim it off close to the beadwork.
Related video: How to Weave-In Beading Thread
8. Turn Over the Bag and Start a New Thread
The bag turned over and a new thread started.
Prepare a new length of beading thread. Turn over the amulet bag and weave into the back panel the same way you wove into the front panel to start the first fringe thread. Bring the needle out through the first bead at the bottom (this should be a protruding bead).
9. Complete the Second Layer of Fringe and Weave-In
The second layer of fringe completed (back view of the amulet bag).
Use the following patterns to stitch all of the fringe pieces in the second layer. Use the same technique you used for the first layer of fringe. When you finish, weave in and end the thread.
1st = 2A, 1C, 1A, 11D, 1B, 1C, 1B, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
2nd = 3A, 1C, 1A, 12D, 1B, 1C, 1B, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
3rd = 4A, 1C, 1A, 13D, 1B, 1C, 1B, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
4th = 5A, 1C, 1A, 14D, 1B, 1C, 1B, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
5th = 6A, 1C, 1A, 15D, 1B, 1C, 1B, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
6th = 7A, 1C, 1A, 16D, 1B, 1C, 1B, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
7th = 8A, 1C, 1A, 17D, 1B, 1C, 1B, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
8th = 8A, 1C, 1A, 17D, 1B, 1C, 1B, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
9th = 7A, 1C, 1A, 16D, 1B, 1C, 1B, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
10th = 6A, 1C, 1A, 15D, 1B, 1C, 1B, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
11th = 5A, 1C, 1A, 14D, 1B, 1C, 1B, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
12th = 4A, 1C, 1A, 13D, 1B, 1C, 1B, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
13th = 3A, 1C, 1A, 12D, 1B, 1C, 1B, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
14th = 2A, 1C, 1A, 11D, 1B, 1C, 1B, 1E, 1C, 1E, 1B, 4C, 1F, 4C
This completes the amulet bag fringe. Now you're ready to add a strap.
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