This free beading pattern makes a pretty pair of purple mandala earrings using flat circular peyote stitch. It's a perfect first project for someone just learning flat circular peyote! If you don't like purple, just susbstitute any colors you like. If this is your first project in flat circular peyote, make sure to use three different colors of beads to help you distinguish between rounds. If you're comfortable with flat circular peyote, make them in a single color with fancy trim beads.
1. Materials Needed
To make this pair of earrings, you will need the following beads and materials:
- 2 grams each of the following size 11 Delica beads: DB 609 Silver Lined Dark Purple (A); DB 1347 Dyed Silver Lined Lilac (B); DB 158 Opaque Rainbow Lavender Cream (C)
- 1 gram size 15 Japanese seed beads, purple lined purple AB
- 12 Czech pressed glass dagger beads, 15mm x 6mm, transparent amethyst
- Fireline beading thread, 6 lb. test
- 1 pair sterling silver ear wires or earring findings
- Size 12 beading needle
- Flat nose or chain nose pliers
- Scissors or thread cutter
2. Getting Started
Using a comfortable length of beading thread (no longer than 5 feet), pick up 3 B and tie into a ring using a square knot. Pass through the first B picked up.
3. Round 1
Pick up 2 A and pass through the next B. Repeat to add a total of 6 A.
Step up through the first A added in this round.
4. Round 2
Add 1 C in between each A from the previous round.
Pass through the first C added in this round.
5. Round 3
Add 2 B in between each bead of the previous round.
Pass through the first B added at the beginning of this round.
6. Round 4
Add one A in between each bead from the previous round. Pass through the first A added in this round.
7. Round 5
Add one C in between each bead from the previous round. Pass through the first C added at the beginning of this round.
8. Round 6
Add one C between each of the beads from the previous round.
At this point, it's better to keep your tension loose. It's okay if you can see a little bit of thread in between beads - that will disappear with the addition of the next few rounds.
Pass through the first C added at the beginning of this round.
9. Round 7
Add 2 B between each bead from the previous round.
Keep your tension loose to let the beads fit between the beads from the previous round.
Pass throught he first B added at the beginning of this round.
10. Round 8
Pick up 1 B, and pass through the next 2 B from the previous round. For this round, treat each pair of B from Round 7 as a single unit.
Continue to add 1 B, passing through each pair of B from the previous round.
Pass through the first B added at the beginning of this round.