Quick Beaded Holly Leaf Charm

To make one charm, you'll need the following beads, supplies, and tools:

• Three size 15/0 green round seed beads
• 48 size 8/0 green round seed beads
• Two 6mm Czech fire polished round beads in ruby red (or similarly sized red beads of your choice)
• About 48 inches of gold colored, 28-gauge craft wire (I used Bead Smith tarnish resistant craft wire)
• Two gold tone or brass head pins (I used brass ball-end head pins)
• Side cutters (wire cutters for jewelry making)
• Round nose pliers
• Two pairs of chain nose pliers, or one pair of chain nose and one pair of flat nose pliers
• One or two gold tone jump rings
• Optional: E6000 glue (recommended if you use your charm for jewelry)

Use the side cutters to cut a length of wire that's about 16 inches long. (The remaining wire may attempt to spring off its coil after you make the cut; if it does, wind it tight again, slip the end into the notch on the end of the spool, and fold it over.)

If the cut wire is bent or kinked at all, gently run it through your fingers to straighten it. Only do this as much as necessary.

Tip: Always avoid bending the wire more than you need to. Repeated bending work hardens the wire, making it brittle and prone to breaking.

String one size 15/0 bead onto the wire, and slide it down to the wire's center point. Bend the wire into a narrow "U" with the seed bead at its base.

String a size 8/0 bead onto one end of the wire, and slide it down toward the first bead. Use your fingers to gently bend the wire so that the second bead is stacked on top of the first, as shown (please click the image for a larger view).

Now use the other end of the wire to pass back through the second bead. Pull both ends of the wire very gently away from one another. Go slowly to avoid kinking the wire or bending it more than necessary. If the wire starts to curl or bend in the wrong places, use your fingers to guide it into position.

Tip: This is the same stitching technique you use with two-needle ladder stitch beadweaving.

String two size 8/0 beads onto one end of the wire and slide them down toward the second bead. Bend the wire above the second bead so that these two new beads are stacked horizontally on top.

Use the opposite end of the wire to pass back through the third and fourth beads, and pull both ends of the wire gently away from one another.

Continue this process, stitching one row of beads at a time, until you complete the first leaf. For the very next row, stitch four 8/0 beads; then stitch three beads, then two beads, and finally one bead.

Use your fingers to gently twist the wires together at the top of the leaf. Make just one or two twists.

Use the same process to make two more beaded leaves.