The spirit of experimentation led Catherine to design

this fetching textured bracelet. The secret to its con-

struction is using seed and triangle beads and com-

bining ladder stitch and brick stitch for a

bead-popping result.

Textured
Triangle
Bead
Bracelet

C a t h e r i n e B . B e n e c k e

www.interweave.com

BEADWORK

online

Copyright Interweave Press

®

.

Not to be reprinted. All rights

reserved.

Step 1:

Using 6' of thread with a needle on each end, string

2 size 5° triangles to the center of the thread. Pass one

needle back through the last triangle strung. *String 1

size 5° and pass the other needle back through it. Repeat

from * for the length of the bracelet, minus

3

⁄

8

" for the

clasp (Figure 1). The triangles will be pointing in oppo-

site directions when viewed from the side (Figure 2).

Step 2:

Pass back through all the triangles again using two-

needle ladder stitch. When you reach the end, tie a knot

on each side to secure the beads.

Step 3:

Use one needle to string 1 size 8°, 1 size 15°, and 1 size

8°. Pass under the thread that connects the two base row

beads next to where the thread exits. Pass back through

the three beads just strung and through the third bead

again to lock the beads in place (Figure 3). *String 1 size

15° and 1 size 8°. Pass under the next thread loop and

back through the last bead strung (Figure 4). Repeat

from * until you reach the last loop of the base row. Work

2 stitches on the last loop.

Repeat this step with the other needle on the other

side of the base row.

BEADWORK

online

www.interweave.com

C L A S P

Step 4:

Using one needle, string 7 size 15°s, the disk bead, and

1 size 15°. Pass back through the disk and the seventh

seed bead. String 6 size 15°s and pass through the last

bead in the opposite outer row (Figure 5). Pass through

all the beads just added two more times to reinforce.

Weave the remaining thread back into the bracelet, tie

a knot in two places, and trim close to the work.

Step 5:

If there’s enough thread left on the remaining needle,

weave it to the other end of the bracelet to make the loop

closure, or start a new thread at the other end of the

bracelet. Exiting one of the last beads in an outer row,

string 6 size 15°s, 1 size 8°, and enough size 15°s to loop

around the disk bead at the other end of the bracelet.

Pass back through the size 8° and string 6 size 15°s. Pass

through the last bead in the opposite outer row (Figure

6). Pass back through all the beads just added two more

times to reinforce. Finish the thread as before.

(

Catherine B. Benecke is a self-taught beader who lives in Wisconsin’s

beautiful Northwoods. She has been beading for over fourteen years

and teaches beading classes through various adult education pro-

grams in the area. Contact Catherine at [e-mail].

M a t e r i a l s

1 g size 15° seed beads

7 g size 8° triangle or seed beads

3 g size 5° triangle beads

8mm disk bead for clasp

Size D Nymo or Silamide A beading thread

Thread Heaven thread conditioner or beeswax

T o o l s

Size 12 beading needle

Scissors

T e c h n i q u e s

Two-needle ladder stitch, brick stitch

F i n i s h e d S i z e

6

1

⁄

2

"

Figure 1

Figure 2

T i p s

• When you’re working the base row, keep tension

as tight as possible. Tight tension should make the

triangle beads point in the right directions (see Fig-

ure 2) and stay put.

• When you’re working the outer rows, keep thread

tension taut but not too tight or the bracelet will not

bend easily around the wrist.

• You can substitute size 5° or 6° seed beads for the

base row. However, you will not get the textured

effect of the triangle beads.

• It’s possible to make a wider bracelet. After work-

ing the base row, make one outer row as you did in

Step 3. On the other side, work one row with size 8°

beads only, followed by one row of the size 5° trian-

gle beads, and then the other outer row.

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6