2

b e a d a n d bu t t o n . c o m

by Mindy Brooks

Jean Atter, one of our readers, found the

delicate red-and-clear basket shown

above crumpled up at a flea market, and

she sent it to us for help in figuring out

how it was made. She thought other

readers might also be interested in the

instructions, and we agreed.

a

b

c

Petite

beaded

basket

Make an easy basket with
wire and beads

figure 1

figure 2

1

step

by

step

Start with a circle of netting to form the
basket’s base, then stitch the sides. Add
a handle and trim the basket’s upper
edge with a double row of netting.
Create a small pedestal by adding
beaded loops around the base.

If at any point you need to end one

wire and add another, here’s what to
do. Work through the nearest 8

0

, then

make two or three tight wraps with the
working wire around the wire between
the 8

0

and the neighboring bead, as

shown in photo g. Trim the excess wire
close to the beadwork. Start a new wire
by making several tight wraps on the
other side of the 8

0

. Take the new wire

through the 8

0

and continue beading.

base

Cut a 6-ft. (1.8m) length of wire and

fold it loosely in half. String 3 color A
beads, an 8

0

, 3 As, an 8

0

, and 3 As and

slide them to the fold. String an 8

0

on

one end of the wire and go through it in
the opposite direction with the other
end of the wire (photo a). Pull both wire
ends to tighten these beads into a ring.

Pick up 5 As, an 8

0

, and 5 As on one

wire end. Go through the next 8

0

along

the ring. Pull the wire to tighten the

beads into a loop. Repeat using the same
wire, then pick up 5 As and an 8

0

(photo b).

Using the other wire end, pick up 5

As and cross through the last 8

0

strung

(photo c). Tighten the wires to complete
the loop.

Pick up 6 As, (note the change in

bead count) an 8

0

, and 6 As on one wire

and go through the closest 8

0

strung in

the previous round (figure 1, a-b).
Repeat, passing through the next 8

0

of

the previous round. Pick up 6 As and an
8

0

(b-c). Pick up 6 As on the other wire

and cross through the last 8

0

strung (fig-

ure 2).

Start this and all subsequent rounds

with the longer of the two wires. Pick up
5 As, an 8

0

, and 5 As and go through the

next 8

0

(figure 3, a-b). Repeat, making a

total of 5 loops (a-c). Then pick up 5 As
and an 8

0

(c-d). Pick up 5 As on the

other wire and cross through the last 8

0

strung (e-f).

Pick up 5 As, an 8

0

, and 5 As. Go

through the next 8

0

along the previous

round (figure 4, a-b). Repeat, passing
through the next 8

0

of the previous

round. Make a total of 5 loops (a-c).
Then pick up 5 As and an 8

0

(c-d). Pick

up 5 As on the other wire and cross
through the last 8

0

(e-f).

B e a d

&

B u t t o n

3

a

b

c

d

f

e

a

b

c

d

f

e

b

c

figure 3

figure 4

a

2

sides

Pick up 4 Bs, an 8

0

, and 4 Bs and go

through the nearest 8

0

in the previous

round (figure 5). Repeat, making a
total of 11 loops. Then pick up 4 Bs and
an 8

0

. Pick up 4 Bs on the other wire

and cross through the last 8

0

strung.

Pick up 5 Bs, an 8

0

, and 5 Bs and

work this round as in step 1 (figure 6).

Repeat step 2 twice. Leave the wire

ends unfinished for now.

handle

Cut a 4

0

-in. (1m) length of wire

and pass it through the 8

0

where the

unfinished wires cross. Fold the wire in
half (photo d). String 3 As and 2 8

0

s on

one wire end and 3 As on the other.
Cross this wire through the 8

0

s (photo

e). Tighten the wire to form the first
small square of the handle.

Repeat, making the handle 18

squares long.

To attach the handle to the basket

edge, string 3 As on each wire and
cross the wires through the 8

0

directly

across from the starting point. Leave
the wire ends unfinished.

decorative edge

Measure the unfinished wires from

the basket’s sides and handle. You need
each wire end to be at least 6-in. (15cm)
long to make the netted edge. If your
wire is shorter than 6 in., secure it and

add a new piece as described in the
introduction to these instructions.

String 12 As on one wire. Go

through the next 8

0

(photo f). Continue

until you reach the 8

0

at the starting

point. Go through this 8

0

and secure the

wire with a few wraps (photo g).

Repeat step 2 with the remaining

wires to form two rows of contrast-
color netting that cross through the 8

0

s

on the basket’s top edge (photo h).
Trim the wire close to the beadwork.

pedestal

Cut a 2 ft. (61cm) length of wire.

Pass the wire through any 8

0

on the

outer row of the base and center it.

Working with one of the wire

ends, pick up 4 Bs, an 8

0

, and 4 Bs. Go

through the next 8 (photo i). Repeat,
making a total of 11 loops. Pick up
4 Bs and an 8

0

. Pick up 4 Bs on the

other wire end and cross through the
last 8 strung.

Pick up 10 As and go through the

next 8

0

(photo j). Continue until you

cross through the 8

0

at the starting

point. Secure the wire ends on each side
of the 8

0

as before and trim.

Pinch the B loops inward against

the basket base. Then adjust the A
loops so they point down to form the
pedestal base.

w

Mindy is senior editor of Bead&Button.

4

b e a d a n d bu t t o n . c o m

figure 5

figure 6

3

B e a d

&

B u t t o n

5

materials

• 15g Japanese seed beads, size 11

0, color A

• 15g Japanese seed beads, size 11

0, color B

• 15g Japanese seed beads, size 8

0, color B

(choose cylinder-shaped beads with holes
large enough to accept 4 wires)

• 1 Spool 26-gauge craft wire
Tools: chainnose pliers, diagonal wire cutters

d

e

g

h

i

j

f

4

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