How to Make Russian Frost Earrings
Coraling or Branched Fringe Technique
These lacy earrings look like
coral or frost. The branched
fringe or coraling beading
technique is easy to do and
yields stunning results. Once
you master the stitch you can
use it to make necklaces or
to adorn clothing.
Skill Level Intermediate
Time A few hours - can complete pair of earrings in a
Required weekend
Materials Comments
I used a main color and a contrast color. Smaller
Size 11 Seed
beads work well (e.g., 13s or 15s), but larger
Beads
beads will yield heavy earrings.
Or other earring findings. Buy them or make your
Earwires
own.
Optional. I like to hang the beadwork from
Bead Tips beadtips because the dangles swing freely and
the thread isn't damaged during wear.
Flatnose or
Chainnose For attaching bead tip to earwire.
Pliers
Thread Snips I used my wire cutters.
Beading Needle I used a size 10 beading needle.
I used size D Nymo. Personally, I find other types
Thread of thread too stiff for this technique. Nymo B is
great with size 14/15 beads.
Optional. I used a pair of 4-mm beads for the
Accent Beads white earrings and a pair of 8-mm beads for the
tutorial.
Coraling is easy, but it does require that you have practice
controlling your thread tension. Also, it uses a large number of
beads and takes a bit of time. Feel free to vary the number of beads
between branches, the length of the branches, etc. Have fun!
To start, cut at least a meter of your chosen
thread. If desired, condition your thread with
beeswax or Thread Heaven. If you can, it's
better to work with a single long thread than
to have to add thread, since adding thread will make it harder to
keep the beads under tension. I threaded one seed bead onto the
string, let it fall about a third of the way down the string, and tied a
knot around it.
Put both ends of the thread through a bead tip. This
bead will support the beadwork.
Using the shorter
strand, string on
1 seed bead, your
accent bead, and
40 main color
seed beads (this
will be the final length of your earring, so adjust it longer or shorter
as desired by adding or subtracting beads in multiples of three).
String on three accent beads. Go back
through the last two main color seed
beads. Tighten the tension so there are no
gaps between the beads. If you are using
nymo or any other nylon thread,
remember that it stretches over time, so
your beadwork needs to be fairly tight. On
the other hand, if you are using Power Pro or another
fluoropolymer, remember that this thread will not stretch, so you
want the tension such that there are no gaps between beads yet
loose enough for the beadwork to be fluid.
Add two main color beads and three contrast
beads. Pass back through the two main color
beads. Congratulations, you have completed
your first pair of branches!
Pass back through the next 5 beads,
going toward the bead tip. Adjust your
tension.
Add 4 main color beads and three
contrast color beads. Pass back
through the last 2 main color beads.
Add two main color beads and three
contrast color beads.
Pass back through the two main
color beads, the two next 2
main color beads of this
branch and then through the next 3 beads toward the bead tip
(total of 7 beads you go back through).
From here on, you are just repeating the previous
step. Add 4 main color and 3 contrast. Pass back
through the last two main color. Add 2 main color
and three contrast. Pass back through the 7 main
color on the 'branch' and 'stem', going toward the
bead tip. You will continue this pattern until you
are as near the bead tip as you like (5-6 beads for
me).
Thread up through the accent bead and
bead tip, go through the bead in the
bead tip (reinforcing your thread), tie a
knot using the other thread, and pass
back through the 'stem' beads. I ran the
thread through several branches to
secure it and cut the thread. Thread your
needle on the other end of the thread
and pass it through the seed bead and
accent bead so that it is exiting the
accent bead. Make the next stem with
branches. This thread should be dangling
from the base of the accent bead. I
added 26 main color beads.
Add three contrast beads and
pass back through the last 2
main color beads. Add 2 main
color beads and 3 accent beads.
Pass back through the last 2
main color beads and the next
5 main color beads on the stem
(7 main color beads total).
Continue making branches until
you are within 5 beads of the
accent bead. Pass through the
main color beads to come out
just below the accent bead.
Make the third stem/branch identical to
the second stem/branch. When you are
finished, you can knot your thread or
work it back through several branches to
secure it. Cut the thread. Use pliers to
attach the bead tip to the earring finding.
Here's a finished earring. Make a second
earring to match the first. If you enjoyed
making these earrings, you may be
interested in Varvara's book of coraling
patterns for necklaces.