Charlottes Flowers

Bracelet made using PRECIOSA Charlotte and Rivoli seed beads

PRECIOSA ORNELA’S cut seed beads are among the very best that the PRECIOSA Traditional Czech Beads range can offer. Try using Charlotte beads, the most popular 13/0 size, while making a luxurious bracelet where the gleam of the cut stone facets is enhanced by the large cut stones in the shape of a Rivoli.

Adorn your wrist with a bracelet made from delicate seed bead lace flowers made using Charlotte beads and with a glittering centre made from cut stones in the shape of Rivoli. If any of the types of Czech seed beads made by PRECIOSA ORNELA are entitled to all the superlatives, it is without doubt the cut seed beads, i.e. seed beads with shiny cut facets. As well as their brightest shine, which has brought them the most fame, their production also has the longest tradition in the local region and it also requires the most skilful craftsmen.

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Charlotte Flowers

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Materials and Tools:

PRECIOSA Charlottes – cut rocailles (CH)
361 11 001; 13/0; A silver (10g), B gold (10g),
PRECIOSA MC Rivoli
436 11 177; 16 mm; Crystal AB (5 - 7 ks)
Beading thread to match your chosen beads (I have used 4lb Fireline in ‘smoke’),
2 x 5 – 6 mm jump rings, clasp of your choice, size 10 to 15 beading needles, scissors, 2 pairs of flat nose pliers to open the jump rings

Technique: Netting stitch.

Procedure:

Each flower has a diameter of approximately 3 cm and the bracelet can be made to measure.

step 1:
Thread your needle with 1.5 m of thread and pick up 16 color A beads. Pass your needle through the first bead again to form a circle and leaving a 15 cm tail, pass your needle through all of the beads a second time.

step 2:
For the next row, add 3 A beads between every second bead added in the previous step to form 8 ‘nets’. Complete the row by stepping up through the first 2 beads only of this row.

step 3:
Working in netting stitch, add 5 A beads between the middle (2nd) bead of each net created in the previous row. Complete the row by stepping up through the first 3 beads only of this row.

step 4:
Add 7 A beads between each middle (3rd) bead added in the previous row. Complete the row by stepping up through the first 4 beads only of this row.

step 5:
Place a Rivoli face down on your work and carefully holding the Rivoli in place add 5 A beads between each middle (4th) bead added in the previous row. Complete the row by stepping up through the first 3 beads only of this row and pull your thread firmly so that little or no thread is showing and your Rivoli is held in place (don’t worry if your Rivoli is still slightly loose, the next row will secure it firmly). Please note that all diagrams from now on show the rear view of your work.

step 6:
Working on the back of your component, add 5 A beads between each middle (3rd) bead added in the previous row. Complete the row by stepping up through the first 3 beads only of this row.

step 7:
Using the tail thread, travel through all the beads added in row 1 pulling your thread firmly so that no thread shows between the beads. Tie off and trim the tail thread only.

step 8:
Using the working thread, add 3 A beads between each middle (3rd) bead added in the previous row. Complete the row by stepping up through the first 2 beads only of this row.

step 9:
Add 3 A beads between each middle (2nd) bead added in the previous row. Complete the row by stepping up through the first 2 beads only of this row.

step 10:
Add 1 A bead between each middle (2nd) bead added in the previous row. Complete the row by stepping up through the first bead only of this row.

step 11:
Pass your needle through all the beads in the previous row again. Then travel to exit the second bead of a 5 bead net added in step 5, following the thread path shown in picture below.

step 12:
Switch to using color B beads and following the thread path shown in picture below, add 1 B bead between the second and fourth beads in each 5 bead net (added in step 5) and also 1 B bead between each 5 bead net. Complete the row by stepping up through the first bead of this row.

step 13:
Add 3 B beads between each bead added in the previous row. Complete the row by stepping up through the first 2 beads only of this row.

step 14:
Add 5 B beads between each middle (2nd) bead added in the previous row. Complete the row by stepping up through the first 3 beads only of this row.

step 15:
Add 5 B beads between the third and eighth beads added in the previous row (the middle beads of the first 2 nets) and then skip a net by passing your needle through the next 6 beads without adding any beads. Repeat this sequence around the edge of the circle (adding 5 B beads between the middle beads of alternate nets) in order to create 8 new netted points and complete the row by stepping up through the first 2 beads only of this row.

step 16:
Without adding any beads, pass your needle through the new beads added in the previous row (except for the 3rd bead of each net) and the connecting beads from steps 13 and 14. Pull your thread firmly as you work so that the middle bead of each 5 bead net added in the previous row pops up to form a point. Complete the row by stepping up through the first middle ‘point bead’.

step 17:
Leaving the working thread attached, set your work aside and following steps 1 to 16 make a further 4 to 6 components (depending on the required length of your finished bracelet).

To assemble the bracelet:

step 1:
Using a working thread and with your needle exiting a point bead, pick up 3 B beads and pass your needle through the corresponding bead on another component. Pick up 3 more B beads and pass your needle through the bead your needle was exiting at the beginning of this step.

step 2:
Pass your needle through the first and third beads added in the previous step and the middle bead of the 5 bead net and pull your thread tightly so that the middle bead of the 3 bead group pops up into a point. Repeat this with the second set of 3 beads added in the previous step and pass your needle through all 6 beads again.

step 3:
Travel through your work to exit a point bead on an adjacent petal and repeat the previous 2 steps to connect the next 2 petal tips together.

step 4:
Follow steps 1 to 3 of this section to attach all of your components together making sure that they lay in a straight line. Tie off and trim the threads as you work, leaving 1 thread attached at either end of your bracelet to allow for adding the clasp.

step 5:
Using one of the remaining threads and with your needle exiting a point bead as shown in picture below, pick up 18 B beads and pass your needle through the point bead at the tip of the next petal.

step 6:
Travel through your work until your needle exits one of the point beads shown in step 5 again and pass your needle through all the 18 new beads again to reinforce the loop. Repeat this step again and then tie off and trim the thread.

step 7:
Repeat steps 5 and 6 at the other end of your bracelet and tie off and trim all remaining threads.

step 8:
Using the pliers open a jump ring and pass it through the beaded loop at one end of your bracelet and half of the clasp. Close the jump ring and repeat at the other end of your bracelet.

Designer: Kerrie Slade