Bead Arts

Technique Tuesday!

Wendy Van Camp
wvancamp @ earthlink.net
Indigoskye Bead Fashions

Wendy has written another tutorial for us! Make sure you didn’t miss her last one on loom weaving basics.

Simple Pompom Delica EarringsThis is a design that is based on instructions on making the pompom in a cap that you knit. Instead of yarn, I use strands of beads to form the loose pompom on the bottom and then cover a core base with a simple peyote stitch. This earrings are unusual and real conversation starters. I like to make the fringe in stone, but you could easily use glass in the fringe instead. The earrings in the photo are transparent amber delicas and citrine stones.

MATERIALS:

2 Glass Cylinder Beads 6×12mm
2 sterling headpins - 2″ long
2 sterling ball posts with clutches
2 6mm clear glass rondelle beads (or opaque black depending on the
chosen color of delicas)
Delica beads
4mm round beads
Similade Thread

TOOLS:
Wire cutters
Round nose pliers
English Beading Needle

BODY:
The body consists of a simple round peyote stitch around the glass core bead. String 16 delicas on a 3 to 4 foot length of similade thread. Form the beads into a circle and knot the thread to secure it. Put the circle around your cylinder bead and make sure that the delicas are tight all the way around the core bead. Pass your needle through the first bead passed the knot in the delica loop, drop down and add a new delica, skip one of the beads in the loop and go through the next bead in the loop. Repeat until you have gone around the loop completely. When you reach the end of the loop, pass your needle through the loop and then through the first bead of the new row. Add a bead and then go through the bead that is hanging down. Continue around until you reach the end and go through the two beads to start a new row. I find that 7 to 8 rows will completely cover the cylinder core bead sides. To cover the top, I weave in a few delicas on the ends with a drop peyote stitch, decreasing dramatically so that they close in around the top of the cylinder. It should only take five to six beads to do the job. Do not cover the bottom of the cylinder bead.

FRINGE:
Form a circle of eight delica beads and tie a knot. Glue the knot if you wish, but I usually just pass the thread through the circle of beads twice to secure it. On your needle, put on four delica beads, one 4mm round bead and then one delica bead. Pass through the beads starting with the 4mm round, leaving the last bead in the spoke as a “stopper” for the fringe. Go back into the circle and pass through one of the beads. Then form another spoke. You should have eight spokes around the circle when you are done. After the spokes are formed, pass through the inner circle again once or twice to give strength to your fringe and tie a knot. Cut the threads close and set aside. You should make between three and six of the circle fringes per earring. They all stack at the bottom of the body to form the pompoms.

CONSTRUCTION:
To assemble your simple pompom earrings, take your headpin and put one of the 6mm rondelles on it. Then place half of your completed fringe circles on the headpin, putting the headpin through the center circle. The glass rondelle will act as a stopper on the bottom to hold your fringe in place. Next, place the body, uncovered side down, on the fringe. Take your round nose pliers and form a loop with the headpin at the top of the earring. Place your ball posts into the loop and then double wire wrap the loop closed. Do the same to form the second earring. You are done!

All Images and Text Copyright 2007 Wendy Van Camp.

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