Free Twin bead project
In the August 2012 issue, we pictured projects several of us made with the new two-hole Twin beads.
For my project, I used the Twins as the core of a double spiral rope bracelet. Here are the instructions so you can
make one too.
materials for a 7-in. bracelet
5 g Twin beads (jet/matte dark purple pearl)
5 g 6/0 seed beads, color A (matte raku blue/plum)
5 g 6/0 seed beads, color B (matte khaki iris)
5 g 11/0 seed beads (permanent finish galvanized silver)
glass hula hoop (hobobeads.com)
2 4 x 6 mm drop beads
Fireline or WildFire, 6 lb. test
beading needles #12
1. On a comfortable length of Fireline of WildFire, and leaving a 12-in. (30 cm) tail, pick up two Twin beads, three
11/0s, a color A 6/0, and three 11/0s, and sew through the same hole of the first Twin bead again and the other hole
of the second Twin bead (figure 1).
2. Pick up three 11/0s, a
color B 6/0, and three 11/0s, and sew through the remaining hole of the first Twin bead and the other hole of the
second Twin bead (figure 2).
3. Pick up a Twin bead, three 11/0s, an A, and three 11/0s, and sew through the previous Twin bead and the
remaining hole of the new Twin bead (figure 3). The new loop of three 11/0s, an A, and three 11/0s should sit on
top of the previous loop. Flip the work over so the loop with the B is on the left.
4. Pick up three 11/0s, a B, and three 11/0s, and sew through the other hole of the previous Twin bead and the
starting hole of the new Twin bead (figure 4). Flip the work so the loops with the As are on the left.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the desired length, ending and adding thread as needed. Make sure you always add the
new loop on the correct side of the work so that both sets of loops spiral in the same direction. Do not end the
working thread or tail.
6. To make a toggle bar: On a comfortable length of thread and leaving an 8-in. (20 cm) tail, use 11/0s to make a
ladder that is four beads long. Join the ladder into a ring, and then use 11/0s to work 18 rows in tubular
herringbone.
7. After adding the last round, sew through the beadwork to exit between two beads of a stitch in the second-to-last
round, with your needle pointing toward the last round. Pick up a drop bead, and sew through the opposite bead in
the second-to-last round. Retrace the thread path to secure to drop bead in the end of the herringbone tube, and end
the thread.
8. Attach a needle to the tail, and work one round of herringbone off the ladder round. Repeat step 7 at the other
end of the toggle bar.
9. To attach the toggle loop, use the thread exiting a Twin bead at one end of the rope, and pick up two 11/0s. Sew
down through the other hole of the same Twin bead and out through the hole your thread exited at the start of this
step. Pick up two 11/0s, and sew down through the second 11/0 in the previous stitch and up through the first 11/0
in the previous stitch, and continue through the first 11/0 in the new stitch. Repeat this stitch to make a strip that is
long enough to capture the glass hula hoop ring. Wrap the strip around the ring, and sew down into the end Twin
bead. Sew out through the other hole of the Twin bead, and retrace the thread path to secure the toggle ring in
place. End the thread.
10. Repeat step 9 at the other end of the rope, but wrap the strip around the middle of the toggle bar instead, and
tack the bar in place several times.