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DRAGONFLY BANGLES

VIDEO For those of you who prefer video, Kelly Dale of Off The Beaded Path created a wonderful video of this design for her popular YouTube channel. You can watch it by clicking HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUr5dP2xkMY

Dragonfly Bangles

Free step-by-step illustrated instructions for an easy bracelet using size 11 seed beads, 4mm fire-polished bead, SuperDuo beads, MiniDuo beads and any Czech two-hole beads (Czechmates tile and brick beads, Rulla beads or more SuperDuo beads work best).

Links to exact beads used at the end of the page.

MATERIALS
(for a 7-inch bracelet, not including clasp)
• 2-3 yards of 6 lb. FireLine
• About 130-150 size 11/0 seed beads
• About 32-36 size 4mm fire-polished beads
• About 7-9 SuperDuo beads
• About 28-36 MiniDuo beads
• About 8-10 Czech two-hole beads (Czechmates tile and brick beads, Rulla beads or more SuperDuo beads work best)
• clasp

Step 1: Thread your needle with 2-3 yards of FireLine (or start with a length that you feel comfortable with and add more later).

Leaving about a 10-inch tail for attaching the clasp, string three seed beads, a two-hole bead, a seed bead, a fire-polished bead, a seed bead and a SuperDuo bead:

String a seed bead, a fire-polished bead and a seed bead. Go down through the left hole of the two-hole bead that you just strung. String a seed bead. Grab your tail thread and tie a tight double knot:

Step 2: Go back around and up through the three seed beads, the right side of the two-hole bead, the seed bead, the fire-polished bead, the seed bead and the bottom hole of the SuperDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 3: Go around and through the top hole of the SuperDuo bead that you just exited (highlighted in RED):

Step 4: String a seed bead, a fire-polished bead, a seed bead, a two-hole bead, a seed bead, a fire-polished bead, a seed bead, a SuperDuo bead, a seed bead, a fire-polished bead and a seed bead.

Go around and down through the left side of the two-hole bead that you just strung. String a seed bead, a fire-polished bead and a seed bead. Go across through the top hole of the SuperDuo bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 5: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 6: String two MiniDuo beads.

Go down through the seed bead, the fire-polished bead, the seed bead and the left side of the two-hole bead below highlighted in RED. Continue around and up through the right side of this same two-hole bead, the seed bead, the fire-polished bead and the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 7: String two MiniDuo beads.

Go up through the seed bead, the fire-polished bead, the seed bead and the right side of the two-hole bead above (highlighted in RED).

Continue around and down through the left side of this same two-hole bead, the seed bead and the fire-polished bead highlighted in RED:

Step 8: String a seed bead. Go down through the outside hole of the MiniDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 9: String a seed bead. Go down through the outside hole of the next MiniDuo bead (highlighted in RED):

Step 10: String a seed bead. Go down through the fire-polished bead, the seed bead and the left side of the two-hole bead below highlighted in RED. Continue around and up through the right side of the two-hole bead, the seed bead and the fire-polished bead highlighted in RED:

Step 11: String a seed bead. Go up through the outside hole of the MiniDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 12: String a seed beads. Go up through the outside hole of the next MiniDuo bead (highlighted in RED):

Step 13: String a seed bead. Go up through the fire-polished bead, the seed bead, the right side of the two-hole bead, the seed bead, the fire-polished bead, the seed bead and the bottom hole of the SuperDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 14: Go around and through the top hole of the SuperDuo bead that you just exited (highlighted in RED):

Step 15: Repeat Step 4 to Step 14 until your bracelet is the length you want it, minus about a half-inch and the length of your clasp. See the “NOTE” on Step 26 on how to make your bangle longer without adding an additional Dragonfly motif:

Step 16: String a seed bead, a fire-polished bead, a seed bead, a two-hole bead and four seed beads.

Go around and down through the left side of the two-hole bead that you just strung. String a seed bead, a fire-polished bead and a seed bead. Go across through the top hole of the SuperDuo bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 17: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 18: String two MiniDuo beads.

Go down through the seed bead, the fire-polished bead, the seed bead and the left side of the two-hole bead below (highlighted in RED). Continue around and up through the right side of this same two-hole bead, the seed bead, the fire-polished bead and the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 19: String two MiniDuo beads.

Go up through the seed bead, the fire-polished bead, the seed bead and the right side of the two-hole bead above (highlighted in RED). Continue around and down through the left side of this same two-hole bead, the seed bead and the fire-polished bead highlighted in RED:

Step 20: String a seed bead. Go down through the outside hole of the MiniDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 21: String a seed bead. Go down through the outside hole of the next MiniDuo bead (highlighted in RED):

Step 22: String a seed bead. Go down through the fire-polished bead, the seed bead and the left side of the two-hole bead below (highlighted in RED). Continue around and up through the right side of this same two-hole bead, the seed bead and the fire-polished bead highlighted in RED:

Step 23: String a seed bead. Go up through the outside hole of the MiniDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 24: String a seed beads. Go up through the outside hole of the next MiniDuo bead (highlighted in RED):

Step 25: String a seed bead. Go up through the fire-polished bead, the seed bead, the right side of the two-hole bead and the two seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 26: To attach one end of the clasp, string a seed bead.

Go through the clasp and then back down through the seed bead that you just strung:

NOTE: If you need to make your bracelet a bit longer but find that adding another Dragonfly motif will make it too long, string a fire-polished bead and a seed bead—instead of just a single seed bead—in this step. Go through the clasp and then back down through the seed bead and the fire-polished bead that you just strung:

Step 27: Go around through the beads highlighted in RED:

Step 28: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED and the clasp several times:

Weave back into the bracelet, knot in several places and then cut your thread.

Step 29: To attach the clasp to the other end of your bracelet, thread your needle with the tail thread from Step 1.

Go up through the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Repeat Steps 26-28.

Click on the photo below for a free matching Dragonfly Earrings pattern:

 

Beads Used in Photo Above:


Purple/Silver:
• About 150 size 11/0 seed beads: Czech #27000 Crystal Full Labrador
• About 36 size 4mm fire-polished beads: Czech Iris Purple
• About 19 SuperDuo beads: Full Labrador
• About 36 MiniDuo beads: Luster Opaque Amethyst

Red/Gold:
• About 150 size 11/0 seed beads: Miyuki #1052 Galvanized Gold
• About 34 size 4mm fire-polished beads: Czech Magic Wine
• About 8 SuperDuo beads: Crystal Bronze Pale Gold
• About 32 MiniDuo beads: Magic Wine
• About 9 Czech two-hole Rulla beads: Apollo Ruby

Teal/Bronze:
• About 130 size 11/0 seed beads: Toho #1703 Gilded Marble Turquoise
• About 30 size 4mm fire-polished beads: Czech Persian Turquoise - Bronze Picasso
• About 7 SuperDuo beads: Moon Dust Turquoise
• About 28 MiniDuo beads: Transparent Bronze
• About 8 Czech two-hole Czechmates tile beads: Persian Turquoise Moon Dust

Beige/White:
• About 150 size 11/0 seed beads: Toho #1705 Gilded Marble Brown
• About 34 size 4mm fire-polished beads: Czech Luster-Opaque Champagne
• About 8 SuperDuo beads: Chalk Travertin Dark
• About 32 MiniDuo beads: Dark Bronze
• About 9 Czech two-hole beads Czechmates brick beads: Opaque Light Beige Picasso

You can find many more color combinations at the RedPandaBeads.com Gallery of Color Suggestions. Click HERE or on the photo below: