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BEADED EYEGLASS CHAIN (©2024 Deborah Roberti)
Bead up this simple chain using size 11/0 and 8/0 seed beads, 3mm and 4mm round or fire-polished beads to make a beaded eyeglass chain, perfect for holiday gifting. MATERIALS
Step 1: Thread your needle with a length of FireLine that you feel comfortable working with and add more as you need it. Leaving about a 10-inch tail that you will use to attach your closed jump ring later, string an 11/0 seed bead, a 3mm bead, an 11/0 seed bead, a 3mm bead, an 11/0 seed bead and a 4mm bead. Tie the beads into a triangle with a tight double knot:
Step 2: Go back around through the beads that you just strung and exit from the top 4mm bead:
Step 3: String an 11/0 seed bead, a 3mm bead, an 11/0 seed bead, a 3mm bead and an 11/0 seed bead. Go around and back through the 4mm bead that you just exited (highlighted in RED):
Step 4: Go back around through the 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead, 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead and 11/0 seed bead that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):
Step 5: String an 11/0 seed bead. Go around through the 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead, 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead and 11/0 seed bead below (highlighted in RED) so that this new 11/0 seed bead fits in the gap between the existing 11/0 seed beads:
Step 6: String an 11/0 seed bead. Go up through the 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead and 11/0 seed bead above (highlighted in RED) so that this new 11/0 seed bead fits in the gap between the existing 11/0 seed beads:
Step 7: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED to smooth out the motif and give it some extra strength:
Step 8: String two 8/0 seed beads, an 11/0 seed bead and two 8/0 seed beads. Go around and back across through the 11/0 seed bead that you exited at the beginning of this step (highlighted in RED:
Step 9: Go back around through the seed beads that you just added (highlighted in RED):
Step 10: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED:
Step 11: String an 11/0 seed bead. Go back down and around through the seed beads highlighted in RED. As you pull tight, the 11/0 seed bead that you just strung should sit astride and a little between the adjacent 8/0 seed beads:
Step 12: String an 11/0 seed bead. Go back up through the seed beads highlighted in RED. As you pull tight, the 11/0 seed bead that you just strung should sit astride and a little between the adjacent 8/0 seed beads:
Step 13: String two 8/0 seed beads, an 11/0 seed bead and two 8/0 seed beads. Go around and back across through the 11/0 seed bead that you exited at the beginning of this step (highlighted in RED):
Step 14: Go back around through the seed beads that you just added (highlighted in RED):
Step 15: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED:
Step 16: String an 11/0 seed bead. Go back down and around through the seed beads highlighted in RED. As you pull tight, the 11/0 seed bead that you just strung should sit astride and a little between the adjacent 8/0 seed beads:
Step 17: String an 11/0 seed bead. Go back up through the seed beads highlighted in RED. As you pull tight, the 11/0 seed bead that you just strung should sit astride and a little between the adjacent 8/0 seed beads:
Step 18: String a 3mm bead, an 11/0 seed bead, a 4mm bead, an 11/0 seed bead and a 3mm bead. Go around and back across through the 11/0 seed bead that you exited at the beginning of this step (highlighted in RED):
Step 19: Go back around through the 3mm bead, the 11/0 seed bead and the 4mm bead that you just strung (highlighted in RED):
Step 20: String an 11/0 seed bead, a 3mm bead, an 11/0 seed bead, a 3mm bead and an 11/0 seed bead. Go around and back through the 4mm bead that you just exited (highlighted in RED):
Step 21: Go back around through the 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead, 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead and 11/0 seed bead that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):
Step 22: String an 11/0 seed bead. Go around through the 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead, 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead and 11/0 seed bead below (highlighted in RED) so that this new 11/0 seed bead fits in the gap between the existing 11/0 seed beads:
Step 23: String an 11/0 seed bead. Go up through the 11/0 seed bead, 3mm bead and 11/0 seed bead above (highlighted in RED) so that this new 11/0 seed bead fits in the gap between the existing 11/0 seed beads:
Step 24: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED to smooth out the motif and give it some extra strength:
Step 25: Repeat Step 8 to Step 24 until your beaded chain is the length you want it. I beaded up a 24-inch chain but you can make yours any length that you wish. There are a number of different ways to attach your eyeglass finding to your beaded chain. I have included the method I like best but there are others you may find preferable. The important thing to remember is that the beadwork will likely last longer than the eyeglass finding—or you may end up wanting a different finding—so keep that in mind when attaching the finding to your chain. Step 26: To attach the closed jump ring, string three 11/0 seed beads. Go around through the closed jump ring and then back down through the last seed bead that you just strung. String two more 11/0 seed beads. Go back across through the same seed bead that you exited at the beginning of this step (highlighted in RED):
Step 27: Go back around through the seed beads highlighted in RED and the jump ring several times:
Weave back into the strap, knot in several places and then cut your thread. Step 28: To attach your closed jump ring to the other end of your chain, thread your needle with the tail thread from Step 1. Go up through the 11/0 seed bead, the 3mm bead and the 11/0 seed bead highlighted in RED:
Repeat Step 26 to 27. Step 29: To attach your beaded eyeglass chain to your eyeglass finding, slip the closed jump ring at the end of your chain and the loop of the eyeglass finding onto your open jump ring and then close this jump ring:
Beads used in the photo below
Turquoise/Salmon version:
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