MINI GEMDUO STAR PENDANT

(©2021 Deborah Roberti)

This pendant is the six-pointed star version of my Mini GemDuo Star Earrings. Like the earrings, the pendant is created using size 11/0 Miyuki seed beads and Matubo Mini GemDuo beads (the mini version of the GemDuo bead that measures 6x4mm, a little bigger than a SuperDuo bead). The design can also be used to create a small ornament and earrings.

I got my Matubo Mini GemDuo beads from RedPandaBeads.com here:
https://www.redpandabeads.com/Mini_GemDuo_Beads_s/6017.htm

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

MATERIALS
• About four feet of 6 lb. FireLine
• About 75 size 11/0 Miyuki rocaille seed beads (Toho brand seed beads will be a bit too fat)
• 12 Color1 size 6x4mm Matubo Mini GemDuo beads
• 12 Color2 size 6x4mm Matubo Mini GemDuo beads
• a bail or 4-6mm closed (soldered) jump ring
• a chain, or satin, silk or leather cord with clasp

Step 1: Thread your needle with about four feet of FireLine.

Leaving about a 6-inch tail that you can weave in and cut at any time, string a Color1 Mini GemDuo bead, a Color2 Mini GemDuo bead, a Color1 Mini GemDuo bead, a Color2 Mini GemDuo bead, a Color1 Mini GemDuo bead and a Color2 Mini GemDuo bead.

Tie the beads together with a tight double knot, forming a star of six of Mini GemDuo beads:

NOTE: Mini GemDuo beads have a tapered front side and a flat back side. Make sure the front side is facing in the same direction when you add each Mini GemDuo bead and that the outside holes are open and not clogged.

Step 2: Go back around through this star of six Mini GemDuo beads, grab your tail thread and tie another tight knot:

Step 3: Go back through the inside hole of the Color1 and Color2 Mini GemDuo beads highlighted in RED:

Step 4: Go around and through the outside hole of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 5: String a Color2 and a Color1 Mini GemDuo bead and go up through the outside hole of the Color1 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 6: String a Color1 and a Color2 Mini GemDuo bead and go up through the outside hole of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 7: String a Color2 and a Color1 Mini GemDuo bead and go across through the outside hole of the Color1 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 8: String a Color1 and a Color2 Mini GemDuo bead and go down through the outside hole of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 9: String a Color2 and a Color1 Mini GemDuo bead and go down through the outside hole of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 10: String a Color1 and a Color2 Mini GemDuo bead and go across through the outside hole of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead and the inside hole of the adjacent Color2 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 11: Go back around through the inside and outside holes of the Mini GemDuo beads highlighted in RED:

Step 12: Go up through the inside hole of the adjacent Color1 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED. Go around and down through the outside hole of this same Color1 Mini GemDuo bead:

Step 13: String two seed beads. Go across through the outside hole of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 14: String a Color2 Mini GemDuo bead and go across through the outside hole of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 15: String two seed beads. Go up through the outside hole of the Color1 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 16: String a Color1 Mini GemDuo bead and go up through the outside hole of the Color1 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 17: String two seed beads. Go up through the outside hole of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED.

String a Color2 Mini GemDuo bead and go up through the outside hole of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 18: String two seed beads. Go across through the outside hole of the Color1 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED.

String a Color1 Mini GemDuo bead and go across through the outside hole of the Color1 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 19: String two seed beads. Go down through the outside hole of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED.

String a Color2 Mini GemDuo bead and go down through the outside hole of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 20: String two seed beads. Go down through the outside hole of the Color1 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED.

String a Color1 Mini GemDuo bead and go down through the outside hole of the Color1 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 21: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED twice. Don’t pull so tightly that the motif buckles. Try to keep the motif flat:

Step 22: Go down through the two seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 23: String three seed beads and go across through the outside hole of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 24: String three seed beads and go up through the two seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 25: String three seed beads and go up through the outside hole of the Color1 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED:

Step 26: String three more seed beads and go up through the two seed beads highlighted
in RED:

Step 27: String three seed beads and go across through the outside hole of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED.

String three more seed beads and go up through the two seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 28: String three seed beads and go across through the outside hole of the Color1 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED.

String three more seed beads and go down through the two seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 29: String three seed beads and go down through the outside hole of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED.

String three more seed beads and go down through the two seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 30: String three seed beads and go down through the outside hole of the Color1 Mini GemDuo bead highlighted in RED.

String three more seed beads and go down through the two seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 31: Go back down through the three seed beads highlighted in RED:

Next you will add seed beads around the tip of each Mini GemDuo bead.

Step 32: String three seed beads. Go around the tip of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead and up through the eight seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 33: String three seed beads. Go around the tip of the Color1 Mini GemDuo bead and up through the eight seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 34: String three seed beads. Go around the tip of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead and up through the eight seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 35: String three seed beads. Go around the tip of the Color1 Mini GemDuo bead and down through the eight seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 36: String three seed beads. Go around the tip of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead and down through the eight seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 37: String three seed beads. Go around the tip of the Color1 Mini GemDuo bead and down through the eight seed beads highlighted in RED:

Step 38: Skip the next seed bead at the tip of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead and go up through the next ten seed beads highlighted in RED, pulling tight so that the skipped seed bead pops out to create a point:

NOTE: If you prefer a more rounded tip instead of a pointed tip, instead of skipping the seed bead, go through it in this step an all subsequent steps.

Step 39: Skip the next seed bead at the tip of the Color1 Mini GemDuo bead and go up through the next ten seed beads highlighted in RED, pulling tight so that the skipped seed bead pops out to create a point:

Step 40: Skip the next seed bead at the tip of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead and go up through the next ten seed beads highlighted in RED, pulling tight so that the skipped seed bead pops out to create a point:

Step 41: Skip the next seed bead at the tip of the Color1 Mini GemDuo bead and go down through the next ten seed beads highlighted in RED, pulling tight so that the skipped seed bead pops out to create a point:

Step 42: Skip the next seed bead at the tip of the Color2 Mini GemDuo bead and go down through the next ten seed beads highlighted in RED, pulling tight so that the skipped seed bead pops out to create a point:

Step 43: Skip the next seed bead at the tip of the Color1 Mini GemDuo bead and go down through the next ten seed beads highlighted in RED, pulling tight so that the skipped seed bead pops out to create a point:

Step 44: Go back around through the seed beads highlighted in RED to exit from the top seed bead:

Step 45: To add a closed loop bail (or jump ring), string three seed beads. Go through the loop and then back down through the last seed bead that you just strung:

Step 46: String two more seed beads and go back across through the seed bead at the top of the star (highlighted in RED):

Step 47: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED and your bail loop:

Step 48: Go back up through the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 49: String a seed bead. Go back around through the seed beads highlighted in RED and the bail loop:

The seed bead that you just added should sit beside and a little between the two adjacent seed beads so that the trio of seed beads form a bit of a point as you pull tight.

Step 50: String a seed bead. Go back around through the seed beads highlighted in RED:

Again, the seed bead that you just added should sit beside and a little between the two adjacent seed beads so that the trio of seed beads form a bit of a point as you pull tight.

Weave back around through the outer edge of beads along the earring motif again, knot and cut your thread.

If your pendant isn’t as firm as you would like it to be, see my TIP “How to Stiffen Beadwork”
on my website here:
https://www.aroundthebeadingtable.com/Tutorials/StiffenBeadwork.html

You can also making earrings from the motif. Use the same directions for attaching a closed jump
ring or Beadsmith Cymbal element that I wrote up for my free Mini GemDuo Star Earrings (page 6). This pattern is on my website here:
https://www.aroundthebeadingtable.com/Tutorials/MiniGemDuoStar.html

Beads used in the photo above

Green/Red version:
• About 75 size 11/0 Miyuki rocaille seed beads: Miyuki #4202 Duracoat Galvanized Gold
• 12 Color1 size 6x4mm Matubo Mini GemDuo beads: Gold Shine Dark Olive
• 12 Color2 size 6x4mm Matubo Mini GemDuo beads: Metalust Lipstick Red

Blue/White version:
• About 75 size 11/0 Miyuki rocaille seed beads: Miyuki #194 Palladium Plated
• 12 Color1 size 6x4mm Matubo Mini GemDuo beads: Chalk Blue Luster
• 12 Color2 size 6x4mm Matubo Mini GemDuo beads: Chalk White Luster

Crystal AB/Silver version:
• About 75 size 11/0 Miyuki rocaille seed beads: Miyuki #528 White Ceylon
• 12 Color1 size 6x4mm Matubo Mini GemDuo beads: Crystal AB
• 12 Color2 size 6x4mm Matubo Mini GemDuo beads: Silver Plated

For more color and bead combinations, click on the photo below to visit the RedPandaBeads.com Gallery of Color Suggestions!