Beaded Leaf Necklace

This lovely bracelet is the basic spiral “kongo” braid with beads. Makes an 18″ necklace. Overdyed rayon floss gives a lovely color gradation on necklaces. Kit includes all materials and big eye needle for beading.

• level: INTERMEDIATE
• Overdyed rayon and S-Lon threads for braiding
• Pendant, side beads, and seed beads
• Clasp, big eye needle, and instructions

To help with this project consider getting a disk, weight, and ez bobs

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:This is a beaded version of a kongo-gumi, or spiral braid. (Click for instructions or making a basic spiral braid.)
It is a 2/8 beaded braid, meaning 2 out of 8 strands are beaded during the braiding process.
MATERIALS YOU NEED:

• one skein overdyed rayon floss (#44 shown)
• S-Lon thread in yellow and green for beaded strands
• pendant,side beads, roughly 10 grams both gold and green 8/0 seed beads, sewing thread
• a 4mm glue in clasp

TOOLS YOU NEED:

• braiding disk, braiding weight and 8 EZ bobs,
• big eye needle
• scissors, sewing needle, gel super glue

Open up the overdyed rayon skein. Cut through all lengths where the knot is. Select six lengths. Cut one length of both S-lon thread colors 2 yards long each. Find the midway point of both thread types (the two S-Lon lengths will be much longer than the overdyed lengths). Knot all the threads together just to one side of the midway point.

You will now mount the pendant and beads on the slightly longer side. Line up the leaf pendant with the side beads. Using the big eye needle, thread 2-3 of the threads on the needle and pass through the beads.

Repeat for the rest of the threads until the pendant and beads are mounted (right). Now you are ready to put the threads on the braiding disk.

***Place the threads on the disk as shown. The two S-Lon threads with the beads are together at the top. The pendant and beads are just below the center hole.

Attach the braiding weight by means of a larks head knot (half hitch) as shown. As you braid, slip the weight as you go up the braid to keep it within a few inches of the point of braiding. This knot can be easily loosened, moved up the braid, then snugged back down as the braid progresses.

Roll the overdyed threads into the EZ bobs and clip the bobs closed.

BRAIDING: This is a simple braid with two exchanges that are repeated. Hold the disk so that one set of threads is vertical and the other horizontal. You will always work the vertical set of threads as follows:

STEP 1: Move the bottom left hand side thread UP to the left of the top thread.

STEP 2: Move the right hand side top thread DOWN into the slot to the right of the bottom thread (right picture).

Notice that these threads have now shifted one slot counter clockwise.

Rotate the disk so that the other thread set is now vertical and repeat the two moves: TOP RIGHT DOWN.

BOTTOM LEFT UP.

Notice that these threads have now shifted one slot counter clockwise. It does not matter which way you rotate, or whether you move right down or left up first. You exchange one set of threads, then the other set.

BEADING WHILE BRAIDING:

Braid step 1 and 2 several times before you begin adding the beads to allow the pendant and beads some room. Now begin adding beads as follows:

Each time you move a bead bearing thread across the disk, you will slide one bead up to the point of braiding.

Tuck it under the overdyed thread it is crossing over, as shown in the picture to the right. Tucking under is important, as it keeps the seed beads properly placed.

As you continue, you’ll see the braid beads line up as shown below.

REPEAT UNTIL THE BRAID REACHES HALF ITS DESIRED LENGTH FROM THE PENDANT.

Braid another inch without beads – the clasp will glue better into the braid end without any beads on it. Remove the braid from the disk and wrap a piece of waste thread (shown in red) around the end to keep it from unraveling (picture to left)

Now undo the knot on the other side of the beads. Mount this side on the disk, with the pendant and beads just below the center hole as for the first side.
Repeat from STEP 1 to braid the second side.

To finish the braid ends for the glue in clasp, please continue at the finishing instructions page.