Free Sugar Skull Love Halloween brick stitch seed bead earring, necklace, or bracelet pendant pattern. Scroll down for the free bead pattern color chart, labeled brick stitch color chart, a letter chart that is similar to a word chart, pattern finish sizes, and a bead count list. Use seed beads to make necklace or bracelet pendants and earring dangles or pony beads to make window hangers, zipper pulls, key chain dangles and beaded ornaments.
Brick stitch bead weaving is a very strong and versatile stitch. While finished pieces look a lot like peyote stitch was used, due to the staggered rows, its construction allows you a great deal more control over the shape of your beaded pieces. Brick stitch beadwork shapes are achieved with increases and decreases of rows and/or by using different size beads. With the following brick stitch bead pattern, increases and decreases at the beginning and ending of rows are used to create the unique shape of this Sugar Skull Love pendant.
Click on the pictures below to view the bead pattern larger. Then, right click the pattern image to save, download, or print it.
Bead Pattern Color Chart:
You can use this pattern color chart as a guide to what your finished beadwork piece should look like. The size and shape of your finished piece may vary slightly from the image below depending on the bead you use. However, this chart gives you a really good overview of the finished beadwork. Click on the bead pattern color chart to view a larger image of it.
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A Note on Bead Sizes and Brands:
The size and brand of bead you use may affect the final look of the pattern. Miyuki Delicas and Toho beads look the best and have a classy feel. While on the pricey side, they are well worth the cost in how easy they are to bead and the beauty of the finished beadwork. For the larger patterns, to make earrings, I suggest using size 11 or 15 Delicas. I prefer the Perler Mini Beads for my beadwork. Along with a low price tag, they brick stitch really well and have a fun and whimsical look. They are also great for beaders who don’t see well or young beaders who might have trouble with tiny beads. Their size also makes for great brick stitch beaded ornaments and key chain dangles. (My favorite to bead.)
Pattern Finish Sizes:
(These finish sizes are approximate and are width x height)
Miyuki Delicas Size 15 Beads (1.3 mm x 1 mm): 1.70 inches x 1.93 inches
*Miyuki Delicas Size 15 beads are the smallest bead on the market that can be used with brick stitch. Their center hole size is just large enough to accept multiple passes with a size 15 English Needle and Nymo Thread size A or OO. A size 12 English needle with Nymo Thread size D may be used, however the amount of passes through the beads will be limited.*
Miyuki Delicas Size 11 Beads (1.6 mm x 1.5 mm): 1.82 inches x 2.39 inches
*For the size 11 beads, I suggest using a size 12 English needle with the Nymo Thread size D. The finished bead piece will be far stronger and you shouldn’t have any difficulty passing the needle multiple times through the beads.*
Miyuki Delicas Size 10 Beads (2.2 mm x 1.6 mm): 2.08 inches x 3.01 inches
Miyuki Delicas Size 8 Beads (2.8 mm x 3 mm): 3.12 inches x 4.69 inches
*If you are using the Perler Mini Beads, the closest pattern size is similar to the size 8 beads above. However, the finished beadwork will look elongated due to their being taller than wider. The Perler Mini bead size is 2.8 mm x 2.61 mm.*
Toho Aiko Beads Size 11/0 (1.75 mm x 1.3 mm): 1.77 inches x 2.30 inches
Toho Treasures Beads size 11/0 (1.7 mm x 1.25 mm): 1.53 inches x 1.93 inches
Pony Beads (9 mm): 9.38 inches x 10.62 inches
If you are using a brand of bead that is not listed above, compare your bead size in millimeters with the ones listed above to gain a comparable estimate of the finish size of your beaded jewelry project.
Beading Skill Level:
Intermediate
Bead Pattern Labeled Color Chart:
These charts are my favorite to use. They combine the color chart and letter chart so you can easily see by the letters which bead to use while simultaneously allowing you to compare your beaded piece to what the finished piece should look like. Printers do not always print the pattern colors correctly. So, having the letters on the pattern color chart, like the one below, can help differentiate colors that are close in hue. Click on the labeled bead pattern color chart to view a larger image of it.
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Pattern Bead Counts:
Use these bead counts as a shopping list or to check that you have enough beads to complete your project. A typical 7 gram tube of size 11 seed beads average around 1200-1500 beads per tube. Here is a handy list of the approximate number of beads per 1 gram of each common size:
Size 15 beads = 250 beads
Size 11 beads = 120 beads
Size 10 beads = 100 beads
Size 8 beads = 40 beads
Necklace Pendant Bead Count:
A - Yellow Beads - 121
B - Blue Beads - 104
C - White Beads - 236
D - Black Beads - 250
E - Pink Beads - 144
B - Blue Beads - 104
C - White Beads - 236
D - Black Beads - 250
E - Pink Beads - 144
Pair of Earrings Bead Count:
A - Yellow Beads - 242
B - Blue Beads - 208
C - White Beads - 472
D - Black Beads - 500
E - Pink Beads - 288
B - Blue Beads - 208
C - White Beads - 472
D - Black Beads - 500
E - Pink Beads - 288
Bead Pattern Letter Chart:
The bead pattern letter chart gives you a strictly black and white option for easy printing. It is simple to follow the pattern with the letters and functions similarly to a bead word chart. You can also print this chart out and color over the letters to see what different bead colors would look like in the pattern. Click on the bead pattern letter chart to view a larger image of it.
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Suggested Beading Techniques to Use:
Ladder Stitch Base Row
Basic Brick Stitch
Single Bead Brick Stitch Decrease
Single Bead Brick Stitch Increase
Multiple Bead Brick Stitch Decrease
Multiple Bead Brick Stitch Decrease
*The brick stitch bead increases and decreases are performed at the beginning and ending of rows.
Suggested Beaded Base Row:
I suggest using row number 27 as your base row. Count each row of beads (including the rows for the top loop) from the tip down to row number 27. This row has the most consecutive beads out of all of the beaded rows in the brick stitch pattern.
Tools You Might Need For This Pattern:
-Beading Needle-
-Beading Thread-
-Small Scissors-
-A pencil to mark off finished rows on the printed pattern-
-Clear Nail Polish or Super Glue to secure thread knots.-
-Tape wrapped Needle Nose Pliers for pulling the needle and attaching jump rings-
-Rounded Nose Pliers for attaching jump rings-
-1 to 4 Jump Rings (1 for a necklace pendant, up to 4 for a pair of earrings)-
-2 Earring Wires. Fish hook, Shepherd’s Hook, Curved Kidney, and some Hoop ear wires will work well with this pattern.-
Brick Stitch Beading Tips:
-For your base row, start with the row that has the most beads. Typically, this is a central row in the pattern. Then, brick stitch up the pattern. Once the top portion is complete, move your thread down to the base row and brick stitch the bottom portion of the pattern. If you get stuck with how to brick stitch parts of this pattern, go to the How to Brick Stitch section of this website for the Brick Stitch Quick video tutorial series. This pattern can be beaded with brick stitch, peyote, and gourd stitch beading techniques. Print out the pattern and decide which row will be your base row. Then, number each row of the pattern so it is easier to follow and track your progress. This allows you to personalize how you brick stitch your pattern a little more.
-Wax your thread with either beeswax or household paraffin to reduce knotting and allow your needle and thread to pass through beads more easily. Simply draw your working thread across the wax block to wax it. Be careful not to apply too much wax or it will chalk up on your beads and create a mess. Using beeswax will reduce the possibility of chalking, but household paraffin is cheaper and better for the bees.
-If you have trouble passing your needle and thread through a bead, grip it with a pair of needle nose pliers that have had the nose wrapped in duct tape or electrical tape. You will have better grip on your needle with them and the tape will reduce any damage to your needle and beadwork.
-Coat your knots with a clear nail polish to ensure they do not unravel.
-The type of light you use when beading will affect how you see the bead colors. Bright florescent or LED lights work the best for seeing the true colors of the beads. However the florescent lights may be hard on the eyes. Fully light your work space so your eyes do not strain when trying to see the holes of tiny beads.
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