Christmas Vintage Santa Clause Portrait Earring Brick Stitch Seed Bead Pattern

Free Christmas Vintage Santa Clause Portrait brick stitch seed bead weaving earring pendant pattern.  Scroll down for the free bead pattern color chartlabeled brick stitch color chart, a letter chart that is similar to a word chart, and a bead count list.  Use seed beads to make necklace pendants and earring dangles or pony beads to make window hangers, zipper pulls, key chain dangles, and beaded ornaments. This seed bead earring pattern was created for use with Miyuki Delica size 15/0 seed beads.


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.

Portrait of Santa Free Christmas Brick Stitch Bead Pattern Color Chart
Portrait of Santa Free Christmas Brick Stitch Bead Pattern Color Chart

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 Size:

Width: 24 beads
Height: 68 beads

Beading Skill Level:

Intermediate Flat Brick Stitch

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.

Portrait of Santa Free Christmas Brick Stitch Bead Pattern Labeled Color Chart
Portrait of Santa Free Christmas Brick Stitch Bead Pattern Labeled Color Chart

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


Miyuki Delica 15/0 Bead Count Per 1 Earring:

Chart #:1 
DBS-33 
24kt Gold Lined Crystal 
Count:212  

Chart #:2 
DBS-43 
Silver Lined Flame Red 
Count:21  

Chart #:3 
DBS-48 
Silver Lined Light Grey 
Count:90  

Chart #:4 
DBS-102 
Peach Topaz Gold Luster 
Count:108  

Chart #:5 
DBS-105 
Garnet Gold Luster 
Count:86  

Chart #:6 
DBS-122 
Root Beer Gold Luster 
Count:41  

Chart #:7 
DBS-180 
Transparent Root Beer AB 
Count:135  

Chart #:8 
DBS-183 
Silver Lined Royal Blue 
Count:28  

Chart #:9 
DBS-191 
Copper Lined Opal 
Count:137  

Chart #:A 
DBS-205 
Light Caramel Ceylon 
Count:98  

Chart #:B 
DBS-310 
Matte Black 
Count:48  

Chart #:C 
DBS-340 
Matte Copper Plated 
Count:20  

Chart #:D 
DBS-378 
Matte Metallic Brick Red 
Count:83  

Chart #:E 
DBS-380 
Matte Metallic Khaki AB 
Count:113  

Chart #:F 
DBS-389 
Opaque Light Terracotta Satin 
Count:24  

Chart #:G 
DBS-715 
Transparent Root Beer 
Count:10  

Chart #:H 
DBS-853 
Matte Transparent Dark Topaz AB 
Count:20  

Chart #:I 
DBS-855 
Matte Transparent Orange AB 
Count:29  

Chart #:J 
DBS-856 
Matte Transparent Red Orange AB 
Count:31  

Chart #:K 
DBS-1263 
Matte Transparent Pink Mist 
Count:105

Total Bead Count:  1439
Pair of Earrings Total Bead Count:  2878

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.

Portrait of Santa Free Christmas Brick Stitch Bead Pattern Letter Chart
Portrait of Santa Free Christmas Brick Stitch Bead Pattern Letter Chart

Suggested Beading Techniques to Use: 

-Flat Brick Stitch-
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 Increase

*The brick stitch bead decreases are performed at the beginning and ending of rows.

Tools You Might Need For This Pattern:

-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-

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.