How to make a beaded ball
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Information about this project
Designed by: Alicja Czapla
Difficulty: Beginner
Alicja Czapla has prepared a tutorial in which she shows how to make a beaded ball. The beaded balls may be used as handmade decoration or as an exceptional pendant.
You can find many beaded ball tutorials on the Internet, but not all of them are easy to understand. That’s why Alicja will show you how to make beaded balls with step by step instructions.
Once you get the hang of it, you will be able to make a beaded ball in 10-15 minutes . You can use any beads of any size, which will give you various results.
Let’s start with preparing the materials. You will need:
- Beads – I’ve chosen CrystaLove rounds, but you can use any beads in the shape of a ball or rondelle. You can also use other shapes of beads, but the end result might not be as rounded. The size of beads also doesn’t matter. The bigger beads, the bigger ball you get.
- Jewellery thread – or fishing wire – match the thread with the colour of the beads you use (I used a black one, so that you can see it easily). If you use a thread, the ball won’t be tight enough, so you need to pass the thread through the beads at least twice. You can use S-LON, One-G or Ariadna titan threads.
The advantage of using the fishing wire or a monofilament thread is that they won’t show. But they are not as strong as thread. Which to choose – it’s up to you. - Jewellery needle
- Sharp scissors
- Something you can attach the beaded ball on to– if it’s a decoration, a rope or a ribbon will be perfect (I used a macramé cord). If it’s a pendant, use a nice chain.
The materials are prepared so let’s start beading ☺
Step 1
String 5 beads.
Step 2
Pass the needle through the beads again to make a circle. Tie a knot to secure the threads.
Step 3
String 4 beads and pass through the bead placed right next to the knot.
Step 4
Pull the thread tightly and pass again through the beads to tighten the circle. Important, pass the thread twice each time! This way, we’ve got two circles. There needs to be 5 beads connected with each other each time.
Step 5
String 3 beads and connect them with the beads marked with red dots. So with a bead of the 1st circle and a bead of the 2nd one.
Step 6
Pull the thread tightly and pass through the circle just added once again.
Step 7
String 3 beads and connect them with a bead of the 1st circle and a bead of the 3rd circle.
Step 8
Remember to pass the thread through once again. Our work should roll a little, but it should be like that – we’re making a ball (you may not see it in the picture because I lay the beads the way you can see where to add next ones).
String 3 beads and connect them with the beads marked with red dots.
Step 9
We’ve got 4 circles around the 1st one so we need to close up the last circle, to make a half of a ball. To do that, string 2 beads only, because we’ve already got 3 beads from the previous parts. Connect the beads with the 3 beads marked with red dots.
Step 10
Pull the thread tightly and pass through the circle once again. Half of the ball is done.
Step 11
Now we need to close up the ball. String 3 beads and connect them with 2 beads marked in the picture. These beads are parts of different circles.
Step 12
String 2 beads and connect them with 3 beads of the previous circles (3 different circles), as shown in the picture.
Step 13
Repeat that twice and remember to pass the thread through a circle twice each time.
The ball should look like this and now, string 1 bead and connect it with the 4 marked beads.
Step 14
The ball is almost finished. Now you just need to connect 5 beads of the added circles to close up the ball. Pass the thread through the beads twice.
Step 15
Pass the thread back to the tail thread and tie a knot.
Step 16
Pass the threads through the beads, secure them and trim. Pass a rope or a chain through the ball and now it’s ready to be used as a decoration or to be worn.
Step 17
Here you can see how beaded balls made from other beads look like.
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