How to make a TOHO beaded star – a jewellery making tutorial
Products used in this project
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Information about this project
Designed by: Alicja Czapla
Difficulty: Intermediate
Together with Alicja Czapla we present you a jewellery making tutorial. Alicja is going to show you how to make a TOHO beaded star. The star can be used as a pendant or as a beautiful and original Christmas tree decoration. If you’re looking for an inspiration for handmade Christmas decorations, we’ve got a little prompt for you. Beaded stars will definitely delight everyone!
Important: if you are going to use the stars as handmade Christmas decorations, you will have to watch your Christmas tree even more than when it’s decorated with chocolate baubles and ginger dwarfs. It’s shocking, but beaded stars disappear even faster! And it’s no surprising – they are lovely. And also universal, because you can use them as a pendant after Christmas, hah!
Supplies used in this project:
- TOHO beads – 8/0 size, it’s good to use 2 colours (you may use smaller beads to make smaller stars)
- Jewellery thread – One-G or any other strong and thin enough in a matching colour of the bead that will make the central part of your star (I chose an orange thread, because the central part of my star is gold)
- Jump rings – 9 mm, to attach the star to something
- Charms – Christmas style charms – they make an extra decoration of the stars
- Elastic jewellery rubber – or a ribbon, a tape or a thread. Something you can hang the star on a Christmas tree with
- Bail – if you decide to make a pendant, you will need a bail to hang it on
- Jewellery cord – this will make the base of the necklace
- Jewellery needle
- Jewellery tools – scissors and pliers, to attach the jump rings, will be useful.
You will also need something to stuff the star, e.g. foil of ziplock bags can be used.
Step 1
IMPORTANT:
Pull the thread tightly all the time.
The squares will bend a bit, but this is how it should be J.
Step 2
Prepare about 100 cm long thread and string 4 yellow beads.
Step 3
Pass the needle through the beads once again…
Step 4
...to close them in a circle and tie a knot with both threads.
Step 5
String 2 yellow beads and pass the needle through the bead placed just next to the knot
Step 6
String 2 yellow beads and pass the needle through the nearest bead.
Step 7
Repeat that 2 more times. Remember to pull the thread tightly all the time…
Step 8
… until you make „a cross” shown in the picture. The thread should come out of one of the corners of the cross’s arms.
Step 9
String 2 yellow beads and pass the needle through the nearest bead, as shown in the picture.
Step 10
String 1 blue bead an pass the needle through the bead in the next arm.
Step 11
String 2 yellow beads and pass the needle through a yellow bead, as shown in the picture.
Step 12
String a blue bead and pass the needle through a bead in the arm.
Step 13
Repeat the steps until you finish this row. Important: while finishing the row, pass the needle through 2 beads in the arm, not just one.
Step 14
You should have a square, as shown in the picture. It may bend a bit, but this is how it should be.
Step 15
Now we need to make the square bigger. The rule is, that you add 2 beads to the arms and 1 bead between the arms.
So now, begin the next row and string 2 yellow beads.
Step 16
Add 1 blue bead between the yellow and blue beads
Step 17
Add 1 blue bead between the blue and yellow beads.
Step 18
Repeat the step until you finish this row.
Step 19
The square bends more and it should look about like this.
Step 20
Continue adding the beads the same way – add 2 yellow beads to the arms and 1 blue bead between the arms…
Step 21
… until your square looks like this.
Step 22
To make a star, you need 5 squares. As you have made them, it’s time to connect them. Let’s start with the first two of them.
Step 23
Put them broadside to each other, as shown in the picture. Cut the threads coming out of the central parts of the squares.
Step 24
String 1 yellow bead and pass the needle through a bead in the 2nd square, as shown in the picture.
Step 25
String 1 yellow bead and pass the needle through a blue bead in the 1st square.
Step 26
Add 1 bead each time zigzagging between the squares, until you reach the top of the squares.
Step 27
4 yellow beads meet at the top. Add one yellow bead the same way as previously to stitch both squares.
Step 28
Continue stitching the sides of the squares pulling the thread tightly. At the end, string 1 yellow bead and turn back, as shown in the picture.
Step 29
The yellow beads between the squares are placed curvedly now. We need to straighten them stitching the sides of the squares once again. You need to pass the needle the other way then previously to straighten the beads.
Step 30
The yellow beads between the squares are placed curvedly now. We need to straighten them stitching the sides of the squares once again. You need to pass the needle the other way then previously to straighten the beads.
Step 31
Stitch the next squares the same way, until there are 2 last sides to connect.
Step 32
Connect the sides to the top, so that there is a hole on one side.
Step 33
Put the foil of ziplock bags through the hole (you may use another stuffing as well).
Step 34
Continue stitching the sides to close the star. Pass the needle towards one of the central beads and close the central circle. Pass the needle through the beads several times to close the circle tightly.
Step 35
Repeat the step at the other side. Pass all of the threads through the beads several times to secure the threads, and cut them. The star is almost finished.
Step 36
Attach a jump ring and a charm. Pass an elastic jewellery rubber or a decorative cord through the jump ring. Your Christmas tree star is finished!
Step 37
If you would like to have a pendant, you need to attach a bail to the jump ring.
Step 38
I hope you like this tutorial and you will show your beaded stars soon. If you have any questions, feel free to ask on our Facebook group – I will help you.
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