Diamondback Earrings

1. Begin with approximately three feet of Miyuki nylon beading thread, leaving the spool of thread attached.

2. String three Miyuki 3mm Square Beads (SB3) in color A, two SB3 beads in color B, and three SB3 beads in color A. Position the beads at the base of the thread near the spool.

3. Moving from left to right pass back through the second to last SB3 on the needle end. This will begin ladder stitch.

4. Pull thread to secure so the beads lay side by side. Moving from left to right pass through the next SB3.

5. Pull thread to secure. Moving from left to right pass through the next SB3.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until all eight SB3 beads are ladder stitched together.

7. Pass down through the SB3 to the right and back up through the SB3 to the left to reinforce. This completes row 1.

8. String two SB3 beads in color A. Moving from left to right, pass under the thread bridge connecting the second and third SB3 beads in row 1. This will begin brick stitch.

9. Turn and pass up through the second SB3 in row 2.

10. Turn to the left and pass down through the first SB3 in row 2. Pass under the thread bridge connecting the first and second beads in the row 1.

11. Pass back up through the first SB3 in row 2.

12. Pass down through the second SB3 in row 2, and the second SB3 in row 1. Turn and pass up through the third SB3 in row 1 and the second SB3 in row 2.

13. String one SB3 in color A. Pass under the thread bridge connecting the third and fourth beads in row 1. Continue up through the SB3 just added.

14. String one SB3 in color B. Pass under the thread bridge connecting the fourth and fifth beads in row 1. Continue up through the SB3 just added.

15. Continue brick stitch to add three SB3 beads in color A. This completes row 2.

16. String two SB3 beads in color A. Moving from right to left, pass under second thread bridge in the previous row. Continue up through the second SB3 just added.

17. Turn and pass down through the SB3 to the right. Pass under the corresponding thread bridge from the previous row. Continue up through the SB3.

18. Pass down through the second SB3 in row 3, and the second SB3 in row 2. Turn and pass up through the third SB3 in row 2 and the second SB3 in row 3.

19. Continue brick stitch to add four SB3 beads in color A. This completes row 3.

20. Continue brick stitch in color A for three more rows.

21. Repeat step 16 and 17 in color B.

22. String five Miyuki 1.8mm Square Beads (SB18).

23. Pass down through the SB3 on the left and up through the SB3 on the right to form a loop. Continue through all the SB18 beads, and back down through the SB3 to the left.

24. Pass down through the next five SB3 beads on the left edge of the earring.

25. Continue through the second SB3 from the left in row 1. Turn left and pass up through the first SB3 in row 1.

26. String one SB18. Pass back down through the SB3 the thread is exiting.

27. Pull to secure, making sure the SB18 is sitting upright (the hole should not visible from the front of the earring). Turn and pass up through the second SB3 in row 1 and the first SB3 in row 2.

28. String one SB18. Pass back down through the SB3 the thread is exiting.

29. Turn and pass up through the SB3 to the right, and the first SB3 in the following row.

30. Repeat steps 28 and 29 to the top of the earring (four more times). The thread should be exiting from the SB3 on the left in the final brick stitched row.

31. Pass through the five SB18 beads in the beaded loop, and the next six SB3 beads on the right edge of the earring.

32. Continue through the second SB3 from the right in row 1. Turn right and pass up through the first SB3 in row 1.

33. String one SB18 and pass down through the SB3 the thread is exiting. Turn and pass up through the SB3 to the left and the first SB3 in the following row.

34. Repeat step 33 to the top of the earring (five more times). The thread should be exiting from the SB3 on the right in the final brick stitched row.

35. Working counter clockwise, loop through the two SB3 beads at the top of the earring. Follow the thread path down through several rows to secure. Trim off excess thread.

36. Pull three feet of thread from the spool and cut. String the needle on the new working thread.

37. Repeat steps 8-21.

38. Repeat steps 22-34. Sew in thread tail as before and trim excess.

39. Attach the earwire to the beaded loop at the top of the earring.

Agave

Arroyo

Canyon

Desert Sage

Dune

Oasis

Saguaro