This beaded clasp is very similar to the last one. At least it can be. I’ll show you (as best I can) how it is assembled in my book, and then I will show you the method that I think works best. I used a needle and thread when I followed the directions in the book. For the actual bracelet, I ended up going with fishing line for the bead aspect of it. I then used fireline to attach it to the actual bracelet. To demonstrate how that is done, I used fishing line (designed for bead stringing) because I wanted to get this post up and running and it was the closest thing I had at the time. :p

This clasp is made with 4mm fire polish beads and size 11/0 seed beads.

Thread the needle and string on 5 seed beads. Pass the needle back through the first bead and draw them together in a circle. The bead that you passed the needle through is going to be called base bead 1. Base Bead 2 will be the following bead, working around in a clockwise direction. In this photo, base bead 1 is at the top. Leave enough of a tail to tie it off. If you want, you can pass the needle around  a second time, toss a knot in there between the beads if you want to make it a bit more secure.

Thread on 1 4mm bead, 1 seed bead and 1 more fire polish bead.  then take the needle and pass it back through base bead 1 as well as base bead 2. This is just like making the beaded snowflakes. The Spokes are different, but you are working around the center ring in the same fashion. I have rotated my work. In the above photo the needle is passing through base bead 1 and base bead 2.

Pull the thread through and snug everything up. This works better if I let the  4mm beads sit sort of perpendicular to the ring of beads (base) but that would make it very difficult to see what is actually going on. I am working this as flat as I can for the sake of photographs and will snug everything up appropriately when I get most of the 4mm beads on.

Thread on 1 4mm bead and 1 seed bead. Pass the needle through the closest 4mm bead from the last spoke, and then through Base bead 2 and base Bead 3.

Repeat the last step and continue working your way around the circle until all 5 4mm beads have been added. I wasn’t able to get a clear photo of the next step. :S. You will notice that there are 5 4mm beads, 5 seed beads in the center, but that there are only 4 along the top. We need to add one more seed bead. In this photo my thread is exiting on the right side. Take the needle and pass it up through the first 4mm bead, starting from the side with the base beads. Once you pass through the 4mm bead, add your last seed bead. Then pass the needle back down through the 5th 4mm bead, gently pull everything together. If you made the other clasp it should be taking on a familiar shape now.  It was at this point that I decided there was a much easier way to do this.  Once you draw everything up in to a ball, you want to run your needle through the 5 base beads and pull them in to a snug circle. weave through a 4mm bead and then draw the 5 seed beads on the other side in to a snug circle also. Go through the beads twice. When it is good and tight, weave back down to the base of the bead and tie off your threads. Clip away the tails as close as you can to the knot, but be careful not to snip it. I always finish my knots with a small dab of clear nail polish.

This will leave you with a nice little ball of beads. I did not like how the bead ball felt with the fireline, so I went back and made it again with the fishing line. When you make the loop at the other end, you will need to use 24 size 11/0 seed beads.  I’ll show you how to attach it to your work, after I show you another way to make the same thing. :p

Remember the ladder I made in the last clasp? You can do the same thing here. TO start you want to center 1 seed bead, 1 4mm bead and 1 seed bead on the center of your thread. With this version, each *rung* will consist of just one 4mm bead. After you get the center beads on the thread you will string 1 4mm bead on to one end of the thread. (doesn’t matter which side) Then take the other thread and pass it through the same bead. Next, thread 1 seed bead on to each thread and then cross the thread through the next 4mm seed bead.

Continue doing it until you get a ladder with 5 4mm beads and 10 seed beads. Then you are going to bring the thread up and cross them through the top 4mm bead just like you did in my last post.

Pull it taught and the 4mm beads will circle around like a flower and there will be 5 seed beads on either side. Run your thread around through the seed beads to form a circle. Run the thread around one more time and pull it snug.

Weave one of the threads through a 4mm bead so that both threads are on the same side. Tie off your thread and trim it close to the knot but be careful not to cut through the knot.

Now what?

Take what ever thread you are going to be using to make your bracelet (or necklace and center three beads on it. Then take both end of the thread and push it through the center of the ball of beads. You are passing both ends of the thread right down through the center of those two circles of seed beads. In one side, and out the other. Pull the threads to snug everything up.

Mine is all wonky because I haven’t pull it taught yet. Once you get both threads coming out the other side, thread one seed bead on to each end of the thread. Then cross the beads through a third seed bead.

Snug everything up and you are good to go. You now have two threads to work with when assembling your design. When making the loop end of the clasp, I used 24 size 11 seed beads.

I really like these little clasps. They are very similar to using buttons but they are much less expensive. I also like that they blend with the piece very well. I believe it gives seed bead jewelry a much more finished look and it is just so easy to do!

I was able to get my lab work done yesterday. Lunch was fantastic, although it  left me in a bit of a food coma. The Science fair was fun as well. Oh my goodness was it noisy in there. It worked out really well because the 3rd graders were in there evaluating the 5th grader’s projects so we got to visit with both of our children for a few minutes.

Our daughter was pretty funny. She asked us to come, and then she reminded us about 15 times so that we wouldn’t forget, but when we actually showed up she blushed. :p I think she was mortified when her dad starting asking classmates about their projects. I’m so glad we went though, I don’t think very many parents did. However, when Terry started asking questions, the kids seemed very eager to tell him about what they learned. It was wonderful to see students take so much pride in their work. We’re pretty happy to have one of the Science fair projects out of the way. We even celebrated and stopped for ice cream on the way home from school.

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