Nature is inspiring at any time of year, but autumn really puts on a show. There’s something special about leaves and trees in all their splendor. Whether you stitch them with beads, form them from wire, or shape them from metal, fall leaf shapes are a beautiful place to start your next beading or jewelry project.

Bead A Beauty

Use circular peyote stitch, square stitch, and netting to create these lovely Aspen Leaf Earrings by Alice Haron. These are such pretty little earrings to stitch up with just a few different types of seed beads. Plus, the aspen leaf is believed to whisper inspiration from our ancestors. Who knows what creative messages you might receive?

Keep It Simple

Thai silver leaves rustle against turquoise fire-polished beads in this fun and fluid Cascading Leaves Bracelet by Cheron Gelber. Did you know that Thai silver jewelry designs such as these leaves have handmade characteristics that reflect the artisan families who create them? How cool is that? So, your leaf bracelet will be as distinctive as the leaves you find in nature.

Love Your Leaves

I remember buying Czech glass leaves at my favorite bead shop back in 1998. They were opaque gray with an AB finish. I fell in love with them immediately! Then I bought them in many more colors after that. They’re just magical. I like the way this Loopy Leaf Slide by Dottie Hoeschen uses tubular herringbone stitch with my favorite little leaf beads.

Get Outside

Kim Leahy spends as much time outdoors as possible when she isn’t beading. She designed this Turn Over a New Leaf necklace with leaves and pods in mind. The shaped forms emerge as you follow the stitching pattern. It would be easy to substitute bead colors to create your own style.

Related: Harvest-Inspired Beaded Jewelry for Fall

Make Metal Clay Magic

Many beaders learn how to use metal clay to add handmade elements to their beadwork. Use leaves as your muse for this Metal Clay Leaves Necklace by Hadar Jacobson. Once you’ve made a variety of leaves, you can use them to create an entire necklace, a pair of earrings, a lariat, or any other piece of jewelry you want to create. If you’re a beginner or a metal clay master, this project will inspire you to get out your supplies and have some fun. Learn metal clay tips in this Free Metal Clay Jewelry Project Video: Make a Lentil Pendant.

Wrap It Up

Add some basic metalsmithing skills to your jewelry-making toolbox and you can create these gorgeous, mixed metal Bi-Color Leaves Earrings by Aniko Sandor. Hammering, patina, and wire wrapping techniques combine for a beautiful ode to fall.

We hope you’re feeling inspired by these leaf bead and jewelry projects!

Do you have a favorite creation in your collection inspired by fall leaves? We’d love to hear about it in the comments!

These projects are available for purchase in the Interweave store or Interweave+ members can download them for free.

Originally published 9/29/2022. Updated 9/11/2023.