I fell in love with a right-angle weave seed bead bracelet design from Rachel Nelson Smith’s book Seed Bead Fusion [affiliate link]. It seemed like the perfect beaded design to create for the new Ice Resin and image transfer buttons just completed. I beaded one to see what it would like, and can’t wait to make more!

Above: Right angle weave seed bead bracelet with tubular peyote accents and Swarovski Crystaletts for additional embellishment, by Tammy Honaman

Here’s the skinny:

Right-Angle Weave Seed Bead Bracelet

Materials

• 22 grams seed beads, size 11, 2 colors (or more to suit your pattern)
• Thread of your choice
• Beading needle (size 10 and 12)
• Scissors
• Button or clasp of your choice

Related: How to Make a Resin Button with an Image Transfer

Optional

• Crystaletts crystal buttons with Swarovski crystals

Tutorial:

Step 1: Stitch the Bracelet Base

Use a single length of thread to stitch a right-angle weave seed bead bracelet base.

• Row 1, Unit 1
  • String 16 beads and tie a square knot to forma tight circle, leaving a 6” tail. Pass through the first 4 beads just strung. aka 16-bead unit (fig 1)
• Row 1, Unit 2
  • String 6 beads, pass through the last 4 beads exited from the previous unit and the first 5 beads just added. (fig 2)
• Row 1, Unit 3
  • String 12 beads, pass through the last 4 beads exited from the previous unit, and the first 8 beads just added. (fig 3)
• Row 1, Units 4 and on
  • Repeat Units 2 and 3 for a total of 9 units wide. Note: this included the 16-bead units and the smaller adjoining units. The first time I made this it was doubly long!

• Exit from the top 4A of the last unit. (fig 4)
  • Make sure the last unit duplicates Unit 3 (a 16-bead unit).

• Row 2, Unit 1
  • String 6 beads, pass through the 4 beads last exited from the previous unit, and the first bead just added. (fig 5)

• Row 2, Unit 2
  • String 2 beads, pass through the top bead of the adjacent unit from the previous row, the side bead of the previous Row 2 unit, the 2 beads just added, and through the 4 top beads of the following unit from the previous row. (fig 6)
• Row 2, Unit 3
  • String 5 beads, pass through the side beads of the adjacent unit from the previous Row 2 unit, the 4 beads last exited from the previous row, and the first bead just added. (fig 7)
• Row 2, Units 4 and on
  • Repeat Row 2, Units 2 and 3 to the end of the row. Exit from the top 4a of the last unit. (fig 8)
• Row 3, Unit 1
  • String 12 beads, pass through the 4 beads last exited, and the first 4 beads just added. (fig 9)
• Row 3, Unit 2
  • String 5 beads, pass through the top bead of the adjacent unit in the previous row, the 4 beads last exited from the previous Row 3 unit, the 5 beads just added, and the 4 top beads of the following unit from the previous row. (fig 10)
• Row 3, Unit 3
  • String 8 beads, pass through the side beads of the adjacent unit from the previous Row 3 unit, the 4 side beads of the adjacent unit in the previous row, and the first 4 beads just added. (fig 11)
• Row 3, Units 4 and on
  • Repeat Row 3 units 2 and 3 to the end of the row. Exit from the top 4a of the last unit. (fig 12)
• Rows 4-18
  • Repeat rows 2 and 3 to make a base 18 large units long.

Step 2: Fill the Base Units

Use tubular peyote stitch to fill in the right-angle weave units.

• Round 1
  • Weave through the base beads to exit from the third bead on any side of a 16-bead unit. String 1 bead and pass through the middle 2 beads of the next side in the same unit; repeat to add a total of 4 beads. (fig 13)
  • Step up through the first bead added in this round.

• Round 2
  • String 1 bead and pass through the next bead added in Round 1; repeat to add a total of 4 beads. (fig 14)
  • Pass through the 4 beads just added at least 1 time to cinch them together. (fig 15)
  • Repeat this step to fill each 16-bead base unit.

Step 3: Add Button Loops

The following directions are for finishing the right-angle weave seed bead bracelet with buttons rather than as shown in Seed Bead Fusion.

• Weave through the base beads over to column 2, exiting either of the center beads on the end. Pick up enough beads to form a loop that fits over the button snuggly. Pass the needle through the two center beads, working in a continuous loop. Pass back through all the beads in the loop and the base again to create a sturdy button loop.

• Weave the thread over to column 4, exiting the two beads at the end of Column 4, then repeat adding a button loop.

Step 4: Adding the button clasp.

• Using the tail thread or adding a new single thread, weave to exit the center beads of column 2, opposite the button loop. String a bead, the loop of the button, and a second bead. Pass the needle back through the base beads, the bead, button loop, bead, and base beads again to secure a button in place.

• Repeat, adding a button to the end of column four.

Related: How to Stitch Right-Angle Weave and Its Variations

There are lots of ways you can take this right-angle weave seed bead bracelet design and Rachel shares patterns for bead placement in Seed Bead Fusion [affiliate link]. Beyond this bracelet, the book is just brimming with inspiration and combinations of materials and stitches that has my mind going a mile a minute.

Enjoy reading through it and stitching up your favorite. Then please share your thoughts and ideas on the pattern you chose—I’d love to hear from you.

Yours in creativity,
Tammy Honaman, Director of Content

Originally posted 9/5/2016. Updated 10/17/2022.

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