Make These Brick Stitch Snowflake Earrings

While new shaped- and multi-hole beads are more popular today than ever, I find that it’s a breath of fresh air to work up a project using only traditional stitches and classic seed or cylinder beads. And just in time for winter, I’ve been looking for cute and quick holiday-themed projects to make for friends, family, and myself, too!

When we recently featured Carole E. Hanley’s four-part pattern project series in Beadwork, I realized how much I love the idea of using charts to create beaded jewelry. After a little more digging I found this delicate chart by Susan Swanson in the Beading Charts eBook, and just like that I had the perfect pattern for a pair of brick stitch holiday earrings.

If you haven’t worked in brick stitch before, you’ll love how simple it is! Most importantly for this project, you’ll need to know how to form increases and decreases. Reference these handy guides below when following the chart for these charming winter earrings!

  Now that you have the technique down, follow the pattern below, using size 11 cylinder beads and forming increases and decreases when necessary.

After working Row 19, string the loop of an ear wire and pass through beads of Row 19 again. Reinforce the loop several times to secure the ear wire. Secure and trim your threads. Try playing around with different colors to make the snowflake motif really pop!

If you love stitching with charts, graphs, and patterns, download your copy of Beading Charts: 60+ Graphed Patterns for Peyote Stitch, Brick Stitch, Square Stitch, and Loomwork for more!

Enjoy!
Megan