Bead this Free Christmas Tree Pattern with Shaped Beads

After all the presents are unwrapped and the Christmas eggnog has been consumed, you might find yourself with some down time today. If so, consider beading a quick and cute pair of Christmas tree earrings with shaped beads. All you need is a handful of seed beads and SuperDuos and a few bicones and daggers!

Jean Cox shared this shaped bead pattern a couple of years ago, which came from Molly Benson of The Bead Shop in Manchester, U.K. You can use this simple SuperDuo Christmas tree design to bead weave a pair of earrings, a package decoration, or a small tree ornament. It’s a quick shaped bead project stitched in circular peyote that’s great for using up leftover beads.

SuperDuo Christmas Tree Materials
Size 11 seed beads (A)
24 SuperDuos (B)
2 dagger beads (C)
6 crystal 4mm bicones (D)
1 pair of ear wires (if making earrings)
6 lb FireLine braided beading thread

SuperDuo Christmas Tree Instructions
Round 1: Use 3′ of thread to string {1A and 1B} three times, leaving a 4″ tail. Pass through the beads again. Tie a knot with the tail and working thread and exit through the nearest A. Pass through the outer hole of the nearest B.

Round 2: String 1B, 1A, 1C, 1A, and 1B; pass through the outer hole of the next B of Round 1. String 1B, 1A, 1D, 1A, and 1B and pass through the outer hole of the next B of Round 1; repeat. Repeat the entire thread path of this round, but exit through the outer hole of the last B added.

Round 3: String 1B; pass through the outer hole of the next B of Round 2 and through the following 1A/1C/1A/1B (outer hole). String 1B; pass through the outer hole of the next B and the next 1A/1D/1A/1B (outer hole). String 1B; pass through the outer hole of the next B and the following 1A/1D/1A/1B (outer hole). Weave through beads to exit from the outer hole of the B opposite the D.

Top: String 3A, 1D, and 1A (or the loop of a leverback earring finding); pass back through the D just strung. String 3A; pass through the outer hole of the B just exited. Repeat the thread path to reinforce; secure the thread and trim.

Within about an hour, you’ll have a fun and festive pair of earrings. And in the right colorway, you could wear them all year!

Thank you to Jean and Molly for sharing this great pattern!

For more beading projects that use SuperDuos, check out these eBooks:

• Stitching with Shaped Beads: 10 Beaded Projects to make with SuperDuos & Twins
• Stitching with Shaped Beads: 10 More Beaded Projects to Make with SuperDuos

Happy beading!
Lavon Peters
Managing Editor, Beadwork magazine

Find more shaped bead patterns in Beadwork’s eBooks in the Interweave Store!