These earrings are made of fringe and branched fringe. Thread a needle, add one bead, and go back through it in the same direction to make an anchor bead. Then add on as many beads as it takes to make the earrings the desired length. (These are about 3".) Skip the last bead, then go back through the next few beads. Then add as many beads as you want your first branch to be, say 3 or 4. Skip the last bead, and go back through the branch beads until you reach the base strand. Enter back into the base strand in the bead above the one you came out of. Continue up the base strand in this manner until you reach the top. Then tie off by knotting the two strands together. Make as many strands as you want for your earrings. You can also use plain fringe, loops, etc. You may include larger beads if you wish.
Next knot each of your finished strands around a head pin. Then divide the thread ends into two bundles and tie a square knot, right over left, then left over right. Coat the knots in white glue. Do not touch them until the glue is dried! I wait overnight. Trim the loose ends off. Thread the end of the head pin into a small metal cone, and cut the wire and bend to make a loop. You may add a small bead on before you make the loop, as I have here. Hook on an earring wire and you are done!
These do not take long to make, you have time to whip some up for the holidays!
First make a bead lasso. See the diagram to left. Take some fine thread,
I
suggest Nymo B or 0, and thread a needle. Make an overhand knot in the
thread a few inches from the eye of the needle and cut the ends. Now you
have a little lasso to capture threads ends in. You can use it to pull a
lot of threads through the same opening.
Using the Lasso gather up all the thread ends from your multi strand necklace (or earrings.) Pull them through two beads with LARGE holes. I suggest crow beads. The pull them through a split ring or one side of your clasp. Now go back through the 1st crow bead, (see diagram.) Now you should have all your thread ends coming out between the two crow beads. Remove the lasso. Now pull each thread end TIGHT to remove any slack. Now tie each thread end to another thread end I use half hitch knots. If you have an odd number of thread ends you will have to use one thread end in 2 different knots. As you tie these knots, continue to tug on the thread ends to remove any slack. This will ensure that your bead strands rest snugly against the crow beads and that no little loops show on your clasp or split ring.
when you have done this divide all the thread ends into 2 roughly even groups. using the two bundles, tie a half hitch knot. Now CAREFULLY flip your work over so the knot you just tied is face down on your work surface. Then tie a square knot. (Right over left, left over right.) Believe me, this necklace is now well knotted!
Now I like to coat the knot with white glue and let it dry overnight. When it is dry I use the lasso once more to pull the ends down into the 2nd crow bead and cut them off, or work the ends into your original strands.
Trick to using a lasso: sometimes when you pull your ends through a bead it gets kind of stuck...Like a little log jam against the beads. This happens when the lasso slides too far down the strands. You want it more towards the FREE end of your strands so that there is always a little loop showing. (See diagram below.)
