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| Bracelet made with Miyuki size 8 seed beads and flat brick stitch |
This beadwork project tutorial shows you how to make a brick stitch chain of beads that can be used for a necklace or bracelet. The chain in this tutorial has rows that are two beads wide.
This bracelet is super quick to make and great practice to learn basic flat brick stitch. Using larger beads, like the size 8 beads pictured above, is also helpful for if you're new to beadwork or brick stitch. I highly recommend this project for gift giving, especially if you are stressed for time.
Project Materials
- Seed Beads - choose a quality brand for best results, such as Toho beads or Miyuki seed beads.
- Beading Thread - I like to use FireLine because it is durable, easy to thread and doesn't tangle.
- Jump Rings and Clasp
- Thread burner or sharp thread scissors - these two work well with FireLine
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| Brick stitch bracelet with size 8 seed beads and 1.8mm cube beads and handmade heart clasp |
I make this chain using many different types and sizes of beads and it’s one of the things I like best about it. It looks equally good with all Miyuki rocaille beads as it does with a combination of beads, such as round beads, tube beads, cubes, triangles, etc.
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| Brick stitch and chain bracelet made with variety of beads (bead soup) |
It also looks great with just one or two colors or a bead soup, which is a mixture of many different types, sizes and colors of beads - often the leftovers from other projects.
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| Base row of two beads with a jump ring connector |
To make a base row for your chain, use ladder stitch to join two beads together. Ladder stitch joins two beads with a circle of thread. String two beads, go back through the first bead in the same direction you went the first time. If you know you are going to attach the beadwork to a metal clasp, add a jump ring in addition to the first two beads. Make sure the two beads sit side by side as pictured.
Repeat the ladder stitch at least one more time to make the beadwork stronger. It's always good to reinforce bead stitches that connect your work to a clasp or finding. The thread tail should be coming out one direction of the base bead and the working thread coming out the other way.
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| Stitch under the bridge between the beads |
To make the first brick stitch, pick up two beads and slide them down to the base row. Insert your needle under the bridge between the two beads in the base row from the back side of the work to the front side as shown above.
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| Stitch up through the bead to secure it and complete the brick stitch |
Snug the two beads against the first row so the beads lay flat on top. Insert your needle in the second bead you just added and pull the thread through the bead. Tighten the stitch by gently pulling the tail and working thread and push the beads together.
(Note - the photo above is the 3rd row because it's really hard to hold and photograph such a tiny area).
Continue adding two beads at a time, stitching under the thread bridge and through the last bead added on the row until your chain is long enough for your desired purpose. My chain is just under 7 inches, so it will make a bracelet 7 ½ inches long once the clasp is added.
To tie off the thread, go back through a bead or two in the chain and tie several half hitch knots around one of the base threads going through the beads. Do this at least two or three times, weaving towards the center of the project.
When it is secure, use a thread burner or thread snips to trim the thread as close to the project as possible.
You can add jump rings to the project while weaving the first and last row of the project. It makes it easier and you don't have to worry about splitting or stretching the thread when adding the clasp. To finish your bracelet, add the clasp of your choice to the jump rings.
It's easiest to learn this chain pattern using two different colors of the same type of bead. It helps you memorize the stringing pattern and thread path.
For the mixed metal bead bracelet, after the base row, pick up one bronze bead and one silver bead for each row, then stitch through the bridge and up through the second bead – which is always the silver bead.
If you are not following this bead pattern on each row, you need to be more aware of which bead you strung last so you don't go through the wrong one. If you go through the wrong bead after stitching through the bridge (i.e. the first bead instead of the second one), your beadwork will start to twist. If you notice that happening, it is a good idea to go back and remove stitches to the point that it starts to turn.
One last note - this bracelet teaches the basics of brick stitch - in particular how you start with ladder stitch, stitch under a thread bridge and up through the last bead you added.
BUT, if you are making a project that is wider than 2 beads, you only pick up one bead for each subsequent stitch and then stitch through the thread bridge and up through the bead. You only pick up two beads to start the beginning of a new row of brick stitch or if you are doing an increase.
Here are some other flat brick stitch projects you might enjoy:
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