Size 11/0 Delica beads: Fuchsia Lined Aqua AB; Silver Lined Crystal
Preciosa 4mm bicones: 12 Amethyst; 12 Tanzanite
Preciosa 6mm bicones: 6 Amethyst
3 square Silver Filigree brass stamping
6 silver eye pins
3 silver jump rings
26g purple wire
Tools:
Bead spinner
Round nose pliers
Flat nose pliers
Flush cutter
length of cardboard cut to 3.5cm (1.5") wide
cardboard tube from paper towel
To make the petals for the flower, I unwound about 1 metre (approximately 1 yard) of wire from a reel of 26g purple wire and made a hook on it. Don't cut the wire from the reel because the reel will act as your bead stopper as you thread on the seed beads.
If you have a bead spinner, this will make light work of threading on so many beads. Place the hook into the dish and gently spin the bead spinner, allowing the beads to climb up the length of wire. As the wire fills, carefully remove the hook from the dish trying not to lose too many beads and push them along the length of wire on the reel. Continue until you have threaded about 80cm (34") of beads.
Wrap the beads around a piece of cardboard measuring 3.5cm (1 3/8") wide (or as wide as you would like the loops of your petals). I've made 12 complete wraps but you can make as many as you like. Make sure you leave a long tail at each end of the beads for tying off. Cut a 15cm (6") length of wire and thread it underneath the beads on one side of the card. Pull it to the edge of the card and draw the four wire ends together. Twist it once or twice to prevent the beads from falling off.
Slide the loops of beads off the card
And twist the ends to secure and set this aside. You'll need to unwind this a bit later on.
Use your finger to round out the points of the petals and arrange them in a petal-like fashion.
Place a filigree on a cardboard tube and gently bend it around the tube.
Repeat with the other two filigree squares.
Lay the filigree squares point to point and connect them together with two of the jump rings. Set this aside.
Thread four 4mm crystal bicone, a 6mm bicone with the Delicas in between, following the pattern below.
Turn a loop at the other end.
Connect the loops to the outermost holes in the filigree as shown.
You will need to connect three on each side.
Untwist the wire at the base of the base of the petals leaving just one or two twists to hold the petals in place. Thread the long wire tail down through the central hole. Divide the wires into two groups and push the wires back up through the holes in the next ring of holes. Pull them tightly so that the flower doesn't wobble around.
Note: If your filigree doesn't have a central hole, then separate the wires first and thread the two groups through two opposite holes in the first ring of holes, cross them over in the centre and twist them, pulling them tightly. Then thread them back up to the top through the opposite holes to anchor the flower securely.
Wrap the two tails firmly around the wire at the base of the flower several times.
Trim away the excess with wire cutters and tuck in the ends.
Use the remaining jump ring to connect the flat filigree into a ring. Use your fingers to gently curve the beaded lengths.
If you're planning to make a large number of napkin rings and your budget is tight, then substitute beads of your choice for the crystals and Delicas. Chinese crystals are a cheaper alternative but are not as precision cut as Preciosa and Swarovski crystals but the overall effect will still be good.
'Til next time.....
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