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Beaded Snowflakes
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These beaded snowflakes are easy to stitch. These snowflakes are glittery silver and white, but icy blue is very nice too. The stitch path is essentially the same as the one used to make a beaded star or mandala, except for a bit of embellishment at the points. The finished flakes are small enough for earrings (about an inch diameter) or you can tack them onto clothing or string them together to make chains. Once you master the technique using size 11 seed beads, give it a try using size 15's for really dainty sparkles!
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Skill Level
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Suitable for beginners, although previous beading experience is helpful.
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Time Required
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15-30 minutes per snowflake.
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| Materials | Comments |
| Beading Thread | e.g., Nymo D or B |
| Needle | I used a size 10 English beading needle. |
| 3-4 mm Bead | I used a 4-mm Czech firepolish. |
| Size 11 Seed Beads | Matsuno silverlined crystal, ceylon white (or white pearl), and rainbow crystal used in example. |
| Wire Cutters or Thread Nippers | I used my trusty flush cutters. |
For these snowflakes, I've pulled the design tightly so that the Czech firepolish bead sits atop the snowflake. If you want your snowflake to be the same on both sides, use less tension or a smaller center bead (or omit it altogether). Have fun and feel free to experiment!
 Cut approximately 1 meter or yard of your preferred stringing material. I used white nymo size D, but other threads or fine wire are suitable, too. If you like, wax or condition your thread with Thread Heaven (I left my thread unconditioned). Thread your needle and string on 6 silver size 11 beads.
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 Slide them down to within about 6 inches of the end and run your thread back through the first bead or two, to make a circle. Leave the thread tail - you will weave it into your beadwork later to strengthen it.
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 String a 3-4 mm Czech aurora borealis firepolish bead. Skip 2 silver beads and run your needle through the 3rd silver bead.
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 Add 1 white pearl bead and run your needle through the next silver bead. Add 1 pearl bead, run the needle through the next silver bead, etc., until you have completed the circle. You can adjust the tension on the thread to seat the crystal on one side of the snowflake or use a lighter tension to keep the bead centered. (The thread tail is at the top of the photo. I have woven it in and cut it so it doesn't show in the next photo, but I would normally wait until the snowflake was complete to weave in the tail.)
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 When you reach the last silver bead (added a total of 6 pearl beads), run the needle through the silver bead and also up through the next pearl bead. You have just completed a 'step-up', which puts you in place to add the next row. Add a rainbow crystal bead, run the needle through the next pearl bead, add a rainbow crystal bead, run the needle through the next pearl bead, etc., until you have completed the circle.
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 As you go through your last pearl bead, step up through the rainbow bead. This time, add 3 silver beads, go through a rainbow bead, add 3 silver beads, go through a rainbow bead, etc., until the circle is completed.
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 When you get to the last rainbow bead, pass through it and step up through the next 2 silver beads. This time, string on 3 pearls beads and 3 silver beads. Go back through the 3rd pearl bead that you have just strung, making a tiny loop of the silver beads.
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 Pick up 2 more pearl beads and pass the needle through the point (second) silver bead of the snowflake. Continue in this way until the snowflake is completed.
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 At this point, you could simply tie a knot and trim your threads. My preference is to pass through the outer row (no beads added) a second time to reinforce the stitching and stiffen the snowflake. I thread my needle onto the tail thread and run it through a few rows before cutting it, too. If you would like your snowflake to be even more stiff, you can dip it in Future floor polish or a similar acrylate and hang it to dry.
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