Beaded Heart Tutorial

Here is the tutorial for the first heart we made.  We beaded two of them, stacked them on top of each other and laced up the sides with right angle weave (RAW).  The first part of the tutorial is good - just follow the first three diagrams - laying it sideways so it looked like a large "L" seemed to help me a lot.  Don't worry about the last part of the tutorial  - the diagram looks confusing because it's using two threads.  We'll change that.  And you don't need to speak French - just follow the diagram.

Here is the link http://severine.perles.pagesperso-orange.fr/excoeur.html

As you can see from the photos below, we made a lot of these.  We started with the smallest pink heart and used Czech 3mm  rounds which didn't fit together very well.  At least I didn't like mine because you can see the threads.  So to cover them, I sewed size 11/0 seed beads in between each of the 3mm rounds.

Then we tried the same pattern with Czech 4mm fire polish.  Makes for a larger heart and threads less noticeable but now I am liking the seed bead 'embellishment', so added them in between the fire polish beads.

The next heart is the same pattern but notice how the beads fit together better - so we didn't need seed beads in between the 4mm crystals.  And, it looks remarkably like the confusing Puffy Crystal heart pattern.

So start with whatever beads you have, round, fire polish or crystal.  Using clear Illusion cord, follow the diagram and weave the beads together.  It helped me to keep my work 'sideways' looking like a fat  'L'.  You need to bead two identical hearts before going on to the next step.

To connect the hearts:  The last tutorial diagram is using two threads but we found it easier to use one thread and a needle and 'sew' up the sides with RAW.  We also found it easier to sew the top of the hearts together first, then move down one side and continue back to the top.  You will add a total of 12 beads for this step.  Bead number one will be in the dip at the top of the heart and bead number 7 will be the point at the bottom.

Lay the two hearts so the tops are facing each other, like the following photo.  This is a four bead RAW  stitch with thread coming from the  middle of the top of one heart.   Add a new crystal (A), needle up thru the crystal that is directly across on the second heart (B), add a second new crystal (C) and needle down thru crystal D.  The thread in the photo stops there.

Continue to needle back thru crystal A, and down thru E.  Add a new crystal where F is in the photo and up thru crystal G.  Notice you are doing our regular counter-clockwise, clockwise motion we have used in a lot of our classes.

Now fold your hearts together so that the 'point' beads at the bottom meet.  Continue around the edges of the hearts with the thread exiting a bead on one heart, adding a bead, and needle thru a bead on the second heart. 

Since you have a connector bead and one bead from each heart (total of 3), and you are doing a 4 bead RAW stitch, you only need to add one bead for each stitch.  And remember you are adding a total of only 12 beads.  Continue your clockwise, counter-clockwise motion all the way around so that your work looks like this photo.

Here are two 4mm hearts - one tanzanite and one crystal -

connected together with gunmetal 3mm crystals 

This photo has the heart with the bottom point  facing towards right bottom corner of photo.  Notice each 4 bead RAW makes little squares going around the edge.  If you still can't figure this out, bead two identical hearts and bring them into Bead Street and we'll show you how to connect them.  Or just email with any questions.

I know there are other heart tutorials out there but if you can tackle this one, you will be able to move onto an 'Open' crystal heart and even the original Japanese Puffy Crystal heart.   Stay tuned for more.