A Tale of Dragons and Roses - Pattern by Sabine Lippert

A Tale of Dragons and Roses

A free pattern by Sabine Lippert

Step 1

String 5 x 11/0 seed beads and make a ring.

Make one row in circular RAW by stringing 3 x 11/0 seed beads for the first unit, then weave through the 11/0 seed bead you've just exited and through the next one in the base ring. String 2 x 11/0 for the second unit and weave through the first bead of the previous unit, the base ring and the next bead in the base ring.

Repeat making the units for the next two beads in the base ring. As you add units, they will start to 'sit up' and create a tubular effect.

For the last unit, step up into the bead of the first unit, string 1 x 11/0 and weave through the other 3 beads of this last unit. The beads should now have created the start of a tubular rope.

Start the next row from the five beads on top of this row (these will be the beads shown in Figure 1 with the pink circle). Weave through these 5 beads to create your next ring, then continue adding a new round of circular RAW units to this ring. This is the base stitch that you will follow throughout the whole necklace.

Make a total of 5 rows using 11/0 seed beads.

Step 2 - For the small rose:

Starting from your latest ring of 5 seed beads, string 1 x 11/0 seed bead, 1 x O bead (colour B) and 1 x 11/0 seed bead for the first unit (continue with circular RAW). Follow the stitch as shown in step 1 and in the top position you will use an O bead instead of an 11/0 seed bead.

Starting from the 5 x O beads, make one more row using 11/0 seed beads. Pass back through the O beads and weave in a circle through the beads, adding each one 8/0 seed bead (see Figure 4).

Weave back to the end of the row and make one more row using 11/0 seed beads.

Step 3 - The Large Rose

Starting from one 11/0 seed bead, string 5 x 11/0 seed beads, one x O bead (colour A), 1 x 11/0 seed beads 1 x O bead (colour A), 1 x 11/0 seed bead, 1 x O bead (colour A), one x 11/0 seed bead and weave again through the 11/0 seed bead where you started.

Weave forward into the next 11/0 seed bead of the base. Repeat the step another 4 times. 

Step up into the beads of the first loop and exit from the second 11/0 seed bead after the last O bead (see Figure 5). 

Weave through the 11/0 seed beads of the five loops.

Make one more row in circular RAW, using 11/0 seed beads. 

Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you made 23 large roses.

Make one more small rose and after that 5 rows using size 11° beads. 

Step 4 - The Second Rope

Make the first 5 rows of the second rope with 11/0 seed beads too.

To connect it to the first rope, both share one unit on the side over the first three rows. You will do the same on the last three units on the other end of this rope.

The drawing shows the starting unit of the three adjacent ropes.

After the 5th row, we start the first small dragon. This is made like the small rose, using Dragonscale beads instead of O beads.

After the small dragon, make one row using 11/0 seed beads, then one large rose using O beads (colour B) and one more row using 11/0 seed beads. 

Repeat making small dragons and large roses until you have a total of 27 large roses. Then finish off with one more dragon.

End with five rows using 11/0 seed beads and connect it to last three rows of the first rope (by sharing the side unit)

Step 5 - The Long Rope

Start with five rows using 11/0 seed beads as shown for the second rope.

Make a small rose using O beads (colour A).

Then string one more row using 11/0 seed beads.

For the large dragon, string 5 x 11/0 seed beads, three Dragonscale beads, 1 x 11/0 seed bead, similar to the large rose.

Make one more row using  11/0 seed beads.

Make small roses and large dragons alternating 28 times.

Step 6

Then string up one more small rose and finish off with five rows using 11/0 seed beads.

Again they will share the last three rows as shown above.

At the beginning and the end, you will need to add a little loop attach the clasp with a jumpring. 

Tags: free pattern