Sweet, simple, and giftable in minutes. This brick‑stitch band ring is adapted from a Preciosa Ornela project by Helena Chmelíková. Choose one of three patterns (solid heart, geometric hearts, or stripes) and sew a comfy seed‑bead band sized to your finger. We keep bead sizes in metric/aught; all lengths appear in metric + inches for easy reading.
Materials & Tools
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PRECIOSA Rocailles 10/0 — PermaLux finish
- 10SB992-PLMR Light Pink — counts by pattern below
- 10SB994-PLMR Dark Pink — counts by pattern below
- 10SB997-PLMR Light Purple — counts by pattern below
- Thread: S‑Lon or Nymo nylon; cut 1.5 m (≈59 in)
- Needle: thin beading needle
- Measuring ribbon/tape (ring height guide), ruler, scissors
Pick Your Pattern (counts per ring)
Choose one of these Valentine palettes or design your own. (All counts use 10/0.)
- Pattern 1 — Heart band: Light Pink 170×; Dark Pink 26×
- Pattern 2 — Geometric hearts: Light Pink 132×; Dark Pink 36×; Light Purple 28×
- Pattern 3 — Stripes & hearts: Light Pink 98×; Dark Pink 49×; Light Purple 49×
Sizing & Fit
- Measure circumference: Wrap a ribbon around your finger where the ring will sit and mark the length.
- Bead‑count reference: 24 beads ≈ 63 mm (≈2.48 in) in the sample. Use this as a starting point and adjust by ±1 bead for snug/loose fit.
- Band height: worked over 7 rows of 10/0s for a comfy, low‑profile band.
Step‑by‑Step
- String the base (Row 4). Cut 1.5 m (≈59 in) of thread. String the number of beads for your circumference following your chosen pattern’s center row (Row 4). Slide the beads down, leaving a 15–20 cm (6–8 in) tail.
- Join into a circle. Pass back through all beads in the opposite direction so a visible thread bridges each side gap. Pass through the first bead to join; tie a small knot and tuck it into the next bead.
- Brick‑stitch the next row (Row 5). At the start of a row, pick up 2 beads, slide the needle under the side thread at the second gap, and stitch up through the second bead. Continue 1 bead at a time, always passing under the side thread from the previous row and then up through the bead you just added.
- Fix the first bead twist. The very first bead in a row may sit twisted—catch it together with the bead below (Row 4) to straighten. You’ll finish each row this way, alternating the side you start on so the pattern stays centered.
- Work out from the middle. Stitch Row 3, then Row 6; add Row 2, then Row 7; finish with Row 1. Weave in both thread ends through neighboring beads and trim.
Tips
- Keep tension even so the band stays supple and round.
- Use a thread color that blends with your lightest beads for invisible bridges.
- Size up by adding pairs of beads to the base row (to keep the pattern centered).
Design credit: Preciosa Ornela / Helena Chmelíková. Instructions adapted and paraphrased for clarity for the Shipwreck Beads blog.
