Ruffle Garland

Ruffle Garland

A Bead Crochet Workshop

designed by

Lydia F Borin
The Beadwrangler

Ruffle Garland – A Bead Crochet Project

Ruffle Garland is perfect for wrapping around a small tree as decoration and for making necklaces, earrings, headbands and belts. Whether you use crochet thread or experiment with Rainbow Elastic for unique effects, you will find this a very easy project for beginners.

The garland examples are worked with size 11/0 beads. The rose bracelet shown here is worked with Rainbow Elastic and has an additional bead single crochet stitch worked back through the bead chains. It can easily be pulled over your wrist and does not need a clasp. The other two examples are worked with YLI Jean Stitch thread. The garland with Sunken Treasure bead mix is worked with bead chains only. The gold and silver garland was first worked with bead chains of 7 beads in gold beads, then worked back the opposite direction with bead single crochet stitches of 7 beads in each loop for a fuller garland.

Standard American Crochet Terms
ch        chains
sc        single crochet
T        turn
Bead Crochet Terms
bch        bead chains
bsc        bead single crochet
blp        a number of beads in one stitch forming a loop
Example: "1bsc(7blp) in each ch across" means each single crochet stitch will be placed in one of the chains as you already made. Each of those single crochet stitches has 7 beads in that stitch, making it a loop of beads in a single crochet stitch. The "b" at the front of bead crochet stitches indicate it is a stitch including a bead or beads. When it is more than one bead, the number of beads is listed in parenthesis along with blp to indicate it forms a loop.

Supplies
Size 11/0 beads, 1 or 2 colors or bead mix (approx. 1 hank each color or 50 grams of bead mix)
YLI Jean Stitch thread or colored 1mm Rainbow Elastic (substitute Cebelia #30 or 20 wt thread)
1 steel crochet hook, 1.45mm (American #9) or preferred hook size
1 button pin or safety pin
1 medium twisted wire needle
1 embroidery or sewing needle that accommodates thread or elastic
scissors

General Instructions
The bead chains are worked in rows across. Making bead chains is easy to do but also easy to lose chains if you drop your thread. I know from experience, oops! I now put a button pin in one of my previous stitches, about 2” from where I am working. When I have another 2” made, I remove the button pin and insert it again closer to where I am working. Then if you drop the hook or thread, you will only lose the stitches between the hook and the button pin, not the whole piece.

Ruffle Garland Bead Chains
Start with a 5" tail thread, bch7 in each chain worked across, repeat stitch for desired length and fasten off, leaving a 5" tail thread.

Make a slip knot, insert the crochet hook through it and start working chains with 7 beads in each chain, forming a loop of beads in each chain. Continue for the desired length. Each time you run out of beads, string more, attach the hook through the last chain, put a slip knot onto the thread with beads and put it over the hook, then pull the slip knot through the chain, yarnover, locking in the thread. Put a button pin in that stitch or use an embroidery or sewing needle and stitch in the fastened off thread and loose thread enough that it does not come loose while you continue. See Finishing Touches for closures and additional ideas.

Ruffle Garland Chain/Bead Single Crochet Stitches
This garland makes a thicker and stronger rope when finished. Follow instructions for the Ruffle Garland Chain but do not fasten off. Instead you will be making bead single crochet stitches which will have a group of beads, a bead loop, between each bead chain you previously made.

T, 1bsc(7blp) in each bead chain across to end. Fasten off. Then follow instructions in Finishing Touches.

For a two color combination, fasten off after making the Ruffled Garland Chains. Then string beads in the second color and put the slip knot over the hook, bring it through the last bead chain, yarnover then begin bead single crochet stitches in each chain that holds a bead loop. Repeat this stitch to the end and fasten off. Bead mixes can be used for both the bead chains and return bsc stitches.

Finishing Touches
Long necklaces can be stitched together and short necklaces and bracelets can be joined with a clasp such as a toggle set. Bracelets crocheted with Rainbow Elastic can be stitched together for wrist size. Headbands worked with Rainbow Elastic can also have the ends stitched together. You can put a closure or clasp on the garland you want to wrap on a small tree and wear it when it is not being used as a decoration. Necklace that are 18", 24", 36" and 55" are very attractive necklace lengths. The 18" will require a clasp.

This is a very lightweight garland and will not work for adding very heavy designer beads. It will look nice tied at the ends and a lightweight pendant or charm added. You can hang a beaded bell on the ends or string the bell loop over the garland and let it hang. Little berry beads or a tiny beaded basket would look great hanging on the garland. See the other projects in my workshops for additions to your garland piece.

For earrings, crochet a smaller length. Use sewing thread to stitch on a bead loop at the top and then attach an earring finding. You can also tie the ends together for a looped earring. The earring example is looped earrings with clip on earring findings.

If you want to work the garland in size 8/0 or 6/0 beads, use a thicker thread such as DMC/Anchor #8 pearl cotton. You can work 8/0 with Jean Stitch thread if you make the return bsc stitches to reinforce the bead stitches. Beads smaller than Delicas such as size 14/0 will need thinner thread such as Gutermann polyester thread that is as thin as silk twist. If you keep the garland chain not much longer than 24", you can use silk thread for crochet. Excessive bead weight on silk makes it stretch and the fibers can break down from the bead weight. Since more thread shows in bead chains, silk would very an attractive finish. Use any number of beads you like in the bead chains, 3, 5, 9, 11 or more. The higher the number of beads in a loop, the more difficult it is to count and pull them up for chaining.