Russian Spiral Stitch

Ingredients

Fireline or S-Lon D thread

Size 12 Beading Needles

8/0 Miyuki Seed Beads or 4mm Glass Pearls – Colour A

8/0 Miyuki Seed Beads or 4mm Glass Pearls – Colour B

8/0 Miyuki Seed Beads or 4mm Glass Pearls – Colour C

If you’re using the 8/0 Seed beads you’ll also need 15/0 Miyuki Seed Beads or if you’re using the 4mm Glass Pearls then use 11/0 Seed Beads

Step 1

Cut a 5 foot piece of beading thread. Thread a needle. Add a stop bead about 6 inches from one end of the thread.

Step 2

String one size 8 in colour A, two size 15 seed beads. one size 8 in colour B, two size 15 seed beads, one size 8 in colour C and two more size 15 seed beads. Pass through the 1st size 8 to form a circle.

Step 3

Pass through all of the beads a second time, then pass back through the first size 15.

Step 4

String one colour A size 8 and two size 15s.

Step 5

Pass through the size 15 just past the second size 8 in the starting row.

Step 6

String one colour B size 8 and two size 15s. The colour of the size 8 should match the colour of the size 8 that has just been passed over.

Step 7

Pass through the size 15 just past the third size 8 in the starting row.

Step 8

String one colour C size 8 and two size 15s. The colour of the size 8 should match the colour of the size 8 that has just been passed over.

Step 9

Pass through the size 15 just past the first size 8 in the starting row.

Step 10

Pull the tension tight. To step up and begin the next row, pass through the first size 8 and size 15 strung in the previous row.

Step 11

The color of the first bead strung after stepping up will be the last large bead of the previous row, and will always be color A. String one colour A size 8 and two size 15s.

Step 12

Pass through the size 15 just past the second size 8 in the previous row.

Step 13

String one colour B size 8 and two size 15s. The colour of the size 8 should match the colour of the size 8 that has just been passed over.

Step 14

Pass through the size 15 just past the third size 8 in the starting row.

Step 15

String one colour C size 8 and two size 15s. The colour of the size 8 should match the colour of the size 8 that has just been passed over.

Step 16

Pass through the size 15 just past the first size 8 in the previous row.

Step 17

Pull the tension tight. To step up and begin the next row, pass through the first size 8 and size 15 strung in the previous row.

Step 18

The colour of the first bead strung after stepping up will be the last large bead of the previous row, and will always be colour A. String one colour A size 8 and two size 15s.

Step 19

Pass through the size 15 just past the second size 8 in the previous row.

Step 20

String one colour B size 8 and two size 15s. The colour of the size 8 should match the colour of the size 8 that has just been passed over.

Step 21

Pull the tension tight. To step up and begin the next row, pass through the third size 8 and size 15 strung in the previous row.

Step 22

The colour of the first bead strung after stepping up will be the last large bead of the previous row, and will always be colour A. String one colour A size 8 and two size 15s.

Step 23

Pull the tension tight. To step up and begin the next row, pass through the third size 8 and size 15 strung in the previous row.

Step 24

After about the first three or four rows, the side view will begin to clearly show the pattern of the colors in the spiral.

Step 25

Continue stitching until you have a few inches remaining on the current thread, and have just completed a row. Tie a new thread around the working thread. The knot and new thread should be able to move up and down.

Step 26

Slide the knot down next to the beadwork. Make another knot, tying together the tail of the working thread and the new thread. Knot the two threads together a second time.

Step 27

Step up by passing through the next size and and size 15.

Step 28

String one colour A size 8 and two size 15 seed beads.

Step 29

Pass through the size 15 just past the second size 8 in the previous row. After beading a few more rows, trim or burn off the thread tails.

Step 30

Continue until the rope reaches the desired length, minus the length of the clasp.

Step 31

On the working thread end, needle into any one of the three size 8 seed beads.

Step 32

String one size 8 seed bead in the same colour as the adjacent size 8 seed bead, a 4mm round bead, and a lobster claw clasp.

Step 33

Pass back through the 4mm size 8, and then re-enter the seed bead in the end row on the opposite side of where the thread exits the bead.

Step 34

Stitch through the end row to the next size 8 seed bead, and repeat steps 32 and 33.

Step 35

Stitch around to the third and last size 8 seed bead in the end row. Repeat steps 32 and 33.

Step 36

Stitch down into the row, and tie a square knot around the thread between two size 15 seed beads.

Step 37

Use sharp scissors to trim the thread close to the beadwork. If desired, dab a bit of Hypo-tube cement on the knot to secure it.

Step 38

On the beginning end, use the starting tail to secure a soldered jump ring in the same manner as the lobster claw clasp.

Step 39

Congratulations, you have learned how to weave a Russian Spiral rope!

Please respect our copyright – The instructions and diagrams in this tutorial are the copyright of Spoilt Rotten Beads.

This tutorial is for personal use only and not to be used for teaching or commercial purposes without the written permission of Spoilt Rotten Beads.