FREE Tutorial: I'm Your Tiniest Fan

 

These little tiny fans make perfect earrings, however, if you don't want earrings, feel free to turn them into tiny pendants or even decorations for wine glasses! (Wouldn't that be a great hostess gift?!) It only takes a handful of materials and if you don't have the copper links, try using any good stiff metal link that you have on hand.

Oh, and share this free tutorial far and wide it's my little Christmas gift to you!
 

Here's what you'll need to make your fan:

- One 15mm link from MissFickleMedia (2 for earrings)

- 4mm Faceted Czech Glass Rounds (A)

- Size 8 Seed Beads (B) (I used two different colors)

- Size 11 Seed Beads (C)

- Size 15 Seed Beads (D)

- 10mm Daggers (E)

- Wildfire or Fireline Beading Thread

- Beading Needle Size 10 or 12

 

*Note: I have not specified colors here. I chose a deep blue/purple combo, because it's one of my favorite. This tutorial leaves a lot of room for creativity, so feel free to make your fans in whatever color combo you like.

 

Here's a snapshot of my mix:
(I also don't tend to measure, I just pour out the beads and get started!)

 

 

 

1. Cut a piece of thread 3' in length, tie a double knot onto the link leaving a 4" tail.

 

 

 

2. String 1B, 1A, 1B. Loop your thread around the link and pass back through the 2nd B that you added. (Brick stitch)

 

 

 

3. String 1A, 1B, loop the thread around the link and pass back through the 1B that you just added. Do this two more times until you have four size 4mm rounds around your link, and you are exiting from the last 1B that you added.

 

 

 

4. String 1E and pass through the first A so that the dagger sits to the side.

 

 

 

5. String 2C and pass through the A. Do this twice more to add 2C between each A.

 

 

 

6. Pass down through the 1B that you added at the beginning of Step 2. Loop your thread around the link and pass back up through that same B.

 

 

 

7. String 1E and pass through the A.

 

 

 

8. String 1C, 1B, 1C and pass through the next A. Do this two more times and exit through the Dagger. *Note: You'll need to "push" these three beads behind the 2C that you placed there in Step 5. (See how they are sitting just under the 2C that you added in the previous round?)  

 

 

 

9. String 1D and pass back through the dagger.
*String 4D, pass over the A and through the C, do not pass through the B, skip over it and pass through the next C. (This will cause the B to pop out a bit)

Complete this step from the * until you pass through the other dagger.

 

String 1D, and pass back through the dagger and the 4D that you just added.

 

 

10. *String 1B (I've switched colors here) and pass through the next B. String 1B and pass through the 4D.
Complete this step from the * and pass through the dagger. 

 

Pass through the 1D and back through the dagger.

 

 

11. String 1D, 1A, and 1D and pass through the B. String 1D, 1 dagger, and 1D and pass through the next B.

 

 

 

String 1A and pass through the B. String 1D, 1 dagger, 1D and pass through the B.
Do this two more times you've added the third dagger . String 1D, 1A, 1D and pass through the end dagger.

(Do you see how the last 1D, 1A, and 1D that you just added is kind of sliding behind the 4D? This is not a problem, you'll need it later, so don't worry about it!)

 

 

 

 

12. Flip the piece over. String 2D and pass through the last D that you added in Step 11, the 1A and 1D.

 

 

Pass through the 1B. String 1C, 1D, 1C and pass through the next B, A, B. This will cause the dagger to pop forward a bit and give it a bit more structure and that 1C, 1D, 1C that you just added will sit on top of the dagger (or behind it if you're looking at the fan from the front.)

 

 

 

 

  Continue down the line of the fan adding the 1C,1D, 1C to finish the row. When you come to the end, pass through the 1D, 1A, 1D.

 

 

 

 

13. String 2D, loop your needle around and pass through the dagger just as you did to begin Step 12. Knot your working thread and tail thread into the beadwork, trim the ends and hang your earrings or pendant any way you see fit!  

I hope you enjoy creating your little fan and thanks for being a fan of La Bella Joya!

Also as a little gift, from now until the 15th, if you purchase any piece of jewelry from my shop, I'll upgrade your shipping for free! You'll get priority shipping on me to make sure that your gifts arrive in time for the holidays. Oh, and everything in my shop is ready to ship!
Here's the link to all the goodies.

Happy Holidays!