Winged Star Ornament
This Geometric Winged-Star Ornament is a simple “all-wing” construction of peyote and herringbone,
stitched on a Contemporary Geometric Beadwork casting-pod.
It's a quick project that stitches up in about 10 hours, or less, and uses about 20 grams of Delicas, plus
20, size 11/0 (OR 15/0) rocaille seed beads and 10, size 8/0's.
It's a gift from me to you and I hope you enjoy it!
This design begins with a reusable casting pod developed by Contemporary Geometric Beadwork. If
you haven't made and used a casting pod before, instructions are here:
https://beadmobile.wordpress.com/2019/11/25/how-to-make-a-podcast-bead/
Your pod needs to have a total number of points that is divisible by 4. 20 points (10 up +10 down) will
yield a star with 10 wings, 24-points (12 up and 12 down) will yield 12 wings. And you may notice that
the pod needs only minimal rounds.
After making your pod, thread a stop bead, stitch through an up-bead on the pod and begin the first
round. This first round will be 4 beads per side, which includes half of the 2-bead (herringbone)
increase at every tip. Notice that I'm not using all the spaces available on the pod. This pod has 6
available spaces on each side, but I need and use only 4.
At this point, I want to introduce you to, or remind you of, an easy method to set up the separation
points. This is another development by CGB and makes the later removal very straight-forward. I
confess I rarely use this, but I am very familiar with how and where to snip. I'll show you both snips at
the removal step.
After placing a first-round peyote bead on the pod, pick up an extra 1 or 2 beads and square stitch these
to the pod-bead you just exited. Pull the thread and continue with the peyote and herringbone. Placing
these at intervals will give you easy and safe places to snip, when removing the beadwork from the
pod.
Add the second round of beads, increasing at every tip. When I finish Round-2, I reinforce by needling
through Rounds 1 and 2, then step up. Be careful to NOT stitch into the pod again or you'll have
problems removing the beadwork.
Continue to add rounds and remember this is an all-wing, not a rick-rack, and has herringbone
increases at EVERY tip.
The number of total rounds is up to you. My stars vary from 16 to 18 rounds, but you may continue is
you like. The more rounds, the bigger the star will become. The stars on the first page are between 3
and 4 inches across. The photo, below, shows this piece with one round to go.
On the final round, you may finish the tips anyway you prefer as long as you remember that one set of
peaks will form the wing-tips at the star's equator and the other set will form both the north and south
poles of the star.
For these stars I used 3 beads
(two Delicas and one 11/0
round seed bead) to form the
wing-tips, shown on the
left side of the photo.
Size 8/0 round beads
form the top and bottom
poles of the star,
as shown here on the
right side of the photo.
Upon completion of the final round, remove the beadwork from the pod.
Method A: Because I forget to add the little detonation beads, I snip between each of the first-round
herringbone pairs and ease the sections apart.
Method B: As I promised earlier, here are photos for snipping at the detonation beads, to ease it from
the pod.
Once the winged piece is eased free, it's time to shape the star. To begin, stand the all-wing so that the
size 8/0 beaded tips point upward. These peaks will form the north and south poles, are at the top.
Forming the south or bottom pole: Stitch through the first tip's size 8/0 bead, pick up a size11/0 seed
bead (15/0 will work also), skip the next tip and stitch through the third tip's bead. Repeat this
sequence until the thread forms a circle by needling through the first bead, again. Half of the tips will
remain free at this time.
Pull the thread to gather the tip-beads together and reinforce by passing through the circle of beads
once or twice more. If you wish to add a decorative drop, now's the time.
Shape the star's wings by folding each of the free tips downward. These tips will become north pole
and wings will pop out around the equator. Turn the newly formed star over so that the loose tips are
facing you.
Repeat the steps for stitching the south-pole tips together except this time you won't be skipping any
tips. Stitch through the first 8/0 point-bead, pick up an 11/0, stitch through he next 8/0, pick up an
11/0 and so forth until a circle formed. Pull the beads together and reinforce.
To finish the north pole, you'll make the hanger. Pick up 5, size 11/0 seed beads plus a ring of your
choice and stitch into the bead opposite, across the circle. In lieu of a ring, you can string a longer loop
of beads to form the hanger.
Note: The order of finishing the poles doesn't matter and can be reversed if you like.
Weave in your thread and you're finished!
I'll appreciate comments and input on the clarity of these instructions and I'll check in daily to answer
questions. Feel free to post or msg me.
Happy Holidays, my Bead-buddies! Love to you and yours!
