The daisy chain stitch is one of the most basic beading techniques available for bead weavers. It is often the first experience crafters have with beading.

Classic Daisy Chain

Materials:

Seed beads in Green, White and Yellow

Thread

Needle

You May Also Need:

Jump rings (2)

Clasp

Bead cups

Scissors

Ruler

Note:  These directions use the classic daisy chain colors.  Adapt the design to your tastes by using different shades and colors of beads.

1) Attach a stop-bead to a comfortable length of thread, leaving a 6 inch tail.

2) Pick up 3 green beads and 6 white beads, and slide them down to the stop-bead.

3) Stitch back up through the first white bead in the stack, and pull tight to form a ring of white beads.

All Flower Daisy Chain

Materials:

Seed beads in white, yellow and brown.

Thread

Needle

You May Also Need:

Jump rings (2)

Clasp

Bead cups

Scissors

Ruler

Note:  These directions use a daisy and brown-eyed-susan pattern.  Adapt the design to your tastes by using different shades and colors of beads.

1) Attach a stop-bead to a comfortable length of thread, leaving a 6 inch tail.

2) Pick up 6 white beads and slide them down to the stop-bead.

3) Stitch up through the first white bead, and pull tight to form a ring.

4) Pick up one yellow bead, and stitch through the white bead on the opposite side of the ring.  There should be two white beads on either side of the beads in the thread path.

5) Pull the thread snug and make sure that the yellow bead is secure inside the white ring.

6) Pick up 6 yellow beads and slide them down.  Stitch up through the first bead again.  Pull tight.

7) Pick up 1 brown bead and stitch through the yellow bead on the opposite side of the yellow ring.  Pull snug to form the flower.

8) Repeat steps 2-7 until the chain is the desired length.

9) To make a continuous chain, remove the stop-bead and sew into the beadwork, tieing knots along the flowers.  Trim excess thread and repeat with the tail thread, stitching in the opposite direction.

10) For a short necklace or bracelet, finish the ends with bead loops, then attach jump rings and a clasp.

Criss-Cross Daisy Chain

This method uses alternating rows of two and three beads, rather than loops, to create flower shapes. The technique can be confusing at first, but after completing a few stitches, the steps become fairly intuitive.

Note: A visual aid can really help to master this daisy chain. Try drawing your pattern on a scrap of paper for reference when you begin. It is also important to think of the beadwork not only as flowers, but as rows of beads as well.

Materials:

Seed beads in 3 or more colors
Beading thread
Beading needle

1) Pick up 1 color A bead, 1 B, and 3 A, and slide them down the thread, leaving a six inch tail. Stitch back through the first bead added.

2) Pick up 2 A beads, and stitch through the third bead added in Step 1.

3) Pick up 1 color C bead, 1 A and 1 C. Stitch up through the top A bead in the previous row (bead #4 from Step 1). Pull snug.

4) Pick up 1 C and 1 A bead. Stitch down through the A bead picked up in Step 3.

5) Pick up 2 color A beads and 1 C. Stitch up through the top A in the previous row. Pull snug.

6) Pick up 2 A beads, and stitch through the second A picked up in Step 5.

7) Continue adding flowers, repeating Steps 3-5. When the chain reaches the desired length, finish the ends as desired, secure the tail threads with a few knots between beads, and trim.

Visit Variety Beading: Daisy Chain for a heart pattern variation of Criss-Cross Daisy chain.