DIY | Beaded Bowknots

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DIY | Beaded Bowknots

Dear reader:
In this blog post by Smyks.com, our designer Charlotte shows you how to make cute bowknot jewellery. The bowknot as an elegant symbol of love and faithfulness is experiencing a revival and we predict that it will become the spring trend 2024 here in Denmark. 
We show you how easily you can make your own versions of beaded bows with different materials and how to incorporate them in earring designs, bracelets, necklaces and more.  You find the list of the DIY components used underneath every design. You can simply pick from the list as you please - maybe you have already got some of the items :-)

As we do not want to compromise on quality, the links guide you to the best products in our assortment. But most of our design examples can be made with cheaper alternatives. That applies to wire, clasps, jumpring and others. You can find these alternative using the search function on top of the page. But for all jewellery making techniques we recommend the following three types of jewellery pliers:  Chain-nose pliers + Flat-nose pliers + Flush cutter pliers

Necklace, bow in yellow
shell pearls
Necklace, bow in white
shell pearls.
Ear stud, long bow in
freshwater pearls
     
 
Ear stud, small loop of
freshwater pearls
Bracelet, bow in seed beads
beads
 
 

 

Necklace with Yellow Shell Bead Bowknot

 

We used the following DIY components to assemble this necklace:

Shell beads, yellow, 4mm 

(approx. 140 beads for a 35cm long necklace)

Beading wire, 0.30mm, approx. 2x40cm

Crimp beads, gold-plated sterling silver 

Jumprings, closed, 5mm, gold-plated sterling silver 

Jumprings, open, 4mm, gold-plated sterling silver 

Lobster claw clasp, 11mm, gold-plated sterling silver 

Chain extender with 6mm coin, gold-plated sterling silver 

Bead, 4mm, gold-plated sterling silver 

Crimp covers, 3mm, gold-plated sterling silver 

 

 

This perl necklace with bowknot is made in two parts. Cut approx. 40cm of wire off ... and string a crimp bead and a closed jumpring on the piece of wire.

Pull the wire back through the crimp bead. 

Press the crimp bead flat and cut off the excess wire. You can also cut off the wire further down and pull the first 4-6 beads over double wire to make the necklace more robust aroung the clasp. 

String the desired amount of shell beads (until you reach the centre of the necklace).

String 1 golden bead which marks the middle of the necklace. 
 

String another 15 shell beads ... and pull the wire back through the golden bead. This is the first loop of the bow. 
 

String 7 shell beads + 1 crimp bead. Press the crimp bead flat and cut off the excess wire. This is the first half of the necklace. 

 

Now you start the second half in the same way. When the second half has reached the same length as the first one, you pull the wire through the golden bead again. 

 

String 15 shell beads ... and pull the wire back through the golden bead again. 
 

Tighten the wire. The other loop of the bow is done. 
 

String 7 shell beads + 1 crimp bead ... and press the crimp bead flat.
 

Hide the crimp beads with crimp covers. 
 

Now, the ends of the bowknot have a nice finish. 
 

Finally, you fasten the lobster claw clasp and the chain extender to the ends of the necklace with the help of open 4mm jumprings. 
 


 

Necklace with Shell Pearl Bowknot

 

For this necklace, you follow the same instructions as in our first example and you need the following components:

Shell pearls, 3mm (for this necklace approx. 150 beads = length approx. 35cm)

Beading wire, 0.30mm, approx. 2x40cm

Crimp beads, gold-plated sterling silver 

Jumprings, closed, 5mm, gold-plated sterling silver 

Jumprings, open, 4mm, gold-plated sterling silver 

Lobster claw clasp, 9mm, gold-plated sterling silver 

Chain extender with 6mm coin, gold-plated sterling silver 

Disco ball bead, gold-plated brass

Crimp covers, 3mm, gold-plated sterling silver 

 

 

 

Earstuds with Freshwater Pearl Bowknot 

 

For these earrings, we used the following DIY components:

Freshwater pearls, 2x3mm

Wire, 0.4mm, gold-plated stering silver

Silk beading thread, 0.45mm, white

Beads, 2mm, gold-plated sterling silver

Crimp covers, 3mm, gold-plated sterling silver

Earstuds with 3mm ball and eyelet, gold-plated sterling silver

+ Jewellery glue

 

 

 

Cut off approx. 15cm of beading wire ... and string 11 freshwater pearls. 

 

 

Form the first loop of the bow with the wire.

 

 

Pull both wire ends through the eyelet of the earstud.  

 

 

String 11 pearls on one of the wires ...

 

 

... and pull this wire back through the eyelet of the earstud. Tighten the wire. (Before you wind the wire, you finish the bow ends.) 

 

 

For the ends of the bow, you take silk beading thread, so they dangle softly. Tie a knot into the end of the silk thread.

Apply a bit of glue on the knot and cut off the excess thread. String a little bead. 

 

 

Hide the knot with a 3mm crimp cover. (You can leave out the little bead, but in that case the knot should be so large that the crimp cover cannot be pulled off. Try to tie 3-4 knots on top of each other.)

 

 

Press the crimp cover flat carefully. 

 

 

String 13 freshwater pearls...

 

 

... and pull the silk thread through the eyelet of the earstud. 

 

Tighten the thread so the pearls are close to the eyelet. 

 

 

String the same amout of pearls (13 pcs.) ... and finish this second bow end in the same way as the first with a crimp cover. 

 

 

Wind the two wire ends around the wire on either side of the golden bead to give the loops more stability. 

 

 

Cut off the excess wire and press the wire ends inward carefully so they do not prick.  

 


 

Earstuds with Little Freshwater Pear Bowknot

 

For these earstuds, we used the following jewellery components:

Earstuds with cup, sterling silver

Freshwater pearls, 2x3mm, ( 2x22 pcs. are needed)

Beads, 3mm, sterling silver

Crimp beads, 1x1.5mm, silver-plated brass

Wire, 0.3mm, sterling silver
 

This bowknot is made in the same way as explained underneath ("Bracelet with Seed Bead Bowknot"). You use 0.3mm silver thread and glue the finished bow into the cup of the earstud. 

 



 

Bracelet with Seed Bead Bowknot

 

 

For this bracelet, we used the following DIY jewellery components:

Miyuki seed beads, size #11, matte ruby red

Miyuki seed beads, size. #11, 24 karat gold-plated

Miyuki elastic, flat, 0.6x0.8mm

Wide-eye beading needle

Wire, 0.3mm, gold-plated copper (or 0,3mm gold-plated sterling silver)

Disco ball bead, gold-plated brass

Crimp beads, 1x1.5mm, gold-plated brass

Crimp covers, 3mm, gold-plated brass

Jewellery glue
 

 


 

Cut off approx. 10cm of wire ... and string 11 seed beads. Form the first loop of the bow with the wire ... and wind the two wire ends around each other a few times.  

Pull both wire ends through the golden bead.
 

String another 11 seed beads ... 
 

... and pull the wire back through the golden bead. Tighten the wire carefully.
 

String 5 seed beads + 1 crimp bead on each wire end. Press the crimp beads flat ... and cut off the excess wire.  
 

String the desired amount of seed beads onto the elastic with the help of the beading needle (the number of beads that corresponds to half of the bracelet's length) ... and pull the needle with the elastic through the golden bead. 
 

String the same amount of seed beads on the other side for the other half of the bracelet... 
 

... and tie a double knot.
 

Apply a bit of glue on the knot ... and cut off the excess elastic. 
 

Hide the knot with a crimp cover. 
 


 

For the yellow bracelet, we used Miyuki seed beads, size #11, yellow luster

For the pink bracelet, we used Miyuki seed beads, size #11, light pink.


 

Ring with Seed Bead Bowknot

 

The DIY components and the instructions are the same as for the bracelet. But as centre bead for the rings, we used a fluted bicone (gold-plated brass)

 

Remember that every time you purchase items on Smyks.com or in our Copenhagen shop, you ensure that our designers and creative staff can provide you with new and exciting blog content - for free and for the benefit of everyone.  
 

Thank you for reading and have a good time with you beading activities! :-)


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