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 Here I’ve selected the beads I want to use for this clip. I picked 7 aurora borealis crystals, also from Fire Mountain Gems, in a dark color. The beads are 12mm so the hole in them is quite large and they can be stitched with a regular sewing needle.

Stitch through each bead 3 or 4 times with a double strand of thread and pull it securely. I found stitching them on with the hole perpendicular to the barrette worked best. 

 Next we are going to add some tiny seed beads. These are too fine for a needle to go through so a beading needle is used. I’ve discovered these wonderful beading needles that an be purchased from most bead dealers. As you can see in the photo below, they are very, very fine but the “eye” runs almost the length of the needle so, by bending the needle slightly, you can pop it open, slip the thread in and then pull it up tight to the top to secure it. This is so much easier than trying to get a thread through a teeny, tiny eye. I recommend waxing the thread well to help eliminate tangling and strengthen the thread. 

In the picture below you can see some of the beads I had to choose from for the accent. The black package in the center shows an assortment of the large eye beading needles I used. I got this package for $5.99 on eBay. Just search for “wide eye needles”. 

So I decided to use the little pink iridescent beads. I stitched one in between the bigger beads on either side of the barrette. 

And here you have the finished barrette. The focus is pretty bad but the barrette is lovely and cost under $5 total. These make awfully nice gifts for anyone on your list whose hair is long enough to accommodate a barrette. 

Thanks for reading.

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