Orange Spotted Tiger Moth

Beaded Orange Spotted Tiger Moth (Amata annulata)

Posted by Andrews McMeel

About

Habitat: Australia Wingspan: 1½ inches (40 mm)

This pattern combines intricate lacing techniques with a fully beaded body: the result is both pretty and a sturdy piece that will easily stand up to wear if you want to press it into service as a key fob or mounted on a brooch backing.


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You Will Need (11 things)

  • Flat Nose Pliers
  • Wire Cutters
  • 6½ yd/5.9 m of 32-gauge/0.2 mm Wire
  • 519 opaque black size 11 Seed Beads (approx. 5.25 g)
  • 2 opaque black size 8 Seed Beads
  • 126 silver-lined brown size 11 Seed Beads (approx. 1.25 g)
  • 20 opaque black 6-mm Bugle Beads
  • 6 opaque white size 11 Seed Beads
  • 6 opaque black 3-mm Bugle Beads
  • 106 silver-lined orange size 11 Seed Beads (approx. 1 g)
  • Brad Awl

Steps (14 steps, 120 minutes)

  1. 1

    Making the Body

    Cut a 28-inch/70-cm length of wire. Following the Side of Body chart on page 55, bead rows 1 through 42. Form the piece into a loop by threading both wires through the first row again. Pull tightly, then weave through the next row of black beads, trim, and bend the wires.

  2. 2

    Cut a 43-inch/1.1-m length of wire and gently bend it in half. Thread the ends through rows 25 and 27.

  3. 3

    Thread on three black beads on one end of the wire, then pass the other end back through the three black beads in the opposite direction. Push the wire ends back down through rows 25 and 27. Hold the beads between your thumb and finger and pull the wires tight.

  4. 4

    Thread the wires through rows 24 and 28 to be back in position to start row 2.

  5. 5

    Continue following the Top of Body chart on page 55 to bead rows 2 through 20. You will end up with wires coming down out of the rows on each side of the center row in the side of the body.

  6. 6

    Thread four black bugle and three white seed beads onto each wire for the antennae. Skip the last seed bead and pass each wire back through two seed and four bugle beads and into the work. Place a bradawl in the end loop of wire and tighten the wire.

  7. 7

    Thread both wires into the center row of the body. Wind them in opposite directions around the wire of row 20 of the top of the body, on each side of the center bead. Thread the wires inside, trim, and hide.

  8. 8

    Making the Wings

    Cut a 39-inch/1-m length of wire. Following the Wing chart on page 55, bead rows 1 through 20, reducing where indicated on rows 15, 16, 17, and 19. Weave the wires back through three rows. Trim and bend to finish one wire, leaving the other.

  9. 9

    Use the remaining wire to backstitch down the wing, ending between the two beads on row 1. Weave, trim, and bend to finish the wire. Mirror repeat to make a second wing.

  10. 10

    Adding the Wings

    Cut an 8-inch/20-cm piece of wire. Thread the wire through the middle five beads of row 17 of the top of the body and center the body on the wire. Thread a wing onto each wire, with the slightly longer side of each wing at the top, and pass the wire ends through the middle four beads of row 16. Weave through row 17, the end row of the wings, and row 16 again. Trim and bend inside the body to hide.

  11. 11

    Finishing the Body

    Thread an 8-inch/20-cm length of wire through the middle five beads of row 10 on the top of the body and center the body on the wire. Wind the wire around the loops between rows 7 and 8 on each wing, then thread back into the body beads. Bend the wire ends inside the body, twist them together, and trim.

  12. 12

    Cut a 39-inch/1-m length of wire, thread four black seed beads, and center them on the wire. Thread one wire under the wire loops between rows 3 and 4 and the other between rows 6 and 7.

  13. 13

    Thread the wires back through the four beads in opposite directions, then behind the wire loops that are the next row down along the edge of the body. Pull tight.

  14. 14

    Following the Belly chart on page 55, bead rows 2 and 3. Following the Legs chart on page 55, add one leg onto each wire, then skip the last bead added and pass the wire down through
    the other five. Bead row 4 onto one wire. Thread the other wire in the opposite direction through row 4 and behind the wire loops on the edge of the body, one row down. Pull tight. Continue beading the belly, adding legs when indicated. After row 18, weave back through rows 17 and 16 rather than threading the wires into the next loops down. Trim and bend the wires to hide.