How Do I Design a Brick Stitch Earring Pattern?
Designing a brick stitch earring pattern starts with a grid. Brick stitch beadwork is laid out in offset rows — like bricks in a wall — so a standard square grid won't give you an accurate preview. You need a brick-offset grid where each row shifts half a bead.
Here's the basic process:
1. Choose Your Shape and Size
Most brick stitch earrings start from a triangle or diamond top with fringe hanging below. Decide how many beads wide your bottom row will be — 9 to 15 beads is a common range for everyday earrings. BeadFringeLab's default is a 13-bead-wide triangle, which makes a nicely balanced everyday earring.
2. Sketch the Color Layout
Traditionally, beaders use graph paper and colored pencils. A digital pattern maker like BeadFringeLab's free editor lets you tap beads on an interactive brick-offset grid instead, so you can test color combinations instantly and undo mistakes.
3. Design the Fringe
Fringe strands hang from the bottom row. Vary strand lengths for a chevron or angled bottom edge. In BeadFringeLab you color fringe beads individually alongside the body of the earring, with chevron, rectangular, and diagonal fringe shapes available.
4. Count Your Beads
Before you shop, you need a count of each color. BeadFringeLab totals bead counts per color automatically, which makes ordering seed beads much easier. Not sure how many beads a design takes? See how many beads you need for fringe earrings.
5. Print or Save Your Chart
A color-coded chart is your roadmap while stitching. Export a print-ready PNG pattern so you can work away from a screen — every export includes a color key with per-color bead counts and Miyuki Delica DB code references.
Try It Free
The core BeadFringeLab designer is free with no account required — open the pattern editor and start designing. You can also design on your phone — see making beading patterns on your phone — and check the pricing page for optional add-ons and Pro features.
Open the Free Pattern Editor →