Bull

Today we will make a beaded 3D bull with a bell on its neck.
We will need:
- for the bull - size 8 seed beads of four colors: gray, black, dark-gray and brown;
- for the bell - size 10 seed beads of two colors: yellow and green;
- wire 0.3 mm thick for the bull and 0.2 mm thick for the bell;
- thin nylon fishing line and a needle for cross-linking of the finished beadwork (if necessary).


For making a bull we will use the technique of three-dimensional beading.
The main idea of three-dimensional beading is that each row in the beadwork consists of two tiers which are situated one above the other. So, at first we should make the upper tier of the 1st row, then make the lower tier of the 1st row, after that make the the upper tier of the 2nd row, next make the lower tier of the 2nd row and so on.
Now the upper tiers of beads will form the upper side of the bull’s head and then its back, and the lower tiers of beads will form the lower side of the bull’s head and then its tummy.

We met such a beading technique in our tutorials many times, so you can learn the basics of three-dimensional beading in this tutorial (it is a very detailed tutorial with step by step photos).

Today we will make the bull using the following pattern:

Click to enlarge

For basic weaving (for the bull’s body together with head, horns and tail) we will need a wire 200 cm long. For the ears we will need two additional pieces of wire 25 cm long each and for the legs - three additional pieces of wire 40 cm long each.

Now, take the wire for the bull’s body and start weaving.

1st row:
For the upper tier string the beads in the following sequence: 1 gray, 1 brown, 1 gray.
The lower tier: 2 gray beads.

2nd row:
The upper tier: 5 gray beads.
The lower tier: 3 gray beads.

3rd row:
The upper tier: 7 gray beads.
The lower tier: 4 gray beads.

4th row:
For the upper tier string the beads in the following sequence: 2 gray, 1 black, 4 gray, 1 black, 2 gray. Black beads are for the eyes of the bull here.
The lower tier: 5 gray beads.

5th row:
There are horns and ears in this row.
To make the upper tier, first string on any end of the wire 3 gray and 5 dark-gray beads. Then hold the last added dark-gray bead and pass this end of the wire backwards through the other four dark-gray beads. Move all the beads close to the beadwork and tighten the wire. We’ve got the beaded needle of 5 dark-gray beads, that is the bull’s horn.
Then string on the same end of the wire 6 gray and 5 dark-gray beads, again hold the last added dark-gray bead and pass this end of the wire backwards through the other four just added dark-gray beads. Again move all the beads close to the beadwork and tighten the wire. We’ve got the second bull horn.
Next, string on the same end of the wire 3 gray beads and cross the other end of the wire through all the gray beads of the current tier (passing by the horns). Slightly pull the ends of the wire but do not tighten them at the moment.
Then take two additional pieces of wire 25 cm long each and pass them through the beads of the current tier as described beneath. The first additional piece of wire pass through the 10 middle beads of the tier, and the second additional piece of wire pass through the 8 middle beads of the current tier. After that tighten the basic wire and continue weaving on it. We will use the additional wires for weaving the ears of the bull. You can make them right now or later, after finishing weaving the body. In our tutorial we will make the ears later.

Continue weaving the body and make the the lower tier of the 5th row. It consists of 6 gray beads.



6th row:
The upper tier: 10 gray beads.
The lower tier: 7 gray beads.

7th row:
The upper tier: 8 gray beads.
The lower tier: 8 gray beads.

8th row:
The upper tier: 7 gray beads.
The lower tier: 11 gray beads.

9th row:
The upper tier: 7 gray beads.

As we can see from the pattern, there is an additional wire in the lower tier that is used for making the forelegs of the bull. Weave it into the beadwork as follows. First, make the lower tier of the 9th row: string 14 gray beads on any end of the wire, cross the other end of the wire through them and then slightly pull the ends of the wire but do not tighten them at the moment. Then take an additional piece of wire 40 cm long and pass it through the 6 middle beads of the current tier. After that tighten the basic wire and continue weaving on it. We will use the additional wire later, as I have already mentioned, for weaving the forelegs.

Continue weaving and make the 10th row of the body:
The upper tier: 8 gray beads.
The lower tier: 15 gray beads.

11th row:
The upper tier: 8 gray beads.
The lower tier: 16 gray beads. Through the 8 middle beads of this tier pass another additional piece of wire 40 cm long. We will use this additional piece of wire together with the additional piece of wire in the lower tier of the 9th row for making the forelegs. You can make them right now or later, after finishing the body. In our tutorial we will make the forelegs later.

Continue weaving the body.
Rows from 12th till 14th are identical:
The upper tier: 8 gray beads.
The lower tier: 16 gray  beads.

15th row:
The upper tier: 8 gray beads.
The lower tier: 14 gray beads. Through the 6 middle beads of this tier pass the last additional piece of wire 40 cm long. We will use this additional piece of wire together with the rest of the basic wire, for making the hind legs at the final stage of weaving.

16th row:
The upper tier: 8 gray beads
The lower tier: 11 gray beads

17th row:
The upper tier: 7 gray beads
The lower tier: 8 gray beads

18th row:
The upper tier: 5 gray beads
The lower tier: 5 gray beads

19th row:
This row is the last in the bull’s body. It consists of the upper tier only and also there is a tail in this row.
First, string on any end of the wire 6 gray and 3 dark-gray beads (if the ends of the wire are of different length an this moment, choose the longer one) and, holding the last added dark-gray bead, pass this end of the wire backwards through the next two dark-gray beads. Then move all the beads of the last set close to the beadwork and pull this end of the wire tight.
After that string on the same end of the wire 3 dark-gray beads, again hold the last added dark-gray bead and pass this end of the wire backwards through the other two just added dark-gray beads. Move all the beads of the last set close to the beadwork and pull this end of the wire tight.
Then again string on the same end of the wire 3 dark-gray beads, hold the last added dark-gray bead, pass this end of the wire backwards through the other two just added dark-gray beads and further through the 5 gray beads of the first set. After that pull this end of the wire tight. The tail is finished.

Now note that the tail does not include the very first bead added at this step, thus this bead forms the half of the current tier. To complete the tier, string on the same end of the wire one gray bead and cross the other end of the wire through the 2 gray beads of the current tier, passing by the beads of the tail. Tighten the wire - the upper tier of the 19th row is ready.

The rest of the basic wire will be used for making hind legs of the bull. So, pass the ends of the wire through the lower tier of the previous (18th) row. After that place the last made tier between the upper and the lower tiers of the 18th row, thus closing a gap between them.

The body of the bull is finished. Now proceed with weaving the ears and legs.

For weaving the ears use the additional wires in the upper tier of the 5th row. Straighten these wires and pull them so that they are of equal length at both sides. Make the each ear in flat parallel weaving using the following pattern:

1st row: 2 gray beads.
2nd row: 1 gray bead.

Next, make legs. For the forelegs use the additional wires in the lower tiers of the 9th and 11th rows. For the hind legs use the additional wire in the lower tier of the 15th row and the rest of the basic wire. Straighten all the additional wires and pull them so that they are of equal length at both sides.

For weaving all the legs use the technique of 3D beading.

Make the each foreleg using the following pattern:

1st row:
The upper tier: 3 gray beads.
The lower tier: 3 gray beads.

2nd row:
The upper tier: 3 gray beads.
The lower tier: 2 gray beads.

The 3rd and the 4th rows are identical:
The upper tier: 2 gray beads.
The lower tier: 2 gray beads.

5th row:
The upper tier: 2 gray beads.
The lower tier: 2 black beads.

6th row: only the upper tier - 2 black beads.

For the each hind leg use the following pattern:

1st row:
The upper tier: 5 gray beads.
The lower tier: 4 gray beads.

2nd row:
The upper tier: 4 gray beads.
The lower tier: 3 gray beads.

3rd row:
The upper tier: 3 gray beads.
The lower tier: 2 gray beads.

The 4th and the 5th rows are identical:
The upper tier: 2 gray beads.
The lower tier: 2 gray beads.

6th row:
The upper tier: 2 gray beads.
The lower tier: 2 black beads.

7th row: only the upper tier - 2 black beads.

Now secure and trim all the excess wires (at the each of the ears and the legs), if you hadn’t done it yet. Bend the tips of the wires and hide them between the rows of beads.

Weaving of the bull is finished. If there are big gaps between the rows of beads, you may need to sew the figure with a thin fishing line. To do it, use the technique of cross-linking that is described in detail here or here. Usually it is enough to sew the rows of the head and the body, without the ears and legs. Also, it maybe enough to sew the lower tiers only.

At last, give the final shape to the bull: bend a little its horns and legs, straighten the tail. The beaded bull is finished!

In order to make the bull more attractive, I hung a beaded bell on its neck.

I made the bell out of size 10 seed beads and a wire 0.2 mm thick. To make it, I used a simplified and reduced beading pattern from my tutorial on Christmas bells.
First, out of yellow seed beads I made a bell of four petals. The each petal consists of four rows:
1st row: 3 beads.
2nd row: 2 beads.
3rd row: 2 beads.
4th row: 1 bead.

After that I twisted together all the wires from two adjacent petals, then strung 30 green seed beads on those wires, moved the beads close to the bell, wrapped the wire with green beads around the bull’s neck and twisted together all the wires. Then I trimmed the excess wires leaving only a small tip. The bell is finished!

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