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Want to learn how to make a beaded tulip that looks like it came from a tiny flower shop? This little tulip is a great first beaded flower. All four petals use the same simple fold-and-twist technique, and you only need seed beads, copper wire and two pairs of pliers.
This tutorial comes from my Beaded Flower Bouquet Part 1 video. Below you’ll find the exact bead counts, every step written out, and a link that jumps straight to the tulip in the video so you can watch along while you work.
Watch the Video 🎥
Jump straight to the tulip: Beaded tulip tutorial at 1:29
What You’ll Need 🧵
- Size 11 seed beads (about 2 mm) in your petal color, plus green for the stem. This small size is perfect for detail work like tulip petals. Check out the seed beads I use here
- Copper wire, about 0.3 mm thick. You’ll need about 12 inches. This thickness bends easily and still holds the flower’s shape. It comes in lots of colors, and I personally love gold. Check out the copper wire I use here
- Cutter pliers to trim your wire
- Loop pliers (round nose pliers) to make the little loop at the end of the stem. Beading tool kit (the pliers are a little different from the ones in my video)
- A felt bead mat (optional, but I highly recommend it). It keeps your beads from rolling everywhere, which saves you a lot of frustration.
How Many Beads Do You Need for a Beaded Tulip? 🌷
| Part | Beads | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Wire | About 12 inches of copper wire | 1 piece |
| Petals | 14 seed beads each, petal color | 4 petals (56 beads) |
| Stem | About 22 green seed beads | 1 stem |
| Total | About 78 beads |
That’s about 78 seed beads in all: 56 for the four petals and about 22 green beads for the stem.
How to Make a Beaded Tulip 🌷
Step 1: Make the first petal
- Cut about 12 inches of copper wire. I always go with 12 so I have enough to work with.
- Add 14 seed beads in your petal color onto the wire.
- Slide the beads down and fold the wire to form a petal shape.
- Twist the wire two or three times to keep the petal secure. One twist can loosen while you work, especially on your first petal.
- Leave a little extra wire at the end, just in case.
Step 2: Make three more petals
- Add another 14 beads onto one side of the wire.
- Slide the beads down, fold the wire into a petal, and twist two or three times to secure it.
- Repeat two more times until you have four petals total.
Step 3: Shape your tulip
- Push the petals upward so they form the classic tulip shape.
- Adjust the base a little to help the petals curve inward.
- For extra security, you can slightly overlap one petal over another, but you don’t really need to.
- Once you’re happy with the tulip shape, bring the wires together, bend them down, and twist them together to secure the petals in place.
- Cut the extra wire on one side. Keep the other wire for the stem!
Step 4: Make the stem
- Add green seed beads onto the stem wire. I usually use about 22, but you can add more for a longer stem or fewer for a shorter one.
- Use your loop pliers to bend the wire into a small loop at the end.
- Wrap the remaining wire around a few times. The loop and wrapped wire make a stopper, so your stem beads won’t slide off.
- Trim any extra wire.
Your little beaded tulip is finished!
Tips for the Best Beaded Tulip ✨
- Twist two or three times on every petal. One twist can loosen while you work.
- Leave a little extra wire at the start. It makes finishing so much easier.
- Shape before you twist the base. Pushing the petals up and curving them inward is what turns four loops into a tulip.
- Keep the stem wire. Only trim the short end after shaping.
Beaded Tulip Color Ideas 🎨
Classic red is always sweet, and soft pink or sunny yellow look lovely in a spring bouquet. For a two-tone tulip, make two petals in one shade and two in a slightly darker shade. Every color works with the same 14-bead petals, so it’s easy to make a whole rainbow.
Turn Your Tulip Into a Beaded Flower Bouquet 💐
Tulips look even cuter together. Mix a few tulips with daisies, five petal flowers and filler stems, then wrap them into a tiny bouquet that never wilts. I show how to put the bouquet together in the Part 1 video at 17:57.
A single tulip makes a cute keychain or bag charm when you add a jump ring to the stem loop. You can also tie one onto a present as a gift topper, or set a few in a tiny bud vase for sweet desk decor.
More Beaded Flowers to Make 🌸
- Watch the full Part 1 – Beaded Flower Tutorial
- Watch the full Part 2 – Beaded Flower Tutorial
- Watch the full Part 3 – Beaded Flower Tutorial
What Color Will You Make Yours? 🌷
The best part about beaded tulips is choosing your colors. Make one, then make a few more, and you’ll have the start of a bouquet that never wilts.
I’d love to see your tulips! Tag me @pbjcreates on Instagram or Pinterest, and subscribe to my YouTube channel for more beaded flower tutorials.
Bye for now,
Prima from PBJ Creates 🧡