A Quick Way to Bezel a Swarovski Rhinestone with Half Tilas

Awhile back I purchased a couple bags of Tilas but I haven't gotten a chance to use them. Now come the half Tilas...I have been working with SuperDuos on several projects so it's time to shift gear and try the half Tilas. I just discovered that my local bead store also carries Swarovski rhinestones called solaris, hexagon shaped crystals. With the angular cuts and facets, I thought the half tilas would be perfect to bezel the 14mm rhinestone.

Step 1: With almost a yard of Fireline, string a pattern of one 11/0 seed bead, one half Tila for a total of 10 half Tilas and 10 seed beads. Form a circle by tying a double knot. Go through all beads again to reinforce and also to hide the knot inside a bead. Pull thread tightly. Trim the tail thread.

Step 2: Move working thread to the upper hole of a Tila. Pick up a 4mm bicone, pass through the next Tila. Repeat this step until all 10 bicones are added. This is the front of the bezel.

Step 3: With working thread exiting a Tila, pick up one Tila and pass back through the previous Tila.

Step 4: Pass through a bicone, a tila. Pick up another Tila and repeat step 3. After adding 10 Tilas, move the working thread to the upper hole of a Tila just added in step 4.

Step 5: Let's work on the back of the pendant. 
Pick up a seed bead, pass through a Tila added in step 4. Repeat until all 10 seed beads are added in between the Tilas. Insert the solaris then pull thread tightly. Go back through all beads to tighten the circle and to keep the solaris in place. 

Step 6: With thread exiting a Tila in the back of the pendant, pick up five or seven (depends on how big the jump ring that you use to attach the bail) seed beads to form a loop. Go through the Tila and the seed beads about three times to reinforce the loop. With the extra thread, retrace the thread paths to reinforce your work. Tie half hitch knots in between beads. Trim the thread.

I thought one of these connectors that I got at Hobby Lobby would look nice and unique as a bail for my new pendant.

Back of pendant: Since I used a small oval jump ring to attach the pendant to the bail, I strung five 15/0 seed beads to make the loop.

Front of pendant: The bail is pretty fancy and the crystals are very sparkly, so I decided to keep the pendant simple.