Beaded Fish Earrings: A Beginner-Friendly Brick Stitch Project with Big Personality

Some beading projects are all about subtle elegance. This one is not — and that's exactly why I love it. These beaded fish earrings are playful, colorful, and honestly just really fun to make (and wear). In my latest tutorial, I'll show you how to bead your own pair using brick stitch, no experience required.

If you've been wanting a project that's a little more whimsical than your average earring pattern, this is it.

Why Fish Earrings?

There's something about a beaded fish that just makes people smile. These earrings work up in brick stitch, using a shaped pattern that builds the fish's body, fins, and tail row by row. The design translates beautifully into beads — you get that classic scale-like texture almost for free, just from the natural structure of the stitch.

And because it's a shaped design rather than a simple rectangle or hoop, this project is also a great way to practice reading and following a beading pattern, which is a skill that will serve you well in tons of future projects.

Why This Is a Great Beginner Project

• Pattern-following practice — you'll learn to follow a charted brick stitch design, a skill that transfers directly to more advanced shaped beadwork.
• Big impact, manageable size — these earrings are eye-catching and statement-making, but still small enough to finish in a reasonable amount of time.
• Endless color options — swap in whatever palette makes you happy. I made mine in green and pink, and in red and peach, but the pattern works in literally any color combination.
• A fun way to build confidence — shaping shows you that beadwork doesn't have to be limited to straight lines and rectangles.

What You'll Need

(Adjust this to match your exact supply list from the video.)

• Miyuki Delica beads or seed beads in your chosen colors
• Beading needle (size 10 or 12)
• Beading thread (like Nymo, FireLine, or C-Lon)
• A pair of earring wires (ear hooks)
• Scissors or thread snips
• The One Fish, Two Fish pattern (linked below!)

Get the Pattern

Want to follow along with the exact pattern used in this tutorial? You can find the One Fish, Two Fish beaded earring pattern in my shop — it includes two original fish designs so you can make more than one colorway.

What to Expect in the Tutorial

This tutorial is designed with beginners in mind, so I walk through everything step by step, including:

• How to read and follow the fish-shaped brick stitch pattern
• How to increase and decrease your bead count to shape the body, fins, and tail
• Tips for keeping your tension consistent so the fish keeps its shape
• How to attach your finished beadwork to earring wires
• Ideas for color placement to make your fish pop

By the end, you'll have a one-of-a-kind pair of earrings that are guaranteed to start a conversation — and a shaping technique you can apply to all sorts of future beading projects.

Ready to Try It?

Grab your beads, pick your favorite color combo, and let's make some fish! This project is playful enough to feel like a treat, but still teaches real, transferable beading skills.

👉 Watch "Beaded Fish Earring Tutorial DIY For Beginners" on YouTube

👉 Get the One Fish, Two Fish pattern here

Want more free patterns to keep practicing with? Check out the free beading pattern downloads page. And if you'd like exclusive monthly tutorials and patterns, come join Bead Camp!

If you make a pair using this tutorial, I'd love to see them — tag me or drop a photo in the comments. Happy beading!

~ Darcy