Blue Diamond Peyote Bracelet

A new version of my odd count peyote series, this one a direct result of designing a smaller odd count peyote beaded bead. A beautiful shade of denim blue-green, Delica Bead #325 is the basis for this layout. It matches beautifully with the beaded key presented in an earlier post.

Pattern was created on the Bead Tool 4.4 or 4.7 which ever is the lastest update. I find working with the product extremely easy and very managable. I transported the design from the beaded bead for the key into the new program of the bracelet...or rather made a revision and hit 'save as' in order to create a new pattern. I will also be making this in a Victorian color way for the Holidays...It is July after all and what better time to start on holidays gifts and projects? trust me, time flies...

The bracelet clasp is a rather simple one, however it lent itself perfectly to the antique brass tones needed to complement this bracelet. I purposely have shown you the back side of the clasp. Note how the piece aligns next to the bar clasp and the loops of the clasp sit inside the beadwork. The stitch was more of a running backstitch catching the clasp at the same time as the stitching was passing through the loops.

Looks like my friend Joanne, will be making yet one more bracelet for the summer! This one a perfect fit for all those casual days of tee shirts and jeans.

Happy Beading on a Summer Day!

Vintage Keys with Beaded Beads

Well, one is a Vintage Key, my skate key from way back when and the other two are a beautiful set in antique brass. This month's challenge to create a Beaded Bead for the shop was facing a writer's block, (or the equivalent for a beader!) until I spied these new keys on display. One thing led to another and this peyote beaded bead accent was made for our Bead of the Month program.

It was easy to create the beaded bead pattern with my favorite beading program, Bead Tool 4.5. It still is a time intensive process, involving the testing of the pattern, redrafting and final critique but it is well worth the process. 

This pattern has a short bead, five Delica beads wide by eighteen rows for the little key and the diamond pattern which is twenty six Delica beads wide by twenty two rows long that fits the long key. All is worked in Odd Count Peyote with a two needle start. There are several ways to turn at the odd count side, my personal favorite is the traditional figure eight type of turn around. However, it is much faster to work the turn with the chain stitch that loops around the previous rows' bead or by using two needles to complete the odd turn.

I hung all on pre made chain and connected Round Swarovski crystals, the color is Indicolite, as well as 6mm bicone #5328 crystals from the various chain links. The crystals were easier to move when I attached them to small jump rings...this was discovered after moving items a few times. It sure helped that I have a full size mannequin on which to hang these pieces. That would be a most useful addition to your workspace.

Check out our Bead of the Month program at Monica's Quilt and Bead Creations...the pattern is free when you buy the supplies! We sure have fun at our Monday night Sit-n-Bead sessions!!!

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Beaded Bead & Leather bracelet

What happens when little beads grow up and want to become Beaded Beads? Why they become bracelets and earrings and necklaces, of course! This obsession with little beads just takes over and becomes so much more...those of you who create with seed beads will understand. I'm off on another adventure and creating more beaded beads again, this time showing more ways to use them once completed.

Here is one way to use the simplest of round beaded beads, add them to strips of leather and simply tie in place. One larger bead was made with five round beads in the base instead of four, this one was added last so it could serve as the "button" bead. A doubled over piece of leather was knotted, making a loop, then alternating beads and beaded beads were strung on with knots in between each addition to hold all in place. This would also look great as a centerpiece for a necklace!

This humble little bead is being offered at Monica's Quilt and Bead Creation, in Palm Desert, for our first Bead of the Month project. By the end of January we should have several different ideas on how to use these beads and incorporate them into jewelry and accessory pieces.

A Bead Hop, Nevada and Utah

From Cedar City, UT...The Bead Forest, quiant, right on Main St. at the center of town.


At Park Silly outdoor Market on a lovely Sunday...found again Beadniks!

My favorite in the heart of Salt Lake City, south of city in Sugarhouse. Next to Sundance outlet!

A definite stop in Las Vegas, outside the strip but worth a look around.

My new favorite bead shop in Las Vegas, closer to the strip, tons and tons of unusual collectibles!

Well along the way to visit my son and daughter in law in Utah we found a few good Bead shops! Most of these are places I had been to before and they truly never disapoint!
Driving up to Cedar City is always a pretty sight then in the heart of town is a familiar old bead shop, it used to be almost underground when it was across the street! He's a clever guy and does his own lampwork beads, carries an ecelectic variety of beads...even had a few little beaded fishes that a gal makes for his shop! Don't let the simple nature of the shop fool you, look around ,ask about the Delicas behind the counter! Gold plated and Platinum Delica beads..pricey but when you run out and need more, well, need I say more?

After a few days in Park City, is was time to run down the hill and visit Salt Lake City...even a few minutes in String Beads is worth it! I don't know how many bonus cards I have, but some day I will put them all together and qualify for a discount! Fun pieces to look at, lots of great beads hanging on the wall and a friendly staff. I noticed the owners eager to help a new beader learn a skill. Nice findings as well...a bonus, next door is the Sundance Catalog outlet store! Those are burgundy pearls that I will use in the Sophia Earrings from Maggie Meister's new book.

A bonus find in Park City...Beadniks which was in the Redmond Shopping center had closed....but wait for it.... the owner was selling her product (at a fabulous discount) at the Park Silly Market on Sunday. A fun surprise of which my dear hubby took a picture and posted on my facebook page! Found great pink leather for another wraparound and two strands of awesome 4mm round semi precious stones.

On the return trip, it was nice to stop in Las Vegas and check out a couple of old haunts...Sadly, Beads Plus has finally closed, but Discount Beads has expanded. Great deals on seed beads and more! Just couldn't take it all home so I only left with a nessecary handful. I did notice they must have every color of every size of Swarovski Pearl on a huge wall...Great staff ready to help when needed.

And then ... the FIND of the trip...a darling little shop with a simple name, Beads Findings, with so much inventory I'm going to have to go back a few times to look it all over. Easy to find and right off the strip I think...maybe a few blocks over but close enough. If you can't find what you want, ask the owner, she'll know just where it is and show you even more than you know you wanted...She had lots of great stories, too, as she had businesses in Hawaii and Spain over the years. A very interesting woman! Great silver, lots of old collectible pieces, surrounded by some of the current fashion bling of today. Hey, ya gotta keep up with the Joneses.

All in all a good trip and I kept busy while in the car! Almost finished the pair of brick stitched earrings, began the two drop peyote base needed for a pendant plus made two outer beaded bases for a round style bead. More to come on those! As for the easiest way to travel and bead, well my DH set up a board with a small pillow underneath, one of those with the little pebbly beads so it conforms to my lap. This trip I put a square of non skid gripper stuff on the underside, the type used for rugs, and it worked well and kept the board securly on my lap. The board has outside rims so that the beads don't slide off and all my nessecary bead kit items fit in a super cute zipper pouch that one of my Bead Chicks friends made for me a few years ago! Every pit stop I made sure to pick up any loose threads and there was never a tell tale sign of my work...well, except for the errant bead or two !

Fresh fish for Thursday

Special of the day today includes a beautiful beaded Fishy created for a Fish Challenge in a yahoo bead group. What a fun a thoroughly addicting process this has become! It seems that every beaded project I have on my table also ends up as a fish! This simple peyote Beaded Bead has subtle embellishments, using picot ends for the drops and a little bit of right angle weave to add the tail. It would be easy to use a bead soup mix to create one of these!

Star Power Bracelet

As promised here is the bracelet I designed using the Star Power influence from the earring pattern. Note the cute Beaded Bead Ball at the end , this was a vintage piece from a collection located in New Jeresy. It could be easily replicated using a 12mm wooden bead and several passes with small beads such as 15's or small Hex seed beads. The button loop was created using a simple peyote ring of beads, then making a few passes and on the last row forming a picot of five beads, the middle bead a peanut. Love these new shapes of beads!
Bead-weaving techniques such as peyote and right angle weave were used.

Happy, Happy Springtime

Happy Spring and Happy Easter to all... the new color for Spring and the Year is captured here in this sweet glass covered bracelet. Any of the Coral to Pink to Rose hues will brighten one's day don't you think? Try adding 3.4 mini magatamas as the embellishment to any one of your favorite bracelets. Or make a beaded bead and put them on the outer edges, ummm, pretty.
This special dainty bracelet I learned from a dear friend, now excuse me while I go make one in every color of the new Spring colors; turquoise, yellow, gray, parrot green and beeswax!