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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Milady Pendant Part 1

The process...steps in the creation of Sabine Lippert's Milady Pendant. From her new Master Lark Series book, Beaded Fantasties. Here with the four pearls needed for the piece.

What would the possibility be if I used all eight pearls? I think a bit too large to actually wear, usless you were Milady, of course!

The bezeling of the 14mm crystal, a nice way to finish the surface and still show alot of the face of the stone. When I approach a new pattern with several seed beads, I find it helps to use as many separate colors as possible. That way you can find the bead as it is referred to in the pattern. Another lessoon learned, wait until daylight to take the photos..or get up and go into the photo lab! just in a hurry...

Bezeling the pearls was easy...A quick tip I could share about this step is to move from pearl to pearl and complete each one before moving on to the next row or step. The repetitive action helps you move through the process faster than if you have done one at a time, production style if you will. Keep several needles tamed by placing into a plump pin cushion. Most moves would be considered peyote stitch and netting technique.

The first layout of beads and Rivolis, a pleasing assortment...just wish I would have caught that one Rivoli that is a slightly different color..is it the coating? the stone itself?

Twin Denim Wrap

These denim colored "twin" beads are gorgeous when used with peyote stitch. A new product from Preciosa Ornela, they come in so many delectable colors. A precious glass from the Czech company that has been around longer than Swarovski...nice, smooth double holes on each side of an oval shaped bead. Sized somewhere between an 11 and a 8 seed bead since both seem to tuck up easily next to the open space left at the end of a row.

Free patterns are readily available online at the Facebook page for Preciosa Ornela.

This bracelet was created using simple even count peyote stitch. Made twice as long as needed so it could become a wrap bracelet...well, just because anything worth making is worth doing twice, right??? Plus, it makes that piece so much more modern and of the current times. An easy change of the beads created the diamond shaped pattern, this way I was able to use two small tubes of different colors for the whole bracelet. Like the picot stitch on the edge? When you are ready to turn in to the next row of peyote, pick up the three beads needed for the picot at the same time you make the turn. Here three (3) size 11 seed beads were used, another possibility would be a size 11, a 3.4mm drop and a size 11 seed bead. A view of that one later in the week!

Transitions Bracelet

A fun collection of several types of black beads, including 3.4 drops, each stitched for about an inch and then changed into a different stitch. A good form of practice for tackling multi stitch projects. My first idea was to stitch a 7" swatch of each stitch and then wear it as a wrap bracelet. Well, of course, sanity got the better of me and in order to finish this up quickly, a revised shorter version was made. The influence for this bracelet is one of the newest Lark Master Beader Series, Maggie Meisters Classical Elegance. Several pieces in this book require more than just one stitch and often a knowledge of transitioning from one stitch into another is required. Thought this piece would make a great learning project. It includes; peyote, brick stitch, two drop peyote, ndebele, right angle weave and square stitch.

Transitions, a bracelet study of stitches

So, the wonderful new Master Series book by Maggie Meister has spurned an idea of sorts. A sampler of stitches and therefore the transitional flow needed to move from one stitch to another was created. I think this is a great way to prepare for what you need to learn in order to work from the book...of course, this is assuming that you already know how to use most of these stitches in several of their forms. The book utilizes movement from right angle weave to peyote to ndebele and then back again, so here is my study using those stitches. The first idea I had was to create a long wrapped beaded bracelet...each wrap a different bead and stitch...then I realized that would take too long and not be productive for a class setting...so you get the short version! I will still create the longer wrap as I think it's going to be a very cool looking bracelet!

I've created this in black, using beads with different surface finishes, even the little 3.4mm drops. It will also be great using multiples of color, or a study of other Monochromatic colorways or even dare I say it GOLD!!! Just be careful, always use a permanent or Duracoat finish when using a metal color. We at Monica's Quilt and Bead Creations in Palm Desert are lucky, almost all our colors are switched over to a "permanent" finish.

Mags on the Wave Ring

Here is an example of the Wave Ring, a Cellini Spiral ring made popular by Cindy Pankoff, using long magatamas as the high point of the ring. Looks pretty cool don't you think! I can make this ring in about an hour, with distractions such as a car ride or watching shows recorded on the DVR. Well, now you know how I manage to get so much beading done! Multi-tasking is an obession of mine...oh wait, is that a sign of ADD as well??? Oh never mind, cuz I have to get back to piles of new beads.

For this ring I used the longer 4x7mm magatamas, size 8 seed beads, size 11 seed beads and then a series of five colors of Delica beads on Fireline...Cellini is a version of Peyote stitch. We'll see how long it lasts! I have been told the Fireline dissolves over time and I think in water!?!?!? I know it tends to break when a knot is tied...so now I only just weave away the loose ends and use a Thread Burner to cut.

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!

Peanuts!

What wonderful undulations are created when you use a peanut beads in place of another! These stone color beads...of the #900 series, are beautiful when showcased on this bracelet next to black and silver. They would be equally pretty next to other shades of gray and brown I'm sure. A fun way to experiment with the peanut beads is to replace a seed bead in your pattern with these little beauties. Here, using a peyote stitch, they replace a line of size 8 seed beads. They have more vertical way about them and look good inside the piece as well as on the outside perimeter. Note the little detail on top of the loops of the slide closure, a size 6 sb with a Delica or size 15sb on top. Do this after you secure the slide to your work, used as embellishment only.