Mulit Five Wrap macrame bracelet

 

Really, truly, I have been working on lots and lots of new items! We have been so busy with our two new grand babies in the family, that all things social media have been on the back burner.

So to start again, I'm sharing a few items of the wildly popular macrame technique! 

The latest of my newest items is this lovely multi wrap bracelet...I think we'll keep seeing the stacked bracelet look carry on well into the summer and fall of this year. And all things organic will play a huge role in the accessories market.

This piece is full of interesting beads; shell cut as sequins,which are added with a cross weave technique, matte copper beads, rhodium plated hex glass beads and a few pearls thrown in for good measure. Also, a few fire polish glass beads. The button is one from my own vintage collection, a high domed pressed glass shape with a touches of gold. I made this wrap with several added cords, so it's a bit fuller than the ones my students are making in class...

Speaking of which, this has become the most popular class...who knew we'd still be so involved with macrame, a throwback to the 70's! Ahhh, but so much more chic!

Come join us in all the fun at Monica's Quilt and Bead Creations.

Quilted Crystal Cuff

  I couldn't resist making this beautiful cuff, pattern by Kassie Inman. It was featured on the cover of this month's Beadwork magazine. Of course, I used what i had handy and these brown marroon tone tila beads just happened to be on my bench. The 4mm Bicone Crystals are a mix of color; Amethyst Satin, Black Diamond, GriegeAB, BurgundyAB and Volcano. These bugle beads used might be 1mm longer than the pattern called for, however as a trial I used them anyway. It still worked out fine. The pattern calls for three rows across, I wanted a little more bling, of course, so added one more row...I think the next might be five rows across. It was a great pattern and I'm thrilled for Kassie, it's her second published pattern, look for more of her work on the Beaded Butterfly. What a fine accomplishment.

Shoulder Dusters

These were fun to make and a great way to use up my stash of bugle beads. A simple ladder stitch in the center and then brick stitch upwards to the top is all it takes. Be careful about the row you use to begin the long fringe, I highly recommend making a row below the ladder stitched one, as that first row fills up with thread and it becomes difficult to retrace your thread path. Just add an extra row below the first ladder stitched row with brick stitch, then continue on with the fringing.

I did create a fabulous pattern for these which was my coupe de grace` of the day, it was a stroke of luck figuring out how to 'export' the pattern from Bead Tool, click the 'aspect ratio' button and resize the pattern so it looks like actual Bugle Beads. Opening up a whole new world in the pattern design department!

Everyone I have shown them to just ohhs and ahhs...but then the comical look happens; who is going to wear these? Well, most Rock Stars I would like to think and a couple of models...Heidi, want a cute pair of earrings to wear on Project Runway???

Soon a smaller pair for the Real Women amounst us!!!

Leather Wrap Arounds

The latest of my wrap arounds...this one created with the duo hole beads by Preciosa Ornela. A beautiful glass with an iris coating. A five wrap, I think was made at 26" or is that a four wrap??? Well, maybe it was 32" for a five wrap...I think I've made up a formula that works for determining the amount needed for a specific wrist measurement.

Take actual wrist measurement for wrap #1, for each consecutive wrap add 1/4" more for ease. Then finish with three knots, forming two buttonholes for adjustment.

For example, a four wrap for me would be; 6.5" + 6.75" + 7" +7.25 = 27.5"

This way you could make one for a friend and know it would fit properly!

This front side view of a wrap being sent out this week to a very special gal...The multi colored 4mm stones are River Rock Agate which blend beautifully with the smooth cornered Thai silver beads we have at Monica's Quilt and Beads Creations! The leather a gorgeous tan natural color in a 1.5mm round leather.

Here is a full back view of the bracelet, I started adding Silver beads every third or fifth set of beads. added some light to the piece. The cute Lizard button was a gift from one of my Bead Chick friends!

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!

My own personal Bead/Quilt shop run, July 2012

Redlands Sewing Center, State Street

First, a stop at an all time favorite shop in Redlands, my friend Tami just got her new Viking serger here! Showed the gals in the shop my newest pattern,'It's too Darn Hot' and talked about how great it would be for a quick sewing class!

A Rolling Stone on Citrus Avenue

And just around the corner, a fabulous bead and button store with tons of hidden gems everywhere you look!  They have a new way to buy an interesting collection of great stones too, multiples of beads on a single strand.

The Painted Lady Quilt Shop on Tennesse Ave.

A darling shop getting a well deserved facelift under creative new ownership. Lots of hard to find Civil War goods plus some of the newest and latest colorful textiles by the likes of Riley Blake and others. I found something here to add to my Halloween collection!

The Garden of Beadin' in Upland, CA

Just one of the most innovative Bead shops in the Inland Empire, whenever we are close, I want to stop. Since I had a specific project on the board I wanted to stay on target and just add components for that piece...ya, right! I did find more great items from Tierra Cast and some large holed beads to fit on the ndebele bracelet I am creating. More on that later...

Upland Sew & Vac, Second Street, Upland, CA

And literally right down the street, another really great sewing machine center, this one with lots and lots of cute fabric and a mini long arm quilting machine I've had my eyes on for a long time. They a very good clients and liked the new pattern I had shown them...Your store of choice for Bernina sewing machines!

Brea Bead Works, just west of 57 Fwy on Imperial Hwy.

And a trip down the freeway won't be complete without a stop at BBW...newly remodeled and chock full of fantastic beads. Here I found  pink dichroic rings from Paula Radke, they might find themselves hanging on a necklace...must be soon, I need something pink to wear!

Beadology, on Golden West in Huntington Beach

The main reason for this trip, a class with famed Judy Walker, for a multistrand Ndebele bracelet. It seems unlikely I know, but to take a class with a well known teacher at a fraction of the cost at a convention, such as Bead&Button, is hard to pass up! Plus, I know any class will enhance what one might know and will advance your skill level exponentially.

Many thanks to my Dear Hubby, John, the driving force (literally, ha!) behind my creativity and progression down this career path. This little road trip was his idea and I'm glad he was willing to go the distance. It was a great trip topped off with nice lunch in Old Downtown Fullerton, then a little stroll through some vintage stores and an art gallery or two. 

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!!!

See the current newsletter online today.