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!!!

Dakota Turquoise Earrings

How's this for a feathery look without the feathers?!?!? Brick stitch a few colors together and then dangle loads of beads from the baseline. Here, I used all Delica cylinder beads in Matte Black #310, Red 723, Blue 166 and Nickel 035. Notice at the end of the dangles the lovely semi-precious stones in turquoise, the weight of these stones help to keep the dangles looking straight.

The earrings are comfortable to wear and the length of the dangles could be as long as you desired. Of course, there is nothing stopping you from adding an extra feather or two if you want more for effect. Simply attach the stem of the feather to a fold over crimp end and attach it at the same time you are adding the beadwork to th earring finding.