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!

Beaded Loom Bracelet

For the longest time I have loved Loom work, just not all those pesky threads left over to weave back into the work. I knew there had to be a better way to begin a project and eliminate the extra threads. This project should be called an invented loom bracelet...the students in my class have to be very, very patient to set this up properly...but so far all have had happy conclusions!

A hand-made Thai Silver clasp begins and ends the piece and the central design has Swarovski crystals. Lots of pretty turquoise rondelles and heishi add to the very southwestern look. If you look closely you will see some very nice Tila beads, they are surounded by sets of three size 11 rocaille (round) seed beads.

Springtime is in the Air

Okay, even tho' the wind is blowing across the desert, colors are popping out everywhere. On cactus, blooms are just waiting for one more day of heat to bring forth all their glory. Our little cacti are showing signs of pink and fuchsia colored blooms so I thought a bracelet reflecting those colors would be perfect.
This was certainly an easy one to make, simple netting stitch and a few 3mm bicone swarovski crystals turned a springtime color palette into a beautiful finished product. The buttons on the ends are actually semi-precious stones, 10mm rounds of blue lace agate and chalcedony. A loop of bead offset into the body of the beadwork finishes the closure.

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.

Aloha for Patti

My friend Patti left for Hawai'i this week and this bracelet is going to follow her there! Made with 4mm semi-precious stones of Ocean Jasper and 1.5mm leather, this wrap around bracelet has Ian organic and natural feeling about it. The button read 10-4 on the face, i think I've had it since the 80's. Ha! Just the thing to wear in Hawai'i.
I know Patti will be having tons of fun playing with her new grandson Ka'iwi...As I was making this bracelet I kept thinking about how happy she must be with her son and his lovely wife and newest addition to the family. Aloha Patti....enjoy the island life, girlfriend!

Tila Film Strip Bracelet

What a wonderful chance to use these marvelous Tila Beads! Work this braclelet as you would a semi precious stone leather wrapped bracelet, just remember to stay in place and catch both holes! On this piece I used both a matte and shiny gray Tila bead, just picked up at random and it created such a translucent effect that I thought it looked like film strips...you know the old 35mm kind before there was digital media! Each color used weighed about 10 grams of tila beads and the leather was 1.5mm thick.

Leather Wraparound

This is becoming so very popular in the beading circles. I have to give kudos to my fellow FIDM alumni grad Chin Luu for her design! She started it all about 5 years ago...and thus the full life cycle of a designer element; from Runway to publicity (in Oprah Magazine as one of her favorite things) to popularity (copied by others) to the DIY crowd (that's us the beaders of the world!)

Here's my version and looks so very nice in Howlite and Black leather... think I will make one for my daughter -in-law and a larger one for my son.