I have been busy these past few months, but I have not been consistent about posting my makes, so here is a roundup of several recent beading projects.
1. I made a black bracelet using this tutorial. Beads are super duos and size 11 seed beads.
2. I liked the black bracelet so much that I made a green one just like it!
3. I learned Peyote Stitch making this bracelet:
4. I tested this square motif, but the green beads were the wrong size, so I took it apart. It’s quite pretty, though.
5. I made a necklace using this tutorial. I adore how it came out! The Fall vibes give me life!
I have been having a lot of fun trying out different beading techniques project by project. As I scrolled through Pinterest I kept seeing Peyote stitch patterns. I thought I needed special beads for Peyote stitch, so I kept putting this technique off. But once I had beaded a few projects I could no longer get away from the urge to learn peyote stitch. I decided to give in to the urge, but instead of buying the Miyuki Delicas I wanted, I used some size 8 seed beads I had in my stash.
I tested a few design options, focusing on using the colours I had and creating an easy, intuitive design. Once I had a design I liked I dove right in.
The project went quickly enough at first. I chose to do an even-count peyote for my first project, and I found the stitch to be very easy to learn. I had a small number of white beads, so I planned to work until they were used up. It turns out that a small number of beads can turn into a larger piece than one might expect.
I kept working until the beads were gone and I was rewarded by a bracelet that wrapped around my wrist twice. I couldn’t have planned it better if I had tried. I poached a closure off an old necklace, and the bracelet was done.
I really like how this bracelet turned out with regular seed beads. I’m so glad I gave it a try! Peyote stitch does go slowly, though, compared to beading techniques where you can pick up more than one bead at a time.
I love learning new things! The possibilities are so exciting, the materials are so beautiful, and the stimulation of learning something new makes my brain so happy!
I recently visited a friend. While we talked I crocheted and she beaded. I was fascinated. So I went home and looked through a bunch of beading ideas on Pinterest and came across this tutorial from Sonysree. Since this was a new activity for me I wanted to use materials I had rather than buying new. I wasn’t sure if I would love the process or not, and I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on materials only to have those materials sit in a box for the next few years. I had seed beads and larger round beads that went together well enough, so I got started.
I had trouble getting the beads to string nicely on my needle, so I switched to a flosser for most of the beading, and it worked surprisingly well!
I made the bracelet with nylon thread from my stash, but when I tried it on it was rather floppy. By this time I had learned more about thread materials, so I went to Hobby Lobby and bought some Fireline and a large eye beading needle. Then I cut the bracelet apart and put it back together again.
The original bracelet made with nylon thread is on the left. I re-strung the bracelet with Fireline on the right, and it lays much better.
With the bracelet re-strung I added a clasp and then made some matching earrings for good measure. Gunmetal/silver is not really my colour, so I boxed the set up for a future birthday or holiday.
I really enjoyed the process of making this bracelet, and I went out and bought some more beads for another project right away! Stay tuned for more beadwork!
Dramatic Lyric 