Glass Earings

I used to design and build glass, in a Stained Glass Overlay ( SGO ) studio. I got these little glass trinkets when I worked there. I thought they would make really great earrings. They are all glass, and I am pretty sure one pair are Swarovski (c). They are on sterling silver posts with sterling ear nuts. I made a couple pairs for me, and they are just gorgeous. Understated, yet elegant and they kind of glow.
Available

Bead Embroidery Tips & More Pictures of Edward

As I said, Edward Scissor Fish is very dimensional. You can see his little suede lined mouth in this picture. That is where the scissors are supposed to go. I love his top fin, I got it to be very wavy. It is two layers thick, and when you stagger the layers, you can coax the fin into a wave shape. I am not sure I like the picture of him on his belly. He looks a little dead. I am going to pretend that he just rolled over so as to show off his gorgeous turquoise and copper belly diamond.

Private collection

So I have been working on the bead embroidered bracelet that I showed you a couple of post ago. I have been thinking about technique quite a bit, and thought I would share some of my favorite tips.

1. I do not ever use beeswax as my thread conditioner when working in bead embroidery. It is way too sticky, and builds up on the fabric. Beeswax is normally my conditioner of choice, but it does not work well on fabric. For bead embroidery, I use Thread Heaven. You can get this at your local bead shop, any store that sells sewing supplies, or Fire Mountain Gems. It works well at strengthening the thread, and preventing a lot of fraying while you work, and does not leave a sticky residue on the fabric.
2. I work with a fairly short piece of thread. Normally, I work with the longest piece of thread I can, often 3-4 yards at a time, undoubled. I have found that I am able to handle the length (not too many tangles), and I usually do not have any undue wear on the thread as I get to the end. If I find I am doing the frog stitch(rip it rip it out) too much, and it is getting frayed, I cut it off, but that does not usually happen. With bead embroidery it is a different story. I think it is because it is going through the fabric as well as the beads, and if you are using the correct size needle, the thread is just fitting through the hole you have created, and this makes for extra wear. So when doing bead embroidery, I generally start with about a yard, maybe a yard and a half. Part of why I work with long threads is that I hate securing thread, in and out of a piece. If you look at my entry in TCDesignsArtBlog.blogspot.com about the Eagle Feather Amulet Bag I made for my father, you can see how many knots I counted. That is a lot of weaving in and out! When you are working on a fabric background you do not need to weave through a bazillion beads to secure thread ends, you just make a knot and sew right through.
3. Sew back through anything you think might be vulnerable. I have owned so many bead embroidered pieces of clothing or pillows, or curtains, or... that after a little handling, the beads start falling off. A piece of jewelry is especially vulnerable. If you are making a wall hanging, or something that will not get any wear, then you do not need to worry so much about this.
   
4. Knot everything when you are done. As you work on a row, or a small section, and you come to the end, knot the thread. You do not need to start a new piece of thread, you just need to secure the small part you were working on. This way, if the thread does break one day, not everything you sewed with that piece of thread is going to fall off. A client will not be devastated if a few beads fall off and that needs to be fixed, but if large sections fall off, that does not look good, and is expensive for you to fix. You can see the catch-twenty-two here. The more you secure, the better in the long run, but if you knot after every bead, you will spend way too long on one piece, and that is not cost effective either.
5. If you are working with sharp edged beads, you need to figure out a way to deal with them. That can be as labor intensive as sanding every last one, or you can pad them top and bottom with other beads. The last option ensures that the sharp beads do not come in contact with the thread, but it is not always the look you are aiming for.
   

Edward Scissor Fish

Private collection

This most amazing creature is Edward Scissor Fish. He was a kit from Beadalot Enterprises Inc. (they seem to no longer exist), although I added a little and changed a little. I just love him!

He is probably my favorite of all of my "odd little figures" that sit in a happy group where I can always see them. He was intended as a scissor fob. His mouth is lined with suede and embroidery scissors will fit right in. He is not practical as a scissor fob for someone who lives with cats. Cats that think beading is all about them. I rescued him three times from a furry ones mouth, and decided he could go up with my oddities instead!

He is completely handmade. He came with a pattern, fabric, and beads. He is completely decorated with bead embroidery, head to toe, ummm... tail, and truly just gorgeous, if I do say so myself. There is a view here of his top and belly. He is kind of squashed, so I need to get a picture of him sitting up. You can not see his top fin so well, or how his mouth opens.

More Storms

We are having more storms this evening. I was able to get on for a minute, but need to unplug the computer. I will post tomorrow, I promise.

Bead Embroidery

So, I thought I would show you a piece in progress. I am making this bracelet using bead embroidery. This is a technique I really love. I have not done as much of it as I would like.

For some great instructions look at the book Beaded Embellishment: Techniques & Designs for Embroidery on Cloth (Beadwork How-To series) by: Amy C. Clarke, Robin Atkins
That is a really great book, it will work if you are new to bead embroidery, and it will serve as great inspiration if you are experienced, and who knows, you might still learn something new.


The bracelet, as it stands now, looks really garish. What you are seeing is my drawing of the design. I do that first so I have a general idea of what I would like it too look like, and there are less surprises along the way. It may be that I will not follow my pattern after all, but it is there for guidelines.

The "fabric" I am doing the embroidery on, is called Lacy's Stiff Stuff. It is a really great substrate for embroidery. It takes glue well, you can draw on it with various implements, and it is nice and stiff (so it will hold up to the weight of the beads), but the needle glides right through. You can find it at your local bead shop, or click on the name to go to Jane's Fiber and Beads, order page for it.

I decided on the size and general design of the bracelet, made a paper pattern, and then used that to cut out a piece of Lacy's Stiff Stuff. I glued down my centerpiece bead, a piece of Mookalite Jasper, and then used Sharpie pens to flesh out the design.


I knew that I wanted a hidden clasp, so decided to make it the same size and shape of the Mookalite. I am using a really great little clasp. It is a little unusual, in that it was designed to be a purse clasp. I will cut slits in the Lacy's Stiff Stuff, push the prongs through, squeeze in a little glue behind the clasp, place the washer over the prongs, and then bend them down to secure. I will use beads to cover up the washer and prongs on the top side.


I made a lot of color choices for this bracelet! I came up with many "bead soup" mixes (random puddles of beads, in harmonious colors) and some single colors to use on their own. My guess would be that I will not use all of the mixes nor will I use all of the colors, single or already mixed in. We will see! I think I will stop writing, right now, and go work on the bracelet. It is whispering at me. Does your bead work do that? Mine always has!

Caterpillar Bracelet

Available

The Caterpillar Bracelet is a lush and wonderful bracelet of looped fringe . I know it does not excite everyone, but it is done in one of my favorite color combinations, purples, pink, tangerines, and aqua. It has a centerpiece of a handmade beaded bead and has a hidden sew-on-snap clasp.
It measures 7" (closed) x 1 3/4" wide.
The beaded bead is from a kit I bought from Beadalot Enterprises Inc. They do not seem to exist any longer. If anyone knows anything about them, post a comment and let us know!

More Design Ideas (too many ideas, not enough time)

Here is another picture of something I would like to re-create. I have this wonderful book by Diane Fitzgerald, called The Beaded Garden. She does an amazing thistle in it. One of these days I am going to try.

This photo of a thistle was taken in the Hall Office Park in Frisco, that is covered in beautiful fields and much, much art, mainly large scale sculpture.









This photo I took of one of the fiberglass roses that are scattered about, looks like something you could make into jewelry. I have never thought too hard about what or how... But it has possibilities.

My Father sent me this great postcard he made. I want so much to make something that looks like this little creature.

It was funny, at the time he sent it, I was furiously working on the Basket for Dad's Eggs. That little basket was done in almost exactly the same jewel tones, as the frog in the picture. I told him I was working on it, and he would understand later. I am thinking that what I might try with this little guy, is starting with one of the childs rubber frogs. They take paint really well. I have made lizards that way, and then wrapped them in wire strung with beads. I would like the frog to be more solidly beaded than that, though.

If anyone has any ideas. leave me a comment. I will respond to all!

As I figure this out, I will post pictures of course.

Maple Leaf Bagette

Private collection

The Maple Leaf Bagette was a commission. I am really pleased with the way it turned out. I like the neck strap especially, and the sort of hour-glass shape of the bagette. It was done in all earth tones, with shades of fall leaves, in a brick stitch. I was very careful to protect the thread from the sharp edges of the bugle beads. You can see that all of the bugles are padded top and bottom, by other beads.

Power Outage Woes

Picture of the rain

Well that was a long absence... We had a big storm which took out an even bigger tree, which took out three utility poles. The upshot was, no power for two days! I could not even get on to post a quick note through my phone, because my phone was out of juice. But we are back in business, thank goodness, and I am reveling in the use of electricity, in moderation of course.

Bead & Button's Right-Angle Weave Issue

I got the best magazine in the mail the other day! It is a special issue of Bead and Button Magazine, all about right-angle weave. They put this together so well, and there are a couple of projects I would really like to make.
If you mouse over the picture of the magazine and click on it, it will take you to the order page for it, and there are pictures of some of the projects in the magazine there. The third picture down is a Slide Pendant by Cindy Kinerson of Reno Bead Shop. It is so cool! I am going to take myself through the instructions in the magazine and then attempt to make the pendant, and will post pictures as I go.
The basic instructions seem really good, and there are some great tips and hints by renowned bead artist David Chatt, take a look at his website, it is just amazing!
I realized as I was going through the magazine, that I have been working off and on for years now, on a piece that is right angle weave. I thought I did not know how to do it at all. I was wrong, the magazine was still worth it. The piece is a beaded scarf. It will be very long, so it can be worn dangling down the back of someone wearing a backless gown. It will have Swarovski (c) crystals for the fringe on the ends, and is done in all silver-lined, dusty pink. Really elegant and really sparkly!

Blackberry Pearl Ring

Who doesn't love pearls? This ring is made from a natural freshwater blackberry pearl. It is on elastic with Bali silver, German glass, and sterling silver findings. It is a size 9 1/2, but stretches to a size 10. It has always reminded me of a Claddagh ring (see Wikipedia) . The pearl is flat on the back, so it lays flat on your finger, either pointing to your heart, or away...

Sunset Herringbone Bracelet Set

Private collection
A set of three, in dusk, salmon, and rose, these bracelets are
just so light and fun. They measure 7 " x 3/16", with clasp. The clasp is a
gold-toned magnetic closure with a lavender glass, leaf dangle. They are done in tubular herringbone, with tiny glass, color lined, triangle beads on Nymo (c) thread.
The colors together look like a sunset, and the dangle gives great movement.

Spring Mix Herringbone Bracelet

Available

The Spring Mix Herringbone Bracelet is just chock full of windows, chock full of tiny lavender triangle beads It has a beaded-bead toggle clasp and is
7 3/4" (with the clasp) x 1/2". The colors are spring green, lavender, robin's egg blue, and white.Wonderful for Easter, or anytime, like the middle of winter, when you need a spring pick-me-up.

Leaf Bracelet

Private collection

This was the very first charted piece I designed. I had just done a kit from Second Story Online, a Goddess Bracelet ( I unfortunately do not have a picture of that piece) for a friends Christmas present, and wanted to try something on my own. I had just bought these wonderful retro looking colors from Jane's Fiber and Beads, and really wanted something for myself using them. It took some trial and error, to figure out how to

work starting with charting a design. I had been working intuitively up to this point. It is a complete logic shift to start by drawing a chart and mapping out a word chart. I found with a repeating pattern, sometimes it works well to make one piece of it, (see above) get a photo or scan of it, and print it, so you can see how it will look repeated, and what the spacing needs to be to fit the wrist you are working around. As a side note, when doing that, I decided I liked the look of one leaf, and that was the start of the Leaf Change-a-Bead Necklace.

I did some experimenting on this piece as well. I wanted an edging for it, but wanted something that looked organic. I came up with this, sort of blanket stitch, around the edge. I was really pleased, and thought it looked like a tree branch, sort of...

I also learned an important lesson, with this bracelet about sharp edges on beads, that I will talk about in an upcoming entry.

Swarovski (c) Cha Cha Ring

Available

You've got to love Swarovski (c) ! There is nothing else like it. You should see this ring in the sunlight, the rainbows are incredible.

It has 17 cranberry, plum, and amber colored Swarovski (c) crystals. They are all hand wrapped on sterling silver ball pins, and attached to a stainless steel "cha cha" ring band.

The band is naturally a size seven, but stretches to a size 8.

(A "cha cha" band is like an expandable watch band, but has loops on some of the links to attach things. On these rings there are three very stuffed loops.)

The finish on Delicas

For this post, I thought I would answer a question I got in a comment on my last entry.

In the previous post, Purple Plaid Rings, I talked about the fact that the finish wore off of some of the beads that I used. I think it is important to note that I used the same beads for the bracelet, and they took a lot longer to wear than the rings did. A necklace would take even longer, and sculpture, if kept out of direct sunlight, would probably be OK.

Please understand, that I am not an expert, I am just speaking from my own experience.

That said, galvanized beads are plated with zinc, and that plating will wear off. Any bead marked dyed, will not be safe with out sealing. The problem is that a lot of companies do not mark which of the beads they carry, are dyed. My personal experience is that silver-lined can also be an issue.I have found that when I am working with silver-lined, and using beeswax as thread conditioner (you should always condition any thread you work with, that is not preconditioned), that if I keep having to do the frog stitch (rip it rip it, out) I will wear the finish right out of the bead. If I do not have to rework a piece over and over, silver-lined seems to do fine, once the piece is finished.

Beadies Beadwork (click on their name for a link) has a good description of the finish on Delica (c) beads. I feel like, at some point, there was somebody else out there with good descriptions and warnings. I will look for that and if I can find it, post it later.

After you have had a bead around for a while, one thing to look for is, has the baggie it is stored in started turning the color of the bead. If so, that bead has been dyed.
But truly, the only way to know for sure, is to test them.

Stitch up as small square in peyote or brick (something tightly woven so you will get a definitive front and back result in the sunlight test) of the beads you want to test. Put them in a bowl of water, and liquid dish washing soap, and scrub them around. Compare to unwashed beads of the same color and look to see if the water has changed color. If they have changed, you can stop right there, and know that you will need to seal the beads before using. If they have not, then take them outside and put them somewhere they can be in direct sunlight undisturbed for a couple of days. I taped mine to my porch railing, making sure that the majority of the beads were not covered by the tape. If you find that they have faded, then you need to seal them with something.

What seems to work best for sealing beads is this. Before using them, place in large ziplock and spray with your favorite artist fixative (do not breath the fumes coming back up out of the bag). Seal the bag up and shake vigorously, keep them moving and work them between your fingers so they get evenly coated, and do not stick together. Then use!

Purple Plaid Rings

Private collection
This is just not a good representation of these rings, but here it is anyway. They are odd little things to begin with, but I liked them. I made them to go with the Purple Plaid Bracelet I made for myself (one of the few pieces I do not mind making over and over).

Unfortunately, I did not get documentation of them when they were new, so you can see they have some wear. I learned something important with these rings. Fire Mountain Gems (one of my favorite resources), does not mark which of their Delicas (c) are not colorfast. I know to stay away from any thing that says it is galvanized, but as you can see on the top ring, the purple bead has rubbed off and turned blue. I now seal the beads first, and that solves that problem.

Black & White Square Stitch Bracelet

Private collection

This bracelet turned out so graphic and cool looking. It was tiny, at least compared to my wrist. I think it measured about 5 1/2" x 1", with it's silver-toned hook & eye clasp. This stitch done in thread is very supple and fabric like, even in the chunky triangle beads it is made with.

Snowflake Beads

Private collection

Please excuse the threads in this picture. I had not attached the beaded beads to anything, wanted the threads intact.

I had made a kit from (some place I am currently blanking on, they seem to no longer exist, but I will look for their name and post it), that was beaded friendship flowers. Making those got me going, and I made a bunch more using different kinds of beads. These are all vintage German pressed glass, and turned out quite lovely, but... I did not realize how rough the edges of the holes were and they frayed the thread. I had to go back and smooth out all the holes and remake them.

Cool thing is, I sent this picture to my father, and as a surprise he had postage made for me with the beads on them. I used them for my Christmas cards the next year. Really fun what you can do with US postage these days! And what you can do with beading!

Shell Ring with Czech Fire Polish & Swarovski (c) Crystals

Available

The shell ring is a very unique piece. It's centerpiece is a shell (N) that has been cut and polished, but not dyed. The band is made of Swarovski (c) crystals, Czech fire polish beads, and sterling silver findings. It is a size 6 1/2 ring, but because it is on elastic, will stretch to a 7 1/2.

Black, White and Pink Bracelet

Private collection
Another variation of the flat herringbone bracelets, this one in black, white, and pink. This was a wide one, about 1 1/4" across. Very graphic and cool, but feminine with the pink. The tiny triangles in the two center windows running the length of the bracelet are also pink.

Set of Three Herringbone Bracelets-Water Colors

Available

A set of three, in teal, purple, and montana blue, these bracelets are
just plain fun. They measure 7 3/4" x 3/16", with clasp. The clasp is a
silver-toned magnetic closure with an olive glass, leaf dangle. They are done in tubular herringbone, with tiny glass, color lined, triangle beads on Nymo (c) thread. A really fun summer bracelet set!

Eagle Feather Amulet Bag

Private collection
Once again, I had to answer the question, "What do you bead for the men in your life?" I made this amulet bag for my Dad, for Fathers Day a few years ago.

I tried very hard to keep it as masculine as possible. The fringe got a little out of hand, but I could not help myself. I could just see what it would look like in my head, if I only added this, and then this, and then made the pattern in it, do this... So, it has more fringe than I intended.

It is quite large, although I could wear it comfortably because the chain is long enough to support it.

For my dads purposes, I made a shadow box with hinges on the back and put the amulet bag in with U pins, so that he could hang it on the wall, but could also take it out easily to show off.

The piece took about 120 hours of actual beading, plus many more designing, and troubleshooting. I learned a stitch that was new to me for the strap, it is called a Dayna Chain. It is a great looking chain, it undulates with different sized beads, but either the stitch or the thread I tried for the first time, Silamide (c), made my fingers bleed. Or maybe it was a combination.

Anyway, I am quite proud of it, and I think the fringe is the best I have done to date.
To see some journaling about the process of making this amulet bag, go to my art blog at TCDesignsArtBlog.blogspot.com

Bunch O' Bracelets

Available
The Bunch O' Bracelets in pink, are a great big bunch
of elastic bangles, ten in all. They are gathered up by
a small loop but are loose enough you can arrange them
in the order you would like.
They are about 6 3/4" ( but will stretch an extra 1" ) x 1 3/4"
There are pinks, purples, bronzes, and clear beads in the bracelet
that make an overall effect of a dusty rose color.