TC Designs Studio

Silk Knotting

2009-06-16T21:45:00.005-05:00

I learned another new skill. I took a class at my local bead shop and learned how to knot. It was first developed (I believe) for use with pearls. They were very expensive, and rare and a little fragile, so stringing them next to each other, where they would bump and rub, was not a good thing. If you strung them on silk and and then knotted between each pearl they would be protected. This technique can be used for any beads and with almost any stringing material. I find it very zen to knot. It takes less thought, I think, when actually doing it than weaving does, although it takes some planning before you start!

These three little bracelets are made from fresh water pearls. They are three different colors, pale plum, pale peach, and a pale green. While I was knotting them, I worked in some sweet little silver stars dangling from split rings. They are each knotted with a corresponding color of silk. They have Swarovski (c) beads at each end, and are fastened with a snap clasp. Sterling Silver and silver plate

Private collection

This next piece is knotted as well. It is one of my favorites. I have had these beads forever! They were a gift from my mother. They are vintage Czech glass in spring green, purple, turquoise, and a pinkish brown from the 1950's. I fell in love with them. They are such great colors, and I love the well loved look of them, but I could not for the life of me figure private collection
out what to do with them, so I just hung on to them. After I took the knotting class, I knew I had it figured out. I knotted three strands in varying counts, ended each of them with Bali Silver spacers. Each strand is knotted on purple silk. The clasp is a three stand sterling silver slide tube that spaces out the stands quite pleasingly.

Bead Renaissance Show

2009-05-20T12:31:00.014-05:00

The Bead Renaissance Show was in town. I shopped till I dropped!

There were some really great vendors, and some that were not there that I sorely missed. Karen Bye of Byebeads.com was one I look forward to every year and she was conspicuously absent . I ADORE her vessels, and the aromatherapy scents she sells for them. Luckily, by clicking on the link above, you can shop with her on line and look at the shows she will be at.

I stopped by the We ir Studios booth to say hi. I was incredibly lucky, and a couple of months ago I got to visit them in their studio. What an amazing place, and what wonderful people. They made me and the friend I was visiting feel so welcome. I GOT FIRST PICK OF CABS RIGHT OUT OF THE BATH AFTER THE KILN! It was so fun. (I will try to get pictures of them and get them up some time soon.)

My first stop, because I was afraid they would sell out of what I wanted, was Sonoran Beads. I had seen on their website that they were making glass end caps. My thought was that these would work for Kumihimo braids. I was right! They had some amazing samples and pieces for sale as well. I got two pairs of end caps.

The first was this gorgeous pair of borosilicate glass in their "Calla Lilly" style in swirling blues, greens, amber, and metallics. They have a fairly large opening, so will need to be part of something un-delicate.

The second set is in their "bullet" style. They are a little smaller and are flat and round. The pair I got were done in purple, amber and green with a pale pink rim.

Both pairs were $14 a set. That's a pretty good price if you figure what a set of sterling silver cones would cost in that size, and these are handmade, and really unique looking.

My next stop, again because I was wanting something in particular, was Jane's Fiber & Beads. They carry best selection of seed beads I have ever seen.
I love them! I was a little disappointed this year, they did not seem to have any where near the amount of beads they usually have with them, although they said that they had the usual assortment, just not the large quantity of each. The upshot of that was, that they had already sold out of a couple of the things I needed. I was very sad. Apparently that did not hurt my shopping ability. I found some really fun stuff. I love the colors they carry. No one else seems to carry the variety they do, and the "odd" colors they do. I really respond to the "vintage-y" looking colors, and never have any problem finding them there.

Bead Stuff is another one of my favorite places at the show. I like their selection of Czech Glass and German Glass beads. They also have a good selection of tools, and their price on Sterling Silver is really good. I got some soldered jump rings in various sizes and some really fun flower beads at $4.00 each.

For years, I have also been collecting their glass fruit beads. I got some really cute apples, in a shape I did not currently have. Some day I am going to make some really Carmen Miranda-y thing with them.

At M2 Designs (they do not seem to have a website) I got a really great hammer, $6.50, for use with steel stamps and metal. It is very ergonomic and extremely well weighted, feels really good in the hand. They were showing the (sort of) new bronze PMC. I sure would love to play with that, but it is not intended to be fired with a torch or a Hot Pot, and that is all I have access to.

At Awesome Beads & Buttons they had a really fun selection of hand dyed fibers.
I wanted it all!

What I got was, Hand Dyed Japanese Silk Cord. It is in greens, browns, golds, and plums. SO pretty. Will be a lot of fun to try with Kumihimo.

I got 12 Yards for $9.00, which I think was the show price, because they were marked $12.00.

I also found some really beautiful Czech Glass buttons. They are fabricated from new glass but made in the old molds. The designs are really wonderful. I try to get a few any time I go some where they have them. They make great clasps for bracelets, and serve as a focal point as well.

I found a really interesting strand of Dyed Marcasite in graduated donuts. It is very colorful, and I am picturing it silk knotted with rust colored silk. I found it at Kingdom Trading Company (no website I can find) for $10.00.
It reminded me of a strand an artist friend of mine did with silk knotting. Her strand was even more wonderfully colorful than mine and I am not remembering what the stone was, but she used like five strands of silk in five different colors to knot it, and it turned out amazing.

The first thing I did after getting home was document every thing I had bought, and if I had any ideas about what I wanted to do with them.

I think it is important, especially if you intend to sell your work, to keep track of what you buy, from where you bought it, and how much you payed. I find it can also help if you write down or draw any thoughts you are having about what your plans for the beads and things are.

I do this in my Bead Journal. That day, I drew pictures (not very good ones, but it means I will remember what every thing is), and then later took photos and got them on the computer.

I highly recommend this! I try to keep a journal around at all times to sketch in and jot down ideas, for my beads and for the rest of my so called life.

Beadalot update

2009-05-14T12:31:00.010-05:00

Beadalot Enterprises

I have an update on Beadalot. THEY ARE BACK! Every once in a while I do a Google search for them, and it finally paid off!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6830125

This is the link to their Etsy store.

Go see them, they are really cool!
I am also happy to report that, as of May 14th 2009, they are offering the kits for Edward for $60.00, and you can now get just the pattern for $15.00. Personally I recommend the kit. Some of the supplies can be difficult to find, and what they are charging is a good price.

So... Yay! Very good news.

Blue Cuff Bracelet

2009-05-14T11:54:00.004-05:00

This is a really fun bracelet to wear. It is stretchy so it is very comfortable.

It was made with square stitch on elastic using large rounded triangle beads, in a pale clear blue lined with white, and a pale blue lined with silver. private collection

Because the beads are triangles they line up next to one another either point up or down. In this picture the white lined
are tip down, flat side up, so they are more prominent. If you flip the bracelet inside out, the silver lined would stand out more.

The bracelet measures 6 1/2" x 1"

Trishalan Designs

2008-07-03T18:51:00.002-05:00

I just found the greatest Blog. Trishalan Designs at trishalandesigns.blogspot.com. If you were interested in the Kumihimo post I did, take a look at her site. She does some amazing work! She has more braids than I knew existed.

Trish also makes some of the coolest bracelets I have ever seen. She calls them Wrist Cuffs (great name!) I believe they are quilted, she beads on them, and some have Kumihimo braids on them. They are made with her own hand-dyed fabrics, which are just gorgeous. I dare you not to want them all.

She also hand-dyes her own fibers. They are so luscious looking. I want every last one of them. I am dreaming of the things I could do with them. Much jewelry comes to mind, and I keep thinking of journals made out of the fabric with the fibers for the bindings.

Take a look, this woman is talented.

In an email to me, she said that she is getting a new Takadai from Japan, I am waiting anxiously for her so start posting what she makes.

Herringbone Tulip Earrings

2008-07-02T16:24:00.006-05:00

Private collection

I have been playing with flower forms lately. I made these for my mother for Mother's Day.

I really like the tulip form from The Beaded Garden by Diane Fitzgerald. That was the starting point for these earrings.
They are done in Delicas (c) with sterling sliver findings, and are worked in herringbone.
The bead coming out of them are these gorgeous little vintage drops. I think they are German, 1930's. They are clear, but one side of each is silvered with an aurora borealis finish.

Kumihimo Disk by Hamanaka

2008-07-01T21:07:00.009-05:00

So, I got a new toy! I went to the Bead Renaissance Show, and fell in love with a technique, that was new to me. It is an ancient art form that has been updated by Hamanaka. It is called Kumihimo. It is a form of braiding. It is really amazing what you can do with it.

Pre-Hamanaka it was done with these beautiful large stools your braid fell through a hole in the middle held by a weight, where there was a mirror, your un-braided fibers were arranged around the outside and were held in place with heavy bobbins. This picture is of a more modern Marudai.

Now you can get a foam disk that has notches in it to hold the fibers in place. I personally would still like bobbins to keep the fibers tangle free, especially if you are using beaded fibers. You can get little plastic bobbins that look really useful.

This picture is on my disk all set up to make a pink and black semi beaded braid. Only half a strand is beaded and I am only adding in beads every other pass.
This is the back of the disk with the braid coming through the center hole. You start with 8 fibers that you fold in half. These are tied into a knot then the knot is threaded through the center hole, and the strands are laid out onto the disk and pressed into the notches. You then start a patterned movement of the strands around the disk. "Magically", the braid falls out the center hole. It is really cool!

Once you get the hang of it, and understand the directions, it goes surprisingly fast. I was shocked at how quickly I could create a braid.
This is the first braid I did. It is made from green and off-white yarn. Just plain old Michaels stuff. I kind of like it except two things... I discovered that super glue does really weird things to yarn. It hardens immediately, and is just sucked into the yarn, creating this rock hard substance further along than you thought it would ever travel. The second is, they do not tell you how to finish a braid other than with a tassel. A single braid with a tassel would make a nice belt or a nice book mark, or key ring, but not good jewelry. So the endings on this bracelet suck!

I was so addicted at this point I had to keep going even though I did not have a clue what to do with it when I was done. The next one I tried was with green and brown C-Lon thread from Jane's Fiber and Beads. I completely beaded both sides of one thread with one of their great colors of 11 0s. It turned out so gorgeous I decided I needed to try to save it. I had to take it off of the disk though so I could continue with more.

There are many books out there, that I think will tell me how to finish a piece of jewelry, and I will be buying some of them soon!

Glass Earings

2008-06-30T14:49:00.007-05:00

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

2008-06-27T16:48:00.013-05:00

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.

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.
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.
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.
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.
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

2008-06-26T18:51:00.007-05:00

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

2008-06-25T23:35:00.001-05:00

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

2008-06-24T18:05:00.012-05:00

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

2008-06-23T18:34:00.008-05:00

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)

2008-06-22T19:52:00.007-05:00

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.

2008-06-21T21:19:00.005-05:00

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

2008-06-20T15:25:00.004-05:00

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

2008-06-20T15:20:00.001-05:00

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

2008-06-16T21:40:00.003-05:00

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

2008-06-15T18:28:00.003-05:00

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

2008-06-14T23:34:00.003-05:00

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

2008-06-13T18:39:00.005-05:00

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

2008-06-11T15:04:00.008-05:00

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

2008-06-10T18:41:00.011-05:00

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

2008-06-09T14:49:00.016-05:00

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

2008-06-08T19:14:00.005-05:00

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

2008-06-07T20:18:00.005-05:00

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

2008-06-07T01:14:00.008-05:00

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

2008-06-05T16:17:00.008-05:00

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

2008-06-03T23:03:00.004-05:00

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

2008-06-03T18:44:00.006-05:00

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

2008-06-02T18:34:00.007-05:00

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

2008-06-01T00:20:00.004-05:00

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.

Maroon Square Stitch Bracelet

2008-05-31T15:44:00.005-05:00

Available
This bracelet is squared stitched with Nymo (c) thread, and is so supple and fluid, it feels great on. It is a mix of triangular beads in maroons and lavenders.
It is 7" (with silver-toned hook and eye clasp) x 1".

Pink Swarovski (c) Ring

2008-05-31T15:12:00.009-05:00

Available
I am really enjoying rings lately.
A little more instant gratification I guess.

This ring is done on elastic, many layers of elastic, so
it is very secure. It is a size 6 ring, but will stretch to a size 7.

The center bead is an opaque pink Swarovski (c) crystal,
and it makes beautiful rainbows.
The green beads on either side
of it are German glass, and then there are tiny opaque white
Swarovski (c) crystals on either side of that.
The rest of the ring is worked in Bali (sterling) Silver.

I love this ring, and made one for myself.
I wear it daily, and it looks great.

Yellow Herringbone with Fringe!

2008-05-30T19:16:00.005-05:00

Private collection
Another flat herringbone bracelet, this one in pale yellows and golds.
The design is so delicate, with windows and bridges worked into the center. The clasp is handmade from a frosted glass bead
wrapped in bands of tiny yellow beads. The loop side of the clasp
has lots of luscious fringe with vintage yellow
glass flowers dangling.

Swag Bagette

2008-05-30T17:18:00.009-05:00

Private collection
The Swag Bagette, is probably the most elegant of the Bagette series. It is worked in deep purples, coppers, and gun-metal grey (from hematite). The twirled rounds in the fringe are vintage German glass and have an amazing depth of color and texture. They are one of my favorites of all my vintage beads. I think it measured somewhere in the neighborhood of 1-1 1/2" wide by 3" long, plus the fringe added about 2". The beaded hematite chain was long so the necklace would lay flat when worn.

Twisted Bangle in Purples

2008-05-29T22:33:00.006-05:00

Private collection
A really fun bracelet, this is done on elastic with a herringbone stitch. It is two long strands that switch color schemes half way. They are then "knotted" together then joined at the ends.

Kits

2008-05-28T17:41:00.009-05:00

An example of some wonderful kits from a place called Second Story Online, which no longer exists as far as I can tell. She opened a store in the Dallas Texas area, but now I can not find a listing for it.

Her kits taught me a lot of the stitches and techniques that I use today.

Kits are a great way to try out more complicated techniques and to become proficient in stitches you might be new to. You can focus your attention on learning, instead of creating with form and color. That has been done for you in a kit.

When you feel you have mastered what you were attempting to learn, then branch out and apply the new skills to your own designs. The Garden Trellis (top left) is a little glass bottle covered in netting. It was the starting point for a series of pieces I did, an example is the Teal & Purple Bottle Necklace, in which I explored the form of the vessel, but, without the vessel.

Three Strand Herringbone Bracelet in Blues

2008-05-28T17:23:00.005-05:00

I am a landlocked beach girl. I grew up just miles from the beach, and now have no access to it. The upshot of that is, I do gravitate towards ocean-y colors. It makes me happy to work in them.
Case in point, this 7" ( with silver-toned clasp) bracelet in gorgeous blues and crystal. The bracelet is comprised of three strands of herringbone stitched chain, attached to the clasp with cool little triangular findings. The beads that comprise the chain, are triangular as well, so create great texture and dimensionality. The whole bracelet is about 3/4" across.

Available

Purple Plaid Bracelet

2008-05-28T16:52:00.008-05:00

Available (in any size)
This bracelet reminds me of an argyle sweater. I just love it! It is a herringbone stitch, with increases worked into windows for tiny triangle beads, and deceases for the scalloped effect. I then "blanket stitched" on more of the same triangles as surface embellishment. It has a silver-toned hook and eye style clasp.

Victorian Lace Cuff (Northern Lights set)

2008-05-27T23:52:00.010-05:00

Private collection
This bracelet is an unbelievably looooonnnggg piece of netting. It was my first go at color shading, and I think it turned out well. I ran some elastic up the center, using one of the greatest inventions of all time, a floss threader (you find it at your pharmacy). I shredded about 5 of them, but it worked, and floss threaders are disposable.

None of the pictures do it justice ( see photo of the necklace for a more accurate rendition of the colors), but at least you can see how it looks on.
You can not tell here, but it just glows, and is very spring like colors.
While making it, I discovered a great thing about the netting,
and made the Netted Northern Lights Necklace, that goes with it.

Netted Nothern Lights Necklace

2008-05-27T23:44:00.005-05:00

Private collection
This necklace was inspired by the the Victorian Lace Cuff. They are really a set. While I was endlessly making flat netting for the cuff I discovered that if I folded it over, it made a really cool tube. I just string it on a silver chain and squish it in to "tubenessness " to wear. I am in love with the color shading. I think it looks like the northern lights. Not bad for my first attempt at color shading.

Checkerboard Bracelet

2008-05-27T22:53:00.005-05:00

Available
I keep saying that I am going to make one of these for myself.
It is such a great bracelet, but is time consuming to make.

The beaded chains are done in tubular herringbone with four beads per row. One side of each strand is done in red and the other in black.
So if you flipped the bracelet over, you would now have the strands going
black red black red black red black.

The bracelet is 5 3/4" (with silver-toned clasp) x 1"

Lavendar Cuff Bracelet

2008-05-27T22:44:00.003-05:00

Available
These bracelets are fun. This one is 7" x 1", and will stretch to 7 3/4", as it is square stitched in elastic. The beads are triangles so the bracelet is reversible. This picture shows the lavender beads are tip up so the crystal beads make more of an impact. If you turn it inside out, the flats of the lavender beads will be more prominent.

Teal & Purple Bottle Necklace

2008-05-27T22:20:00.010-05:00

Available

This lovely little necklace, is a actually an open weave vessel, done in a netting stitch.
It has a 23 1/2" beaded chain. The "bottle" is 1"x2" with a 2 1/4" fringe, and has gold accents. No clasp just slip over your head.

I am afraid the picture just does not do it justice. The bottle is long and bulbous at the bottom, and has a dainty ruffle at the neck. Very dimensional, yet delicate.

Jeni's "Vintage" Bracelet

2008-05-26T18:57:00.004-05:00

Private collection

This bracelet was made for my Aunt Jeni. It is a herringbone stitch with increases built into windows. The large squashed rounds in the center windows are vintage German glass from the 1930s. The smaller beads in the windows on either side of the German glass, are vintage Czech fire polish, as are the bead dangles on the loop side of the catch. The two small buttons are vintage German glass, from the 1950s.

Netted Spring Bracelet and Necklace

2008-05-25T00:40:00.014-05:00

Available
The Netted Spring Bracelet and Necklace are
made with a technique called potato chip netting. It is a straightforward netting stitch, but uses multiple sizes of beads with no increases or decreases worked in. This make the piece ripple and have ridges. The bracelet has two Thai Lucite buttons as a closure. It is done in Pale green, pink, lavender, and cream, and is 7 1/2" ( with clasp) x 1 3/4".

Available
The pendant is strung on a herringbone stitched matching chain with a magnetic catch, and can be removed so the chain can be worn on its own, or with another pendant. The fringe on the pendant is vintage German, pressed glass, yellow flowers. The colors in both the pendant and the chain are the same as the bracelet. The beaded chain is 20 1/2" with the pendant hanging another 1 1/2" plus a 1 1/2" fringe. It has a silver-toned magnetic clasp.

All of Mom's Eggs in a basket

2008-05-24T21:39:00.013-05:00

As you can see, I changed this one quite a bit. It is longer than the one I made for my dad, and I added a lot of embellishment at the opening, including a row of these gorgeous little pressed glass petals. I also created a vine that climbs up and over the handle.

My mother has it hanging on an ornament hanger near a window. It is quite lovely.
Private collection

Basket for Dad's Eggs

2008-05-24T01:29:00.006-05:00

Private collection

Sometimes it is difficult to come up with pieces for the men in your life.

This tiny basket was made for my father.

It was a pattern from either Bead and Button, or Beadwork. I will check and see whose it is and post their name.

I altered the original pattern a little.

(Later I made one for my mother that was really different)

Tropical Dreams Bagette

2008-05-23T21:29:00.006-05:00

I called this bagette Tropical Dreams. It made me want to take a vacation on a lush beach, somewhere exotic.

The leaves in the fringe are vintage German glass from the 1950's. Yummy colors.

Available

Victorian Bagette

2008-05-23T21:06:00.009-05:00

Available

The little Victorian Bagette is so sweet. Perfect for a small memento.

Here is a close up of it. It is on a 26" beaded chain.
The little bag is 1 3/4"x1 3/4" with 1 1/2" fringe,
and has a vintage bisque medallion affixed to the front.

Available

Victoria Bracelet and Mom's Green Bracelet

2008-05-23T19:27:00.006-05:00

Private collection

This is a Victoria Bracelet. I bought it as a kit, but can not remember where from.

Private collection

This bracelet was created for my mother, and was inspired by the clasp of the Victoria Bracelet. Basically it is the ends of the Victoria Bracelet extended.

Leaf Change-A-Bead Necklace and Goddess Beads

2008-05-23T19:01:00.019-05:00

Private collection

This was the first of the Change-A-Bead necklaces.

I made it for myself, and I was so pleased ;)

Available

Front view & back view of the Leaf Bead

Available

These are some of the changeable beads I made to use on the Leaf Necklace. They have a Goddess image on them. They are kind of pointillist, so if you step back you can see the image better. Lots of fun.

They look really funky and great strung sideways

on a silver or gold chain.

Pink & Black Change-A-Bead Necklace and Pink & Black Bracelet

2008-05-23T15:02:00.012-05:00

Private collection

I am rather fond of this set.

The necklace is one of a series of Change-A-Bead necklaces I did. You can slide the Focal Bead off of the necklace and replace it with another.

The bracelet, due to design constraints, is not changeable.

View with the pen of Tropical Pen Holder

2008-05-23T13:52:00.005-05:00

Private collection

This is a view with the pen.

Welcome To My Blog

2008-05-23T01:35:00.007-05:00

Private collection

This piece I made for a friend.
It holds one of those multi-colored ink pens.
She was going to an art retreat, and I thought having a pen handy at
all times would be good.