Can you believe that January is nearly over?  How did that happen?  Last year went by swimmingly until about September then it tripped over itself to get to Christmas.  But in the end, 365 days are 365 days - give or take Leap Year - and that's all we get.  So let's get to it!

I'm a lurker.  I belong to a couple, three beading related groups on FB and i lurk.  Oh, i'll comment once in awhile but for the most part, i lurk.  It's a time-honored notion that you learn more by being silent and staying in the shadows.  Anyways, in one of the groups, the admin has created a Bead Along for February and i am offering the Bead Along on this blog.  We'll play along but in our own little corner.  The admin said we could.  Here we go!

February 2015 Bead Along-African Helix Stitch 

The African Helix Stitch technique makes a structural beaded rope.  The rope can be made as a bracelet or necklace. When first learning the stitch it is best to use two colors of seed beads. You will also need a temporary support piece, such as a pencil or dowel rod or something else you have on hand. The size of the support piece will vary depending on the size of the circle of beads used when starting the stitch.  In doing this stitch you will work in rounds and the rounds are connected by not stitching through the previous beads but by passing over the beading thread of the previous round.

Use one of the following resources to be certain you are beading the African Helix Stitch.  For diagrams, try Fusion Beads and look under Techniques>More Beadweaving Tecniques or Beading Daily

If you prefer videos, watch here: Auntie’s Beads 2-part video: Part 1 and Part 2 
Or here: Beadschool Tutorial by Melanie De Miguel  (Take a good look at the necklace piece she shows in the beginning and read the information under "More" when you go to the video.)  

And, lastly a couple of print resources offer instruction in this stitch:  Mastering Beadwork a Comprehensive Guide to Off Loom Techniques by Carol Huber Cypher.  In the December 2004 issue of Bead and Button Magazine, Nancy Zeller presented African Helix.  And, if you still have it laying around because there were SO MANY PROJECTS, the 2007 Bead A Day Calendar, May 14-15, necklace by Jann Christiansen. The instructions for the necklace are available for free through Bead-Patterns.com

If you would like to bead along, simply make a bracelet or necklace using this technique and then post your photo (watermarked with your name) in the comments section of this post.  Tell us if you liked the stitch and which tutorial you used. Deadline is, oh, let's say February 21st.  That will leave enough time to introduce the March Bead Along.

It's a pretty one, yes?  This image - if it stays on here - is from Aunties Beads.  I think it's important to keep the "old" stitches alive by revisiting them from time to time.  Like anything, stitches fall in and out of favor; but traditional knowledge in any craft is important and it is up to the current crop of artists to see that traditional techniques are kept alive.  Let's bead!!

HI!  Welcome back!!  Or is it me who has been away?  No matter...we are together now!
And in that spirit of love and togetherness...and Valentine's Day!...let's start with a couple of earring designs that will put you in the mood for love.

Yeah.  I was playing in picmonkey which accounts for the over-the-top presentation but girls just wanna have fun, right?  The beads are vintage glass from the Czech Republic circa 1930's or 1940's. We are offering five different Valentine's Day-themed kits with various vintage glass beads for just $5 each (the picture shows two separate kits - the earrings and the pendant) and i will post the how-to's right here. Check back tomorrow and let's get this blog rolling again!

It's just hot

The car showed 109 when i turned it on about 220p this afternoon. 
The reading had dropped to 106 by the time i got home.
The a/c is set at 84 and still it comes on.
Weather Channel showed 107 at 4:30p
No real chance of rain in the forecast
Excessive heat expected for the next few days.
wow

That makes me want to stay in and BEAD!!!!!  Like this.  Which is from a design at Bead&Button online.

Cool, huh? 

tilas (hematite)

Swarovski bicones (4mm jet, 3mm fuschia

3mm bugles (black)

15/0 seeds (gray opaque luster)

...a(nother) work in progress...ha ha!

Today i have a pair of earrings and a necklace to share. 

Earrngs first.  Remember these?  Bullet casings and glass rondelle beads.  Well, darn if i didn't sell this pair!  There's just something about bullets as earrings that appeals, i guess.  So i wanted to make another pair but didn't have the heart to do the exact same thing again.  I thought turquoise might go well with the brass but nothing said pick me.  And then i found some extremely fake turquoise beads.  Perfect!




I chose brass wire in 22ga since it fit through the top drilled holes of the bead, and did a briolette wrap to attach the bead.  Then i added a seed bead or two to keep the turquoise (-colored) bead from sitting too far up in the casing 'cause i wanted it to have movement.   The 5mm round on top is to steady the wire so it doesn't wobble around in the large hole at the top of the casing.  Once you wrap the loop above the 5mm round, the whole deal snugs down and seats itself over the hole.  There ya go!

And the necklace?  As a gift to myself for my 60th birthday - which, the more i say it, the harder it is to believe it's true - i made a necklace with rubies and Swarovski crystals.  huh.  Not my usual choice but i thought whot th' 'ell...if not now, when?  So here tis.  Natural ruby cut in faceted rondelles, paired with Swarovski crystal bicones in sand opal and dorado 2x.  woohoo!  Rubies and crystals all the way around to a gold-filled lobster clasp and 2" of chain.  wheeeeeeeee!  i just looooooooooove the rocks indeed i do!



Monday, Monday....

And here it is Monday...which is kinda like a day off in that the shop is closed although there is usually something that needs attending to, most generally paperwork.  But today?  I went outside about 9:30am and watered since it's been so hot and dry.  And i went to the shop and picked up the trash and recycling about 6:30pm.  Inbetweentimes?  i loafed.  i lounged.  i lazed.  i read another couple of chapters in Book 5 of the Song of Ice and Fire saga.

i was a bum.  it felt...weird, so after i got back from fetching the trash, i made earrings.

omg!  i know, right?

Don't get too excited.  My plan was to make several pair and thus move along in the 365/365 challenge.  Rather than accomplish that, however, i spent way too much time tinkering with today's  offering.  No worries.  "..tomorrow is another day." (-Scarlett O'Hara, on more than one occasion)

anyways.  i started out simple but the design called out for more and before i knew it, i was thinking in patriotic detail! 


This box holds most of my glass beads.  From it i picked this strand of blue lentils that i bought probably four years ago and had not cut apart until today.  They're such a pretty blue! 

On the first attempt, i combined a blue bead with a red drop.  The inspired moment was deciding to put the 8mm twisted jump ring through the drop hole instead of attaching it with a briolette wrap.  Then several design false starts until i got this far. 

Still lacking oomph and pizzazz and all that jazz until BOOM!  Fireworks lit up the design station!  Make it red white and blue! And make each bead component just a lil' bit different...

for each earring:
(1) blue lentil-shaped glass bead
(1) white round glass bead
(1) red drop glass bead
(2) 2mm silver rounds
(2) 8mm twisted jump rings
brass and silver-plate wire
ear wire

Open the 8mm jump ring and thread it through the hole of the drop.  Leave open.  Using 18ga brass wire and simple loops, make a component with the round white bead.  Add this component to the jump ring holding the drop and close the jump ring.  Using silver wire (it's thinner, probably 22ga)and 2mm silver rounds, make a component with the blue lentil bead,  again with simple loops. Open a second 8mm jump ring and add the white/red component and the blue.  Close the jump ring.  Attach the other loop of the blue component to the ear wire.  Repeat for second earring. 

 i'm not a huge fan of holiday jewelry but the Fourth of July IS next week.  Then we've got the All Star game right here in KC and then the Summer Olympics begin towards the end of July.  Star spangled summer, baby!  Now's as good time a time as any to wear the home colors!

Summer solstice

I had a post for you on Flag Day but the ol' pc blacked out and wouldn't revive in time so onward.

Tomorrow is the summer solstice. From there we slide minute by minute towards early dark and cold.  Winter is coming.

But there's plenty of summer left, y'all!  So let's get out there and play!  And if you want to throw a few beads into the mix, who am i to complain?

Project update:  kyanite necklace...FINISHED.  go me!  It's just at 18" which is a tad long as the beads start to hang at sharp angles instead of flowing as you see them here.  I've got it pulled up to shorten it a bit.  But because it's a hook clasp, it can be shortened by a link or two and still sit nicely.  woohoo!  i think i'll wear this one!  First, though, i'm gonna put a protective coating on the metal beads since i'm not real sure exactly what kind of metal they are.

Next project:  beadpoint...ONGOING and going and going and....ha ha just kidding.  No, really . I see progress but it's slooooooow.  So cool, though.

 

And lastly but not leastly...a loom project.  Just 'cause i just didn't have enough projects in the works.  This has 1.5mm leather on the outside warp threads.  Warp being the long threads and weft threads going across.  I'm using 11/0 seeds in silver lined rainbow colors. Ain't it purty?  It's probably already long enough for a wrist band, if not a little bit too long, but dadgummit!  Looming is like eating peanuts:  you just can't stop even though you know you've had enough.  So it goes. 

Bead on!

Venus in transit and other fun stuff

photo from
 www.space.com

So who saw Venus make her way across the sun yesterday?  While i can't claim to have watched this celestial phenomenon in its entirety, i did crush an exposed cannister of film, yanked the innards out, rushed upstairs to catch the sun before it set behind the trees, and actually spotted Venus on the face of ol' Sol.  Pretty freakin cool!  (i'm also proud of myself for having remembered in time!)

Back in bead land, stuff is still happening though, it seems (and it could be real) at a slower and slower pace.  I have been working on all the in-progress projects and am prepared to provide you with a pictorial update of a couple of them.

First, the kyanite necklace.  As you may remember, the consensus was to continue with links instead of beads and i had found some "mystery metal" beads to incorporate into the design.  Here's where we are with this project.  Quite time consuming to make each little link, i must say!  But lookin good, i think.

The next question is:  kyanite centered or off-centered?  The answer will determine where i place the clasp which will likely be a hammered hook and eye combo.  The final length will be about 18".





 


Then the beadpoint.  o.m.g.  This is gonna take a while.  In fact, this is probably gonna take so long that i will only. ever. in my lifetime. do this one project.  But what a project!  Check this out and tell me it's as cool as i think it is!

And, finally, i made another pair of earrings!!!  WOOT!  These are actually for my friend who had her 59th birthday last weekend.  Margie is one of the craziest people i know.  True to her own self.  Constantly in musical motion.  Party on, my friend!  And i hope to see you some day real soon!!






Supplies:
(2) small dyed magnesite peace signs
(2) 4mm Swarovski crystal beads - clear AB
(2) ball tip head pins

Thread 'em up and twist a loop at the top.  Peace!

earrings alert

It's Memorial Day weekend, Sunday to be specific, so i hope you are spending good quality time with family and friends and giving a moment's thought to the men and women who have fought for the freedoms we enjoy.

Update on the kyanite necklace.  The consensus vote was for hammered links and i have to agree but i'm not satisfied with just links.  It still needs substance and interest.  I'm thinking i want to stay with metal. I like the seeds.  They're just too small.

So we've had these mystery metal beads at the shop for some time.  You can see the strand in the top right corner.  I bought them from one of the itinerant African traders that waft through from time to time, always on their way to somewheres else.  They're not real elegant; the holes are kinda large and the seams are obvious but the color is good, and adding a bead to each link will sort of mimic the kyanite bead/link effect and give weight and interest to the links around the back of the necklace.

On the right side are three links using the metal beads and hammered effect.  On the other side is a hammered link with a metal bead and seed beads.  Dunno.  Not quite there.  But getting closer!

  

Annnnnnnnd i made a pair of earrings!  What a great day!  These are 10mm glass rings and 10mm silver jump rings attached to post earrings.  Light and swingy in fun colors!  Just right for summer and oh so easy!   Gotta love 'em.  Check back soon.  I'll have a photo of my progress on the beadpoint.  It is soooo coool!!