butterflies and beads

And we're back.  First, for the earrings crowd.  The components for this pair were given by a friend from beads she scored ok bought at Bead Blast. For all her Tim Burton-inspired jewelry and art designs, at heart she likes butterflies and rainbows, too, i think.  This pair of Fanged Butterflies is dedicated to you, C.

Supplies:
(2) butterfly Czech glass beads with AB finish
(2) blood red Czech glass daggers, top drilled
22ga black copper core coated wire
ear wires

Because the daggers are top drilled, use a briolette wrap to secure them.  Continue to run the wire up through the butterfly beads and make a wrapped loop to end.  Attach to black oxide ear wires.  Wear after dark.


And now for an update on the beadpoint project.  Much like the Big Dig of Boston, this is a project that is filled with a lot of preparation, false starts, dead ends, and the dream of making the world a more beautiful place.

(left photo)  First step.  No, not first.  Should maybe have been first; fourth or fifth, actually, but who's counting?  The assembly of the floor stand is done.  I probably have the cloth backwards or upside down but i'm going to work with it like this.  And no way will i be able to see the pattern from that distance but i should be able to configure it so it sits closer, much closer.  Bead dishes will have to sit on a nearby table. 

(right photo)  Close up of beadpoint.  I restarted the design using white Nymo instead of the black.  MUCH harder to see the thread but it looks a lot better.  I've got one short row finished and am starting up the second row.  Neato!!!  No countdown of rows for this project.  We're just going to be happy with the emerging design.  As for needles, i'm using a #12 sharp at the moment but i'm going to try a #10 beading once i remember to pick some up at the shop.

Getting that first row was, um, challenging. Why is it that the first count yields 92 beads and subsequent counts yield fewer? Or more? I had to get that first row correct so the next rows will also be right.  geez.  eyestrain.

Kente cloth is a woven textile traditionally made by the Ashanti people of West Africa.  Its origins go back centuries.  More than just a pretty blanket, the strips of kente cloth are visual representations of cultural traditions and ideologies, and a tangible symbol of wealth and prestige.  For more information, visit the website of the Midwest Global Group

i love the colors! And the geometric designs appeal to my symmetrical bent.  Here's a list of the seeds i'm using for this project.  They are all Japanese seeds but you still have to cull the occasional oddly cut bead.  I started with full tubes (about 27gms/2900 beads-can that be right?) of each color.


11/0-F402A        white opaque frost

11/0-F401           black opaque frost

11/0-F399J        dark purple frost

11/0-F399H       dark blue frost

11/0-F143B        green transparent frost

11/0-F411         green opaque frost
11/0-F404         yellow opaque frost

11/0-F405         orange frost opaque

11/0-F408         red opaque frost


That's all for now.  Or, that's enough for now!  What's on your beading table?