Need For Beads: September 2008

While I am working on customer orders and new designs, which are the types of work that go quickly, I try to have a long term project going. If I don't, I make mostly bracelets, or my customers wait too long for their orders to be fulfilled. Worse yet, new patterns don't get written up!

Below is one of my long term projects. I break the project down into parts and that helps me finish the project instead of creating a UFO (Unfinished Object) I complete maybe three of these big pieces a year:

Designer Jewelry - Amulet Bag from Need For Beads

Aten's Disk and Ankh

Like most of the bags I make, this one has a pattern on both sides. I was going to do a different strap until I saw how well this modified herringbone stitch went with the design.

The purple iris Delicas provide great contrast to the gold plated beads. With that finish widely available, I was able to use twisted Miyuki bead bugles and Czech daggers for the fringe. This fringe gives the piece a fluid movement.

My next bag will have spring flowers. Hopefully, the long winter months will allow lots of time for beading!

I also did a matching bracelet. Simple and quickly done, the bracelet complements the necklace when worn together, yet is beautiful enough to wear alone.

Designer Jewelry - Bracelet

The bag has the same clasp shown in the bracelet. Even though the strap in the necklace is long enough to just put it on, I used a matching clasp so the strap design went in the same direction. This carries forward the V-shape design of the fringe on both sides of the necklace. Another reason for using a clasp: The pattern used for the strap would not connect the beginning pattern to the end very well. The clasp solved both issues!

I did manage to design a few new bracelets using my favorite stitch, which is bead crochet. Below is one that uses Miyuki drops and this shows first the side view and then a closeup of the bracelet from the top, or how it looks when worn: