Calling all beaders....you whoooooo

Fantastic! I don't like tutorials, either

They're too hard to write and illustrate, I've found. I'm not really a chart-type person, so I get bogged down trying to figure out how to teach something via a paper diagram. I'm in awe of great charts and instructions. Just can't write them.

I haz a pretty! Well, a half-done pretty.



I still have to make the gourd-stitch endcaps for the chain, make another 6 of the marquise-shaped dangles, and bezel the bottom pendant (a fierce little dichroic cab in blue-white.) I made the first version of this necklace in late 2011 or early 2012, and I've been tearing it apart and revising it ever since.

The focal piece shown here is a large vintage Czech red and gold glass button I found at a local beading store a year ago.

It will be a very red necklace.

2/3 done on the pretty. The clasp design is mind-boggling, and may take me a while to master.

Stunning!

He he, just wait. It really is complete and utter madness.

Gorgeous! Making me want to do some beadwork again!

By accident, I figured out a new (to me) endcap structure using ladder stitch. Any design element that I can make 6 of in 45 minutes counts as a win. Dangles!

Whew. Just spent the last two hours working on a beadwork toggle loop for the insane red necklace. This clasp is less than 1.25 inches across. I have vastly increased respect for cubic right-angle weave, and no idea how people do this shit with monofilaments like FireLine. I used thin red Nymo from a furniture restorers' supply house (Tempe Sales has limited colors for between $.25 and $.50!) and I ended up packing the bead holes almost to the danger point. If you cut most of my beadwork into cross sections, it would resemble a mass of interwoven threads cased in glass.

The square loop is new. The bar is the one I made for the necklace's first iteration back in 2012, with most of the same beads.



So, I think the necklace might be done tomorrow evening.

I've always hated RAW - and avoid it at all costs But then again, the only one I learned dealt with two needles at once, and that's just a tangle-fest. I don't do anything that involves two needles at once any more. The clasp looks lovely, though!

I cannot do the 2-needle RAW. Hell, I can barely do 2-needle Copic stitch in bookbinding, and that's with curved needles on a much larger scale. This Cubic RAW is *insane*, and now Bead & Button is showing off Prismatic RAW worked in polyhedra. Arrrrgggghhhh!

Believe me, single needle RAW is generally warm and fuzzy (for me), and it's the stitch that got me back into beadweaving. In fact, the top strand of the red necklace is the first piece of RAW I'd done in 20 years.

Lovely!

I received beads for a project that I have no idea when I'll have time to start. Inspired by a shirt I bought it will be done in creams, golds, coppers and greys. (Yes the color scheme works!) I just have to decide which colors will be base, primary, secondary and highlight. Or if I should randomize things a bit.

I've done RAW but hate the 2 needle technique. Agreed that it often tempts the tangles too often.

I did do a RAW amulet bag that used a pentagon pattern a few years ago. Can't remember if it was in B&B or another magazine. It was fun so long as you kept with the pattern.

I love how easy it is to get slinky supple chains with RAW worked in a tube.

Good color choices!

Oh.. but one technique that I do in two needle is looming. I only do this when I have a very large piece (over 4 inches across) with a difficult pattern. It's very handy when you are looming a side piece for a regalia that's 8 inches across and you are following a complicated pattern. Saves time and frustration!

Okay my muse is nuts. I made a sample piece that I'm REALLY happy with. I'll hopefully have some time to start the necklace this weekend.

So what does the muse do? She looks at the other beads I'm not using and decides, oh these would be great like this (whole new pattern)

Why does she do this to me?

Just finished this autumn coral piece last weekend

Very nice! I'm psyching myself up to spend Actual Money on a new subscription to Bead & Button, and a book on Hubble Stitch. It's kinda awesome, if I can get around one of the thread pass issues that I'd have. I hate hate HATE Fireline and all other extruded single monofilaments. I will tolerate ultra-thin steel cable as long as it's plastic-wrapped...but requires crimps. I like spun, multi-strand Nymo. The problem with Hubble is that at a crucial point in the linkage, all the tension is carried by one thread. And nope, I do not design that way.

I love my NYMO. It takes true need to switch to anything else. My beaded shawl required 6lb test braided fishing line, but that worked well.

I might be induced to use Soft Touch super-flexible steel cable from SoftFlex, but dear god is it expensive...and I'd have to order the 100ft roll at least. Even with a coupon code this weekend, the 100ft roll of .10 is around $30. The 1000ft roll (which I should get) is around $200. That's a whole lotta Nymo, not to mention beads!

The braided line might work.

The problem I have with most fishing-line monofilaments is that they get brittle with heat and time. I live in Phoenix. I have been beading for 30 years. I have seen what 25-year-old projects made with Nymo look like, compared to 25-year-old projects made from fishing single-strand line. The latter, without exception, are too weak to use now, if not completely fallen to bits.

I might have to buy SoftTouch, if I learn Hubble Stitch. I can't get around that one stage where the connection rests on one strand - or on too-bulky double thread repeats through each component. Or buy beads with larger holes, but not Delicas, because I kinda hate them. <Grumbles>

I love my delicas But the braided line is less brittle, I've found, than monofiliment, and almost as thin as the thickest Nymo. I needed its strength for my beaded shawl. Nymo (even doubled up) just wasn't cutting it (pun intended!). Doubled 6lb test braided fishing line works fine!

It's thin, but strong!

- - - Updated - - -

Oh, and 300 yards of it costs $15.

I agree with Filigree, I don't like Fireline. It is much too stiff and does not drape well for most projects. Yes I've used it. The cuff piece I have uses Fireline as warp threads. It was very difficult to deal with the ends after looming. I wove them together and knotted them but it just didn't behave well.
However, when it comes to strength, I would say that Fireline would win over most of the Nymo line. With projects like your shawl GD I'm sure it was perfect.

So I can say I've used it, but don't care that much for it.

Started my birthday present for myself this weekend. So far LOVING it. It's working up quickly but I know there will be challenges ahead.

So second beading article is done and I'll let everyone know when it's out. Haven't seen the proof yet but I should soon. Article has been edited and proofed.

So tomorrow I am off because of Veteran's day. It will be a day of promotion, writing and hopefully beading. *happy dance

And the December issue of AJT is up.

Featured in this issue are our very own Filigree and Green Dragon pieces!

www.artisanjewelrytimes.com

Dear muse. The next time you attack me with an idea, please be a little more gentle.

I have a fabulous idea! Secret project #2 will be finished this weekend and the muse really either hates me or loves me because she's given me a wonderful idea.

Project #2 is an alpha pattern (friendship bracelet kind of thing) then I've edged it with ribbon, and now am going out from that with crochet. My first one is a cat face pattern.

But now the muse wants me to do something else. She wants me to do a book cover on one. This is something NO ONE is doing as far as I can tell. It's time consuming but think of the possibilities! This could be for a man or a woman. Thin or thick. With crochet and beads around it or simple edging.

....dear muse....
I hate you sometimes.