April 14, 2010

Found a Use For Those Special Beads

On Black Friday, I shopped at a local bead store (The Bead Hive) that was having a big sale. While shopping the sale, I picked up some basics like seed beads and clasps, some pretty glass beads, and some stone beads. Then, I turned around and there were these really cool acrylic beads with a cool victorian print on them. I had no idea how I would use them, but I just knew I had to have them.

From the day I bought them, I tried to think of ways to use them... but nothing seemed right; nothing seemed special enough. I knew I wanted to use bright colors to contrast with the black and white pattern of the beads. I also knew I wanted to make something kind of funky since the pattern is a little stuffy and proper.

Finally, after having the beads for months... after taking them out again and again to look at them and dream I found a pattern that would do them justice. It's a pattern that I could do with any color beads, that is funky and fun. It's a really cool twisty necklace that's made by weaving seed beads. I tried it with two colors -- red and teal. Both came out beautifully!!! I have to say, this is one of my favorite designs and I can't wait to experiment with other colors. This design is definitely worthy of those super-special beads I found... and I still have a few left for a special project!

3 comments:

Crazy Mama said...

ooooh i love the ruffles! what stitch is that?

Kell said...

Hi Lisa! Thanks for the compliment! It's not any stitch that I know the name of. It's more like fancy stringing.

You create a long string of beads (multiple of three seed beads, focal bead, multiple of three seed beads, focal bead, continue...). When you reach the end you string the clasp and turn around and add more beads to make triangles with all the seed beads... get to the end and turn around and build the stringing further, pulling the triangles closer together at the same time (this causes it to twist)... when you get to the end, you turn around one more time and build the stringing up further which causes the seed bead part to twist further. I know this might sound confusing... I'll try to put together a tutorial if I have time!

Kell

Crazy Mama said...

it does sound a little confusing. i'm really a visual person when it comes to learning new things. i certainly don't want you to go to any terrible trouble creating a tutorial. but i definitely won't argue with you if you do! :D the twisted necklace is so light and airy i just love it. i really don't know anything about stringing beads or beadweaving techniques. and i'm afraid of clasps! i'm afraid they'll pop right off! but i definitely want to learn some new things to add to my bead embroidery. if you have the time sometime, that would be really generous of you. thanks and happy beading!

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