The January Challenge

Welcome to the January challenge! Can you believe that the OTTBS monthly challenge is now in it's 6th year?! We'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported us over the years by joining in and/or leaving comments. We really appreciate it! And of course, huge thanks to our sponsors who very generously offer a prize to one lucky winner each month: Celia of Jencel, Rachel of RB Beads, Davida of Old Bicycle Shop and Valentina of Beads & More by Yashma.

Well we have another year of exciting challenges ahead and we're kicking off 2016 with a stitch challenge; we would like you to create something using BEAD EMBROIDERY.

Image by Veronika Kociánová

You can use other beadweaving stitches in your piece but the majority must be bead embroidery. Any type of technique where you stitch beads onto fabric is accepted. But please note that for this particular challenge we are not accepting soutache as a form of bead embroidery.

If you haven't bead embroidered before then here are a few links to get your started...

Bead embroidery basics...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKRs5U8SpVE

Freeform embroidery...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5TzwYadVjg

Photo based instructions...
beadwork.about.com/od/BeadEmbroidery/

THE PRIZE:

Our sponsor this month is Celia and she's offering £15 to spend in her online shop Jencel!

HOW TO ENTER:

Simply email a photograph of your entry to Liz at ottbs@live.com. The challenge runs until Midnight in your own time zone on Sunday the 31st of January and the winner is drawn and announced the following day. The challenge is open to beaders worldwide.

RULES & OTHER INFORMATION:

• Entries must have been started on or after January 1st 2016.
• You can make any item, it does not need to be jewellery.
• You can use any craft technique but it must include beads.
• Findings are exempt from the colour challenge.
• Your entry must be a finished piece.
• If your entry isn't your own design you must credit the original designer.
• The photo above is for decorative purposes only, please refer to the text below it for details on the theme.

There is more detailed information on the challenge here but if you have any questions please leave a comment below or email us. 

Good luck everyone and happy beading!

The December Challenge Reveal

Well done to everyone who joined in with our December Metallica challenge, where we asked you to create something using only metallic beads. Beautiful entries as always!

I put everyone's names into the list randomizer at random.org and the lucky beader who's name is in the number one position is...

MARIAN HOBLYN!

Congratulations Marian, you're the winner of the £25 voucher to spend at Beads and More by Yashma!

Well that's it for 2015. We hope you've enjoyed this year's challenges. It's been wonderful seeing you all bringing our themes and colour schemes to life with your amazing creations and we look forward to enjoying more of your work in 2016. Speaking of which, join us a little later on when we'll have a brand new challenge for the new year!