Basic Stitch Tutorial - Spiral Rope

Another of my favourites and a very popular stitch among beaders is spiral rope. Also known as spiral rope chain, spiral staircase or spiral stitch, it is very versatile and you can make it as simple or as embellished as you like.

There are two sets of beads in spiral rope, the core beads and the outer beads. The core beads run through the centre of the rope, these are usually the same colour and size throughout. The outer beads spiral around the core beads and can be one colour and bead type or a combination of several. You can achieve a multitude of different effects simply by changing the combination of colours, sizes and types of beads you use.

For this tutorial I'm making a very simple rope using size 11 seed beads with 3 outer beads over 4 core beads.

1. With a comfortable length of thread, pick up 4 core beads and three outer beads. Slide them down the thread leaving a tail of about 8-10".



2. Sew through the 4 core beads once more, in the same direction.



3. Position the beads so that the outer beads are on the left.



4. Pick up 1 core bead and three outer beads. Keeping the first set of outer beads pushed to the left, sew through the top 3 core beads.



5. Sew through the single core bead that you just added before pulling the thread snug.



Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the rope is as long as you need, pushing the outer beads to the left each time.

Note: You can push the outer beads to the right if your prefer, just make sure you push them all in the same direction throughout the rope.

Here are a few finished ropes in various colours...



I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial, please leave a comment if you have any questions or tips you'd like to share!

Magazine Review - Beads & Beyond May 2011

Beads and Beyond is a British based monthly magazine. I don't get it every month as there aren't that many seed bead projects, but when I do I am always impressed with the design, format and layout which is very fresh, modern and clean and makes this magazine a real pleasure to flick through. This issue has 14 featured projects including stringing, lampwork, wirework and one seed bead piece. There are also features on jewellery makers, 15 lariats in purple and lime and the designer challenge projects.

Of the projects my favourite is the seed bead necklace (no surprises there!), which is a beautiful blue floral pendant with a fringed strap. There are some particularly beautiful wire work projects in this issue, the treasures of the sea projects are inspired by nautilus shells and are just stunning, also there is a wirework fossil pendant which I love and want to try making for myself. There is a very fashion led necklace called Anchors Away which includes stringing, wirework and a bit of sewing that would be perfect for this years nautical fashions, I really liked this one! The lampworked goldstone nuggets are also beautiful, though it's not a craft I practise, my husband has banned me from anything that involves a torch!

If you are interested in the nautical trend, there is a round up of beads and charms, including some fabulous swarovski fish crystal beads that I really want to own. There are lots of giveaways in this magazine too.

While this magazine will probably never be my absolute favourite, simply because there aren't enough seed projects for me, this magazine is a lovely general jewellery making magazine with some beautiful on trend projects. It's lovely to flick through and the photography is inspiring, so definitely worth a look!

Happy beading!

Sarahx

April Moodboard

Three gorgeous submissions to the April Moodboard challenge to share with you this week!

Sarah made this diamond patterned bracelet using peyote stitch...



Lesley made this sparkly choker in right angle weave...



And Mandy made this russian rope bracelet...



If you'd like to join in with us this month and be in with a chance to win one of Sarah's fab Spring Blossom kits, please see the original post here. And don't forget, your submission doesn't have to be beadwoven, you can use any kind of beading technique, all are welcome!

Refelctions Bracelet Tutorial

Ok, so I liked Sarah's tutorial so much i wanted to give it a go. Only problem I had was that i didn't have a swarovski ring. Typical eh?

So i thought i would adapt the design and make my own version, so here it is. A Spinner Style Bracelet.

Carol XXX

Reflections Bracelet Tutorial

This weeks tutorial is for this super simple but pretty Swarovski Ring and cord bracelet. I've had the ring for a couple of years and really wanted to bust it out of my stash as it's far too lovely to languish in a box unused.

Materials required: 1 x Swarovski Crystal Ring, 2 x 8 inches (or length to fit your wrist) 2mm wide faux suede cord, 4 x cords ends (to fit 2mm), 2 x open jump rings, 1 x toggle clasp. 1. Place one end of your cord inside the cord end and, using flat nose pliers, close the cord end over the cord.

2. Repeat until all ends of the cord have a connector.

3. Fold one length of cord in half and pass the folded end through the Swarovski ring.

4. Take the two cord ends and pass them between the ring and the folded end of the cord.

5. Pull snug and repeat steps 3- 5 on the other side.

6. Using round nosed pliers, open a jump ring and thread it through the holes in the cord ends on one side of the bracelet.

7. Thread the jump ring through one part of the toggle clasp and close. Repeat steps 6 & 7 on the other side.

Happy Beading!

Sarahx

Podcast Review - Bead Circle Episode 2

As well as beading, I also knit and have long been a fan of knitting podcasts. So I was very excited to discover that Mandi Ainsworth from the Bead Circle Network http://beadcircle.com/ has launched a beading podcast and thought I would do a quick review of it for anyone who has not found it yet. I'm not going to go to in depth as I don't want to give away too many spoilers.

So far there are only 2 episodes, the 1st episode was published on the 26th February and is a very interesting interview with Nancy Zellers http://beadcircle.com/2011/02/bcp-01-nancy-zellers/. Episode 2 http://beadcircle.com/2011/04/bcp-02-talking-with-the-lone-beader%c2%ae/is an interview with Diana Grygo aka The Lone Beader http://blog.thelonebeader.com/.

Mandi starts off the podcast talking about the beading by the Bay Retreat, which sounds fabulous and then goes into the interview. Diana talks about how she got started in beading and bead embroidery and talks in more detail about some of her pieces such as The Diva's and The Time Traveller's series. They also talk about how to find and enter your beaded art in appropriate juried shows. They touch on registering your name as a trademark, which was unexpected but interesting, although the laws and regulations are most likely different on this side of the pond. Diana also gives a bit of information about her tutorial on bead embroidery, which is available in her Etsy store http://www.etsy.com/shop/thelonebeader?ref=pr_shop.

I found the podcast very enjoyable to listen to, Mandi asks great questions that resulted in a fun interview and Diana's enthusiasm for her work shines through, it's definitely worth a listen if you are a bead enthusiast!

Happy beading!

Sarahx

April Moodboard

Two more submissions for our April Moodboard to show you this week!

Carol has made this gorgeous pendant...



And Lesley has made this wonderful gothic style ring...



If you'd like to join in with us this month and create something for April's black, white and red moodboard, please see the original post for details.