7th Goal Completed

Here's what I did with my hex beads. I decided to use them on their own, using up ¾ of the tube to weave a band in herringbone stitch and then attached it to an aluminium cuff covered in Ultrasuede. This solves both issues that I was worried about...because the cuff is stiff, the beadwork won't be moving around so there's less stress on the thread and hopefully no breakage. And adding it to the top of the cuff means that only the soft Ultrasuede touches the skin. I'm really happy with how it turned out, even though it was really hard to photograph!

7th Goal (Liz)

Browsing through my box of blues I found this tube of twisted hex beads, which I've had for what seems like forever! They're the most gorgeous shade of blue with flashes of colour (Miyuki metallic blue iris shade 452 in case anyone is interested) and I've taken them out of my stash loads of times, wondering how I could put them to use.


But like bugle beads I'm a bit nervous about using them, worried that the edges will slice through the thread and also that the finished piece will be too scratchy as they're not the smoothest of beads. Today I've had an idea that hopefully will solve both of these dilemmas. In fact I couldn't wait to start and I'm already half way through!

5th May Goal Complete - Sarah

I have quite a stash of delica beads that I haven't used in some time and some of them haven't even been opened. Well, we can't have that now can we? Making my Blue Jeans Butterfly for my Folksy summer swap partner reminded me how fabulous they are to work with, so I'm now on a mission to make 5 more beaded pendants with delica's by the end of this month. Yes, that's a lot but I figure I might as well aim high!

While routing through my 3 takeaway containers of delica's (they aren't all completely full, honest, I sort by colour. Of course we aren't mentioning the ones packed away upstairs, out of sight and all that), I came across this pretty mix that I bought in a frenzy when I realised that Hobbycraft in my town sold them. I wanted to take some photo's for the post below and thought these would make a pretty butterfly.
I am doing a craft fair on Saturday and wanted some more butterflies to take with me, I'd like a little grouping of them on my display. So here she is, I think she's pretty but needs some brighter friends to sit alongside her on my table. Watch this space....

An Attempt to Explain How I Construct a Butterfly.

Clair asked how I construct my butterfly pendant, so I thought I would put together a quick and dirty explanation. I have got a lot on and don't really have time for anything more detailed at the moment.

First of all you will need 4 equally sized brick stitch diamonds, here's a link to a tutorial if you want one, http://www.beadwrangler.com/samplers/brickstitch2/making_brickstitch_samples2.html

Then lay them out in pairs with 1 edge of each diamond flush against the other.

Thread a needle through one of the tails and go down through the 1st edge bead of diamond 1, then up through the 1st edge bead of diamond 2 and back down the 1st edge bead of diamond 1, continue like this until you have the 2 edges sewn together.

Repeat for the other pair of diamonds. Then lay 2 of the bottom edges of each pair together and attach as above. Clear as mud? Hope these pics help!

What's That Coming Over The Hill? Is It A Monster?

Here is the necklace that I made for Lisa's birthday, am I a good friend or what, lol.

This necklace was on the cover of Bead Magazine Issue 18, so I have made use of one of my mags, as well as using up 15gms triangles, 15gms of 6's and some accent beads, I had to buy new beads for the rest of it as I didn't have large enough quantities required.

When Lisa first said she liked this necklace, I was a little apprehensive as it looks like a total monster but actually was not quite as much work as I thought it would be, although I did schedule it over a couple of weeks. It took me 4/5 evenings to make the dutch spiral strap, an evening each for the rings and an hour for the fringe. I enjoyed making it and may well make one for myself as it really is impressive in person. It was worth the effort as Lisa really likes it.

6th Goal Completed! (Liz)

I struggled all week to find ideas to use these lampwork beads. My brain was constantly thinking jewellery and although I had a few ideas rolling around in my head, none of them worked out. Then yesterday I was reading and inspiration struck - book thongs! Just because you have a set of beads, there's no reason why you can't divide them up to make several things, at least that way they're being used and enjoyed and not languishing in a box for years on end. I'm really pleased with these...




Book thongs are one of my favourite things to make. I cut lengths of faux suede thonging and use fold over cord ends to attach the beads. These are a great way to use up those odd beads in your stash. Two leftover beads would naturally be made into a pair of earrings but not everyone wears them. Make them into a bookmark and you have a wonderful gift! Great for making men's gifts too if you avoid girly colours ;)

Birthday Gifts Part 1.

I'll have to do this in two parts as my camera ran out of battery before I could download the monster of a necklace that I made for my friend Lisa. These are the pieces that I made for her sister Claire, Claire wanted earrings or rings, so I raided my stash and made her a few pretties. I will only post the things made from stash here the others will be on April Is Forever.

I bought these gorgeous turquoise ceramic flowers at the Chepstow Bead Fair in January but have been a bit stuck on how to use them, a simple circle of seed beads made with Beadalon and a crimp bead were the perfect solution.

Claire wears a lot of green, so I paired 4mm peridot and 3mm olive swarovski's and made this pretty raw/peyote ring and made a matching pair of earrings, again using a simple bead wire circle with a wire wrapped dangle.

I'm glad to say that she liked all of them!