New viking knit project

Viking knit #4, originally uploaded by ambrosianbeads.

As with most of my projects, this one was actually started 6 months ago. I started beading the agate slab back in December...I had it sitting around and it just appealed to me to give it a peyote beaded edge. Today I'm hoping to give it the final touch of a bail...in the meantime, I worked on making a viking knit chain in black coated copper wire. I used 26 gauge wire and it worked out nicely in single weave, could've been too stiff in double. I always guess at the final length and stopped weaving at 11", hoping it would reach at least a comfortable choker length...well, lo and behold, it passed that length and I even have enough to make a bracelet. In this Flickr set, you can see the progression of "draws" (meaning each time I pulled it through the drawplate...it's what I call them, not sure if that's correct). Next after threading on the pendant, I will attempt to close off the ends with some copper caps and add a clasp...stay tuned for those pics !

EBW 2011 Spring Swap

EBW 2011 Spring Swap, originally uploaded by ambrosianbeads.

This year's Spring Swap was much more of a success for me. I've been feeling more creative and having a goal has been good to get me more motivated. This year, my "swappee" was Callie Mitchell aka Peregrine Beader on Etsy. We can request that the "swapper" make something using a stitch that we don't usually use, so she requested bead embroidery. That was perfect for me, because I wanted to use some metal bracelet blanks I had and try covering them with bead embroidery. Her colors were reds, browns and golds. I had enough beads in these colors to get started, so I measured out a piece of Lacy's stiff stuff to fit the metal blank with about 1/4" extra all around. Later I ran into trouble when the fabric started to pull up too much and came out too short to use the metal blank. Oh, well, I decided to abandon using that and after finishing the embroidery, I covered the back with a piece of tan suede. I stitched up a loop and added a button, and I had essentially the same style bracelet but with more flexibility. I got a message from Callie that she loves it...yay !

Shortly before the deadline of the EBW swap, I received a package in the mail from Charlene Abrams aka More than Somewhat on Etsy. I was thrilled to receive such a lovely necklace made in my favorite colors, midnight blues, purple, magenta and using RAW which is a stitch that I failed to master and can only appreciate. Also, this necklace matches a pair of earrings I made several years ago that have always felt lonely, now they make a nice set. Thanks, Charlene !!!
See the other swap creations