Embellishing the Runway (with beads !)

Project Runway season 9 is in full swing, and this year, I decided (last minute) to join in the fun of designing accessories for each week's winning outfit and posting them in a Flickr group called
Embellishing the Runway. I knew about it last year from my beading friends on Facebook but didn't think I could keep up at the time. This year seems right so I joined a day before the first week deadline. I managed to create a simple bracelet which captures the colors of the winning design by Bert Keeter. I used a basic four bead herringbone stitch which works up quickly and chose some greys and orange (the closest thing I had was more of a pumpkin color). The winning design for this week seems to have stirred up alot of controversy and I'm late starting so it looks like some midnight beading sessions are in order this week ! More pictures posted in the coming weeks (fingers/beading needles crossed !)

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

Freeform Brick Stitch Bracelet

Well, folks, here I am again at long last...and I'm patting myself on the back for finally finishing something new in beadweaving. I've been on a tatting kick and in another failed attempt to enter something in the latest EBW Challenge, I managed to create a new bracelet. However, I missed the deadline because I got sidetracked making a "Conantree" (Christmas tree decorated with CONAN on TBS themed decorations). I am happy though, that I did make something new. It's been a year and a half since my world fell out from under me and I lost my drive to bead. Slowly but surely, I'm working to gain it back...challenges and swaps are helping the process.

I saw a freeform brick design somewhere and thought I would give it a try. My attempt was supposed to reflect the lyrics to the "Sounds of Silence" by Simon and Garfunkel, which was the December theme for the Etsy Beadweavers's challenge. I chose a line from the second verse:

In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone,
'Neath the halo of a street lamp,
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence

....and created my design using various greys with a "stab" of neon pink. Freeform brick really suits my design style, much moreso than peyote, however, like all freeform, it has a mind of its own, thus adding to the unknown time frame for completion. I followed my own rule for freeform, though, which is: never "unbead" anything...in other words, whatever you have already stitched must stay, you have to use it. Keeps you thinking about creative ways to cure something you don't like about your beadwork. This bracelet is going into the next Potomac Fiber Arts Gallery show next week. If it doesn't sell there, I'm listing in my Etsy shop in January.

A Novel Treasury

My Venezia bracelet is part of this treasury based on the novel, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. This collection is so interesting, I'm tempted to go check out the book !

"Adrift" Freeform Bracelet

"Adrift" Freeform Bracelet, originally uploaded by ambrosianbeads.

Again, a tale of procrastination and inertia but with a happy ending ! This bracelet started out as a project for the EBW Spring Swap, but I had a hard time moving ahead using these colors....they just don't motivate me. I used them because my swap partner liked "earth tones." I searched my bead stash for the "earthiest" bead colors I could find, and found only a few. The clock was ticking and the shape kept growing and I couldn't stop it, but knew I didn't have enough time to let it grow into the size it wanted to be. So I set it aside and started the round pendant (see previous blog post).

Fast forward a couple months and the as yet unfinished bracelet...determined to submit a completely new item to the recent gallery show, I took it out and let it reach it's destined size. It was kind of growing on me, but I probably won't attempt using these colors again anytime soon. Finished in time for the gallery jury day, I submitted it and it was accepted, and just a week later it sold to a lady from France ! And I'm happy to report, I've also sold a necklace I finished last December and three pairs of earrings ! I think my "year of inertia" has finally come to a close :-)

EBW Spring Swap-Tale of Procrastination and Regret !

A couple months ago, an idea for a swap of beadwoven creations among members of the Etsy Beadweavers started to be tossed around. 12 members signed on and then the beading began. I received Laura Zeiner's name. I didn't know Laura, but she listed her preferences and said her favorite colors were earth tones...wouldn't you know, most of the bead colors in my stash are bright "jewel" tones like magenta, purple, royal blue...alot of black, gold and silver beads too. I had to search the stash for a few muted colors and thought about trying out a new beadweaving technique. I was curious about the spiral peyote stitch I had recently seen in Bead and Button and thought about creating a bracelet for her. I poured out the beads, got settled and time after time, got lost in the pattern and found myself ripping and restarting. For some reason, I couldn't wrap my brain around the directions, or the pattern just didn't present itself in the beadwork as I went. Oh, well, back to the drawing board.

After having procrastinated long enough on even starting the project, I found myself up against the deadline and feeling guilty. I tried a couple more designs, but they weren't interesting enough or shaping up properly. I had some round agate slices and one of them was in muted brown shades. I started beading around it in peyote stitch, switching bead sizes, but the edges were too wavy...more ripping ensued. Finally, the piece began to shape up, but I needed to finish and get it in the mail. I slipped it on a silver neck cable and packed it up to send, regretting that it was just a mere shadow of the project I had in mind initially. Fortunately, Laura wrote that it was beautiful and she loved it. Whew ! I hope she's not just being nice ! Please visit Laura's blog: Stick Lizard Designs and make sure to follow the link to her Etsy shop.

Today I received the swap item that was made for me by Hadass and was thrilled that she used my favorite color, magenta and that it fit perfectly. She added pearls which I never use, so I'm pleased to have some to wear. Please visit her blog: Spring Colors and make sure to check out her Etsy shop.

Thanks to Christine of Christine's Beadworks for keeping us all in the loop ! Please stop by her blog and see the beautiful mosaic of all the beadwoven creations made for the swap.

Triangle Time

Triangle Twister bracelet

My Triangle Twister bracelet was featured on this blog recently: Pardalote in an article about peyote triangles. Once you try them, they are definitely addicting. Took me forever to find a tutorial, finally located instructions in Carol Cypher's book: Mastering Beadwork.

New Items Listed

Seems forever since I have posted to my blog. I haven't had a spark of creativity for the last six months. I guess, since I left the Artists' Undertaking Gallery last summer, I had less reason to bead as much as I used to. I'm still at the Potomac Fiber Arts Gallery (recently renamed) and we can jury in items each month only up to three times if they don't sell. I took my overstock to a new art/craft shop in Hyattsville, MD last October and sold a couple pieces, but they had to close down in May. So guess what, MORE jewelry just sitting around the house. Now I can wear it all the time, though ! Anyway, haven't felt like making MORE new stuff, just 'cause I can't think of what to do with what I already have. So, little by little, it's going in my Etsy shop, like this bracelet I made last fall: Bracelet Got the Blues and these earrings I made around the same time:Red and White Ball Earrings

Writing Instructions for Designs

I have so many designs that I would love to write instructions for, but I always hit a brick wall when it comes to including good diagrams. Since I'm a cheapskate, I'm not about to spend $300 on some drawing program which takes a college course to learn how to use. So I've been battling with the programs pre-installed on my computer plus limited trial use and freebie programs. I can't seem to find a program (that I can figure out) that allows you to move the circles or ovals (bead shapes) around and put them where you want them. They always seem to jump to some pre-determined location. Plus I would love to make them look 3-D, etc.

I have had a bit of luck, though, after reading some messages on the BeadTool Lovers Yahoo group list where I discovered the free program, Inkscape, along with a link to this fantastic tutorial which is soooooper dumbed down, just what I need ! I worked my way through the detailed instructions, was able to create some 3-D bead shapes, numbered them and was trying to do the final step which is drawing a thread path, and for some reason, the lines keep disappearing ! And I was so close to getting it. I'm determined and will try again because people are asking me for certain patterns and all I have been able to do is take photos of each step. It's a very time-consuming effort and often I'm not satisfied with the detail of some shots. Once the item is made, I'm not going to make another exact copy just to work up to that point for a re-do of a photo :P

A customer was requesting the pattern for my Chevron Chain and Peyote Bracelet and the other day I got lucky and remembered that the pattern had been available on the Bead Bugle website. I had sold the design to Bead Bugle about five years ago (for a little more than the price of a finished bracelet :P) and decided to check for it. Lo and behold, it's still there. I don't know how many millions (lol) they have made off of it, but at least I was able to give my customer the opportunity to get it immediately. Back to working with Inkscape now !

Keeping Busy

My other obsession is vintage clothing, textiles and sewing (see my other blog: Fiberlines ), and I just finished up a dozen recycled apron totebags for the Ballston Arts and Crafts Market two weekends ago.

So in other words, I need to catch up on beadweaving, and I have the next gallery jury day at Potomac Craftsmen Gallery on Monday. As usual, it coincides with a weekend filled with rehearsals for an early music concert (I play baroque violin and viola for a living LOL), which will take up all my time for beading (darn mortgage payment and food !!!) so here's a new item that I managed to whip up while gallery sitting the other day. It's very simple, but hey, it's stock.

My First Etsy Front Page !

6-18-08 ALL EBW FRONT PAGE, originally uploaded by Sand Fibers.

Thanks to EtsyBeadweaver extraordinaire, Carol Dean Sharpe, aka SandFibers , who created this wonderful treasury and included my "Limelight Bracelet" along with a few other gloriously green beadwoven treasures. Please visit her Etsy shop where you'll find her beautiful bracelets and pendants.

I found myself in three more treasuries at the same time (what a surprise!) so I want to thank annabeads , enchantedbeads , and Grandma Marilyn .

Green Glass Herringbone Bracelet

Green Glass Herringbone Bracelet, originally uploaded by ambrosianbeads.

This bracelet started out as an earring, spent several hours as a ring, then finally morphed into a bracelet.

Beadweaving Classes

I'll be teaching three classes at Beads on Parade in Fredericksburg, VA in February. It's a wonderful little shop just north of Fredericksburg on Route 17 between I-95 and Route 1. They have a good selection of gemstone, glass and seed beads and findings in a cute bungalow. They offer a wide range of classes in beadwork and wirework. I'll be teaching two earring classes; my three designs using Czech beads and three designs using Delicas, also my Chevron Chain and Peyote bracelet pattern.

"Metropolis" Bracelet

"Metropolis" Bracelet, originally uploaded by ambrosianbeads.

Another recently finished bracelet. I used herringbone stitch again with Delicas. I call it "Metropolis" because the design reminds me of art deco patterns.

"Limelight" Herringbone Cuff Bracelet

Lime Green Herringbone Cuff, originally uploaded by ambrosianbeads.

Here is the next cuff-style bracelet. I've created recently.I have collected quite a few different kinds of beads in the same lime green color and this herringbone design came to mind.

"Riverbed" Herringbone Bracelet

Green Herringbone Bracelet, originally uploaded by ambrosianbeads.

My latest experiment was a success, in my opinion. I tried herringbone stitch with "inclusions" as shown in the "Mastering Beadwork" book by Carol Huber Cypher (my Christmas present to myself) and named the bracelet "Riverbed" because it reminds me of a flowing stream over rocks.

The RED Challenge

The Etsy Beadweavers are seeing "red" with their latest beadweaving challenge and voting begins Monday, January 7th. This month's challenge focuses on the use of the color red in any and all forms of beadweaving. There are beautiful and striking articles of jewelry as well as sculptural and useful pieces. A warning though, you are going to have a very difficult time choosing a favorite !

Triangle Twister Bracelet

Triangle Twister Bracelet, originally uploaded by ambrosianbeads.

Here's a new bracelet that I just finished. I had an idea in my head once I learned how to make these triangles ("Mastering Beadwork" by Carol Huber Cypher). There are other projects I'm "supposed" to be working on, but this one wouldn't let me stop.

We have a winner !

Congratulations to Swanee and her winning entry in the Etsy Beadweavers monthly challenge. Stay tuned for the next challenge in January.