Jewelry...

Or really, the closest thing I get to it with my beading.


I'm slowly learning some off loom stitches, okay well - just a couple so far. I have even count peyote stitch down pretty well - still have to work on my tension a bit, but I'm comfortable with the few things I've beaded up since learning it. My first attempt is a 'Tapestry bracelet' a square stitch project found in "Creative Bead Weaving" by Carol Wilcox Wells. I love working with Delica's, they have a spectacular sparkle that I don't find in regular Czech and Japanese seed beads.

For my next journey into the world of bead weaving I was taken with the 'Snake Trail bracelet' found in "Peyote Stitch Beading Project". I made several of those using Czech seed beads with vintage glass buttons as closures with a few pictured here. In that same book was another pattern that caught my eye... 'Two- & three-drop peyote bracelet. I made two of those pictured here. They are far from perfect, but they were a good learning experience and I wear them frequently.

In a late 2006 issue of Bead and Button was a pattern for a couple of cute Christmas bracelets. I made several of those, kept a couple and gave a few away. I managed to snap some photos of few that I kept.


I'm not fond of wearing much jewelry - never big necklaces, but I found one that I wanted to make, it's a stitch I had not tried and the design appealed to me. I purchased the supplies and started in on it. It's also from "Peyote Stitch Beading Project" and is called 'Shaped necklace'. It is even count tubular peyote over 6AWG coated electrical wire. This was the first time I made a trip to the hardware store for beading supplies. It turned out well enough I think, but I don't wear it, probably never will - I'm just not comfortable wearing much in the way of jewelry, let along big jewelry.


In the early stages of my beading I found a Mill Hill kit for a pin/brooch - that was a fun little project, especially as an introduction to peyote stitch and was easy to assemble.


Last year I purchased some porcelain cabs and managed to get one of them beaded and turned into a pin for a Christmas present for a friend. I hope to get a few more of those beaded up this year - they are fun and are pretty quick to complete (compared to a doll).

Last but not least is my last 'Tapestry bracelet'. This was made for a special friend in Northern California (are you listening Teri?) since she liked the first one so much.