Beadwork Magazine: Feb/Mar 2008

Beadwork Magazine's Feb/Mar 2008 issue has a preview project from my new book, Bead Romantique, (Interweave April 2008). In this issue, you'll get a chance to preview my Deco Collar project (pages 52 to55). This design utilizes an odd count tubular peyote/netting stitch using 15/o and Toho triangle beads. The stitch is similar to but NOT the same start as what some beaders know as the Russian Spiral. Those who are familiar with the Russian Spiral will notice that the start of my tube is slightly different because I had to compensate for the 15/o and triangle bead size differences. I actually didn't even know the existence of the "Russian Spiral" when I was prototyping this necklace. I was just playing around with odd count tubular peyote after referencing Carol Wilcox Well's Creative Bead Weaving book, which noted that the effect would spiral naturally with no need for a step-up. The first 15/o bead after the initial start is treated as the high bead in the peyote round. The stitch can also be perceived by some as an askew "spiral netting" but the technique and beading motion is more like peyote with multiple beads to me. The Russian Spiral is similar but starts out initially through the first 15/o bead whereas my tube starts through the SECOND 15/o bead. By doing so, helps align the triangle beads much better, I think. All this goes to show you that there are always more than one way to achieve a similar look. The things you learn! You can even use the African Helix or Dutch Spiral to get a similar effect. Or why not substitute your favorite tube technique for the collar portion. If you experiment, keep in mind the tube diameter, as it has to fit snuggly into the cubic zircon beadcaps. (click the photos below for a larger view)

Deco Collar with Ametrine Drops

Speaking of the cubic zircon findings, the beadcaps (CA25) and the clasp (CL36) are from my friends at Ezel Jewels. Also, if you have a hard time finding charlottes in your area, you can substitute a Japanese size 15/o bead instead. You can see that I couldn't stop at one necklace, as usual, and made a second version with rhodium over sterling versions of the findings utilizing aquamarines. Both versions I think are equally beautiful. How decadent and beautiful would this necklace be for a formal event? I can even see something like this for a wedding, in different shades of white or cream. Hmmm... something to think about. (click the photos below for a larger view)

If you are having problems finding Toho triangles in your area, you can buy them from my friend Beki Haley at Whimbeads. Beki has a nice selection of many different size and shaped seed beads as well as crystals too!

(Update 03/06/08) These are the colors Beki gave me from her catalog that match well to my sample:

TT11-460F Antique Bronze

TT11-F460A Raspberry Bronze Matte

TT11-F460S Fuchsia \Lime\Gold Iris Matte

Deco Collar with Aquamarine Drops

The earring project, Marguerite Chandelier Earrings, (pages 68 to 69) in this issue also uses Ezel Jewels' floral earring posts (ER4) and is a good match to a cuff bracelet from the book. You'll have to get the book for the seamless cuff, but I promise you'll love it, as it is one of my favorite projects. Again I couldn't stop at only one pair of earrings and have three other color-ways to share with you. (click the photos below for a larger view)

Marguerite Chandelier Earrings

I hope you enjoy these projects. Have fun beading!

Bead Romantique Preview

Thanks to Interweave Press, you can now preview ten of the seventeen projects in my new book. Get a first peak to see what is in store for you.

I wanted to make a note that this book was written with the concept that you already know what a seed bead is and the general tools necessary for beadweaving. We did not spend a lot of pages showing you pretty photos of seed beads and tools as most beading books already cover this area. We felt we would have wasted a lot of pages that would otherwise been better served in detailing the projects instead. The book is all about progressing your beadweaving from advanced beginner forward, challenging you every step of the way.

By no means is this an all inclusive encyclopedia of beading techniques. There are many ways to achieve similar looks also, using different beading methods. There are reasons why I selected a respective stitch to achieve my design. I challenged myself to breakdown the steps so that they would be understandable even to a beginning beader. The book is how I bead not the only way to bead. All in all, I hope you enjoy the projects and the romantic theme.

There are a number of quick projects but don't expect to finish an elaborate project within a day or even a weekend. Beadweaving is about the process and the techniques. Heirloom pieces do not result from rushing to the finish line. Quality work takes time and attention to even small details. The end result will make you a proud "parent" of a job well done as you garner much deserved accolades and compliments.

I actually had proposed thirty projects for the book but due to space availability (144 pages) we could only fit seventeen. The Deco Collar, shown on the second page of the preview, is the book teaser project featured in the upcoming Feb/Mar 2008 Beadwork Magazine issue. I'll write more about the Deco Collar in a future post.