Beading and Beadwork with Crafty Grandma

You had better watch out before you start reading this lens....Beading can be addictive. Don't believe it? I am a true example of it. I don't know why I did not become addicted back in the 80's when I first started beading, but I sure did starting in 2005. It is a wonderful addiction though. I can create beautiful jewelry to give away or sell as I wish.

There are so many styles of beadwork that you need to narrow down which one you want to start with. I started with pretty wire and crystal ornaments and stringing beads. I moved up to working exclusively with crystals and seed beads and doing Right Angle Weave. I found peyote stitch after that. I still love both but design in peyote. I love to make pretty crystal bracelets because they look so dainty and feminine. I love to make sets also. If I have a bracelet, for some reason, I feel the need to make earrings.

Too many beads? NEVER! I told you beading is addictive and it is one we don't want to be cured of.

Filet Rose in Black and White - Loom Bracelet Pattern Made into hatband

I opened an email from one of my pattern customers who purchased my Filet Rose in Black and White - Loom Bracelet Pattern. Instead of making a bracelet from this loom pattern, she extended it and made a beautiful hatband.

This was my first Filet pattern that I created. Since then, I have created the Filet Rose in Color - Loom. I love it both ways but have to admit that my favorite is the one in color.

Such An Exciting Beading Technique

I was so excited when I found a lense called Beading Tutorials: Spiral Rope. Mortira has tutorials for spiral ropes that I have never seen before. I have done a few but they were the basic style spiral. I did learn how to create a spiral necklace with crystals included when I was visiting San Antonio, TX. I had always been afraid to try the different types of spiral ropes as I doubted my abilities. But, with the help of my instructor, Sue Charette-Hood, I was able to learn it and almost finished the necklace in her class. If you are ever in San Antonio, TX and want to take some classes from her, you can see which classes she is teaching at Originals Texas classes. I have bookmarked this lense so I can try some of the different styles I have never done before.

This lense is great for a beader wanting to learn the different variations of spiral ropes. They are so beautiful when they are completed. The triple spiral bracelet shown here is one that I created for a swap. I did it this way because I wanted something different for her so I did the spiral for a portion and added a cube bead and more spiral and a cube bead until I got the length I wanted. I think it came out pretty cute. I might have to make another one with some of the other variations available to me now.

Here are some You Tube videos to help you with your beading.

Another option for a bracelet pattern

At the end of January, I saw a picture of a dog in a beaded collar. The collar looked gorgeous. It was from a pattern created by Debbie Van Tonder Debbie received a request from a customer asking her if she could reduce the width of the loom bracelet and make the pattern so that it could be repeated a couple to times to fit around her dog's neck. Once Anne Medley finished her dog collars, she sent Debbie pictures of the collar on her dogs. She says her dogs are the best dressed dogs in town. The picture here is of Lulu wearing her collar.

At my request, Anne sent me the directions on how she attached the beadwork to a nylon dog collar. Anne said she glues it onto the collar to keep it from moving. Once dry, she works around the top and bottom of the beadwork by going through every 3rd bead and through the collar to give the beaded portion of the dog collar more stability.

If you should want to do this, just send a message to the designer of the bracelet pattern to be used and I am sure that if he/she has the time, the designer will be happy to do this for you.

Are you already a beader or a want-to-be beader? I would love to know what type of beading you do and if you have any lenses on the subject if you already bead. If you are a want-to-be beader, I would love to see what you might be interested in seeing.

Are You Having Trouble Learning This Stitch

A lot of beaders have a hard time learning the peyote stitch. Once learned, it usually becomes a favorite for most beaders as it goes so fast, especially 2 or 3 drop peyote. I have written an article here at Squidoo on Peyote Helpful Hints that will hopefully help you to learn how to do the peyote stitch and love it. If you have any problems, just let me know and I will help you the best that I can.

For those of you who are experienced with the peyote stitch, I would appreciate you looking over my lens and adding comments about what you thought of the lens and what I may have missed in my lens.