Russian Super Triangle pattern

http://lilija.aylabs.com/index.php?lang=english_gb

Just follow the diagram...and Tetyana has lots of nice eye-candy and tutorials on this site.

I wanted mine to look more 'collected', so gathered the two bottom points together. I also added a faceted drop to the center, beaded a small bail, hung it from a macrame necklace, and added two more drops to the macrame cords it is tied onto.

This is easy IF the size 8s you choose aren't too tubular. I had a hard time with it until I changed to the softer-edged ones you see in the photo.

Happy Beading!

All Done!!

I realize beetles are not to everyone's taste, but I happen to like them; big, small, colorful or plain, beetles are always interesting to me.

This one began as a beetle-in-resin pendant, from the NC Childrens' Museum in Durham, NC. It came on a faux leather cord, and most folks ignored it when I wore it.

Try and ignore it now- he he he....

Happy Beading, Everyone!

'Vintage' findings??

Who cares if they are true vintage or not? They look great, and were certainly priced right at $3 each- now I have to figure out how to get the magnets glued on the back off. It isn't hot glue, probably something like E6000. The woman said they were parts of old belts- I think they will make lovely cabs for pendants or cuffs.

Click on any photo to make it full size.

All done- what do you think?

The chunkiness of this stone with double triangle bail begged for something with more texture in the rope, so did a Turkish loop crochet, with 4mm flat jasper circles, 4mm dyed onyx rounds, 11° in two colors and some awesome glass beads that were the last packet left at my LBS. I wanted the glass beads to be on either side of the bail, so put the beaded toggle and loop on the side, where everyone says it is perfect! Glad it worked out that way.

What do YOU think?

Now, if only Take Me To Your Leader would get in step and tell me what to do next- sigh.

Pearly Heart Double-Sided Bliss

Bead and Button offered an online pattern by Susan Eisemann, called Two Hearts Forever. It is fast enough to work up, if you have the materials ( calls for 4mm glass pearls, 4mm bicones- but you can do it in two colors of pearls, 11o seed beads) and if you are fairly proficient in RAW, that you can make it up for Mother's Day!

I absolutely did not want to make two RAW bases, as the pattern called for, because the one a friend made, that I was able to fondle, felt bulky and sort of pooched out in the middle. So, I wanted to see if I could make one base, then embellish both sides.

YES! It can be done. I used Miyuki 11o beads, and culled as I went, to be sure that the holes were not small, as they were going to have to take multiple thread passes. I should have used 4# Fireline, but only had the 6# with me. It worked out fine, doncha think?
Instead of the beaded bail, I am going to attach sterling jumprings or the like to the top, so that a sterling chain can go through it.

Happy Beading! And Happy Mother's Day!

Curly Curls

curl

What do you get when you peyote long strips, and have the rows of beads graduated in size, from smallest to largest? Why, a curl, of course!

The more size differentiation, the better the curl.

The longer the original strip, the longer the curl.

Why I made these is a story, or a couple of stories, unto themselves.

The Pigtail, so named because, well, it looks like one, was an attempt to do the Peeking Pearls pattern using different sizes of beads, rather than separating a box of 11o Dynamite beads. Lesson learned; the outside diameter not changing is what makes it into a necklace or bracelet, rather than a pig's tail. Changing that diameter brings on a curl that makes it unfit to wear as such, but could be a cool focal. Still working on that one.

The fatter curl was an attempt to recreate a curl I saw once in a photo, and that was from an advertisment for that class. It looked double sided, sort of, so I started with the largest seed beads, did a couple of rows, then went back to the outside and added the 6mm and 8mm rounds. Then it was back to the inside, and adding more and more rows of smaller and smaller beads, finally ending with 15o charlottes. I then used that base row of charlottes to begin adding my other side, building off it in the opposite direction; toward the larger beads. I tried to match up sizes, but change colors, and sometimes styles. When I got to the 6mm rounds, I took the last row on the 2nd side through that row, attaching the two side together at that portion.

Remember you can click on any pic to make it full size.

While this may not be exactly what that class and teacher had in mind, I like it alot, and are going to add a beaded bail to the 'top' and perhaps hang a nice Swar at the base, then put it all on a rope, or maybe even a chain.

What kind of curl can YOU come up with??

Chocolate Cookoff Coming!

And I enjoyed making this set of a puffy heart, using

Swarovski 4mm bicones and 11o seed beads, with

Hani-Ami technique Earrings that used 3mm Swar

bicones and 14o charlottes. Both are on Sterling Silver.

They are to be the People's Choice Award at the cook-off,

which is this 20th of February in Bryson City, and

benefits the Marianna Black Friends of the Library.

The MBFOL is moving into a real store, and is excited

about being able to truly support the library for a change!

They have been in a 8 X 10 storage unit for the past few

years, not conducive to shopping for used books.

I am most happy to be able to contribute to this worthy cause!

Click on any pic to make it full size.