Fun with Maze Lace

Sabine at http://trytobead.com/ has this lovely pattern, which is free on her site.

http://www.trytobead.com/index.php?id=122

She offers many versions of how to lay out your colors to get different effects.

I like mine, created with older stain glass windows in mind- the type of windows where the colors have softened over time.

What look could you create with this pattern?

Do check out her other patterns....they are all well-written and easy to follow, with drawings, photos and wordage.

Sabine's 'Verticals'

I wanted a thinner look, so made it only two rows and left off the outside picots, as well as exchanging the outside 3mm pearls for 3.4 mm Miyuki drops or fringe beads. Don't do well with using jumprings and lobster clasp, so used 12mm Swar Volcano buttons- they fit neatly inside the last squares and so far, seem easy to put on and off, without any danger of coming apart.

More of this and that

This is what happens when you get beads that just scream to be used in herringbone, but you want to embellish afterward! Swar 4mm gold glass pearls, purple velvet Swar bicones, Czech reproduction button. Gifted to Bebee G of NC/FL!

Playing around with teaching myself RAW 3D, using el cheapo Chinese bicones, came up with this lovely cross, which will be part of a Christmas gift to a close friend. See, you CAN make something nice with those bicones- $1 for a 16 inch strand!

Riza C, a fairly new beader (since April 2010!!!) did the top two using the Alhambra pattern by Sabine Lippert. I like how she used the semi-precious Chinese Turquoise, Turquoise R/S, Indian Jasper and Autumn Jasper in hers.

The top of the three is Jan Wasser's Diamondback pattern, done with Indian Red and Indian Pink Swar bicones, the other two are Alhambra variations, original pattern by Sabine Lippert. I wish the 3.4mm fringe drops on the black and silver (Miyuki) didn't lose their silver coating, or that I had used the FP version, but I still like it. The charlottes are Tierra Cast, and they are holding up beautifully, though now that we are using our gas logs for heat, have to keep all the silver that I cannot put into the tumbler to clean in ziploc bags, because they tarnish from the sulphur in the propane. The stones in the black and silver are black tourmaline (the 8mm), smoky quartz R (6mm faceted) and black agate D (4mm). The lighter bracelet uses the glass pearls from FMG- not Swars, but they are holding up nicely. Both of these use the C clasps from Claspgarten, and I highly recommend them as easy to put on, yet do not come apart during wear.

Happy Moon, indeed! Face by Solly Creations, Kato clay with alcohol ink, embellished herringbone base. Gifted to Riza C of Bryson City!

What have YOU been up to?