Wrappiness --- Round Two

The nieces and I have been wrapping again.

When we gathered for the Fourth of July, we were down five nieces...so I caught up with four of them the next weekend to make patriotic wrap bracelets, round two.

They had the benefit of seeing the ones made by the first group...and they took to the technique like fish to water.

Poring over the choices for buttons and beads...

Measuring their wrists and deciding on the total number of wraps...

Learning to ladder beads between two pieces of leather cording...

And getting a little help when needed...

It's always fun to see how one basic technique can lead to such wonderfully unique results...

Katie charted and beaded this "USA" inspired section...

And a couple of the girls wrapped a few rhinestone cup chain sections in their bracelets...

The results were star-studded spectacular.  

 

And though we're a little late for Fourth of July, we're just in time for the Star Spangled Spectacular to be held in Baltimore in September, commemorating the 200th birthday of our national anthem.  

Now that the girls all know the technique, they've begun to branch out on their own and make lots of other versions...like this stunning example designed by Ellie...

I just love it and so does she.

I highly recommend this project for a crafty gathering; it takes about a full day.

And it's more fun if everyone can just relax and get wrapped up in the flow of the making.

[Note:  If you're interested in making wrap bracelets too, I highly recommend the projects, videos and supplies provided at Beadshop.com , click on subheading Cool Projects.]

Jim, Jack and I just got home from Jack's college orientation at Northeastern University in Boston, more on that next post. 

Miss you all but will have more time in another month or so when I'll be back online more regularly.  Until then, I'll bop in when I get a minute.  

Happy, wrappy day.

Beading with Diane Fitzgerald

Diane Fitzgerald is to the beading world as white is to rice.

As a bead collector, jewelry designer and author, her work has provided me with loads of inspiration and enjoyment.

Because Diane is also very good at writing instructions, I have spent many hours over many years making her designs before getting the chance to meet her on Monday.

Together with my Embroiderers' Guild, we gathered to learn how to make these cornerless cubes in Diane's new design...the Moorish Tile necklace...



Believe it or not, they are all the same bead made from the exact same pattern made to look different by changing the colors. Take another look.  Brilliant, right?

Each bead is made from 6 squares and 8 triangles...



And when you put them all together, they form this nifty cube.  I started another colorway just so I could see what would happen with the pattern...

The finished cube ends up being around an inch.  I don't plan on continuing to make them this size but have ordered some size 15 delicas to see what happens when I make them tinier.

Diane's books are some of my favorites on my bookshelf.  As a collagist, I am always on the  lookout for methods of engineering textiles and beads in my work.  Diane is a master at sculpting and working with beads to make all methods of different shapes...stars, cubes, netting, charms, and flowers...

When I mentioned my Scotland trip, she reminded of the beaded thistle that was included in her book of flowers.

OH the flowers!



By far, the book I use most is The Beaded Garden: Creating Flowers with Beads and Thread.  If it's not on your bookshelf, it should be...

Or if you can't afford to do that, hunt it down through your local library.  There are oodles of beaded flowers and leaves that you can use in your needlework projects.  My crazy quilt group and I have made many, many flowers from this book and have had a ball doing it.

Here's a bitty rose I made for Radiance, a bead journal project...



And here are some bellflowers I made during Summer Charm School in 2009...

Diane has a new book coming out in November titled Shaped Beadwork & Beyond: Dimensional Jewelry in Peyote Stitch which includes the pattern for the Moorish tile bead and lots more.  She had an advance copy for us to preview and the book is a total winner.  There are patterns for starfish, stars and temari ball-inspired beaded beads to name just a few.

If you can't wait that long, you can visit Diane's website to purchase a few of the patterns before the book comes out.  Take a moment to check out her articles that have appeared in publication.  She has uploaded them all in .pdf format so you can download them for free.  There's a wealth of information there and it doesn't cost a dime.

Happy bead dreaming everyone.  See you next time.

Off the Loom!

My class with Erin Simonetti is over but the lessons she taught me will be with me for a long time.

Not only that, I have this great bracelet she designed as consolation until I can take another class from her.

We gathered again at Bead Soup in Savage Mill, MD for Part II of our class.  

A great bead store which I've only recently discovered.

This is Eunice my seat neighbor.  That bracelet she's wearing on her wrist was a past class that Erin taught at Bead Soup...

Eunice beaded the other bracelet choice that Erin offered, Autumn Leaves...

And this is Lisa...

She taught me the brick stitch so I could make this little mouse.  Thanks to her for my new friend...

She had such pretty nails that I had to use her hands for a close-up action shot...

And here is Nancy cutting her bracelet off the loom...yikes...

Nancy is an old pro so I was grateful to see her do this step because I was dreading it.

Thanks to Erin's method, it was not bad at all and I was able to finish my bracelet yesterday and add its clasp...

And, as if all that fun and goodness wasn't enough, Erin made us each a pair of earrings to go with our bracelet! What??  How cool is that?

 I got a set of lampwork pumpkins...others got leaves or candy corn...

When can I take another class from her??

 You can find Erin and her work at her website here or her blog here or follow her on Facebook here.

Happy Monday everyone.

 Believe it or not, I'm beading again today. When it rains, it pours...but I love rain.

Looming Pumpkins

My embroidery practice has been all over the map recently.

I'm working on my Scotland book, knitting, making threads for Japanese embroidery, AND I'm working on Mrs. Rose.

Sounds like I shouldn't add one more thing to my plate, right?  

New item on Susan's plate

Well...opportunities to learn from those we admire don't always come along at convenient times.

This past weekend I finally had the chance to learn from Erin Simonetti, a woman whose work I've admired and and followed for many years...

Love her!

Often, loomwork can look a bit flat...but Erin has a gift for creating three-dimensional beaded sculptures...all on a loom.  

Like this piece called Multiplicity that was a Finalist in the Bead Dreams Competition in 2006... 

Multiplicity by Erin Simonetti all rights reserved

She's been a Finalist in that competition at least 3 times that I am aware and has been published more times than I can count.  Take a look at her website (click on all the links in the left sidebar) and her blog...they are both full of beautiful designs, inspiration and tips. 

Much to my delight, she began teaching this year at Bead Soup in Savage Mill, MD which is where I was this past weekend learning to make this fall-themed bracelet...

Bracelet and design made and copyrighted by Erin Simonetti

We have a lot of homework this week.

I've finished looming the bracelet base and now I have to add the tendrils and the two lines of crystals on either side. 

We'll be making the little mouse peaking over the top of the cuff and learning how to remove the piece from the loom and attach the clasp this coming Saturday so stay tuned.

It's Pumpkin Season in Maryland!

P.S.  Those asking about the bracelet on my wrist in last week's post...it's this bracelet designed by Laura McCabe...

A Tisket, A Tasket

How about a beaded basket?

Or two...

Again from the fabulous needlework collection at the Burrell Museum in Glasgow.

Beadwork was a popular form of needlework at the end of 17th century.  Most of the glass beads were made in Venice at the time.

The most complex examples were beaded baskets using three-dimensional flowers, fruits and figures...

Beadwork was also stitched on a silk satin ground to make items such as box covers and mirror surrounds.  The tag at the museum didn't say but the clasp below leads me to believe that this piece may  have been a box top...?   Or is there a mirror underneath that cover? Maybe one of you knows...

I love the king's pantaloons peaking out from under his "skirt"...

And note that the hands are carved from wood and they look the same between king and queen. They are similar to wooden hand beads I've seen from the bead store.

If you are inspired to try you own hand at beaded basketry, perhaps you'd be interested in the Beaded Basket Design Competition being hosted by Thistle Threads to benefit the Holburne Museum in Bath, England?  For more information, click here.

Note:  Many of you asked yesterday what type of camera I was using to take these pictures.  It was a Sony RX 100 II.  Here's a link to a great review.

Have a great day!

Antique Love Bird

In the Historic Savage Mill Antique Mall, there's a wonderful little shop called Treasure Trove Antiques, owned by Marie Neumann who specializes in vintage linens and laces.

Over the years, we've developed a friendship.  One day I asked if she had any fragments or remnants of lace or beading since she tends only to put items in her shop that are in top condition.

She said she had a beaded "remnant" she would share with me next time.  Would I come back?

Two weeks later, she uncovered this Victorian beaded pillow cover and my breath left my body.

This was the bitty remnant??

Embroidered and beaded onto chocolate silk velvet, the piece is in amazing condition for its age.

And the pattern is lovely.

There are a number of threads that need to be re-secured and reinforced...



But all in all, it is exquisite.

When I showed it to my crazy quilt friends, they noticed how the white beads gave the antique silver some "pop" and reminded them of native American beadwork...

And I noticed that the vines are mostly beaded feather stitch which is so easy to do...

I plan to tack it carefully to another backing and frame it to protect it from further deterioration.



So happy to get to photograph it and share it with you today.

Happy Monday everyone.

Bird love is definitely in the air.