KR Designs 11 - Beadwoven Jewelry Blog

This blog is for my comments about making beadwoven jewelry, my inspirations, frustrations, and love of color.

The banner is Lilacs in Springtime, a free form peyote bracelet.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Bracelets in my Porcelain Jasper Collection


This bracelet features the colors around the stone in the herringbone necklace. It is one of my favorite styles to make, always using different materials to make them unique.

The bracelet below is a new design for me which came about because I did not have enough of one of the beads to finish my design as planned. When I learned I couldn't get more of the bead, I purchased some 6mm porcelain jasper rondelles from my local bead store and sat with the bracelet until I created a closure as well as added more than an inch to the width of the bracelet. I plan to create bracelets similar to the alternating row part using a Czech glass button closure for some of my lower price point items offered for sale at my Art Fairs. Wish that it fit me, but it's for a 6.5 inch wrist.


This woven bracelet was inspired by the pueblo sands pink color in the porcelain jasper collection. I have created a few peyote stitch bracelets using delicas and seed beads of various sizes (gives the scrunched look) and wove up perpendicular to the base of the bracelet for the center. This one has some old Czech glass tiny bugle beads with seed beads for the unique decorations and a 20mm round rose quartz button with an opening in the weave for the buttonhole.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

New Item for 2013 Jury Process

Porcelain Jasper Woven Herringbone Necklace
 
 
I have been working on items for my 2013 Art Fair applications. New work is expected, so I decided I had enough cabochons and materials in the colors of porcelain jasper to create a series of items showing different skills and in different price points. I also knew I wanted to create using bead embroidery (stitching into fabric) with some bead weaving (directly sewing the beads together) and also to limit my use of Swarovski crystals in an effort to create more everyday items versus special occasion accessories.
 
I am sharing a preliminary photo of one of my higher price point creations. This necklace is created from a herringbone stitch in two types of beads both called size 11, but the delica beads (pueblo sands or pinky color) are tinier and columnar shaped and the seed beads (transparent charcoal gray) are  slightly larger and a donut shape. The two beads give texture to the work. The spiral is created by stitching down one bead and up three beads before adding two more (one of each) beads. This is a very time consuming process which some find tedious. I prefer to say it is a labor of love.
 
I made the connection (a lobster clasp and wired ring closure) in the front with a large beaded bead which slides on the necklace and over the closure. It is hidden behind the cabochon. This leaves a nice appearance from the back view for times when wearing an updo hairstyle. The necklace is beadwoven and is 20 inches long. This style would also be attractive created with a shorter, choker length to be worn higher on the neck. The cabochon can be removed and the necklace worn with the clasp in the back for a simpler look.
 
I attached the bead embroidered cabochon to the beadwoven beaded bead. I created my signature lacy edging around the bezelled cabochon which is backed with soft ultrasuede. Ultrasuede does not ravel, so it is used to create a neatly finished product.
 
 
 
The stone cabochon is glued to a piece of fabric so that rows of beads can be sewn around the stone and capture the stone between the beads and the backing fabric, called bezelling. Beads used to create the bezel include semi precious stone hematite round beads, size 8 transparent rosaline pink seed beads and size 15 hematite colored seed beads. Finishing the outer edge and securing the ultrasuede to the bezelled cabochon are 3mm jet black Czech fire polished glass beads. The embellishment beads include size 15 hematite colored seed beads, 3mm cyclamen opal Swarovski bicone crystal beads, pueblo sands delica beads, and size 15 transparent rosaline pink  seed beads. I like to use the same bead in different sizes to connect the composition. The colors chosen are inspired by the colors I see in the stone.
 
This is my first post with the new version of Blogger. I am hoping to become more comfortable with the changes as I plan to share my other creations.