Month - October Update

Well, it didn't happen yesterday: I got sidetracked by my inbox. I am finally down to the 40's in email. At this rate I am hoping to be done all of them by end of week.

Do you like it? It's the October addition to my artisan jewellery line.

Step 1 ~ A ladder stitch circle: on one end of a bugle add a seed bead and none at the other end. At that end bugle beads touch one another.

Step 2 ~ Add the middle line of seed beads using the brick stitch.

Step 3 ~ At each seed bead on the outer ring, add bugle, 1 seed, a bugle.

Step 4 ~ Connect each bugle triangle at the centre seed bead with seed bead, bugle, seed bead. This is the step that gives the spiral a three dimensional look. It looks like a ballerina's tutu, doesn't it.

Step 4 ~ Add a pin finding on the back. I'm not showing the backside of this pin because I don't like the way the pin looks. With all the prettiness on the front, it's a pity the pin backing looks so poorly. I will be changing the pin back.

Here is the pair of earrings I made to go with the brooch. It is a simple design: just 12 bugle beads joined using the ladder stitch with seed beads up one side using the brick stitch and a few beads at the top of each to join to the lever back earring findings.

I lean towards the clean lines of a pleat as opposed to the softer line of a flounce or ruffle. The brooch for October has a ruffle, that tutu effect, so I wanted the earrings to be less fancy. I have a fat face; vestiges of the 8 years I needed prednisone, and the last thing my chubby jaw needs is a ruffle nearby. I know you understand.

There. The pictures are a day late but they're here now. My October submission.

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October Submission

Well, my escape wasn't entirely successful. I have made some more artisan jewellery. I used seed beads, and bugle beads and a bunch of techniques and what I created is another addition to my line of glass bead artisan jewellery.

So I have spent some days in bed and other days gallavanting with my sister who took her birthday week off of work. Now I am trying to catch up and regulate my activities.

So!! I wish I could show you what I did for October. You will have to wait until tomorrow for the picture. My camera battery discharges too quickly and it is on the recharge thingy today. I'm sorry about that: I'm hoping a magic elf will give me a new, back up battery for Christmas. It's just that they are so darn expensive.

But I really did something: a brooch. It's a combination of techniques all jumbled together. I am thinking about making a kit from it.

It measures 1 1/2in (3cm) across and the techniques used are ladder stitch variation, brick stitch (just 1 row and it goes around in circles, too), and spiral variation. The colours are muted bronze, yellow gilt and silver gilt. The spiral variation makes it look like a wee ballerina's tutu.

It's round, like a wreath. And if it were done in Christmas reds and greens, golds and silvers, it would look very festive. A perfect giftie for Auntie Lee.

There are only 2 problems: while it doesn't look flimsy, it feels like it in the hand ~ its 'hand' is very fluid; and I don't like the pin finding.

I want to try adding a 2nd row of the ladder stitch variation to stiffen it a bit. And, if I add it to the backside, it might be just be the trick that hides the ugly pin finding. I'll add a pic of the backside, too, so you can see what I mean. Tomorrow.

I guess I have to blame a chum of mine, Jenny. She made a ladder stitch garden bracelet and gave the instructions without a picture: probably the same problem with her camera as with mine today. I made the 'garden on a ladder' just following her steps and it looked entirely different when finished than hers. I went back to the instructions and could follow it now that I had a picture in my mind. So my bracelet is entirely my own work.

But, doing the ladder stitch and playing with it and trying different add-ons giave me my October brooch. It's the combination of techniques that makes it my design. And it did allow me to play a bit. Thank you Jenny.

I want to make some more of these pins as gifts for my family. Each pin need not be expensive: the design would be great for using up some of the bead soup we all manage to collect.

I am reminded of Wimpy, Popeye's friend, who often said "I'd gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today." So, you'll see my wonderful pin pictures tomorrow.

Oh, I almost forgot, I made earrings to go with it. Something I set myself to do to go with whatever I make for each month.

Yours in Bead Heaven ~Helene ~Glass 0 Beads

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