Right-angle weave has always been a favorite beadweaving
stitch of mine, ever since I made my first project with it back when I was
taking beadweaving lessons at a local bead shop. As soon as I was shown the
thread path for right-angle weave, something in my brain clicked: it was at
once mathematical and artistic, and I started using it for all sorts of beading
projects.
I don't remember when I discovered Marcia DeCoster's work,
but it was probably somewhere in the pages of Beadwork magazine. I started following her blog, and was captivated
by what she did with right-angle weave.
Right-angle weave is one of the more versatile beadweaving
stitches, and in Beaded Opulence,
Marcia has created a volume that showcases just how intricate - and easy -
beading with right-angle weave can be. Once you have mastered the thread path
for right-angle weave, you can complete any (or all) of the twenty-four projects
in Beaded Opulence.
While some of the designs in the book take literally minutes
to make, there are others that will surely take days or weeks to complete. The
projects use both flat and tubular right-angle weave with so many beautiful
variations in between that you will find yourself well on your way to being
fluent in this beadweaving stitch after making just a few of them. But be
warned: if you start making these projects with their generous use of metallic
seed beads and sparkling crystal bicones and pearls, you are probably not going
to be able to stop after making just one or two.
Now, if you remember the movie Julie & Julia about author Julie Powell's attempt to cook her way through every recipe in Julia Child's classic Mastering the Art of French Cooking, you'll be interested to see what beader Cyn Bicker has been doing. Cyn's idea was to take Beaded Opulence and bead her way through every project in the book. So she started the blog Adventures in Beaded Opulence and started beading her way through all of the fabulous right-angle weave beading projects in the book!
Are you inspired yet?
Get your copy of Marcia DeCoster's Beaded Opulence: Elegant Jewelry Projects with Right Angle Weave and see for yourself just how beautiful right-angle weave can be. Maybe you'll be inspired to bead along with Cyn Bicker and blog about your experiences in making the lovely beading projects in the book, too!
Have you ever tried to make every single project from a favorite beading book? Or have you ever opened up a beading book and wanted to make every single project in it? Leave a comment here on the blog and tell us about your favorite beading books!
Bead Happy,
Jennifer
Filed under: Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Right Angle Weave, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily