Daily Blogs : Bead-weaving, Seed Bead Patterns, metalsmithing

Work Table Wednesday: Vintage Treasures from A Grain of Sand

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Wed, 23 May 2012 08:00:00 GMT

This Wednesday, I had a lot on my beading table, but the two pieces that I wanted to share with you were a couple of beaded necklaces that I created using this month's vintage treasures from the Bead Hoard Curiosities Club through A Grain of Sand.


I had a lot of fun using the sea urchin spines in this brick stitch necklace design.

Part of this month's treasures included a giant pack of huge sea urchin spine beads. I bought a bag of smaller sea urchin spines when I first started learning how to bead, and I love finding new ways to include them in my beading projects. They make a gently tinkling noise when they come into contact with each other, almost like they were made out of ceramic or porcelain. I was immediately inspired to make a tribal brick stitch necklace, and included a few of them as fringe.

The challenge for me was finding seed bead colors that wouldn't overwhelm the sea urchin spine beads. The end result is a funky, tribal-style beaded necklace. I used a brass chain to finish it at first, but then decided to go in a different direction and made my own chain out of wire. Sorry, you'll have to wait a few weeks to find out how I made the chain and see what it looks like!


	My Portland Retro beaded necklace reminds me a little bit of planets in the solar system!

Vintage Lucite beads are among some of my favorite beads to work with when I'm making handmade jewelry, and the big, cream and white striped Lucite balls in this month's box of vintage beads were just begging to be used. I love the way they look when mixed with lots and lots of vintage silver chain and a few black, faceted Czech crystals. A friend of mine watched as I assembled this necklace and remarked that it reminded her of a cool retro diner she used to frequent when she lived in Portland, Oregon!

If you want to become a member of the Bead Hoard Curiosities Club, head on over to A Grain of Sand for all the details. Boxes go out around the first of each month, so you still have a couple of days to sign up and receive the June box packed full of vintage beads, findings, and jewelry making components.

What's on your work table today?

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Beaded Chain Jewelry by the Light of the Moon

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 01:00:00 GMT


	Beaded chains are very symbolic to me.

Tonight is the winter solstice, the longest night of the year here in the northern hemisphere. Years ago when I was a writer of poetry and short fiction, I would always celebrate the winter solstice by lighting a few candles, making a special meal, and having a marathon writing session beginning at sundown and lasting late into the night. (That, of course, was when I worked the afternoon shift and didn't have to be up at the crack of dawn with a four-year-old!)

This year, I'll be celebrating the solstice with my son at a (short) meditation walk outdoors with some like-minded friends and their children, but after he goes to bed, I'll be sitting up with a few candles, some homemade cookies, and a beaded-chain project.

Beaded chains are very symbolic to me, as they represent the flow of days into months, seasons, and years. Each unit in a beaded chain can represent a day, and the entire chain comes to be a way for me to reflect on my life and what's really important to me as I bead. Making beaded chains is probably my favorite way to use my bead-weaving as mindful meditation.


Stitching up beaded chains using 4mm beads makes the project go quickly!

If you've never tried stitching up a beaded chain for a favorite pendant, here are a few tips to get you started:

Using larger beads such as 4mm fire polished beads or 4mm druk (round glass) beads will make the chain work up quickly while providing a sturdy base.
Weave in as much thread as possible when stitching a beaded chain. More than one thread pass through each bead or motif will add strength and structure to your beaded chain, and it will be more likely to last longer.
Your beaded chains don't have to be intricate and thick. Stitching up a quick length of right-angle weave can make a beautiful and delicate chain when accented with tiny crystals or silver-lined seed beads in a contrasting color.
You can make your beaded chain feel more like fine jewelry by using metallic size 15^o beads. (Just make sure that you seal or treat the beads before using if the chain will be for a bracelet.)

Beaded chains don't necessarily have to be used with a pendant, either. A delicate chain of right-angle weave accented with a few tiny crystals makes a sparkling statement all on its own, and a simple beaded chain can be a beautiful and quick bracelet for everyday wear.

If you want more ideas for making great beaded chains, then you'll be thrilled to see the new 2009 Beadwork magazine collection available as an instant download! Every issue of Beadwork magazine from 2009 is included, and it takes just a few minutes to download onto your desktop or laptop computer. Get instant access to over eighty beading projects plus all the fabulous articles and tutorials in every issue!


	You can find the instructions for making this easy crystal bead chain over on the Beading Instructions blog!

What's your favorite way to make beaded chains? For a new free beaded-chain project, hop on over to the Beading Instructions blog here on Beading Daily to find out how to make this sparkling beaded chain using two types of crystal beads and seed beads!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Spice Up Your Summer with Free Gemstone Beading Projects!

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 03:00:00 GMT

Human beings have prized gemstones for hundreds of years. In addition to their natural beauty, gemstones have also been coveted for their perceived mystic powers. Gemstones are believed to help heal, bring good luck and fortune, and enhance the abilities of those who wear and carry them. Even if you don't believe in the "powers" of gemstones, you can see for yourself how gemstones have the power to heal. Just sit down with a gorgeous strand of gemstone beads in your favorite color and shape and stitch (or string) them up into a piece of jewelry. I'll bet by the time you've finished that piece, you're feeling relaxed and happy again, right? If you're making that piece of gemstone jewelry for a friend or loved one, that's another way to see how gemstone beads bring joy!

To celebrate the power of gemstone beads, we've brought you this free eBook Gemstone Beads for Jewelry Making: 4 Free Gemstone Jewelry Making Projects Plus Bonus Guide to Using Gemstones.

While there are plenty of high-end gemstone beads available, buying gemstone beads doesn't necessarily have to hurt your budget. There are plenty of low-cost gemstones available at bead shows, bead shops, and online. Marlene Blessing has shared some of her gemstone bead-buying expertise with suggestions for what stones and cuts to look for that can save you money. And because it's also important to know if a gemstone bead has been treated (dyed, heated, lacquered, bleached, or otherwise enhanced), you should take a look at the handy reference chart provided by Jean Campbell that details the abbreviations you should see on gemstone strands and beads that are sold by reputable dealers.

Even the industry experts have their favorite semiprecious gemstone beads, and you can check out five recommendations for semiprecious gemstone beads that are popping up in bead shops and bead shows. Pair them with the suggested beads for today's hottest jewelry looks!

Finally, once you have your new gemstone beads, look through the four FREE projects for some inspiration. You can start your journey with Linda Richmond's Net Full of Gems, an easy stitching project that uses beautiful (and affordable) gemstone chips to create a bold netted choker. Move on to Michelle Mach's Sari Sunrise and see how elegant jade and Adventurine can be when mixed with silver chain. Mile Marker 219 by Annie Hartman Bakken combines sterling silver findings, seed beads, and Unakite to create an earthy necklace. Finally, harness the energy of your favorite gemstone donut and freeform peyote stitch in Tina Koyama's Stone Soup Donut necklace.

For me, gemstones have always held a fascination and mystery that I can't explain. As a college student many years ago, I sat in wonder and learned how each of these stones formed deep inside the earth over millions of years. It still amazes me to hold a beautifully cut and polished gemstone bead in my hand or wear one around my neck and feel the connection between me and the planet. Start your own personal gemstone journey today by downloading Gemstone Beads for Jewelry Making: 4 Free Gemstone Jewelry Making Projects Plus Bonus Guide to Using Gemstones. You never know where the path will lead you!

What's your favorite gemstone? Share it here on the blog!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

New Right-Angle Weave eBook: 5 Free Projects

Michelle Mach — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:33:00 GMT

One of the fascinating things about beading is that just by changing the beads you can make a project look completely different. Take the Triple Quatrefoil by Tina Koyama, one of the featured projects in our latest free ebook, Right Angle Weave: Beading Daily Presents 5 Free Beadweaving Patterns. In her original version, Tina used a base of 4mm fire-polished rounds with size 10, 11, and 13 Czech charlottes for the edging and embellishment. I loved her fun, summery version, but I didn't have any beads like that in my stash and I didn't want to wait until I had time to shop. ...(read more)

5 Ways to Stretch Your Beading Budget

Michelle Mach — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:40:00 GMT

Beading and saving money are two topics near and dear to my heart. My Celestial Sparkle necklace was inspired when I could only afford a single strand of borosilicate beads. I wanted to showcase them in a necklace, but everyone who saw the tiny strand said I should just give up and make a bracelet. Luckily, I didn't listen! I found some relatively inexpensive clear teardrops to space out my more expensive treasures and ended up creating one of my favorite necklaces....(read more)

Chain and Gemstone Necklace: Creating a Personalized Gift

Michelle Mach — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:05:00 GMT

Creating a Personalized Gift

One of the best things about being able to design jewelry is to be able to create a personalized, unique gift especially for a specific person. When a good friend of mine adopted her second child from China, I created a pair of earrings for her that combined mahogany obsidian from Colorado and jade from China to symbolize her new family. She loved the simple earrings and so did I--it was probably one of the best gifts I've ever given.

I was reminded of that experience recently when I received a necklace design from Jennifer Judd. Her chain and gemstone necklace was beautiful, but I'll admit it was the story behind it that got me hooked.

Jennifer's Story

"I happen to be an Air Force Officer for my 'real job' when I'm not sitting at my beading table, so I spend a lot of time with other military folks. One of my friends, who is currently dating an Army Officer, approached me about getting her a unique gift before her upcoming six month assignment in Baghdad. She is partly Cherokee Indian and relies heavily on her spiritual beliefs and the meaning of gemstones.

Since I'm not an expert on gemstones, I spent a little time researching gemstones and colors that symbolized protection and bravery. After much reading, I focused on a combination of orange and green: Canadian jade, ocean jasper, cherry agate, and carnelian. I added red seed beads as accents to each beaded section because the color red symbolizes success and triumph. It's also a typical component of Native American beadwork. To keep the necklace lighter, I divided it into seven sections of beads (seven is a powerful Cherokee number) connected with seven links of silver chain. To help the necklace drape properly, I added a simple pendant of coordinating stones in the center section.

Because she won't be able to wear the necklace while in uniform, I also made single-stone pendants that she can string on her dog tag chain that she'll have on all the time. It's not exactly regulation, but will give her some comfort and remind her of the man who gave them to her."

Free Project: Nan's Protective Necklace by Jennifer Judd

If you're curious about some common gemstone meanings, check out Jean Campbell's post, "Healing Beads: The Special Meaning Behind Gemstones."

I'd love to hear your stories about creating a personalized gift. What did you make? How did the recipient respond? Share your stories on the website.

Have you visited the new discussion forums yet? Here's what people are talking about: selling copyrighted designs, using FireLine, working with resin, places to sell your work . . . and more! Come join in the conversation!

Bead Spree Giveaway--Only one week left to sign up! Win a $300, $200, or $100 shopping spree at your local U.S. or Canadian bead shop! Sign up today!

Michelle Mach shares free projects every Friday on Beading Daily. If you have comments or questions for Michelle, please post them on the website.