Daily Blogs : Brick Stitch, Bead Crafts

The Top 12 Beading Daily Blogs of 2012 - And a Giveaway!

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Today is 12.12.12! We're almost halfway through December, and there are less than three weeks left in 2012. I always get a little nostalgic in December, and I usually take some time to meditate and reflect on all the wonderful things that have happened during the year.

This year is no different, but it's a little more special because of that date -- 12.12.12. So, to celebrate, I've put together the Top 12 Beading Daily blogs from 2012! Read on to see if any of your favorite blogs made it into the list:

		January: Find Your Steampunk Style with Jean Campbell Steampunk always seemed so intimidating to me, but this post from Jean Campbell took all the mystery out of making amazing, easy steampunk jewelry.

		February: Your First Seed Bead Stash Stocking your stash of seed beads can be a huge task if you're just getting started with bead-weaving! Here are some great tips for starting your seed bead stash.

		March: Readers Share a Bounty of Brick Stitch Projects I love brick stitch -- it will always be special to me, as it was the first beading stitch I ever taught myself. I asked for our readers to submit their best brick stitch projects, and the resulting eye candy is just amazing!

		April: Start With...A Simple Strip of Peyote Stitch Ever feel stuck in your beading? You can create some really spectacular beaded jewelry just by whipping up a simple strip of peyote stitch!

		May: Readers Share Beautiful Bead Embroidery Once again, I asked, and our readers delivered. This time, they shared some truly breathtaking bead embroidery pieces with us. Enjoy the beautiful beading!

		June: 5 Common Jewelry Findings That You Can Make Yourself Save time and money when you learn how easy it is to make these five common jewelry findings with your basic wire wrapping skills!

		July: Why Necklace Length Matters Understanding the different lengths of necklaces is important to be able to match them with your favorite necklines.

		August: Use Wire to Bezel a Cabochon This isn't so much a "how-to" blog as a "how-NOT-to-do" blog. Read about my adventures using Viking knit to make a bezel for one of my favorite gemstone cabochons!

		September: Getting Started With Flat Peyote Stitch Peyote stitch was one of the last bead-weaving stitches that I taught myself. However, had I known some of these tips or had some of these tools, it probably would have been a lot easier!

		October: Meet a Chain Maille Genius At Bead Fest Philadelphia in August, I met a lampwork glass artist who takes the ancient art and craft of chain maille to a whole new level! Read about her and see some of her absolutely marvelous creations.

		November: Four Beading How-Tos You Need to Know You might be surprised at some of these four beading how-tos that every beader needs to know!

		December: Make This Free Embossed Leather Earring Project December isn't even half over yet, but so far, this free embossed leather earring project is our most popular December blog!

Did any of your favorites appear in this list? If not, now's your chance to nominate them, and win a little something, too! Simply leave a comment on this blog before midnight, CST on December 16, 2012 with your favorite Beading Daily blog from 2012. You don't have to choose from just this list, either -- take a look through all the blogs that were written by our friends over at Inside Beadwork Magazine and Inside Jewelry Stringing Magazine, as well as the blogs we posted in Beading Instructions and Beading Supplies We Love, too. You can post a link in your comment so everyone else can see it, too!

On Monday, December 17, 2012, check your email, because we'll notify three winners: two lucky people will win a five-pack of assorted back issues of both Beadwork and Jewelry Stringing magazines. One lucky winner will get to choose a prize from four of our favorite digital beading products! (Please note: we can only ship magazines to U.S. addresses only due to customs regulations.)

One lucky winner will get to choose one prize from the following great digital beading products:

You can also find links to all twelve of our Top 12 Blogs of 2012 on Pinterest for your pinning pleasure!

Good luck, and Happy Holidays from all of us at Beading Daily!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Free Embossed Leather Earring Project

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 08:00:00 GMT

I need another beading tool like I need a hole in the head, right? But a couple of weeks ago, I caved in and bought one of the new Big Kick machines from Vintaj, with the idea that I would make some lovely embossed brass pieces for earring making projects. Little did I know that playing with this machine would not just inspire me to create new and beautiful beaded earrings, it would push me a little further into the realm of mixed media jewelry!

I've always been a little intimidated by the idea of making jewelry with metals. Sure, I can cut and fuse glass and make lampwork glass beads on a torch. But those don't involve cutting or stamping or doing anything with metal. Well, even my five-year-old got into the fun, "helping" me crank the brass blanks through the machine and finishing them with the reliefing block and some colored inks.

When I found out that I could run thick leather through the Vintaj Big Kick, too, it gave me a whole new set of ideas for earring making projects! If you have a Vintaj Big Kick (or know someone who does), try this fun and easy earring making project using your favorite leather scraps and embossing folders.

Materials:

Leather scraps, approximately 1/2" thick (enough to make 2 leather coins, each 1 1/4")
Nicole's Beadbacking or other bead embroidery medium
Ultrasuede
2 grams size 8^o seed beads in color to match or contrast with your leather coins
1 gram size 11^o seed beads in color to match or contrast with your leather coins
5 grams Czech farfalle beads
6 lb. braided beading thread (Fireline recommended)
1 pair ear wires
E6000 adhesive

Tools:

Vintaj Big Kick machine and embossing folder
Scissors for cutting leather
Thread cutter
Size 12 beading needle
Flat nose or chain nose pliers
Sharpie markers (optional, for adding color to leather coins, if desired)

Step-by-step instructions:

		Cut two 1 1/4" circles from your leather scraps. Place them inside your embossing folder and run them through the Big Kick machine. If desired, you can add some color to the recessed parts of the embossed leather coin using fine-tipped permanent markers.

		Apply a small amount of E6000 to the back of each coin and adhere it to a small piece of Nicole's Beadbacking or your choice of bead embroidery medium.

		Using the size 8^o seed beads, work one row of beaded backstitch around the leather coin. Run your thread through the beads several times to cinch up the backstitch. As the beads tighten around the leather coin, you'll notice them form a slight cup around the leather coin to help hold it in place.

		Trim the bead embroidery medium close to the beads and glue the piece to a small scrap of Ultrasuede. Trim the Ultrasuede, leaving about a 1/8" edge around the piece.

		Using a 5' piece of beading thread, edge the piece using brick stitch and the size 11^o seed beads. After you've connected the first and last seed bead of the brick stitch edging, pick up 5 farfalle beads. Skip two seed beads in the edging, and pass down through the next seed bead. Pull snugly so that the farfalle beads "lock" together.

		Come up through the next seed bead in the edging. Pick up 5 farfalle beads, skip two beads in the edging, and pass down through the next seed bead. Repeat until you have three beads left in the edging left. (You may have only 2 or 4 beads left, depending on how many beads you used to edge your earring. As long as you have at least 2 unembellished seed beads, you're good to add the hanging loop for the ear wire!)

		Pick up 1 farfalle bead and 8 size 11^o seed beads. Pass back through the farfalle bead and into the neighboring seed bead in the brick stitch edging. Repeat the thread path once or twice to reinforce the hanging loop.

		Using the flat nose or chain nose pliers, attach the ear wires. These are big, bold earrings!

Something else I discovered about running leather through my Big Kick machine: it will also beautifully emboss my scraps of Ultrasuede! What a great idea for making the back of your bead embroidery pieces just as interesting as the front, right?

If you love using seed beads to create earrings (or other kinds of beaded jewelry), you'll want to check out the Beadwork Presents 10 Seed Bead Patterns eBook. Filled with ten great seed bead projects taken straight from the pages of Beadwork magazine, designed by your favorite bead artists. And right now, as part of the 12 Days of Deals in the Beading Daily Shop, you can take 50% off this great eBook of beading projects. Best of all, it's an instant download, so you can be reading and beading in just minutes!

Download your copy of Beadwork Presents 10 Seed Bead Patterns today and find even more great earring making projects using your favorite beads.

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

The Beading Stitches of Native American Beadwork

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Being a history geek, I love to know the whole story behind how things came to be, including many of my favorite bead-weaving stitches. Many of these stitches developed independently all over the world throughout the history of the human race, but chances are, if you do bead-weaving, you're using some beading stitches that are widely used in Native American beadwork.

For centuries, Native Americans used natural objects like animal teeth, seeds, and shells as beads for adornment on their ceremonial objects and clothing. With the introduction of smaller beads and glass beads from Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries, Native American beadwork became more intricate and came to be an important part of each tribe's cultural identity.

Gourd Stitch or Peyote Stitch

I remember when I was first learning how to bead, one of the ladies in my class, a college librarian, found peyote stitch's name to be so amusing that she wasn't sure how she'd talk about it to her colleagues. I couldn't figure out why, until I realized that she was associating it with the hallucinogenic, also referred to by the name of peyote.

Well, good news, I told her, you can also refer to peyote stitch as gourd stitch. Both names for this popular bead-weaving stitch came from the ceremonial objects that they were used to decorate, gourds and other sacred objects for use in peyote ceremonies.

Brick Stitch or Cheyenne (Comanche) Stitch

Brick stitch was one of the first bead-weaving stitches that I ever taught myself, and it will always have a special place in my heart as my first love of beading stitches. In Native American beadwork traditions, brick stitch is done almost exclusively by the Comanche and Kiowa tribes for important ceremonial objects and clothing.

Lazy Stitch or Bead Applique

Contrary to its name, Lazy Stitch is anything but. This form of bead embroidery, usually done on tough buckskin hides by the Plains Indians, requires the artist or craftsperson to only pass their needle halfway down through the hide without actually exiting on the other side. This leaves a clean back to your bead embroidery of bead applique, but getting your lines or lanes of beads to lay straight takes a lot of practice and skill.

The name Lazy Stitch may have come about because of the long lines or lanes of seed beads created with each thread pass in this traditional Native American beadwork technique.

Loom Beadwork

Native American beadwork made on a beading loom isn't something that developed until after the Europeans arrived to colonize North America. The very earliest Native American beading looms were mostly used for weaving porcupine quills, called a tension loom. Most early Native American beadwork looms were made using wooden bows similar to the ones used for hunting. Or, a simple bar loom could be constructed by tying the warp threads between two closely-spaced trees and using some sort of wooden or bone spacers to hold the threads apart.

Daisy Chain or Potawatomi Stitch

Potawatami stitch is another name for daisy chain, and even though the name comes from the North American Potawatomi Indian tribe, it is not actually a traditional Native American beadwork stitch. The beadwork of the Potawatomi tribe is recognized for its beautiful abstract floral designs created using bead applique or bead embroidery techniques.

The Potawatomi tribe did use some bead stitching techniques, primarily the Winnebego side-stitch, which looks like a combination of loom weaving and African Helix.

Make Your Beadwork More Spiritual

The one thing that all of these Native American beadwork techniques and stitches have in common is the belief that the time spent doing them to create beautiful objects is a way to honor the spirit world. So, take a deep breath and relax before you sit down to bead. Light a candle and focus your intentions before you pick up your needle and beads, and most of all, remember to enjoy your journey.

If you want to learn more about the fascinating history of Native American beadwork, check out the classic Beading In the Native American Tradition by David Dean. This comprehensive guide to Native American beadwork includes information about how Native American beadwork developed, instructions for working with traditional Native American beadwork techniques, and tips and suggestions for how to study Native American beadwork.

Get your copy of Beading in the Native American Tradition and see you can be inspired to include some of the Native American influence in your own beading projects.

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Five Reasons to Love Seed Bead Patterns

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Why do we love seed bead patterns so much? I recently posted something on the Beading Daily Facebook page about NaSeBeMo (National Seed Beading Month), and I was thrilled to see that there are as many people out there who are obsessed with working with seed beads as I am!

Someone that I used to know a very long time ago told me that she loved working with seed beads because of their transformative nature, and that's something that I still carry with me today. Following a seed bead pattern to make a piece of finished beaded jewelry or even a piece of home decor like a beaded box or beaded ornament gives me such a feeling of accomplishment. Taking that big pile of beads and turning it into something beautiful and useful just gives me a sense of well-being that I just can't find anywhere else.

Why else should we love our seed bead patterns? Here are my top five reason why I love seed bead patterns:

		Seed beads have the power to heal. Anyone who has ever worked with seed beads knows how wonderful it feels to create something with seed beads. Whether it's a piece of beaded jewelry, something to decorate your home, or sharing a bead craft with your favorite kid, those tiny little pieces of glass really have a way of making us feel better.

		Working with seed bead patterns can be a spiritual experience. One of my all-time favorite blogs that I've written for Beading Daily was the one where I compared working with a seed bead pattern to the creation of a Buddhist sand mandala. When I talk to other people who love working with seed beads as much as I do, we all agree that there's something very spiritual about working with seed beads!

		Seed bead patterns can be personalized. Along the lines of expressing yourself through your seed bead patterns, there's always room for interpretation when it comes to making your own seed bead jewelry. It can be something as simple as using your favorite colors instead of the colors specified in the instructions, or you can add texture by including a shaped seed bead. Using your imagination when personalizing your seed bead patterns can lead to some great beady discoveries!

		You can use seed bead patterns to teach yourself how to bead. Yep, I'm a real do-it-yourself-er when it comes to making my own beaded jewelry, and the thing I love about seed bead patterns is that you can learn so much from them! I'm a primarily self-taught bead-weaver, and I owe a lot of what I know to the innovative seed bead patterns of artists like Rachel Nelson-Smith, Marcia DeCoster, and Carol Huber Cypher.

		*There are loads of free seed bead patterns on Beading Daily!* One of my favorite things about Beading Daily are the free seed bead patterns! Not only will you find hundreds of free downloads for individual beading projects, you'll also find a whole list of free eBooks covering topics like peyote stitch, brick stitch, bead-weaving, right-angle weave, and herringbone stitch.

Another reason to love seed bead patterns: what with all the new kinds of seed beads I'm seeing in bead shops, at bead shows, and online these days, I'm always looking for ways to use them! I've got quite the collection of farfalle or peanut beads, Twins, SuperDuos, and Tila beads in my bead stash, in just about every color I need.

If you're looking for new ways to use some of those fabulous two-holed Tila beads, look no further than the new Stitching With Shaped Seed Beads: 10 Beading Projects to Make With Tila Beads, available now as an instant download in the Beading Daily Shop. You'll find ten creative, beautiful beading projects from your favorite designers like Melinda Barta, Diane Fitzgerald, and Kelli Burns, all using those tempting Tila beads!

Have you been hoarding your Tila beads, wondering what to make with them? Download your copy of Stitching With Shaped Seed Beads: 10 Beading Projects to Make With Tila Beads and start creating amazing beaded jewelry today!

Why do you love seed bead patterns? Do you love the healing power of seed beads? The meditative aspect of working with seed beads and seed bead patterns? Leave a comment here on the Beading Daily blog and share your thoughts with us!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Like Wire Wrapping? Try Wire Embroidery!

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 07:00:00 GMT


	These very cool 36 gauge copper sheets from Lilly Pilly Designs open up a whole new world of design possibilities!


	Chain stitch using wire makes a great decorative element when working with rustic style jewelry designs.

I don't know about anyone else, but lately, I'm really getting into make rustic-style jewelry. I love the way it softens the look of metals and wire by mixing them with soft suede fabrics, leather, and silk cords. And now that I'm cranking along with my wire wrapping skills and feel confident making my own custom clasps and jewelry findings, I'm starting to experiment more with metals in my jewelry making and wire wrapping projects.

Now, I never particularly enjoyed doing traditional embroidery with thread and fabric, but when I saw these cool tutorials in Kerry Bogert's new book, Rustic Wrappings, I just had to give it a try using some of these cool copper sheets I found at Bead Fest Philadelphia from Lilly Pilly designs!

The copper sheets are thin enough that they can be cut with just an ordinary pair of craft scissors, so the design possibilities are endless! And if you feel comfortable working with wire and making wire jewelry with your basic wire wrapping skills, you can make this very cool rustic-style beaded cuff.

Materials:

8" x 8" square of Ultrasuede, or other imitation suede fabric
(1) 3x3 sheet, 36 gauge patina copper sheet (Lilly Pilly Designs)
10 feet copper wire, 28 gauge
5 grams seed beads, size 11^o
Beading thread of your choice
Stiffener for the center of the cuff: plastic milk jug or poster board, cut slightly smaller than bracelet
E6000 glue
Clasp of your choice
Additional beads and components for embellishment (optional)

Tools:

Embroidery scissors for cutting fabric
Beading needle
Small hole punch
Wire cutters
Looping pliers
Size 12 beading needle

Step-by-step Instructions:

		To size your bracelet properly, wrap a strip of paper around your wrist and make a mark where it comes together. Take into account the size of your clasp, and leave an extra 1/8" for stitching the border. Trace your bracelet length and desired width onto the Ultrasuede and trim with embroidery scissors.

		Next, take your copper sheet and cut it into whatever pieces you'd like. For this project, I cut off one large centerpiece and two smaller pieces for the ends of my cuff bracelet. Use a regular craft scissors (not your embroidery scissors!) to cut your shapes. I decided to round my edges.

		Using a small amount of E6000, adhere your copper shapes to your piece of Ultrasuede. Take care not to push the glue all the way to the edges of the copper pieces. Use the hole punch to make a series of holes around the edges of your copper pieces, going through the Ultrasuede, spaced about 1/4" apart and about 1/4" in from the edge of the copper.

		Start the wire embroidery! Take a piece of copper wire as long as you are comfortable with (it's easy to add more later, if you need to) and insert it through one of the holes, leaving a 1/2" tail. Bend the tail against the back of the Ultrasuede to hold it in place.

		Pass the wire back down through the same hole you just came out of, pulling on it gently to form a small loop. You can use a pair of round nose pliers to help shape your loop. If you get a kink in your wire, try unbending it first, or use a nylon-jawed wire straightener to smooth it out.

		Push the wire loop flat against the copper sheet so that the next hole is inside the top of the loop. To make the next loop, bring your wire up through the hole and the loop, and make another loop in the same manner. To secure the last stitch, come up through the hole under the last loop of wire that you formed. Pass your wire back down through the hole, catching the top of the loop.

		To secure your wire, twist the two ends together tightly for about 1/2", and then trim the wire close to the twist. Bend the wire flat against the Ultrasuede.

		Stitch down all of your copper components in this manner.

		To give the cuff bracelet a little more body, I cut out a small piece of a clean plastic milk jug and adhered it to the back of the Ultrasuede using a small amount of E6000. It also covers up the twisted ends of the wire and prevents them from poking through the back of the bracelet. Lay the front of the bracelet down against the rest of the Ultrasuede and trace around it. Trim so that it is the same size as the front of the bracelet, and use a small amount of E6000 to adhere the second piece of Ultrasuede to the back.

		Using brick stitch (or whatever method you prefer), stitch seed beads around the entire edge of the bracelet. Attach your clasp. I decided to practice my wire wrapping skills and make a couple of hook and eye clasps out of copper wire, which I then attached to the bracelet using seed bead loops.

Now that I've got the basic wire embroidery techniques down, I'm thinking up all sorts of ways I can incorporate this into my jewelry making and bead-weaving projects! Using these fun copper sheets was a great introduction to working with wire and metals for me, and I have to admit, I'm totally hooked on the whole wire embroidery thing now.

Are you ready to branch out and start learning how to incorporate more metals and wire wrapping techniques into your beading projects? If you liked this little project, you'll love Kerry Bogert's Rusting Wrappings. Kerry has created twenty-five fantastic wire, metal, and bead jewelry making projects that use six different methods for adding patina to metals and wire. My favorite method for adding patina to metals and wire? Kerry's salt and vinegar potato chip recipe, of course! If you love mixing things up with your wire wrapping projects, grab a copy of Rustic Wrappings and spice up your jewelry making projects! (Or, if you just can't wait to get started, you can also download Rustic Wrappings as an eBook and read it in just minutes on your desktop or laptop computer!

What's your take on rustic style jewelry? Are you excited by the idea of learning new and easy ways to add metals to your jewelry making projects? Is there a particular technique for wire wrapping or working with metals and patinas that you want to learn next? Share your thoughts and leave a comment here on the Beading Daily blog!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Going 'Round in Triangles With the Fabulous Jean Power

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Mon, 14 May 2012 02:00:00 GMT

I don't know about you, but I've been totally enthralled with the Beadwork magazine Designer of the Year projects from Jean Power. I've always been fascinated by shaped peyote stitch beadwork, and Jean has elevated the simple peyote stitch triangle into a complex and elegant beaded jewelry component, and once you've tried her techniques for making these versatile little beaded shapes, you'll be amazed at how easily they come together. I wanted to know more about this globe-trotting, roller-derby-skating beadwork designer. I was lucky enough to catch Jean between international teaching gigs, and she was gracious enough to answer a few questions for me about her beadwork, her travels, and being on a roller derby team!

Q: How did you get started with peyote stitch and beadweaving?

I had grown up with a love of crafts and did a lot of painting and sewing. Cross stitch and embroidery were favorite techniques of mine, and the more I did, the more I loved those little beads that I used to embellish some of the designs. Then one day, a bead shop opened up near where I worked, and I was completely mesmerized the first time I looked in the window. I went into the shop and just started thinking: What are Delicas? What are drop beads? How do you know what thread to use? It was a long time before I had the nerve to do any beading! I just didn't know where to start.

In 1991, I came across a beading kit that answered many of my questions. I used it to make my first brick stitch amulet bag, and I never looked back!

Q: Why did you choose to start working with peyote stitch? And why did you start working with peyote stitch triangles?

I learnt peyote stitch from Carol Wilcox Wells' wonderful first book shortly after making my first brick stitch amulet bag, and towards the end of that year I decided to bead my own vessel. Learning about the effect increasing could have on your work while I attempted that piece led me to try and make a triangle, and eleven years later I still love beading peyote stitch triangles! I find a triangle a fascinating shape, and one which I could explore endlessly. I return to peyote stitch triangles over and over, and I love pushing the boundaries of this simple shape. There is so much wonderful potential in making peyote stitch triangles, I seriously think I could work with them forever.

Q: You have such a unique style of beadwork! How would you describe it?

I think of my style as a geometric, pared-down but bold look that uses the individual beads themselves to make a design and a statement. My work is usually unembellished and unadorned, for two reasons: personal preference, and until recently, we didn't have access to as many lovely beads as we do now here in the UK. (United Kingdom) When I design a piece of beadwork, I always keep in mind what beads are easy to find at your local bead shop.

Since I started beading, I've always wanted to show the structure, shape, and form of my work and not cover all of it with oodles of crystal fringe. Even when I do work with crystals or other shaped beads, I still try to retain a simple style. That's the challenge for me: achieving something visually attractive and complex with just one size and shape of bead! It takes more planning, thought, and design work than relying on "glitzier" beads to add to a design.

Sharing this idea of technique and design is something I really enjoy, and I'm very excited to be working on a book with Kate McKinnon and Dustin Wedekind at the moment which will further explore all of that.

Q: You travel quite a bit to teach beading. What has been your best bead-related trip so far?

I am very fortunate to say that there have been many wonderful bead-related trips! Last year, I traveled to Tucson, Arizona and stayed with Kate McKinnon, where I got to meet Dustin Wedekind, Teresa Sullivan, and had a reunion with Marcia Decoster. I recently traveled to Egypt, where my days were filled with teaching people from so many different backgrounds. Seeing such a diverse group of people come together to learn and share our love of beading will always be a treasured memory.

Q: Where would you like to be five years from now?

I can honestly say pretty much where I am. I am fortunate to be able to work in a field I love, travel the World, have amazing friends in the beading community and spend a lot of my time learning and being creative. All I ask for on top of that is good health and maybe a bigger house so I can fit all my beads in!

Q: Now, what's all this about you doing roller derby?

I got into roller derby nearly three years ago. I'd never been on roller skates before, and was completely out of my comfort zone. But the first time I went into my team changing room, the conversation centered around what necklace a skater should wear for the game that day, and I thought, any sport which encourages the wearing of ridiculous clothes and having an alter-ego is the sport for me!

I skate for the fabulous London Rockin' Rollers, using the name Femme Fatality. My experience with roller derby has resulted in making many wonderful friends, more travel, and learning some interesting life skills.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Peyote stitch triangles are the perfect introduction to shaped peyote stitch for both beginner and advanced beaders! If you're new to the world of shaped peyote stitch and want to learn more, check out Bead Stitching Triangles with Jean Power. This DVD of nine watch-and-learn lessons covers everything you need to know to start creating peyote stitch triangles for your own unique beaded jewelry designs.

Learn all about increasing and decreasing in peyote stitch as you craft these amazing peyote stitch triangles with your favorite seed beads! Pre-order your copy of Bead Stitching Triangles with Jean Power and start going around in triangles with this master bead artist.

Have you tried any of Jean's Designer of the Year projects in Beadwork magazine yet? Take a picture of your finished creation and post it in our Reader Photo Gallery to inspire someone else!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Free eBook: Learn How to Create Your Own Beaded Jewelry Designs

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 02:00:00 GMT

"Where did you come up with the idea for that piece of beaded jewelry?"

I hear that all the time when I'm showing someone a piece of my handmade beaded jewelry. And really, if you know where to look, you'll find beaded jewelry design ideas all around you. Coming up with beaded jewelry design ideas can be as easy as playing around with your favorite beadweaving stitch!

If you love making handcrafted beaded jewelry, you'll love our new free eBook, our Guide to Making Jewelry with Beads: Create Handmade Beaded Jewelry from Your Own Bead Jewelry Designs. We've selected some of our best jewelry design blogs, beading stitch tutorials and then added a sample of free bead jewelry patterns to show you how each beading stitch can be altered and modified to create a unique piece of handcrafted beaded jewelry.

Need a few good ideas to get you started? Check out our favorite blogs about beaded jewelry design ideas, including five ideas for making beaded necklaces, four fun ideas for making beaded earrings, sketching ideas for beaded necklace shapes, and examples straight from the sketchbooks of our readers about how to sketch out your beaded jewelry designs!
Try Dustin Wedekind's instructions for brick stitch increases and decreases to learn more about how to shape this very versatile beadweaving stitch. Then try Nancy Jones' Bead Be Bangled bracelets to see how brick stitch is used to create these easy-to-wear beaded bracelets.
Next, learn how to do two drop odd-count peyote stitch with Dustin Wedekind's directions. This popular variation on peyote stitch can be used to create shape and texture in your beaded jewelry designs. Follow up with Laurie Nelson's lovely Lady's Slipper Earrings to see how shaped peyote stitch can be used to make beaded flower petals.
Netting can be used in so many different ways to create wonderful beaded jewelry designs, and Dustin Wedekind's hexagonal netting tutorial illustrates how this beading stitch can be modified to create lovely shapes. Bonnie Voelker's Potato Chip Netting project takes it one step further and uses free-form netting to create one-of-a-kind beaded jewelry.
Right-angle weave is probably the most loved and feared beading stitch around. But never fear - in Stitch Pro by Jean Campbell, she takes the guesswork out of single needle right-angle weave. Once you've mastered right-angle weave, try Eileen Arnstein's Link Necklace, composed to right-angle weave chains that are linked together as you stitch them!

So the next time you feel like making beaded jewelry, sit down with these handy references and see what comes out of your own imagination! Who knows? You might find that you have more beaded jewelry design ideas in you than you ever thought possible! Download your copy of Beading Daily's Guide to Making Jewelry With Beads: Create Handmade Beaded Jewelry from Your Own Bead Jewelry Designs today and see where your creativity (and the beads!) will lead you.

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Beaded Beads for Beadwork Magazine's 15th Anniversary!

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 02:00:00 GMT

What is it about beaded beads that captures our imagination? The Zen Buddhist in me loves the idea that beaded beads are beads that are made out of...well, more beads! The simplest beaded beads can be made from a strip of peyote stitch or brick stitch that has been zipped together to form a tube. Or you can make beaded beads from short segments of tubular herringbone stitch and right-angle weave, embellished with pearls, crystals or your favorite fringe beads.


My first peyote stitch beaded beads were made to mix with two sets of beads that a friend brought me after a trip to Alaska.

My first attempts at beaded beads involved taking wood beads and covering them with peyote stitch. Being relatively new to peyote stitch, my beads ended up being a bit misshapen, but I loved them, anyway! Working peyote stitch around those wood beads gave me my first experiences working tubular peyote stitch around a form, and even if the beaded beads themselves weren't terribly pretty, they gave me a great education in shaping peyote stitch.

Intricate and elegant, beaded beads can be used for all kinds of beaded jewelry -- and that's just what the editors of Beadwork magazine are hoping that you'll do this year!

In case you didn't know, this year marks the15^th anniversary of Beadwork magazine. Fifteen years of fabulous beaded jewelry projects, beading tips, and beading techniques! To celebrate, the editors of Beadwork magazine came up with the idea of the beaded bead contest, and here's how it works:

Every issue of Beadwork in 2012 will have a pattern for a beaded bead. Your challenge is to make at least one of these beads and then incorporate them all into a finished necklace and then share a picture of it with us. The winner will be chosen by members of Beading Daily and will be featured in the February/March 2013 issue of Beadwork magazine. (You can read all of the official rules here.)

The April/May 2012 issue of Beadwork magazine features an amazing beaded bead by Gwen Fisher. Gwen, along with fellow designer Florence Turnour, run beAd Infinitum where they sell beading kits and patterns of beading designs that are inspired by symmetry and mathematics.


	Surprisingly sturdy and lightweight, these Cluster Beaded Beads are the second in Beadwork magazine's 15th anniversary series of beaded beads!

Gwen's Cluster Beaded Bead is made with 8mm round beads so I dove right into my new stash of shell pearl beads in bright gold to create two of these gorgeous beaded beads using a mix of metallic accent beads. When finished, these beaded beads are surprisingly lightweight and sturdy.

Next up, I need to get to work on a few of Melinda Barta's Seeing Stars beaded beads -- who would figure that after more than ten years of hoarding beads, I don't own a single 10mm round bead?

Are you going to bead along with us this year as we celebrate Beadwork magazine's 15^th anniversary? Make sure your subscription to Beadwork magazine won't run out so you don't miss out on the fun! Or if you're a new beader, get a subscription to Beadwork magazine today so you can bead along with us! In addition to the fabulous beaded bead projects, you'll also find innovative beading projects from our Designers of the Year, fun beaded components from Melinda Barta in Custom Cool, and the always-popular Challenge: Four Designers, One Stash. Subscribe to Beadwork magazine and join us as we explore more beaded beads in 2012!

What is it that you love about beaded beads? Is it the construction of them? The way they are beads that are, in a way, made out of themselves? What's your favorite beadweaving technique for making beaded beads? Leave a comment here on the blog and share your thoughts with us!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Free Bracelet Making Project: Make a Simple Bead Embroidered Cuff Bracelet

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I don't often wear bracelets, but I love a good bracelet making project. One of my favorite techniques for bracelet making is bead embroidery using lots of different types of beads and cabochons in all sizes! I used to be of the opinion that bigger was better when it came to bead embroidered bracelet making, but then I started making simple bead embroidered bracelets to sell at the farmer's market every week.

Bracelet making projects using basic bead embroidery techniques don't have to be very difficult or complex. In fact, this little bead embroidered cuff bracelet project works up in just under a day, so you can stitch one up as a gift for someone special or to have something new to wear to the office on Monday morning!

Dig through your stash of cabochons and beads, and I'm sure you'll come up with a beautiful array of beads to be used for this free bracelet making project!

Materials:

(1) completed bead embroidered cabochon, any size
(1) 1/2" brass embroidery cuff blank
Seed beads, size 11, in color to contrast or match with your faux suede or leather, approximately 5 grams
10" square of faux suede fabric in color to match cabochon
Beading thread in color to match fabrics and cabochon
Glue or adhesive such as E6000

Tools:

Size 10 or 12 beading needle
Toothpicks
Scissors
Thread cutter
Chain nose pliers (optional, but helpful for getting needle through tight spaces)

Step-By-Step Directions:

		Step 1: After you've stitched a peyote bezel around your cabochon, finish it by surrounding it with a round of large seed beads and add a brick stitch edging to it.

		Step 2: Wrap a strip of the leather or faux suede (I prefer to use Ultrasuede) around the brass bead embroidery cuff bracelet. Leave at least 1" on either side of the bracelet to accommodate the stitching of the cabochon to the material. You can trim the top and bottom edges to within 1/8" of the edge of the cuff bracelet.

		Step 3: Cut a short length of beading thread (less than 3 feet) and tie a knot in one end. Center the cabochon on the leather. You can use a small amount of glue or double-sided adhesive tape to secure it temporarily while you work. Stitch from the back of the leather up through the cabochon, exiting somewhere between the outer round of seed beads and the bezel. Stitch back down through the cabochon and the leather and repeat along one side of the cabochon.

		Step 4: When you have finished stitching along the first side of the cabochon, stitch through the leather strip and tie a couple of knots. You can add a drop of glue if desired. Repeat on the other side of the cabochon, stitching it to the leather strip.

		Step 5: Use a toothpick to spread a thin layer of glue along the brass cuff bracelet and adhere the leather strip to the bracelet. Trim the ends to about 1/8" outside of the cuff bracelet. Allow at least an hour for the glue to dry.

		Step 6: Take another strip of leather and adhere it to the inside of the bracelet. Trim to within 1/8" outside of the cuff bracelet, and allow at least an hour for the glue to dry.

		Step 7: Using your seed beads, stitch a brick stitch edging all around the cuff bracelet using the same technique you used to finish the cabochon.

If you don't want to leave the band of the bracelet unadorned, think about adding metal filigrees, spirals or other shapes made out of craft wire or flat beads. Or think about making your own cabochons out of resin and your favorite scrap book paper, a copy of a special photograph or a copyright-free image that you like!

Get ready to explore even more fun and easy bracelet making techniques in Kristal Wick's DVD Mixed Media: Beaded Bracelets with Fiber Beads, Crystals, Resin and Wire. Kristal takes you step-by-step through six lessons that cover all the materials you'll need as well as bead making techniques using fabric, fibers, wire and resin. Then watch as Kristal shows you how to assemble it all into a one-of-a-kind beaded bracelet that's sure to turn heads! Get your copy of Mixed Media: Beaded Bracelets with Fiber Beads, Crystals, Resin and Wire and shake up your next bracelet making project!

What's your favorite technique for bracelet making? Do you like to use bead embroidery? Maybe peyote stitch cuffs are your thing? Leave a comment and share your thoughts here on the Beading Daily blog! (And if you happen to make this project, take a quick photo and share it with us over in the Reader Photo Galleries!)

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Six Super Blog Posts from Beading Daily!

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 04:00:00 GMT

November marks six months since I've been here at Beading Daily, and I have to say that I'm thrilled to be able to sit down every day and write about my favorite thing in the entire world - beads! Having the chance to connect and correspond with so many fabulous beaders and jewelry-making artists here and on Jewelry Making Daily has been another exciting opportunity. Beaders are the best, and the beaders here at the online community of Beading Daily are so generous and friendly when it comes to sharing information.

I also need to give a big shout-out to my fabulous co-workers at Interweave and my fellow Online Editors for filling my days with creativity and laughs. I'm so lucky to be able to work with such a fantastic group of people who love what they do!

To celebrate my first six months of beads and blogs, I thought I'd share the six most popular blogs from the last six months on Beading Daily. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy!

1. National Seed Beading Month - Let's Do Some Seed Beading Every Day! My sister is a writer, too, and every year she participates in National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. This year, one of my fellow bead artists Dulcey Heller mused on Facebook and Twitter about what would happen if there were a National Seed Beading Month and we all encouraged ourselves to do some seed beading every day. With two big pieces due at the beginning of December, I thought this was the perfect way for me to motivate myself to schedule some seed beading time into my busy day, every day for a month!

2. Successful Etsy Sellers Share Their Beadwork Photography Tips. Getting visually clean, well-lit and clear photos of my finished beadwork is something that I have to work at every day. I know that this is something that almost every beader who sells their finished work struggles with, and I was really excited to get these photography tips from four of my favorite (and successful) Etsy sellers. Remember that when you're selling your finished beadwork online, customers can't pick it up and touch it, so taking great photos of your finished beadwork is very important for making sales!

3. How to Read a Peyote Stitch Pattern. I'm really not surprised that this blog post made it into the top six. Reading a peyote stitch pattern can be so confusing, especially for a beginner. It took me years to figure out how to read a peyote stitch pattern, even after I had mastered the mechanics of flat and tubular peyote stitch. There are some truly fabulous charted peyote stitch patterns available out there, so knowing how to read a peyote stitch pattern can really be a great skill to have in your beading toolbox.

4. Tips for Traveling With Your Beads. It seems that we beaders are a busy bunch, and we like to take our beads with us when we travel! When I used to work for a non-profit community development organization, I did a lot of traveling to conferences and meetings. Since a lot of those trips involved staying on hotels for two or three days, I would always bring my beads along with me to keep busy at night in the hotel. And with all the new restrictions on what you can and can't bring on a plane or a ship, there are some great ideas for how to bring your most important beading tools along with you.

5. The Secret for Perfect-Fit Peyote Stitch Bezels? Brick Stitch! Yes, I love stitching up peyote-stitch bezels for handmade ceramic cabochons. I don't deny that I am totally addicted to the wonderful handmade ceramic pieces from Lisa Peters Art, and even when I don't really feel like doing any beading, I can always sit down and bezel a few pieces to use later on when I'm feeling more inspired. A friend of mine showed me this fabulous technique that just made me wonder why I hadn't thought of it before, and it's now the technique that I use pretty much every time I want to do an open-backed peyote-stitched bezel for a cabochon or other focal piece.

6. 5 Tips for Clearing the Clutter from Your Beading Studio. I don't know if I should be proud of this or not, but last winter, I started a blog called The Messy Beader's Club. I got the idea when I just happened to take a picture of what my beading table looked like while I was in the middle of crazy-holiday-craft-show-inventory-production mode. I had beads everywhere, piled literally about three inches up the side of my task lamp. Even though I get some great ideas from all that beading clutter, it can really make things hard for me when I can't find a bead or a tool that I need. With that in mind, I realized that there are things I can do to keep my beading table (relatively) free from clutter so that I can really enjoy my beading time!

Do you have a favorite blog post from the last six months on Beading Daily? What would you like to see more of in 2012? Leave a comment and share your thoughts!

Thanks to all my readers here on Beading Daily - I couldn't do it without you!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Five Fabulous New Seed Bead Projects in the Beading Daily Shop

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 03:00:00 GMT

Seed beads are beautiful. And not just because they're little and shiny - for me, the beauty of seed beads lies in the fact that you can do so much with them! Sure, you can string them all by themselves or stitch them together in a simple peyote stitch or brick stitch band, but when you mix them with other seed beads and a couple of focal beads, you can create some pretty spectacular beadwork. Take a look at my five favorite new seed bead projects in the Beading Daily Shop and see why each one of them shows the marvelous versatility of these itty bitty treasures:

		In some projects, seed beads can take a backseat. In Dottie Hoeschen's Harvest Time bracelet, seed beads are used to accent Czech fire polished beads and cube beads to make a beautifully textured cuff bracelet. Notice how the seed beads are used both to protect the thread between the cube beads and the Czech fire polished beads and to add just a hint of accent color between the larger beads.
		Seed beads take center stage in bead embroidery. Even though there are gorgeous cabochons used as focals in Kelly Angeley's Happy-Go-Lucky Bracelet, the seed beads are what create the lines in the cuff. Like drawing or sketching a picture, stitching down rows of seed beads using backstitch create a flow throughout the entire piece. Seed beads also provide accent colors to the beautiful glass cabochons in this cuff.
		Seed beads can also be used to make geometric shapes, like in Kathie Khaladkar's Triangulations necklace. Shaped seed bead work requires an even tension to keep things from falling apart. The type of seed beads that you use - cylinder, Czech or Japanese - can make all the difference in the world between a piece that holds its shape together well and one that just doesn't work. And of course, you can make peyote stitched beaded bezels using seed beads.
		Kerri Slade's Eye of the Peacock Lariat is a perfect example of how you can achieve beautiful color gradations with seed beads. In this particular piece, we can see how Kerri used the seed beads to achieve both color and texture through her use of a twisted herringbone tube for the lariat. The seed beads used in the twisted herringbone tube create a self-supporting beaded rope.
		Seed beads can provide the "backbone" structure to a beaded rope, like in Victoria Pearman's Triangle Twist Necklace. The bugle beads are lovely, and technically categorized as seed beads, but it's the little round seed beads that show up the best in the twist of this beaded rope. The seed beads in this beaded rope provide a great accent to the bugle beads, and they throw in just a dash of contrasting color.

Seed beads can really do it all! They provide color, accents, structure and form to all these different projects. Is it any wonder that we can't get enough of them? There's a reason why I absolutely have to own every single color of seed bead in every size - you never know when you're going to need it!

If these projects make you want to take out your seed beads and make stuff, then you should check out all the fabulous projects available in the Beading Daily shop! All projects are 15% off for a limited time, and you'll find seed bead projects for every skill level and for all of your favorite bead-weaving stitches - peyote stitch, brick stitch, herringbone stitch, square stitch, and bead embroidery. Download a few new projects and see where the seed beads take you!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

What's Your Favorite Bead-weaving Stitch?

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Fri, 06 May 2011 11:57:00 GMT

Hello Beading Daily Community!

Some of you might already know me —I'm Jennifer VanBenschoten, and I've been a contributor to Beadwork magazine for a few years now. I'm incredibly excited to introduce myself to you now as the new online editor for Beading Daily!

Bead-weaving (beadweaving) has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. Back when I was in high school, I started out with one of those little "Indian" bead looms, making bracelets and headbands and rings using seed beads. Even at the age of fifteen, I was totally entranced by those wonderful little pieces of glass with their shiny colors and the way they just seemed to magically work themselves into jewelry with just a little thread and a needle.

And speaking of bead-weaving stitches we asked what your favorites are, and you answered! Peyote stitch was the most popular reply, followed by right-angle weave and herringbone. Personally, I love all of these bead-weaving stitches for different reasons . . .

Antique Inspirations Randy Drobny		Peyote Stitch What's not to love about peyote stitch? Well, when I was just a baby beader way back when, peyote stitch was the most difficult bead-weaving stitch for me to learn. I had mastered brick stitch, right angle weave, herringbone stitch and square stitch and had even made some cool spiral ropes—but peyote stitch? Forget about it. Luckily, I found a class nearby and quickly mastered peyote stitch, which only fanned my budding beading fire! Lately, I've found myself working in all of peyote's wonderful variations—even count, odd count, two and three drop, and free form, and peyote stitch is by far my favorite stitch for making beaded bezels.

Lavender Lattice Hortense E . Thompson		Right-angle Weave I was surprised to see right-angle weave up there as a favorite stitch because of its, um, reputation. You know what I'm talking about. Right-angle weave is a really intimidating bead-weaving stitch for some beaders. (That's how I felt about peyote stitch!) But with a little practice, you can discover how much fun it really is. Right-angle weave is my go-to stitch because of the way it creates a piece of beaded fabric that feels just like regular fabric. You can drape it, stitch it together or wrap it around a form. And if you like to embellish your bead-work, right-angle weave gives you the perfect base for adding crystals, pearls or whatever bling your heart desires!

Ode on a Grecian Urn Jennifer VanBenchoten		Herringbone Stitch Also called Ndebele (EN-duh-belly) after the African tribe that developed this stitch, herringbone stitch is steeped in history, culture, and tradition. And it's just fun. It's a pretty stitch—it makes beautiful tiny beaded flowers (something that I love as a way to get through the long, cold Adirondack winters), and with a few twists, it makes flowing beaded ropes. My favorite way to use herringbone stitch is to use a range of sizes of seed beads, turning a piece of flat herringbone stitch into a graceful curve.

Want to Learn More?

The possibilities of these stitches are really only limited by your imagination! You can learn these stitches, and much more in the new special issue Favorite Beading Stitches from Beadwork magazine. Get forty-one favorite beading projects plus learn variations and techniques for your favorite beading stitches, including peyote stitch, right-angle weave and herringbone stitch.

What's your favorite bead-weaving stitch? Tell us below!

Bead Happy!

Why Finishing Techniques Matter: Stitch and Wear Your Beaded Jewelry

Kristal Wick — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:00:00 GMT

Kristal Wick
is the editor of
Beading Daily.

I have had a beadalicious wild ride learning how to seed bead recently. Thanks to my Beading Daily peeps for your suggestions, ideas, and support as I’ve dived into the world of those tiny beauties. I simply cannot stop peyote-stitching the nights away. How long before people notice my bloodshot eyes in the morning?

Folks learn new jewelry-making techniques in a variety of ways—through books, magazines, videos, and classes. I find when learning a new technique, I have to do it over and over again until my hands have memorized it and it’s as automatic as a reflex. That’s precisely what took place with my obsessive peyote-stitching. One day I had a pile of beads and a needle; soon I had six beaded cuffs in the works.

Making jewelry closures—the next chapter

I thought the actual bead stitching was the hard part. But no, my dear beady readers. In order to wear those beauties, one must finish them with a closure.

Snap

The basic closure is the snap. You can stitch in any size snap from your local craft store. I thought the large snaps would be the most secure and stitched one onto my first cuff. Lesson learned here: more is better (in chocolate as well). Two snaps would keep the bracelet edge from flapping.

Five-loop slide clasp

This slide clasp will be my next pick. Once closed, they look so seamless and elegant. The perfect way to finish off a stunning seed-bead masterpiece! Once you finish weaving your beaded cuff, simply attach two rows of seed beads per loop and tie a knot. Weave in the tail threads and trim.

Button loop

Button-and-loop closures have endless possibilities due to their popularity and functionality through the ages. Simply string beads through the button shank to attach to one end of the bracelet. Then stitch some simple peyote rows on the opposite end to create the loop. (Just be sure the loop slides over the button, but doesn’t have too much slack in it.)

Sure, the fun part of stitching a new jewelry-making masterpiece is watching your bracelet, cuff, or necklace grow bead by bead. But it’s not the whole enchilada until you finish up these babies. Better that you add a snap, clasp, or button and loop to them so you can proudly wear them, rather than let them sit undone in your studio!

Get up close and personal in finishing your UFOs (unfinished objects) with Michelle Mach's article on "Perfect Endings: How to Choose the Right Clasp" in Best of Step by Step Beads. Plus, you can learn my beloved peyote stitch, as well as a boatload of others.

What's Your Sign

Have fun with this week’s free project, tons of designs for great dog tags by Leslie Rogalski and Crystal Hudson. Brick stitch makes these pendants nice and sturdy.

5 Free Brick Stitch Seed Bead Projects!

Leslie Rogalski — Fri, 07 May 2010 10:28:00 GMT

		5 Reasons to Love Brick Stitch– I’ve said it many times before—I love playing with seed beads using brick stitch! I think brick stitch was the first seed bead pattern I mastered—before peyote, that’s right. It is just so . . . versatile! And because I’m big on fooling around, fiddling with and otherwise doing the “what if I try this” approach to my new designs, I can get gaga over brick stitch. Here's why:

		1: Beading with brick stitch makes firm shapes. Brick stitch makes a nice, firm fabric of beadwork, so shapes retain their form. In Nancy Zellers’ Deco Deluxe bracelet, the brick stitched components stay stiff, which makes the design succeed. If the shapes were floppy, this bracelet would not be nearly as dynamic because you would not see the architectural shapes.

		2: It’s easy to follow brick stitch patterns. Brick stitched flat beadwork works in horizontal rows. Circular brick works in concentric rows (or rounds). The regularity of the rows makes it easier to keep track of patterns, row by row. You see how this works in the astrological symbols you create for my dog tag pendants in What’s Your Sign?

		3: Brick stitch adapts to different sizes of beads. In circular brick stitch the concentric rows allow you to explore using different sizes and shapes of beads. In Tina Koyama’s striking Crystal Radiance Brooch, a central crystal is the hub for expanding rounds of brick stitch, changing out the size, color and shapes of beads from seed beads to cubes. Ultimately she finishes the design with a picot edge of crystals and seed beads.

		4: Brick stitch can be curled into a tube. Even though brick stitch makes a stiffer piece of beadwork, it will roll naturally into a cylinder. Round About, a bangle project by Dottie Hoeschen, is a perfect beginner brick stitch project. The seed beading part is a simple strip of beadwork you zip together into a tube, then add a few favorite focal beads with a basic wire-wrapped loop technique. You’ll want to make more than one of these.

		5: Brick stitch combines easily with other stitches. One look at Kerrie Slade’s Periwinkle Choker and you can see how gracefully brick stitch combines with other seed bead stitching techniques. In this lovely design square stitch and netting are incorporated to bring together components using two types of brick stitch.

		Your 5 Free Brick Stitch Beading Projects! Are you ready to try beading with brick stitch? All five of these projects are yours when you download the latest FREE eBook from Beading Daily. We give you step-by-step, fully illustrated instructions PLUS bonus stitch lessons for some of the other stitches used in these projects. It’s free, so download it now. Why not? Start having fun with these fabulous brick stitch patterns today! And be sure to tell your friends how to get their free brick stitch eBook, too!

Which version of brick stitch is your favorite? Post your creations in our Forum Gallery and tell us about them
here on Beading Daily!

Happy beading!

Top Beading Daily Projects from 2009

Leslie Rogalski — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 10:40:00 GMT

Beading Daily Readers' Favorite e-Projects from 2009 This is my first post for 2010, so Happy New Year! Before the holidays I buzzed around the forums chatting with you about what projects you like on Beading Daily. It became clear there were leaders of the pack in favorite technique and materials. I’m still fairly new as your editor, so this was a delightful introduction for me, at least to those of you on the forums. I learned that not every Beading Daily member calls themselves a beader, that we are men as well as women, teen to senior, and that we live all over the world, from the Americas to New Zealand. What we all have in common is our desire to be creative and not only learn to be better ourselves but to help others grow, too. Whether we call ourselves a beader or otherwise, we enjoy being online friends through Beading Daily. Jewelry makers of the world, unite! Better still, jewelry makers–unite the world! That's our Beading Daily call to action for 2010. Here are the three most popular designs in each of our major jewelry-making categories on Beading Daily: stringing, beadweaving, and wirework.

Mixed media leads the trend in stringing A common interest in using new materials in stringing designs was and continues to be reflected in which projects you liked best online. You made these the top downloads of all our stringing projects this past year. It’s clear that youthful, mixed-media styles and components continue to be hot. One thing is for sure: however you put your jewelry together, you all love using beads somewhere in your designs!


Brass Filigree Snowflake by Jess Italia-Lincoln	Chirp Chirp by Danielle Fox	October Shore by Cynthia Thornton

We itch to stitch! Seed beads and beadweaving hold us in their power and we love being captivated! Peyote and right angle weave were our favorite beadweaving techniques in e-Books, but individual techniques with high popularity ratings included brick stitch and caddis weave.

Crystal Radiance by Tina Koyama	Caddis Weave Bracelet by Anne Fletcher	Two-drop Peyote Beaded Beads by Dustin Wedekind

Our wire desires We loved wire spirals, coils, and anything wrapped this year. I do have to point out that no matter which project you loved best, almost every wire project incorporated beads, especially artisan-made beads or crystals. Watch for more wire and bead designs to be a strong trend in 2010.

Coiled Gem Drops by Janice Berkebile	Caramel Swirl by Cindy Wimmer	Raindrop Earrings by Jenna Kolyar-Cooper


Look to us for top trends in 2010 All our projects reflect how our magazines, books, videos, and designers are ahead of the curve when it comes to keeping up with the latest materials, styles, and trends. Be sure to browse the Interweave Store regularly so you can keep up, too. And to help Beading Daily bring jewelry-makers closer together, comment below on the trends in materials and hottest jewelry styles showing up in your corner of the world. Again, Happy New Year!

Daily Blogs : Brick Stitch, Bead Crafts

The Top 12 Beading Daily Blogs of 2012 - And a Giveaway!

Free Embossed Leather Earring Project

The Beading Stitches of Native American Beadwork

Gourd Stitch or Peyote Stitch

Brick Stitch or Cheyenne (Comanche) Stitch

Lazy Stitch or Bead Applique

Loom Beadwork

Daisy Chain or Potawatomi Stitch

Make Your Beadwork More Spiritual

Five Reasons to Love Seed Bead Patterns

Like Wire Wrapping? Try Wire Embroidery!

Going 'Round in Triangles With the Fabulous Jean Power

Free eBook: Learn How to Create Your Own Beaded Jewelry Designs

Beaded Beads for Beadwork Magazine's 15th Anniversary!

Free Bracelet Making Project: Make a Simple Bead Embroidered Cuff Bracelet

Six Super Blog Posts from Beading Daily!

Five Fabulous New Seed Bead Projects in the Beading Daily Shop

What's Your Favorite Bead-weaving Stitch?

Peyote Stitch

Right-angle Weave

Herringbone Stitch

Why Finishing Techniques Matter: Stitch and Wear Your Beaded Jewelry

5 Free Brick Stitch Seed Bead Projects!

Top Beading Daily Projects from 2009