Daily Blogs : design

Free eBook of Beaded Necklace Patterns

Leslie — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:59:00 GMT

Practice, practice, practice... with 5 free necklace patterns!

I recently chatted on the Beading Daily forums about whether we consider ourselves beginner, intermediate or advanced. Many people think being advanced means you get it perfect the first time, every time, but I beg to differ. No matter how many times I work in any technique, there are times when I can’t get it right the first time... or even the second time. Suddenly I forget a step, or I'm all thumbs. It’s usually a small thing–the way I complete a stitched row, a turn of the pliers… whatever it is, it’s enough to make me slap my forehead and say “D’oh!” I consider myself a bit of a pro in many techniques, and still have those d'oh moments!

So, like concert musicians who practice arpeggios in different keys and tempos, we jewelry makers can hone our skills by making designs in different mediums and techniques. Our Beading Daily eBook, 5 Free Beaded Necklace Patterns, has a wonderful selection and variety of techniques for you to "practice." And, though practicing our craft won't get us to Carnegie Hall, our finished jewelry sure lasts a lot longer than the sounds of a concerto!

Here's how to limber up:

Perfect your crimping and have some fun in a design with many sizes of beads in my clasp-free Big Island necklace.	Refine your use of jump rings to make chain maille, and attach a cool cord with wireworking in the Parallel Chain necklace by Barbara Hance.
Become more adept at right angle weave and string a beaded cord for your pendant in the Shining Example necklace by Marcella Austenfeld.	Work with a fast and simple design in wire, chain and beaded dangles in the Heart of Glass necklace by Terry Rhoades.

Enhance the style of a strung design by using multi-strand techniques,
seed bead fringes, and asymmetrical detail in
Dragonfly's Garden by Julia Watt.

Just click here to download your
Beading Daily eBook, 5 Free Beaded Necklace Patterns!

We love hearing from you! Be sure to chime in on the Beading Daily forums or comment below.

Metal beads and why we love them!

Erin Carey — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Add metal beads to your jewelry and wow, magic! The alchemy of metal transforms our designs in more ways than one. Because we value metal itself, using metal beads in our jewelry lets us ask a higher price! Metal gives a higher perceived and literal value to our work.

Metal beads also say a lot about who we are, our style. For fun, I collected some cool metal beads and totally made up what I think are the traits these beads might bring to a finished piece of jewelry—and what type of personality you may be to use them! (Approximate sizes are noted, for scale.) Go on, test your... metal!

Zen		The swirls in this silver saucer look like patterns in a Zen sand garden. Add beads like this to jewelry for an Asian fusion flavor. If you find this bead appealing, you tend to be calm and in control. You probably have a lucky bamboo plant in your home and will eat sushi, if it’s cooked. (20mm dia.)

Squiggle		Tactile, modern, and a cartoon in antiqued brass, this squiggle bead gives a wink of whimsy to designs. You love having people smile when they see your jewelry! You probably like squiggly food, too, like licorice lacing, spaghetti, and funnel cakes. (18mm dia.)

Spirals		These silver beads are far out! Use them to bring a 60’s style, mod look to your work, bold galactic spheres from beyond. Bet you watched “the Jetsons” as a kid, and enjoy spacey, new-age music. (15mm dia.)

Paisley pyramid		World traveler—albeit from your laptop—you’d use these beads to lend an exotic detail to your work. The decorative surface designs and shape of this Hill Tribe silver bead evoke treasures of the silk road trade. You like patterns and prints, and your jewelry reflects your love of intimate detail. Bet you wear… paisley socks! (12mm dia.)

Daggers		Shaped of hammered brass, these large, hollow daggers look very tribal. Even a single dagger as a focal bead would make a statement of strength and power in a design. If you’re drawn to dagger beads you are probably something of a warrior, a leader, and always want to be the driver when you go places with friends. (35mm long)

Rosebud		Being floral makes this bead feminine, but its oxidized surface and hand-crafted look make it a hip tribute to modern woman. It designs well with many other bead materials like stone, shell, or wood. Like it? You are probably eclectic and artsy, and have bowls of beach stones around your house. (8mm.)
Old metal		These old-looking metal components could have been unearthed at an archeological site, a remnant of an antique piece of jewelry or some unknown mechanical device. If you'd use them in your designs, I bet you like gears and watch parts, too. You probably are a fan of the Indiana Jones movies (except the second one), appreciate the imagination of Jules Verne, and might have secretly switched your brother's toy train for your Barbie one Christmas. (From 10mm to 20mm dia.)
Modern barrel		You are all about the shine, the elegance, the glamor of metal. These contemporary barrel beads are very luxe, and would totally enrich a design with semiprecious stones. If these are the beads for you, your home is probably a showcase, with modern furniture, glass tabletops, and you have a box of tools with your name on it at your manicurist. (15mm.)
Verdigris dangles		Nothing new and shiny for you! You want the character of the ages. These brass dangles have a luscious green patina you adore. Jewelry becomes a museum piece with metal beads like these. You might have once taken a belly-dancing class, and are fond of samosas and dolmades. (5mm.)
Copper saucers		This is one of my personal favorite metal beads. The antiqued surface is a contradiction to the retro saucer shape, and as a metal, copper has a rich yet earthy paradox to it. This bead could look either industrial or tribal. Copper beads design well with wood, resin, stone, and fiber beads. You may be inspired to design with these large (30mm) saucers if you like ethnic arts, but also watch sci movies... like me!
"Bluish" by Jane Dickerson		Find over 70 designs that use all sorts of metal beads in the 2009 edition of Creative Jewelry, like this "Bluish" necklace by editor Jane Dickerson. Then, share which metal beads are totally “you” here and on the Beading Daily forums!

The Best of Stringing celebrates top designs from Stringing magazine!

Erin Carey — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 23:30:00 GMT

Here’s a little snippet of beady publishing history that you might find interesting...
In 2002 Interweave’s founder, Linda Ligon, and I sat in a hotel lobby in New York to discuss starting a new magazine that solely concerned stringing beads. It was a completely revolutionary idea at the time and, quite frankly, I thought it was a bit nuts; beadweavers like me often viewed stringing as our community’s wallflower cousin. She said she wanted a magazine that stretched people’s creativity, helping them explore new materials to expand their vision of what stringing could be. Her general edict was, “Make it beautiful, make it colorful, and I don’t want to see page after page of ‘bumps on a string.’ What I want is page after page of gorgeous pieces that you might find at a museum shop or gallery. No ‘safe’ jewelry in this one.”

When I got back to the office in Colorado, I broke it to the Beadwork magazine team (then Jamie Hogsett and Dustin Wedekind) that we were starting up a new magazine. It would include 100 pieces, have jaw-dropping work, and there could be absolutely no 'bumps on a string.' I think Jamie and Dustin thought the idea was a little crazy, too; we were all pretty beadweaving-centric at that time. In our discussion that day I sketched out some little drawings to explain what I think Linda was talking about. Miraculously, I found those sketches in a file cabinet in the basement this morning; and can share those first bright glimmers of Stringing with you now. Sometimes it pays to be a packrat!

We set off as a team to break out of our little design boxes and to bust up our notions of what stringing beads on a cord could be. The exercise produced 100 really nice pieces for our first special issue, and I know it gave us all a rich appreciation for the technique. Now, after 5 years, dozens of issues, and hundreds of gorgeous pieces later, I see Linda's idea for Stringing magazine was right on. I guess that's why she's the boss.

Danielle Fox, Stringing magazine's current editor, recently sent me a copy of The Best of Stringing, a fantastic issue with 183 projects--21 of which are brand new. She attached this note that made me tear up a little. This magazine, as well as the technique in general, has certainly "grow'd up" in the last several years, certainly past my little sketches. It's been due, in large part, to how bravely our community of designers, teachers, vendors, and publishers have embraced and experimented with this technique. We've gone far beyond 'bumps on a string', that's for sure.

Danielle had her own warm and fuzzy moment seeing this magazine come together: "I've been on the Stringing staff since its second issue. I'll tell you, it's been so much fun to watch and help the magazine grow. I'm really excited about The Best of Stringing because it brings together all of our favorite projects in a single edition. The hardest part was narrowing down our selections. What I think we came up with is a great mix of evergreen projects, the kind that inspire you again and again."

So I guess the challenge going forward, for all of us who love to string beads, is to continue to play and experiment, pushing the technique to unexplored creative highs. How will you contribute? What new stringing techniques or materials have you been using to make your work new and unique? What trends do you see around the bend? Why not share your ideas and thoughts below or on the Beading Daily forums?

Create a Seed Bead Necklace with an Interchangeable Pendant

Michelle M. — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:05:00 GMT

I may be the owner of the last reversible skirt in America. To be honest, I've only worn it with the pattened side showing, but I love the idea that I could wear the plain blue side showing if the mood ever struck. I especially enjoy packing that skirt for trips. It lets me pretend that I'm one of those über clever folks who know how to make 27 outfits out of 3 items of clothing and a scarf....(read more)

Are You a Bead Snob?

Michelle M. — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:30:00 GMT

I met a well-known bead designer last year who confessed that she sometimes enjoyed mixing high- and low-end components together--beads from her local craft store with some high-end silver or handcrafted art beads or findings. I admitted to her that I did this, too. Looking back, it's funny how we furtively looked around as we talked in hushed tones, as if we feared we would be found out by the bead police and dragged away....(read more)

Create on Cue: 4 Tips to Reduce Beading Stress

Michelle M. — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:51:00 GMT

If you look at my current resume, there isn’t a section called Rewards. No presidential citations or even an “Employee of the Month” award. I’d put them on there if I had any… Well, I guess in the sexist 70s the high school band voted me “Best Legs”, but I’m not sure that would add to my credentials. And, quite frankly, the “best” part of my hail-damaged legs anymore is that they get me from Point A to Point B!...(read more)

How to Finish (or Start!) Viking Knit

Michelle M. — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:29:00 GMT

Last weekend I took a break from my beads and tried my hand at Viking Knit, a type of wirework that creates beautiful wire cords that you can fashion into bracelets and necklaces. For months, I've been admiring some Viking knit bracelets the same way I admire a wonderful painting: Wow, I wish I could do that. ...(read more)

Sketching Beading Designs: Examples and Ideas from Readers

Michelle M. — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:31:00 GMT

Back in April, I wrote about how I sketched the design for my chain maille necklace ("Rambling Rose"). I had so many emails from beaders who also sketched their designs that I decided to ask everyone--Do you sketch your designs? More than 1,300 responded and only 26% answered "no". ...(read more)