Cluster Earrings Tutorial

Remember my product review post about goodies I received from The Bead Shop Manchester? Well here's the first of at least 2 free tutorials using the yummy Czech faceted round glass bead mix.

Crystal Cluster earrings

In addition to some of the smaller beads from the mix, you will need some headpins, jump rings and a pair of earwires. You will also need some wire cutters, round nosed pliers and chain nosed pliers (or another pair of round nosed would work too).

There are quite a few ways you could adapt this tutorial to make them longer, more cluster-y or more decorative but if you are looking to make exactly what I have then I used:

2 of the 8mm pale luster grey

2 of the 8mm dark blue

4 of the 6mm gunmetal

8 of the 4mm montana blue

8 of the 4mm gunmetal

24 ball ended headpins

4 jumprings (mine are 5mm)

1 pair of earwires

 

You will need to thread each of the beads you are going to use onto a headpin. Use the round nosed pliers to create loops above the beads and trim the excess wire. A fab tutorial for creating even sized loops on your headpins can be found here by Celia of Jencel beads. Here are the beads I used for one of the earrings with their looped headpins.

Open one jumpring, hold it with one of the pairs of pliers and thread on one small blue, a larger gunmetal, the large grey, a large gunmetal and a small blue. Close the jumpring. It should look something like this.

Open a second jumpring and hold it with one of the pairs of pliers. Add a small gunmetal, a small blue, a small gunmetal and the large blue. Next thread on the ring you just made, between the two smaller blue beads. Then thread on a small gunmetal, a small blue and a small gunmetal.

Next comes the fiddly bit! You need to add the earwire and use the second pair of pliers to close the loop.

That's one earring done. Make a second and you have a pair.

If you like longer earrings, you could keep adding more jumprings with more beads on them. They are glass though so the weight could quickly add up if you add too many beads. Another way of adding length would be to add clusters of beads to chain instead.

I hope you like this tutorial and I'd love to see what you make if you do use it. Drop by my facebook page and post them on my wall or write the link in the comments below so I can come see!

As far as tutorial use goes, you are more than welcome to sell what you make using these instructions but please do not copy this tutorial to redistribute/teach without contacting me. If you wish to share my tutorial, then thanks muchly, but please link people to this post. You have my permission to use an image for the purposes of linking to this tutorial only. For any other use, please contact me. 

Product Review: The Bead Shop

I was fortunate enough recently to be sent some goodies from The Bead Shop Manchester to review. For those of you who don't know, The Bead Shop sells a variety of beads and jewellery making equipment for all ranges of abilities.

I was sent a pack of Czech faceted round glass bead mix in grey and a Kumihimo seed bead kit in red.

Firstly, the faceted beads. I think you get a gorgeous mix of colours and in a range of sizes. The smallest in my pack are 4mm and the largest are 12mm. Here a couple of pictures of the pile when I tipped them onto my bead mat and after I had sorted them out.

I particularly like the colour of the grey ones to the right of the second picture. They have a lovely lustre to them. The larger beads on the bottom left have a brownish hue to them and there are several with blue tones. I will shortly be making a hairclip and a pair of earrings (at least) from this mix and will be posting up the free tutorials here on this blog, hopefully within a couple of weeks (assuming bump/hormones behave themselves and don't make me too ill). I'm really looking forward to experimenting with them.

Kumihimo is a form of Japanese braiding. I've know about it for a while and even bought the traditional marudai and bobbins approximately 10 years ago to have a go. I have a couple of books on the subject by Jacqui Carey too. However, I have never used it! Bad Gemma! Shortly after I bought the traditional equipment, new foam boards appeared on the market. They are MUCH cheaper than the proper looms and were reported to be easier to use. I was a bit miffed and it put me off trying my loom but I couldn't justify buying the discs as I technically had suitable equipment. So when The Bead Shop offered to send me a kit I was thrilled.

Here's what I recieved.

 

 

You get instructions, the board, 8 bobbins, braiding cord, thread, beads (seed or crystal depending on which kit you choose), clasp and glue. I suspect my kit accidentally got the wrong instructions put in as it talked about crystals but it doesn't really make and difference to the technique, only the bead counts.

Its really easy!! Definately suitable for a total beginner and really quick too. I think it took me less than 2 hours in total from beginning to finished bracelet. I found the instructions very easy to follow. There are instructions for an 8 strand plain braid, a 16 strand braid (please note you will need to purchase 8 more bobbins if you want to do a 16 strand braid) and details as to how to add beads. You braid a little without beads, then start adding the beads. There is a helpful picture showing you where the bead has to sit. When you drop a bead down it doesn't automatically go in the right place, you have to tuck it in. The instructions suggest you weigh the knot with 25 pennies, which I didn't have lying around, so I just used a bag of some of the glass beads above and a safety pin! I must admit, at first I didn't think it was working. Nothing seemed to be happening but on closer inspection underneath the board a tiny braid was appearing.

  

 Because I had the wrong instructions I did have to add more beads to the strands as I ran out after about 13cm/5" of beaded braid. I divided the remaining tube into roughly equal piles and just threaded them all, though I didn't end up using them all. The final beaded length of my bracelet is 16cm/6.25". With the included clasp it gives a length of 20cm/7.75". I did think I was going to have to tell you that I couldn't get on with the glue as it didn't set practically instantly as suggested but in the time its taken to write this post it seems to have decided to stick. Excellent! I can now wear my bracelet on my trip to B&Q to buy mouse traps (long story).

My tension isn't brilliant but I'm extremely pleased with the results, especially for my very first go. The only thing I'd do differently, if I was starting this exact kit again, is to thread all the beads at the beginning. The kit recommends you thread the beads after you've done a bit of plain braid but this just means you have to unwind and rewind the bobbins repeatedly. With the aforementioned bead shortage, I ended up winding and unwinding 3 times.

I'm looking forward to experimenting with different beads, I think different sizes or shapes on the different strands could be fun. I'm also going to revisit my Jacqui Carey books to see if any of the braids in there can be done on the foam disc. Also, I may have to try with sterling silver wire. I've already got a plan for a pair of earrings or two with braided sterling.

So keep your eye out here! Soon there will be a tutorial or two using the yummy mix of Czech faceted beads and you may even see some new braiding creations in the near future (although knitting and crocheting for baby may have to take priority over making things for me!)

  

xxx

OTTBS: Bead, Book and Bounce- Japanese Beadwork

The fifth book in the OTTBS Bead Book & Bounce book review project is Japanese Beadwork by Sonoko Nozue.

I've had this book in my collection for about half a year I think. I added the book to my Amazon wish list after seeing the gorgeous free pattern for the Crystal Rose offered as a sampler on the Lark website (here). Despite now owning the book I still wanted to make the Crystal Rose for my BB&B project.

Unfortunately, even with the reveal delay, I still haven't finished it. Bump is leaving me feeling very uncreative and if I do feel slightly creative my brain seems to be stuck on browsing Ravelry's baby patterns! I wish I could say I've started something there but alas not so far. Anyway, I digress...

I decided I wanted to try and do as much as possible from stash. The only 15s I had at least 20g of were opaque black. So I settled on black and vitrail medium. I had the 3mm bicones but had to buy the big sparkly for the middle. I should have read the pattern more carefully though as I knew I wanted to make a hair ornament so wouldn't be needing the necklace rope so I didn't actually need 20g, more like 10g probably. I chose a crown stone from Crystals and Ice rather than using the button crystal used in the pattern as I didn't like the look of seeing the button hole through the crystal.

I found the pattern ok to follow but I'm not sure a beginner would find it easy. Sonoko includes several rows/steps in each diagram so it is quite easy to get a little confused unless you have a good idea where you're going anyway. I did think that my stone would not fit into the bezel as I was making it but it all came together nicely in the end. So the central part is done but I'm currently working on the crocheted tube for the flower petals. If you don't bead crochet, don't despair though. Looking closely at the picture on the hair comb little example picture it looks to me that the petals rope has been done in herringbone stitch. Obviously you would need to do a round of 6 or 8 beads instead of 7 as in the crochet though. It should still be flexible enough to knot as in the pattern. My rope is currently over half done I think.

I'd love to get this finished soon although its a bit boring now crocheting many tiny black beads and 15s grow soooooo much slower than 11s! Here it is so far.

One day/year/decade when I'm back to creating for me I would love to do a few more of the projects from this book. There are quite a few pretty, smallish ropes. Much more my style than enormous, heavily decorated ones. I especially like the Sonoko Spiral, Sonoko Wave, Aurora, Midnight and Powder Snow. Quite a few for my to-do list then! Quite a few projects in the book are adaptations of spiral rope and many are very sparkly, good for busting crystal stash, but bad for the bank balance if you don't have much of a crystal stash like me.

Hopefully soon I'll be able show you a beautiful sparkly new hair comb....having said that, how many of my unfinished BB&B projects have I actually gotten round to finishing?...Ummmm....maybe I should have a dedicated finish-off-BB&B-projects week/month!

 I do have the book that's next in the series for OTTBS BB&B but I am going to stop for a little bit. Not because I don't want to join in, I love doing this, but because I don't want to set myself too many deadlines as a combination of baby brain, exhaustion, sickness etc is completely sapping my creativity. Don't forget to check out the OTTBS blog though each month if you want to keep up with what others are doing for BB&B.

Oh and why not stop by the BB&B reveal for Japanese Beadwork to see what others have done from this lovely book.

Gemxxx

February Crafting

Ummmm....nothing at all! I can now share with you my excuse though. Remember I said I have been somewhat poorly? Well, its dragging on somewhat but for a very exciting reason. Major creation on the way, due around 11th September. :o)

I am starting to feel a little better now (I'm 12 weeks) so hopefully I'll be up to creating again very soon. I may even do some beading today, though I am feeling a little queasy at the minute. Better get back on the earring case too. I'm massively behind now, ooops!

Happy March everyone. Hope you're all as happy as I am (hugging toilet incidences aside).

Gemxxx

OTTBS: Bead, Book and Bounce- The Art and Elegance of Beadweaving

This post is a little delayed. Blame illness and blogger playing up, sorry!

The fourth book in The OTTBS Bead, Book & Bounce (info about our book review projects can be found here) is The Art & Elegance of Beadweaving by Carol Wilcox Wells.

 

 

 

I have had this book in my collection for many years, possibly since it first came out. I bought it because I loved her previous book, Creative Beadweaving. Despite the fact that I've owned it for about 10 years I haven't actually done a lot from it! Naughty Gemma! Its not because I don't like the book though, its fab.

 

The chapters in the book are: beaded beads; chevron chain; crocheted ropes; herringbone stitch; peyote stitch; and spiral rope. I find it a little odd that beaded beads comes first as some use peyote which you're not officially taught about until later but it was fine for me as I had learnt about the various stitches in her previous book.

When flicking through the book for BB&B I decided quite quickly what I was going to make. When I first got the book I made a couple of bracelets using the instructions for the 'Zigzag necklace' by Rebecca Peapples. I made them with cheap bugles though so they only lasted a few minutes before cutting through the thread. Its always a project I meant to return to. Other things I had previously done from the book were a couple of 'Rainbow necklaces' by Carole Horn. I made them with 15s, delicas and 11s. I ended up making 2 to save a friend from snaffling mine! Here's a pic of my 'Rainbow necklace' made quite a few years ago.

I also used the instructions for the twisted herringbone rope in 'Choker with a secret' by Leslie Frazier to make a pen. I can't find it at the minute but basically I just covered a refill with the tube. This book is where I first learnt about twisted herringbone I think and there are recipes for a few other twists that I would like to experiment with.

So, on to my new version of the 'Zigzag necklace'. I love the used of short and long turns in this pattern to create the zigzag shape, its really clever. I have changed the pattern slightly. Rebecca used 2 drop peyote but I've used 3 drop. There's a bit in the valley of the zigzag where the pattern puts one bead behind an identical bead. I've just used 1 bead here rather than stacking the 2. I used 15s rather than 11s and the accent beads I've used are 2mm firepolish. I found it very handy that the graph is provided as well as the diagrams as I used it to colour in my pattern. The diagrams are really easy to follow. To be honest I didn't really read the instructions, it was clear enough from the diagrams!

Its not quite finished. I was delayed a little while because I ran out of the firepolish then illness has wiped out my beading mojo somewhat. I haven't decided yet whether its going to be a bracelet or a choker. Its currently bracelet length. I also need to decide how I'm going to close it. Rebecca uses a button and loop for a clasp but I'm not sure I want to do this. I quite like the thought of making it look seamless but not sure how I'll achieve this. Pondering required! Here it is so far anyway.

Whilst waiting for more firepolish to arrive I decided to have go at some beaded crochet. I first found out about beaded crochet from this book and really wanted to have a go. I must emphasise that I was not able to learn it from this book. I tried several times and always ended up in a mess. I eventually learnt from a workshop over at Stitch'n'craft. Now I know though I thought it would be great to have a go at some of the projects in here. I was visiting my parents for New Year and as this involves a 3h40min train trip it seemed an ideal project to take with me. I strung up the beads whilst at my parents and crocheted the whole bracelet on the trip back. Its the Eye beads pattern by Martha Forsyth, Pat Iverson and Kathryn Black. I decided to use just 3 colours rather than 7.

I did make a stringing mistake, which I didn't discover until I was stitching it up. Its not majorly obvious though so I decided to leave it. Its a 72 bead repeat so I was bound to make a mistake somewhere, I'm surprised it was only 1.

I really like the spiral in Three bead spiral bracelet by Carol Wilcox Wells so this one needs to be added to my ever growing to do list. That and some beaded beads. I think this book was probably the first place I'd seen them. I've dabbled a little but don't think I've actually made any from this book yet.

I do like this book but I think I got more benefit out of it because I'd read her previous book. Whilst I was not an experienced beader when I first bought my copy I think I was more able to access it because I had some idea about what I was doing.

Pop along to the OTTBS blog to see what others thought of this book.

The current BB&B books we are working on are Japanese Beadwork by Sonoko Nozue and Beaded Fantasies by Sabine Lippert. I own both and haven't done anything from either so I hope to continue to join in with this project assuming my mojo returns. Hope you can join in too!

Gemxxx



January Crafting

Happy February lovely readers. I hope you are all well. I've been somewhat under the weather myself but nothing serious, just hanging about and leaving me with no energy which is somewhat annoying. Ah well, never mind.

 

I did a little crafting in Jan but not a huge amount due to aforementioned lurgy. Just not been in the mood for the last couple of weeks. Unfortunately I can't show you all I've done yet though. One is a present and another is for BB&B (hopefully revealed in a few days). I can show you a pendant I made for someone as sort of a commission after she saw a pendant I made some time ago on my facebook page.

 

Here it is. Its a resin pendant with dandelion seeds, approx 2 inches across. I made the mould for it as I didn't have anything big enough using "vinamold". Great stuff that can be melted down and reused.

 

 

I have also been doing the earring challenge again. Readers from last year may remember that I was attempting to make a pair of beaded earring a week for all of 2012 as part of an OTTBS challenge. I did not succeed! This year I am not going to limit myself to just beading, hopefully there will be some beading, resin and silver work as a minimum. Unfortunately I am ALREADY behind. Oooops! I'll catch up when my energy returns but here are the 3 pairs I have made so far.

 

 

 

 

Almost everything in the first pair, including the fab instructions for the beaded beads, came from Pam Gordon of Westcoast Gems and Beads. The instructions and most of the beads came from Westcoast's 'beads of the month' Feb 2013 kit.

 

The second pair are stud earrings made from resin and tiny watch parts.

 

The third pair are resin and dandelion seeds.

 

The first 2 pairs are not for sale, the third pair should eventually go in my folksy shop, should I ever get it up and running again! If you want them though, the easiest way to get hold of me is probably via my facebook page.

 

 

I think that's everything I can show you at the mo. Hopefully February will be a little more creative.

xxx 





Goodbye 2012, hello 2013

Hello lovely readers. I hope you had a fab end of 2012/beginning of 2013. Regular visitors may have noticed I didn't get around to my roundup posts for Nov or Dec but then I was very busy with real life and didn't make anything. :(

 

Hopefully 2013 will start as creatively as last year and continue for the whole year this time! I have already finished something so will have at least one thing to report at the beginning of Feb.

Other plans I have are to continue where possible with the OTTBS book review project, Bead, Book & Bounce (info here- we are having a little break but will be up and running again soon). I'm also hoping to have another go at a year long challenge. I'll be doing earrings again as I didn't get very far last year. Oops. Others in OTTBS are doing pendants or rings. Some crazy people are doing more than one!

 

Also, did you see my post last year about my pay-it-forward giveaway? At the time of writing this there are still two places up for grabs. Who fancies getting a present from me? Details here.

 

I'm also going to be going on a bead retreat this year! Majorly exciting!!! A long weekend of beading and nattering with like minded folk, most of whom I've only 'met' on facebook. Going to be muchly fun. :oD

Hmmm, what else. Not sure.....

Catch up again soon
xxx