Inspired Beader: Diana Coe

It’s truly wonderful what can happen when beads speak, and artists listen. Today my guest is Diana Coe of Beadwork & Coe. This UK-based artists creates a gorgeous variety of jewelry designs using beadwork and bead embroidery to showcase a wonderful palette of colors and pretty motifs.

Inspirational Beading: When did you first get started with beading?

Diana: I started beading in 2007 after my son was born. Just staying home was new for me and I had always been creative in some shape or form. So I went into the local craft supply shop to see what's out there.

Inspirational Beading: What is your favorite thing about jewelry making?

Diana: It's not just jewellery, but in general beads. Jewellery started it as that's what beads are usually connected to, but increasingly I try to venture into other areas too. It's important for me though that my pieces are "practical".

Inspirational Beading: Do you remember your first piece? Where is it today?

Diana: I've still got it. It is a necklace and bracelet set, made with brick stitch tubes in rainbow colours with matte golden metal beads strung in between.

Inspirational Beading: Where do you look for your greatest inspiration?

Diana: Honestly, I don't know. It just hits sometimes ... But one source of inspiration/direction for a new piece are definitely the monthly challenges of the Etsy Beadweavers, a group of bead artists with shops on Etsy were I am a member and leader. The themes for those challenges are always chosen by previous winners and can range from "Our Solar System" to "Game of Thrones" ­ it really makes the creativity work overtime.

Inspirational Beading: What is your favorite kind of design to make?

Diana: What can I say? The unusual ones I guess. I hate designs that use the same component over and over again, the repetition just drives me insane. In 2009 (I think) I started a bracelet made of Daisies, because it looked so cute. But after 4 or 5 I put it away and it's still not progressed any further.

Inspirational Beading: What’s the most interesting or unique thing about your design process?

Diana: For my bigger pieces I usually start with a focal that "speaks" to me and then I go through my stash to find bits, bobs and beads that go with the overall feel I would like to achieve. Rarely do I make a drawing or anything, because I never stick to it anyway. Sometimes I lay out my larger components and take photos of different combinations as it's so easy these days, but that's it really. I just start stitching.

Inspirational Beading: Do you have a favorite color to work with?

Diana: All shades of metal, more silver than gold, are my first choice and then I quite like to add a splash of colour. In general I always go for interesting texture though.

Inspirational Beading: Do you have any favorite materials or beads?

Diana: I love all the small beads, particularly Delicas. They just work so well for my style.

Inspirational Beading: What is the most exciting design in your shop right now? What makes it special?

Diana: You can't expect me to answer that and not be bias, please. I love all my babies! OK, let’s go with the winner of the Innovation Prize at an exhibition I was part of last year, it made me very proud.

Inspirational Beading: Do you have plans for any new designs in the coming year?

Diana: This will hopefully be the year when I conquer my fear of fish leather. It's so beautiful, but a bit intimidating ... I came up with a cuff design that uses it last year and I am still trying to get hold of some of my supplies.

Inspirational Beading: Who do you hope to inspire with your work?

Diana: I always hope to show that beadwork is not all fringe and flowers. They seem to be the first things people think of when I say what I do and that is such a shame. There are a few designers that work in a more contemporary style, but there is room for improvement. Minimalists, technical minds and mathematicians to the beads.

You can see more of Diana’s gorgeous designs in her Etsy shop, or on her website Beadwork & Coe.

Mortira

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Copyright 2016 Inspirational Beading and Diana Coe

Bead Giveaway: Broom Beads and Delicas

It’s been a long time since we’ve had a good old de-stash giveaway, and this month I have some really great picks for you. Although I still have lots of great vintage acrylics to share, this time around it’s all new goodies.

I recently received an adorable packet of broom beads as a freebie in my last bead order. I can’t resist a surprise bag of beads, even if there’s a chance that I won’t be able to use what’s in it. The unusual mixture that I found was actually really fun, with lots of colors and shapes to choose from, and plenty of multiples to make a successful project or two. Although I can tell right away that most of the pieces are glass, a few are a mystery.

It could take me more than a year to find the right projects for most of these beads, so instead I’m going to pass them on to a beader who wants to tackle them. To sweeten the pot, I’m also including a few grams of 11/o Delicas in matte transparent gray and silver-lined ruby.

How to Enter:

For a chance to win all of the beads shown, simply leave a comment on this post telling us what you would do with the broom bead mix. I can’t wait to hear your ideas!

One lucky reader will be drawn on Tuesday, June 17th. This giveaway is open to international readers.

Important: Comments must be posted here on Inspirational Beading to qualify, but no log-in is required. Please make sure to leave a contact method in your comment if you do not have a profile with a public email address. For security, you can type your email like so: username AT yourmail DOT com. Incomplete or duplicate entries will not be included in the draw.

Good luck!

Update: This giveaway has closed.

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
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Tutorial: Graduated Herringbone ‘Bobble’ Rope

Have you ever been completely smitten with shaped seed beads, only to find yourself at a loss when it comes to using them? One of my favorite techniques for combining a variety of seed bead sizes and shapes is tubular herringbone weave. Not only can you use up a lot of beads at once, but the possibilities for color and pattern combinations are endless!

This technique, which I like to call ‘herringbone bobbles’ uses at least two seed bead sizes, or as many as you can come up with. The only restriction is that the beads need to gradually change in size. You can begin as small as you like, although for the best durability, I recommend going no smaller than standard size 11/o Delicas. While 15/o round seed beads could fit into a sequence nicely, the smallest sections of a graduated herringbone rope bear the most pressure and wear, and cylinder beads provide a lot of compact strength.

When choosing your beads and pattern, look carefully at the sizes to determine the best sequence for increasing and decreasing your rope. I like variations of: Delicas - 11/o rounds - 10/o rounds or 11/o triangles - 8/o rounds or hex cuts - 6/o rounds - 4 mm cubes - 4/o rounds or E beads. When in doubt, try stitching a few rows to see how it looks - you can always remove stitches if you don’t like the shape of the beadwork. Combining Czech and Japanese seed beads will give you the widest range of bead sizes.

To Make a Herringbone Bobble Rope:

Begin by weaving a regular tubular herringbone base. Using your smallest beads, create a two-bead ladder with an even number of stitches. Eight columns is an ideal size for this technique. Ladder stitch the ends of the strip together, and weave through a few columns to secure the ring. Exit from the opposite side from your tail thread.

Pick up two small beads, and stitch down through the adjacent bead in the previous round. Pull snug, and stitch up through the next bead in the base. Continue all around the ring, and step up through 2 beads to begin the next round.

Add several more rounds of tubular herringbone with this bead size, until you have a comfortable base to work with. Make it as long or as short as you like before adding the first increase. If you’re making a necklace, consider where you would like the first ‘bobble’ to appear.

Move up to the next bead size in your pattern, and add 2 or more rows of tubular herringbone. If you will be using more than 3 bead sizes in your rope, giving the smallest bead sizes at least 2 rows each is ideal, to give the larger, roomier rows a strong base.

Continue adding new rows of tubular herringbone, gradually increasing bead sizes as you go. The more variety of beads you have, the more elongated your bobbles will be, especially if you use the same bead for more than one row.

Doubling up on rows can also help make smoother transitions from one bead size to another, just like in spiral peyote. For a strong but flexible rope, ease into larger size jumps by adding lots of transition rows.

Bigger beads can change the structure of the rope - really big bobbles can be squishy in the middle. Make sure to use strong, even tension as you increase your bead sizes. When you have reached the largest bead size in a sequence - or if your stitches feel like they’re starting to roam - reinforce the row by repeating the herringbone stitches all the way around, without picking up any beads. This dummy stitch will tighten things up before the decrease begins, and add strength to the finished design. I like to keep my tails extra long, so that I can go back and reinforce any loose areas once the rope is finished. Reinforcing sharp-edged rows like cubes and hex-cuts is a good idea, too!

To decrease, add new rows of tubular herringbone, but move down in bead size. You can use the same pattern as the increasing rows, or change it up a little for a more freeform look. You don’t have to go all the way up or down the size scale, either. Moving back and forth in short sections of the bead sequence works, too, as long as you don’t jump sizes too much.

Small accent beads can also be added to the rope, provided they are similar in size to the adjacent seed beads. Try crystals, druks, daggers, or even bugles! When you’re ready to finish the rope, decrease all the way back down to the smallest bead size, and stitch a few rows. Dummy stitch the last row to the previous one, and weave in your tails to add strength.

Do you like to weave with shaped seed beads? What’s your favorite style?

Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading
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A Bracelet a Week: Triple Berry

This week’s bracelet was a fun diversion, and an experiment in color. One of my favorite beaders requested a tutorial for my Rocky Path bracelet, and I was more than happy to oblige. This meant making a new version of the design, and choosing a new color palette.

Because I only have a handful of Delicas to choose from, creating a new set of colors for this bracelet meant working around what I had - burgundy, black, gray or silver-lined red. The burgundy are my favorite, and since I had yet to try them out, I chose them for the base of this new bracelet.

I wanted to make a palette that would work with both the Delicas, and the shape of the beadwork, so I combined red, blue and transparent blue lined with red for a berry colorway. This time around, I stuck with just two bead sizes.

I was really excited to try out this design with a new set of colors, and see how it would come out. I saved a little time by incorporating the edging right into the peyote stitch, and ended up with a pretty interesting bracelet! I really like the way the colors and texture work together.

I only finished the bracelet with enough time to share it with you today, and now it’s on to writing up the steps to create it., along with the brick and square stitch button closure. If all goes well, I’m also hoping to create a beaded clasps compilation PDF, with all of my favorite metal-free closure designs.

Copyright 2011 Inspirational Beading
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A Bracelet a Week: Easter Eggs

Another week has come and gone, and I am enjoying this bracelet challenge more and more. I had no idea that I could relish making new bracelets so much. Having this motivation not only helps me to come up with new ideas, but adds to the excitement of trying them out.

This week, I wanted to experiment with a technique I haven’t used in ages - graduated tubular herringbone. The very first time I ever attempted it, I was limited to just three seed bead sizes, and it didn’t turn out as well as I had hoped. Now that my bead stash is a little more sophisticated, I thought it was time to revive the stitch and see what happened.

In order to get a really broad range of bead sizes, I wanted my base to be smaller than an 11/o, but 15/o seed beads seemed much too flimsy for the job of holding up bigger herringbone bobbles. So I went to delicas to start my palette, and chose a tube of lovely matte transparent grays.

Since it was coming up on Easter weekend, I added different sizes and shapes of beads in cool pastels to go with the gray. Normally, I really love to photograph my bead picks in their little cups, but there are far too many to capture in this palette (I just didn‘t feel like spilling them all out at once). Instead, I thought I’d share a rare glimpse of my actual beading station, moments before I began working on this bracelet.

The palette includes: 11/o wisteria lined crystal, 11/o opaque lustered turquoise, sapphire lined light sapphire Miyuki triangles, 8/o dichroic lined cornflower blue, 8/o fuchsia lined aqua, 6/o Czech ceylon pearl, 6/o Miyuki purple lined crystal AB, 4mm opaque gray lined cubes, and 4mm light jonquil lined aqua cubes. I later added some 8/o raspberry lined crystal beads as well.

It was so fun to have all of these beads laid out on my tray at one time, especially because I almost never get a chance to use delicas or cubes, and they all looked so pretty in their little cups and coasters. The bead tray I use is actually the lid of a veggies and dip container, and at about four bucks, it’s one of the best beading investments I’ve ever made. The round shape is especially handy for projects like this one, because I can place the beads along the outer edge, and rotate the tray for easy transitions.

I was a little worried halfway through the first increase that the bobbles would be too boxy thanks to the cubes at the center, but they rounded out again as the beads decreased, and I love the shape. Sizing was a bit of a hassle, and it took a lot of pondering to decide where to stop to get just the right length. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to finish the pattern as smoothly as I would have liked, but I’m still happy with the bracelet overall. It actually turned out a lot more sophisticated than I had hoped it would.

Happy Easter!

Copyright 2011 Inspirational Beading
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Favorite Beads: Japanese Delicas

Today my guest, Wooley of Wooley Creek, shares ideas for using these perfect cylinder seed beads.

Inspirational Beading: What is your all-time favorite bead?

Wooley: Although I use a lot of Czech beads, I think my favorite beads are Delicas. I like them for the ability to create intricate designs.

Inspirational Beading: What is your favorite technique or method to use them?

Wooley: My favorite technique is the brick stitch. Once you have mastered the technique you can create sculptured shapes.

Inspirational Beading: Of all the creations you’ve made with these beads, which one is your favorite?

Wooley: You know, it's hard to pick a favorite for me. For the sculptured look, I would choose the Rose. For the intricate look, I would choose the Navajo Rug.

Inspirational Beading: Do you have any tips for making the most of these beads?

Wooley: Well, I love blending color, so the more colors you have to work with, the more variations in design you get!

Inspirational Beading: What is your favorite bead or material to pair these with?

Wooley: Delica beads work really well when mounted to leather. You can create a very intricate picture with these beads then attach them to a wonderful bag or even moccasins.

Inspirational Beading: If you were stranded on the moon, and you could have only one kind of bead with you, would you choose these?

Wooley: If I were stranded on the moon and had to choose ..I would probably choose the Czech beads over the Delicas, simply because there are more possibilities with what you can create. I call the Delica beads "Picture Beads". If I want to "paint" a picture in beads, I use Delicas. For everything else, I would use the Czech, because they are more versatile.

Inspirational Beading: In your opinion, what is the best source for these beads?

Wooley: Delicas are a little harder to find than Czech beads. I order most of my Delicas online.

Check out Artbeads.com and FusionBeads.com for a great selection of Delica seed beads. You can see more designs like these at Wooley Creek Tribal and Ethnic Jewelry.

Copyright 2011 Inspirational Beading
and Wooley Creek
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