Work in Progress: Spiral Daisies

As promised I have moved on from herringbone fringe necklaces, but I wasn’t quite ready to give up on fringe yet. Not only is it really satisfying to make fringe, but I’ve been in the mood to use up not just my favorite accent beads, but some of the less-than-versatile Czech seed beads as well. One of my goals for this year was to be a little less picky about culling Czech beads, and fringe gives me the freedom to just go ahead and use seed beads that are just a little bit wonky.

I really wanted to try out some of the millefiori beads that I picked up at a thrift store about a year ago, so I started with a strand of black rounds with a daisy motif and worked up from there. A spiral rope lariat would allow me to incorporate a daisy pattern while also using up a hank of green seed beads that has been sitting in my stash since making the blue-green ombre project from Ancient Worlds Modern Beads. So far things are going really well, and I can’t wait to get started on the tassels.

The Egyptian stripe necklace from last week turned out really nice. I was worried about the pattern being a bit much, but once it was complete and the accents added on, things really came together. I tried something new for the fringe this time around, and matched the top of each loop to the beadwork base. I’m not sure if I love it completely, but it may come in handy for future projects without so many colors in play.

What are you making right now?

Mortira

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Bead Color Ideas: Tropical Delights

What with my latest blue coconut dagger project and the cool spring weather we’ve been having in my area, I’ve really been in the mood for warm colors and anything that will make it feel like summer. Tropical themes are always great for adding a little spice, and offer plenty of options for inspiration. There are colorful flowers and fruits, and gorgeous blue waters to draw on – everything looks better and brighter when it’s illuminated with bright sunlight. This week I wanted to capture that warmth with seed bead palettes.

To start I went with florals, using three sweet, saturated colors. To make Island Lei I combined a most cheerful shade of purple - wisteria lined crystal – and aqua white-hearts for that touch of intense light and ocean blue. Gel sol pink topped everything off with just the right amount of sugariness.

Naturally, I had to start at least one palette with intense yellow, so I grabbed some opaque canary 8/o’s. I wanted some equally bold hues to go with it, so next came opaque vermillion red. I haven’t really had a chance to use this color yet, but it’s a perfect match for the yellow. Passion Fruits is finished with lustered orange sherbet, though I would have preferred a more peachy or pumpkin-y orange.

Finally, I had to go with a palette to represent my favorite tropical flavors. Coconut Lime includes some transparent lime green long magatamas, and opaque white 8/o’s. The lovely brown of transparent dark topaz seed beads looks gorgeous with the green and definitely brings out the coconut in the white beads. Delicious!

What’s your favorite tropical inspiration?

Mortira

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Bead Wish List: Flowers

One of my favorite times of year has arrived – the neighborhood is covered with drifts of pretty pink cherry blossom petals, and the light fragrance of flowers is everywhere. I’m especially fond of the way the blossoms look against a cloudless blue sky. The color combination is definitely bead-worthy!

Flowers are one of those special jewelry inspirations that go around and around in a circle. Everyone loves flowers, so there are lots of flower beads and beading patterns out there. Since they’re so abundant, flowers designs are great for inspiration, and they make us love flowers all over again. It’s also easy to use flowers as inspiration because there are just so many options. From daisy chains to orchids, the possibilities are endless.

I went on a search for some of the most exciting and inspiring flower beads available right now. I saw a lot of old stand-bys like chrysanthemum cabochons and such, and discovered a few new things as well. These are my favorites:

The green and blue palette of these Java glass rounds
from Happy Mango Beads are irresistible!





Another great color in a classic Czech glass bead design
from Czech Beads Exclusive. So yummy!





There are about a million variations of Lucite calla lilies out there, all of them gorgeous,
but it was these pretty Lucite daisies from Beadaholique that stopped me in my tracks.





Strawberry blossoms are another personal favorite, and this lampwork cab
by Iveta Linde on Etsy is simply perfect!





Pastels are fabulous in floral motifs, like these Czech glass
opal buttons from Ms. Bijoux Beads on Artfire.





African sandcast beads are always a treat, and the contrast on these
baubles from Artbeads.com is lovely.





Another great focal in lampwork, this pendant from Fire Mountain Gems
features a totally adorable ladybug!





What could be more inspiring than the amazing motifs of Golem Design Studio focals?
I love the colors on this one from FusionBeads.com





Lampwork is really where it's at for flower beads, and these pretty buds
by Solar Salamanders on Etsy don't disappoint.

What’s your favorite style of flower bead? How do you like to use them in your designs?

Mortira

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Copyright 2016 Inspirational Beading and Friends

Inspired Bead Maker: Serena Smith Lampwork

Whatever new innovations in beads come our way, nothing quite beats the beauty of a handmade lampwork bead to inspire amazing creations. The colors, shapes, and patterns of unique flameworked glass go so perfectly with our favorite techniques and materials. One of my favorite lampwork artists of late is Serena Smith, whose floral creations are a delight to behold.

Inspirational Beading: How did you first get started with lampwork?

Serena: In 1991 I was working my first "real job" after college in Seattle, at a company called TSI that sold jewelry and lapidary supplies. I found out through them about the Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle where they were doing all kinds of art classes, including glass. I took the bead making class and not long after I turned my bedroom in my 1 bedroom apartment into a studio and moved into the living room, bought an oxy/propane set up and supplies from Frantz, and started making beads. Not long after that I returned to school to get a degree in glass art from the Rhode Island School of Design. At that time, lampwork was not given much respect in the art world and the department didn't even have a lampworking torch - other than mine. With my degree I learned about all different kinds of glass working, some of which I still do today, but lampwork is my first love.

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

Serena: Not my first bead, but I do remember the first demo the instructors did on sculpting beads. Most of the class was about how to make a round bead with dots on it. But they demo'd a pudgy little bug thing and warned us that sculpted beads were pretty much guaranteed to break so the demo was just a throw away idea. This was back before annealing kilns were on the market, didn't even know about fiber blanket, we used vermiculite in a can and flame annealing was considered a myth by a lot of people. But, once I saw the potential in sculpting glass that was pretty much it for me, I knew that was what I wanted to do. I used vermiculite for years and did in fact have a lot of luck with flame annealing. I still make a version of my first sculpted bead designed after the Venus of Willendorf sculpture.

Inspirational Beading: Where do you look for inspiration? How does it translate in your designs?

Serena: I have a lot of books with flower pictures in them, but I think I get most of my inspiration just from nature in general, as well as the glass colors they make now. I work in my garden and grow flowers. I also go for long walks, and especially when the flowers are blooming I get inspired to get into the shop and try to create some new bloom or color I've never noticed before. That's how the japonica style flower came to me. I saw bushes in a parking lot that had masses of wee flowers and I took a close look to see these lovely vase shaped blossoms I'd never seen before. I looked them up when I got home to find the name (japonica pieris) and started working with the shape. I don't always try to be faithful to the original flower, as you can see in some of my fantasmagorical Lady Slippers.

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

Serena: Always, pinks make me happy even though I think my favorite color in general is turquoise blue (I have a terrible time with high metal content opaque turquoise glass). These days there are so many more glass colors to work with, some fantastic pinks from Bullseye glass and not just the ruby pink from Moretti that used to turn brown. It's amazing to me to think back to when all we had was Moretti (Effetre) to now when we have so many manufacturers and some really incredibly beautiful colors to work with. I think one of my favorite new colors these days is from Bullseye, an opalescent blue purple color which is fantastic over petal pink.

Inspirational Beading: Do you have a favorite bead style or shape to create?

Serena: That's a tough one. I don't think I do as far as making them, what I like is to be able to have a variety of things to work on so I make things in small batches. It's not fair to the pretty beads I make to feel irritated because I had to work all day making the exact same thing so I try to avoid doing that. Regardless, I am always cheered when I open the kiln and see a beautiful bouquet of flower beads in a rainbow of colors. What could possibly be better than that? As far as shape, I think my favorite flower to look at right now is the tulip. Simple but lovely.

Inspirational Beading: What is the most rewarding moment in your design process?

Serena: I think it must be that "aha" moment when I finally know how to do it, whatever "it" is. Getting the color right, or just figuring out how to create a shape. There is a certain amount of frustration when you first start out something new and you can't "see" or "feel" it, and when it settles down into your hands and they just start making it happen, it is a really good feeling. I've learned not to let those moments of frustration deter me from believing that I can really, truly, figure it out. And the only way to fail is to quit.

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

Serena: I have been making a lot of Lady Slippers this month and it has been fun. I designed them a while ago but sort of let them go and hadn't made any in several years when I looked back through some of my history and realized how long it had been, and how special they were! They are a real joy to make, each one comes out different and I am playing with different colors and details and combinations that really makes it fun. I love the moment I open the kiln! Sometimes on my walk from the studio into the house I forget what I'm doing and just stand in the yard looking at each one and smiling.

Inspirational Beading: Do you have any plans for new bead styles or themes in the works?

Serena: I've always been interested in different forms of glass work so I do casting, fusing, pate de verre, etc. always looking for ways to incorporate lampwork. What I have been working on this last 6 months or so is how to make cast beads, and also fused components like cabochons. The cabochons often include a lampworked element, like the heart in this cabochon, and just recently I've made just a couple of lampwork blobs that I want to put in the kiln and fuse and just see what happens. I might try fusing some holes into the cabochons to make them into beads. Not sure yet, just expanding my horizons!

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

Serena: Definitely jewelry makers! But, speaking as a person who likes to try just about every craft, I really would like to reach people who work in areas I might not know anything about, and who might never have considered that their work could include lampwork or glass components. For instance, I also do needle felting and have incorporated my beads into those projects. People think of beads as just for jewelry but they are so versatile and useful and add a wonderful element to any kind of creation.

You can see more of Serena’s gorgeous lampwork beads at the 2016 Best Bead Show in Tucson, Arizona, on her website Serena Smith Lampwork, and on Etsy at Serena Smith and 4GlassCabochons. Follow along on Facebook to see her latest creations and inspirations!

Mortira

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Copyright 2016 Inspirational Beading and Serena Smith

Beading Tutorial: Daisy Chevron Chain

Chevron chain is a surprisingly versatile stitch, considering how simple and delicate that it can be. The unique way that the beads link up allow for lots of variation, including adding two-hole beads, or creating a floral pattern. One of my favorite ways to enhance a simple chevron chain is to incorporate daisy chain stitches. It’s also a reader favorite, and a tutorial for this technique has been requested many times. To get ahead of springtime inspirations, here at last is the method for adding daisies to a chevron collar.

You don't need to be familiar with chevron chain to try this technique, but some practice with classic daisy chain might be helpful. It's important to make sure that the daisy stitches are as snug as possible to get a smooth, cohesive look in the beadwork.

For this tutorial, we’re using 11/o seed beads in classic white and yellow for the daisies, and turquoise blue for the chain. Once you’ve mastered the basics of the stitch, you can add additional patterns to the chevron chain for a variety of looks. Don’t be afraid to mix up your floral colors, too!

1. Attach a stop bead to a comfortable length of beading thread, leaving about an 8 inch tail. Pick up 19 blue seed beads. Slide them down to the stop bead, and stitch down through the first 3 beads again. Pull snug to form a teardrop shape.

2. Pick up 11 blue seed beads. Skipping the 3 beads that you just stitched through, and the previous 3 beads in the teardrop, stitch up through the next set of 3 beads and pull snug. (These are beads 16-14 from the first step).

3. Pick up 10 blue seed beads. Stitch down through beads 6-8 from the previous step and pull snug.
With any variation of chevron chain, it helps to think of the pattern as having 6 segments. In the first stitch we set up these 6 segments, then add 3 more with each additional stitch. Every segment in this project contains 3 beads, except for the top and bottom edge, which contain 4 and 5 beads, respectively.

4. Pick up 1 blue and 6 white seed beads. Slide them down to the beadwork, then carefully stitch back up through the 1st white bead added. Pull as snug as you can to form a small loop of white seed beads.

5. Pick up 1 yellow seed bead. Carefully stitch up through the 4th white seed bead picked up in the previous step. As you pull the thread snug, let the yellow bead click into place in the center of the white ring.

6. Pick up 7 blue seed beads, and stitch up through the center 3 beads of the last downward stitch in the chain.

7. Repeat step 3 to add 10 beads in a downward stitch. Add 11 blue beads in an upward stitch, followed by another 10-bead stitch. Repeat steps 4 and 5 to add a new daisy.

8. Continue the pattern, adding a daisy on every second upward stitch, until your chain reaches the desired length.

The daisy chain segments roughly match the length of the plain 5-bead segments on the bottom row, because the center of each daisy contains 3 beads, and we're adding a blue on each side. With only 4 beads in each of the segments of the top row, this will create a gentle curve that is perfect for collars. To eliminate the curve, use 11 beads in every plain stitch – you could also alternate daisies on both sides of the chain for a pretty bracelet.

Mortira

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Flashback Project: Floral Chevron Chain

I recently did a complete overhaul of my bead storage space. It took two days to complete the clean up using a simplified variation of the Kaizen method - which basically means that you pick up literally everything in a space and decide whether to keep it or toss it. Anything that is kept is then assigned a space. I was able to get rid of a lot of unnecessary things in my hoard, and made a lot more space for my beads and supplies to live in.

One of my favorite moments of the process was taking a look through all of my old beading magazines. There was a time when I checked out issues of Beadwork and Bead & Button on the newsstand every month, and picked up any that appealed to me. I built up quite a collection before both titles became unavailable in stores.

It’s been a long time since I’ve studied or tried projects from magazines. There are so many in my collection that I never tried at all. I thought that it would be a fun experiment to test out some of my favorite projects from old magazines and see how they turn out. The one that I immediately thought of was the cover project from April 2007 issue of Bead & Button – “Dress Up a Chevron Chain with Flowers” by Yvanne Ham.

Although there were plenty of magazine projects that I did try, there were many more that I simply admired. This one in particular was a favorite partly because one of the variations used clear color-lined seed beads (my all-time favorite finish). I remember clearly that the beading forums were filled with threads about how difficult the project was to complete, and apart from not having the exact materials needed, I was too intimidated to try it myself. I thought it was time to finally tackle it.

I still didn’t have the exact materials, but it was easy enough to replace 4mm fire polish beads with 4mm druks. I also found the instructions a little difficult to follow, as the beads are labelled in an unusual order, making it tricky to know which beads to pick up. Once I realized that the diagrams were much more helpful, things really started to come together.

Now that chevron chain is one of my favorite stitches, I found this project fairly easy to complete. The hardest part was deciding on a palette and pattern to go with. I love how my variation turned out, and since I made it for myself it fits great, and I’ll probably be wearing it plenty this spring.

Do you have any white whale projects in your past?

Mortira

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August Bead Stash Favorites

I haven’t yet had a chance to really comb through my stash and see what inspirations await, but I do have a few new materials waiting in the wings that I’m looking forward to trying out. Once I find the right combinations for these, there’s a chance I won’t have time for all of the ideas they bring out.

A few weeks ago I snagged this lovely strand of millefiori beads while thrifting for summer clothes, and I couldn’t be more in love. There’s just something gorgeous about the combination of white and yellow with a black backdrop. The translucent core makes these beads different from any of my other druks and rounds. I like these ones almost too much to use!

During a recent thread stock-up, I couldn’t resist trying out some Czech glass triangle beads. These are a single-hole variety, and although the shape is clearly a triangle from the top down, the sides of these beads look very curvy and organic. I’ve already tested them out in yellow, but this red is really calling out. It sounds like “pair me with turquoise”!

It might be a coincidence that all of my current favorites are on strands, just waiting to be cut. Either way, I’m really looking forward to seeing what these freshwater pearls can do. I’ve been a fan of the coppery finish for years, but I haven’t used pearls these small for ages. At about 5mm, they’re certainly small enough to go with just about any stitch, and I love the semi-round shape.

What are your favorite beads of the moment?

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Operation Inspiration: Phase Three

I’m heading into the final stage of my plan for boosting creativity in my workspace. The new ugly necklace is complete, and it turned out pretty fabulous, with a fun combination of herringbone strips and circular brick stitch medallions. I used a coconut flower button for the clasp, which not only added the finishing touch, but also allowed me to finally get one into a project after having such high hopes for them.

Apart from refreshing my workspace and using up old leftovers, one of my favorite ways to find instant inspiration is to buy new beads. I haven’t placed a bead order since last year, so it was definitely time to get some fresh materials in my studio. I’ve got a good sized bead order on the way right now, and there are some pretty exciting things in it. I’m trying out a few new seed bead colors, some new accent beads, and of course I stocked up on Fireline so I’ll be ready to make whatever comes to mind.

Now that the ugly necklace is finished, I’m getting back to favorite projects. I’ll be finishing the fringe necklace with black and gold stripes that I started ages ago - and then, who knows?

Do you have a favorite bead or material to purchase when you need a pick-me-up?

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Work in Progress: Tagua and RAW

There are some pretty exciting colors on my bead tray right now, as I finish up the first of my planned projects for using up some of my tagua slices. I had picked up a few shell charms to go with them last year, and now I’m very glad for the extra inspiration.

The charm I chose for this necklace has a floral design, so I paired the purple up with creamsicle orange and turquoise for a bright spring look. I had planned to use cobalt blue for the third right angle weave chain, but discovered that I had plenty of cobalt iris, which almost perfectly matches that tagua and has a lustered finish that goes with the other seed beads.

I’m also determined to finish up the emerald medallion with Toho triangles that my helper and I started months ago. Once that’s complete, my bead tray will be nice and tidy for more new projects. While counting all of my seed beads for inventory, I put aside all single packets of leftover Japanese rounds that I’m not likely to purchase again, and sorted them into palettes for color block cuffs. Can’t wait to get started!

What are you making right now?

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Victorian Filigree Inspirations

Another giveaway draw has come to a close! Congratulations to Greta, who will be able to learn some amazing wirework techniques from the Filigree Jewelry with a Twist series of lessons by Melody MacDuffee. Thank you so much to everyone who entered, and to Melody and everyone at Craftsy for the amazing jewelry class!

For this giveaway, I asked how you would use the floral filigree techniques in your jewelry designs. Greta’s favorite inspiration is Victorian style filigree, which would definitely be fun to recreate with Melody’s fun wirework florals. I can see it embellishing cameos and smooth cabs, or decorating a bracelet in pretty pastels. From cosmetic tools to momento mori, there’s plenty of inspiration to be found in Victorian antiques. Here are just a few examples of the lovely shapes of the era!

What’s your favorite Victorian trend?

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