Book Review :: Wire Weaving

I recently wrote a book review on Lisa Lynn Barth's new Timeless Wire Weaving in the most recent issue of Bead Chat Magazine (page 120). I had been noticing her work on Facebook quite a bit over the last few months. The patterns had me in awe of the way she can wire weave around all kinds of rocks and stones, or into a piece of leather. 

Every time one of her pieces posted over on Facebook I would stop and study it. I decided I really had to try this technique, and I decided that one of the best ways to review her new book was to test the instruction on myself.

I ordered her book, and went through it front to back several times over the course of the next week. And by the following weekend I was ready to give this a try. I picked one of my favorite patterns in the book, and a rock gifted to me from Christine (who found this one on the shores of Lake Michigan) and then began my project. 

Of course it took me a bit to get this started, and I did have a few places where I had to back up and rework things. It took about 3 hours, which I'm sure is much longer than it is supposed to take. But what was amazing (at least to me) was that this example here is truly my first time ever trying this technique. Lisa's instructions were so clear that you really can use this book to teach yourself. 

Lisa regularly teaches classes, and you can see that in the way she's written this book. She is the kind of teacher you hope for when you sign up for classes. She is thoughtful, and attentive and you walk away feeling like you've really mastered a new technique. A wonderful thing to find in a teacher. 

Explorations in Freeform Peyote Beading

Many months ago I saw a post from Karen Williams over on her blog Baublicious. She was looking for beaders to work on freeform projects, including taking pictures through the process so she could featuring them in her new book Explorations in Freeform Peyote Beading.

I am pretty new to freeform beading, having only created a handful of designs. I thought, "sure I could work on a bracelet."  But then after talking to Karen she asked if I would be willing to create a necklace since so many people submit bracelets for freeform designs. 

I had never done a necklace, and I was just so unsure of how I would design something with such a large canvas in a freeform style. 

But then inspiration hit. I had been home visiting family in Oregon and stopped into a local glass blowing studio called Fern Hill Studio that I've mentioned a few times now on the blog. The pieces of glass I bought were cast offs from large glass pieces made at the studio like vases and bowls. But the little snips of glass I thought were perfect for cabochons. The owner let me buy a bag full of them! 

What I wanted to do with my little pieces of glass was to create a piece inspired by the bubbles that form in the surf along the Oregon coast. The waves there are rough and crashing creates a bit of foam along the shore. I love how the water swirls in the surf around the bubbles floating right next to the water's edge.

I did share a lot of photos with Karen as this design was very organic to say the least. I had an entirely different final piece in my head. I thought I'd create a short collar necklace, but it just didn't hang the way I wanted and I ripped it out. I switched to beading around brass rings, which also overwhelmed the pattern. In the end I went with a simple braiding of sari silk in a fishtail pattern. It felt more like the sea to me.

There are lots of other artists in Karen's book, and full of ideas, designs and instruction on freeform beading. It is a beautiful book that does not disappoint; including some of Karen's signature beaded sculpture pieces that are truly stunning. Be sure to check it out!

BTW: Bohemian Inspired

Lately everyone is buzzing about Lorelei and Erin's new book Bohemian Inspired Jewelry. I have to admit that I have read it through at least 6 or 7 times now and have started to use it to inspire some of my upcoming pieces. Like this blue cord necklace on my bead table this week.  

A week or so ago I was over at Kashmira's blog and loving a new pendant she had just created with beautiful knotting. She pointed me to Lorelei and Erin's book, and I realized that there are so many techniques they use that I am loving. And that photography is so wonderful --- eye candy to a beader. My husband laughs at me with my nose stuck in one of these books and completely ignoring him. I can get lost for hours in a good beading book.

I've been trying my hand at a few of their techniques, and once I get going they truly inspire all kinds of ideas for me. I have had these glass discs in a bead drawer for years now. And realized that the knotting that Kashimra was doing would work so well with these. I also had some beautiful silver balls, yes also in a drawer for much longer than I'd like to admit. A little polishing from a sliver cloth and look at them shine! There will be more to come with these knotting techniques. I'm just getting warmed up.

Next, I grabbed some spare leather that I had sitting around from a chair I recovered some 15 years ago. I figured eventually I'd find some use for it. Some of the leather that they use in the book is so unique and gorgeous I just have to try it. So I've got my shears and leather all spread out for the next project. Look for more pearls and leather coming soon from me ... they will match my Glam meets Boho pearl and leather bracelet.

So at the moment my bead table is covered in Bohemian inspired work. That will keep me beading for weeks ... I just have to find time to stop and blog a bit to show you all.

Freedom Fridays: Peyote with Spirit Bead

Recently I received a large hat-full of beach glass from my sister-in-law who had been visiting the Maine Coast. She pulled out a small aqua piece of glass and asked if I could make something with it? Hmm, it is pretty small. So this might take some creativity to figure out how to include this.


At the time I had been working on a beaded bracelet and she commented on how much she liked the blue colors of the beads. So I thought I'd try to combine the two. Originally I tried a beaded bezel around the piece of glass, but it is simply too small and left very little of the glass to see once complete. Ok, so scratch that. I also considered gluing a silver piece with a loop on the glass that I had used recently on beach glass pendants. The only problem was that the leaf design on the piece would have covered the entire surface of the glass. So I created my own hammered silver to wrap around the glass and glue into place. I decided to use it as a charm hanging off a custom hammered silver toggle. I wanted to create a special piece for her to remember her trip back East this summer that she could wear and remind her of her time both at the Maine shore and her time with us up in the Adirondacks.

The other design element I used was the Native American tradition of peyote and a spirit bead. I've been enjoying reading a book I recently picked up by David Dean called Beading in the Native American Tradition. It is a fabulous book that takes you through all of the various bead stitches used by the American Indian tribes like: gourd stitch (peyote), the Comanche stitch (brick), lane stitch (from the Cheyenne, Crow and Sioux) and loop stitch (Cheyenne), running stitch (Crow). Just to name a few.


Specifically he talks about Peyote and the origin of the stitch. The stitch is also called the Church design. Native American's used beaded feathers (gourd stitch that wrapped around the handles) as part of the peyote ceremony that involved prayer and the peyote cactus as sacrament. The bead stitch associated with their 'church' rituals was said to be done in the 'peyote' style. 


The other tradition used by Native American beaders was to include a 'spirit bead.'  This tradition dates as far back as 800 A.D. and served as talismans against threat.  The spirit bead is one that stands apart from the rest of the pattern; sometimes a bead of a different color. Native Americans believed that each piece should contain an intentional mistake (or spirit bead) somewhere within the pattern because humans cannot achieve perfection. If we attempt perfection it could be bad luck. And the spirit world would not enter into anything that was flawless. So a spirit bead was sewn in among the others to provide a flaw where the spirit could enter and flow through the beadwork. A spirit bead is a reminder anything created by human hands cannot be perfect. These Native American beaders would intentionally include a wrong colored bead as a way to honor the Great Spirit and express humility. 

Thursday Favorites: My Outdoor Workshop

Once a year we make it up to the Northern part of the Adirondacks, near the Canadian border. It is time to forget about the world, my day job, and the demands in my life. I get to sit on the screened-in porch, bead and listen to the wind and birds. 

Occasionally I get a burst of energy and get out on the lake for a paddle in the kayak, but mostly I get to bead. I love my time in the mountains.

I brought a stash of books with me; inclusive of my favorite bead books. I’ve been revisiting a few patterns that I’ve had book marked for some time. I thought I finally try out some bead stitches I’ve been meaning to practice.

This pretty little pattern is one I’ve looked at for a while, but just never got around to giving it a try. It is from a book that I LOVE called Beaded Allure by Kelly Wiese. There are some amazing beading projects in this book, including this one.

I recently pulled apart several strands of glass pearls my mother gave me a few years ago that she never wore. I hesitate to call them 'antique' just yet. But they are close enough. I wanted something that was sort of 'dressed up-Bohemian' so I used yellow seed beads and a mix of glass pearl sizes. I haven't yet decided how I want to finish the closure as the patterns calls for using a bead, but with the weight of this pattern I doubt that would hold. So I'll sift through my buttons once I'm back home, and perhaps some pearl buttons will do the trick.

Once I've finished up this pattern, I'll re-post it complete with a few modeling shots from my favorite model. My daughter.

Time to Stitch Blog Hop: My Blue Peyote

It's time to reveal our projects for the Time to Stitch blog hop. Christine from One Kiss Creations and Theresa from Therese's Treasures are hosting this hop and have asked that we focus our beading to one of two stitches: peyote and herringbone. 


I started off with a pattern that I've been wanting to try from the first minute I saw it. It's called Dragon Dance by Csilla Csirmz from the Beadwork May 2012 issue. It is a combination of both peyote and herringbone where you flip the pattern every inch or so to create a wave. I started over several times, and finally completed the 6 waves to the pattern, but I think my tension on this is off and I will likely start again. Christine asked that we post projects even if not yet complete. I don't see it as a failure, but as a start to a stitch that I hope to improve on with each try. I have been wanting to try herringbone for some time, and this is my first attempt. So thank you Christine and Therese for pushing me to finally do this!  So, Instead of getting frustrated and rushing to try the bracelet again, I decided to switch over to quick, simple peyote bracelet. 


Peyote I have tried several times, and find fun. I just picked up these Miyuki seed beads the other day because I just love the color. I've been on a bit of a turquoise jag of late, and this packet was tossed in the basket on one of those trips in search of just the right turquoise combination. These did not end up in any of the turquoise pieces, but they took center stage for this bracelet. I added a silver toggle with some rustic swirls that bring a Mediterranean finish to this pretty sea blue. 


I did double check my stitch in one of my favorite books Teach Yourself Visually Beadwork, which is a great reference for many of the basic stitches. Just in case you're in search of a good reference book. 


And now it is time to check out all my fellow bead bloggers and their projects! 

Therese Frank and Christine Altmiller

Katherine Gale

Emma Andrews

Karin Slaton

Kim Bender

Lola Surwillo

Amy Severino

Bobbie Rafferty

Sally Russick

Tanya Goodwin

Paula Kramer

Sarah

Karen Williams

Shannon Hicks

Andra Weber

Beth

DW

Marla Gibson

Lisa Stukel
Mandy Duffy
Cynthia Machata (You are Here)
Shirley Moore