Inspiration

Hopefully it is not hard to see where the inspiration for this bracelet came from, but there is a little bit of a story behind it. I work at a card and gift shop and we have a very large container of candy canes on the counter. I guess that from looking at them day after day they made their way into my subconscious. The other night I had a dream that I made a candy cane bracelet. After work I dug through my bead stash and came across some matte red and white beads. That didn't seem quite right. So I kept digging. I then came across some clear beads with an AB finish and some translucent red beads - perfect! Sometimes dreams do come true.

A Recipe For A Bracelet

I have a confession to make. I really don't like cooking. Don't get me wrong, I cook dinner for my family almost every night of the week and eating is one of my favorite pastimes. I also have quite the collection of recipes - most of which I have never attempted. The kind of recipes that I like to follow are for jewelry. Here are my ingredients:


The recipe I follow depends on the pattern that I am making. And here is my finished product:



Much more fulfilling for me that recipes involving food.

Beaded Eggs

Happy Easter

While unpacking some Easter decorations I came across these eggs that I forgot I had made.

They were made based on patterns from Diane Fitzgerald's Book, "Netted Beadwork".

Think Pink

I just added this to my Artistry Arts shop. It was made by crocheting bright pink lined and pale pink lined glass seed beads into a bangle bracelet. Perfect for Spring!

What I'm Working On

The Etsy Bloggers are blogging about what they are working on. I usually don't do holiday themed jewelry, but when I saw this Santa Claus button I just had to have it. I rummaged through my seed bead stash and found the perfect candy cane colors. I first thought of using the Santa as the toggle part of a toggle and loop closure, but I'm now thinking that he may make a better focal. This bracelet most likely won’t end up in my shop. The beads I used are very varied in size so there are places where they do not lie properly. I think I’ll just keep it for myself and wear it to get in the Christmas spirit.

Fringe Bracelet Tutorial

Here is a tutorial on how to make a fringe bracelet, also known as a cha-cha bracelet.
I hope these instructions are clear as I have never written a tutorial before.

Supplies: Beading wire such as Beadalon or Softflex
Beading thread such as Nymo or Fireline
Size 6 seed beads
Various size and shapes of beads in color/colors of your choice
Size 11 or 15 seed beads in complimentary color
Crimps
Clasp
Beading needle

Cut a length of beading wire long enough to add a clasp at each end. Since this is a hefty bracelet make sure that your finished size is about 1 inch longer than your wrist size. For example, my finished bracelet measures 8¾ inches, but fits well on a 7 inch wrist.

Let me see if I can explain this part clearly. You are going to string the size 6 seed beads on the beading wire like you are making a bracelet. You will add one part of your clasp to each end and crimp as usual. The only difference is that you want to have about an inch of the wire not covered by beads when you are done adding the clasp and crimping. You will need room between the beads to add the fringe.


Attach your beading thread to one end of the wire using a square knot with a dot of glue. Needle under the first seed bead. Pick up a combination of 2 or 3 beads ending with an 11 or 15 seed bead. Go back down through the beads you have just strung on, but do not go through the seed bead again. Needle under the next size 6 seed bead and continue to the end.

At the end make a knot and come back through all the size 6 seed beads again, adding beads between each as you go. When you get back to the other end you can either knot and end there or know and turn around and add fringes of beads down the length of the bracelet again depending on the fullness that you want. The bracelet in the photo has 3 fringes between each seed bead.

I apologize that I don’t have any photos showing the steps. Next time I make one I will definitely take some as I go and post them here.

Please feel free to email me if you need clarification on anything at maryann726@gmail.com

Beading Daily Reader' Gallery

Beading Daily is a great website for beaders and all jewelry makers. They have free patterns and projcets along with ones that you can purchase. They have great, informative articles, polls and a readers gallery.

The call went out a few weeks ago for submissions for a readers gallery that would showcase combined techniques. I submitted my bead crochet bracelet with copper end caps and clasp and it made it into the gallery along with a lot of other great pieces of jewelry.




Click here to view the entire gallery.

In A Crocheting Mood

It seems like I go through phases. For a while all I want to do is chainmaille and then all I want to do is beaded crochet. Right now I am in a beaded crochet mood. I have added these 2 bracelets to my shop, I'm working on another and I have an idea in my head for one more.

More Bead Crochet

I just listed another bead crochet bracelet in my Etsy shop. Just click on the picture and it will bring you right to the listing.

What makes this bracelet unique is its creation. Although it appears to be made from different colored beads, it is made from clear hexagonal shaped seed beads. The rainbow effect is created by using rainbow thread. As you crochet, the thread color changes giving the finished bracelet a rainbow appearance. This was the first time I used this thread and it certainly won't be the last.

Finally, A Sunny Day!

It has been cloudy and rainy here in Northwestern New Jersey for the past 2 days. We definitely needed the rain, but I had a bracelet that I was waiting to photograph for my Etsy Shop. I really need to learn how to take my pictures using artificial light since winter, with its cloudy days and limited hours of sunshine, is on its way.

This is what I was waiting to photograph.

Pink & Gray Bead Crochet Bracelet

I seem to go through phases as to what I am in the mood to create. Lately it has been bead crochet although, tonight I have a new project in mind that I am going to give a try. If it works out I will be posting it here soon.

Bead Crochet

Black & White Bangle

I started doing bead crochet about 2 years ago with no knowledge of how to crochet at all. My mother, who was very crafty, tried to teach my on many occasions, but I was never really interested. So, when I decided I wanted to learn bead crochet - off to the wonderful worldwide web I did go. And I found tons of information. The website that helped me the most was Ann Benson's online
tutorial .It's animated, very clear and easy to follow. She also has a great book with many great ideas for anyone interested in bead crochet. It is called Bead Crochet Designs .

Another great source for tips is Beadwrangler's Site. Lots of great tips on bead crochet and crochet in general.

Last, but not least, I gathered a great deal of information on the forum at Beadwork at About.com.

One of my favorite things about bead crochet is that because you string all your beads before you begin, it travels very well. I just throw it all in a bag and go.

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Peacock Bracelet

Beading Daily

So, I was on the Beading Daily website and they were looking for people who did bead crochet. So I submitted my name and the link to my Etsy store. About a week later I received an e-mail newsletter that they had an article about bead crochet, so I went to have a look. When I clicked on the gallery link - lo and behold - there was my Denim Crochet Bracelet. Next to it was a clickable link of my name (not my shop name), so of course I clicked. It let to Etsy and.....AN ERROR MESSAGE! I sent them an e-mail, but at 11:00 on a Friday night I don't know how much of a response I should hope for. I'm very disappointed. It was going to be my first promotion outside of Etsy. Oh, well - at least I saw it.