Red Peyote Bracelet and Orange Herringbone

I stitched up a quick, basic peyote stitch bracelet this week. I used size 6/0 seed beads in red with a bluish tint. Although it is simple I think the colors in the beads blend well together and give it a lacy, transparent quality. I still need to finish the clasp. I think a matching beaded button clasp will complete it nicely.

I also used some of the same beads in another bracelet, but in a completely different style. This time I used herringbone stitch with shimmery orange delica seed beads. I jazzed it up with inserts of size 6/0 beads in the red/blue tone and size 11/0 orange seed beads. I haven't done much beading with an orange color scheme and I am thrilled with the vibrant color combo.

I enjoyed doing herringbone stitch a lot and I will probably try to incorporate more herringbone projects in the future. It's great how trying a new technique can spark a creative burst of ideas. In fact, it always seems to jump start me out of an artistic funk. So try new things! Whether it is a new material, technique, color, style, or whatever...it helps to push your creative boundaries as an artist.

Brick Stitch

Brick stitch is a fantastic way to use up some of your slightly irregular shaped beads. I'm so glad I have discovered this great beadweaving technique.

Wonky looking first attempts at peyote stitch

Bead fabric made with size 11 delica beads

The first stitch I really got into was peyote. At first, I was disappointed with my attempts at peyote. The edges of my bracelets were uneven and wonky looking. I wanted my projects to look like the beautiful, perfectly rectangular flat cuff bracelets I saw online. I wondered how others were getting such perfectly symmetrical results. That's when I found out about delica seed beads. They are very uniform in size and they are cylindrical in shape instead of round. When you stitch them together the beads line up uniformly. I love they way they click together tightly in peyote stitch to form a beautiful piece of bead fabric.

But now what do I do with all those other irregular shaped round beads I have laying around. There must be something I can do with them.

Besides, as much as I love stitching up peyote cuff bracelets I need a change of pace once in a while to keep the creative inspiration flowing. Not to mention size 11 delica seed beads are teeny tiny and it takes quite a while to complete an entire bracelet with them. I would also like to try some quicker projects with larger beads for variety.

First attempt at brick stitch. My beads were too varied in size.

Enter brick stitch! I tried it once before a few months ago and I really liked it. It was simple and fun to do. The results didn't turn out great because the beads I used were much too varied in size. This produced an uneven, wavy look that I didn't like. (yes I am a bit obsessed about my jewelry being straight and even looking) Well second time is a charm in this case. I used size 6/0 seed beads in a brown and neutral mix and I love the way it is looking.

Brick stitch win!

Now I have to order some more beads to finish it because I ran out halfway through.

Rainbow Cube Beads

I haven't had as much time to work on bead projects as I would like lately. Sadly, I have been sick and it has cut into my free time and energy level. I have also been spending a lot of time traveling to see family, which has been very nice. But time to work on beading has definitely been stretched thin.

On top of all of that I'm kind of broke right now. I have missed work from being sick and I have been spending extra gas money to travel. The winter months here in Ohio are always a bit leaner for me anyway. Needless to say the beading coffers are running dry this month. To work around this problem I have been trying to come up with ways to use up the old beads I already have. I made a few sample swatches this week and I tried a few new techniques. Unfortunately, nothing turned out to be a hit for me. But at least I attempted to do something.
 

Sample piece of green cube bead bracelet

Striped Rainbow Cuff Bracelet

I had some frosted rainbow cube beads in size 4mm that I intended to use to make a peyote cuff bracelet. I made a green one for my mom last week which turned out very pretty. Here is a sample to the left. I must have been on a serious rainbow color kick lately since I just got finished with another rainbow striped cuff bracelet with delica seed beads last week. I tried a swatch of peyote with the rainbow cube beads and I just wasn't happy with the result. Too bad, because the beads looked so pretty in the tube. So now the question is what do I do with them?

Swatch of herringbone stitch with 4mm cube beads

I have been wanting to try out herringbone stitch so I worked a sample of it with the same cube beads. I do love the way the cube beads stacked together so neatly. Yet, the color combo just didn't thrill me. I think I will give the cube beads a rest and come back to it later. Maybe I will come up with something to do with them in the mean time.

Not sure what to do with these...

My next attempt is going to be learning how to do bead netting. I have some size 11 round seed beads in a pale transparent pink and a transparent lavender. I got them months ago with the intention of doing a netted bracelet but I was too busy with other projects and never got around to it. Well now will be the perfect time. I hope this turns out better than the last project!

Hopefully I will be back next week with the results.

First Post

Hi readers,

This is going to be my little corner of the Internet to talk about beading, jewelry making, art projects and anything else that strikes my fancy.

About Me: I have a day job and in my spare time I like to do creative things like making beaded jewelry and artwork. I am starting a shop on Etsy which is also called BEadArtistic. My big dream is to sell some of the things I make so hopefully I can spend more time doing the things I enjoy most.

Why am I so interested in beading? Well I have always been a crafty person and artistic talent runs strong in my family. As a kid, I spent many hours making macrame friendship bracelets, little beaded lizards and frogs, candles, paper beads, and probably a million other crazy craft projects. I'm relatively sure my mom still has a beaded lobster somewhere in her closet. My grandma who watched me after school claimed I never made a fuss as long as I had a crayon in my hand. Well I guess not much has changed since then! I still like to spend hours pleasantly immersed in some creative project.

Perhaps I can be a source of inspiration, ideas, knowledge, or entertainment for someone with similar interests.

My goal is to update about once per week on my current projects.

Thanks for looking at my blog.

-Edna