Saturday, October 31, 2015

Camille Bracelet Variation - Alternative Clasp Loop

Last Friday I showed you the two "Camille" variation bracelets below, HERE. You can read the pattern and bead color details in that post.

 

I made both bracelets for myself and I wasn't happy that I had to use so many jump rings to get the right length. I couldn't add another whole motif to the bracelets or they would end up much too long. So, I decided to add little seed bead motifs on the ends for attaching the jump rings. These little extenders look like they're part of the bracelet design. I still had to add two jump rings on each end but I don't mind that at all.

The loops that I added are the same "Sidonia" style loops that I use on a lot of my earrings and bracelets. You start by picking up seven 11/0 seed beads to make a loop, in this case adding an 8/0 seed bead as the fourth bead. Then, you go back around and up through the first seed bead of the loop, pick up an 11/0 seed bead and then go through the next five beads of the loop. Pick up another 11/0 bead and go through the last 11/0 of the loop. Weave around this loop to reinforce it, skipping the 8/0 bead as you go back around. I go ahead and add the first extender loop right away when I start the bracelet. I am able to do that because I don't start mine as the pattern instructs. I firmly anchor the seed beads to the first Kheop bead before adding any more beads to my thread. I add the loop to the other end in a later step when I reach that end of the bracelet.


Below is a close-up showing a bracelet with too many jump rings and one with the extension loops:

 
When I use this kind of loop for earrings, I usually use 15/0 seed beads and omit the 8/0 bead since an earring wire will usually fit on the smaller loop quite nicely with no jump rings needed.


 

Friday, October 30, 2015

Gold Beads



I blogged last Saturday, HERE, about the "Bandwidth Bracelet" below that I made recently using some very bright gold seed beads. They're Toho's "Permanent Finish Galvanized Starlight" (557PF) and they're a much brighter "metal" color than I typically work with.

My sister-in-law likes this color because it goes better with her gold metal jewelry than any of my bronze seed beads do. I've been trying to find ways to use these seed beads in some of the bracelets and earrings that I make for her. I'm finding it rather challenging because most of the colored beads that I have look very blah next to them. They seem to work best with very bright, saturated colors which aren't generally the kinds of colors that I use for my own jewelry.

The photo at the top of this post shows how these seed beads compare with a few pieces of gold costume jewelry that I have. I also found a few other kinds of beads in my stash that go pretty well with the seed beads. And, I've found that 24K gold beads are about the same shade of gold as the seed beads. They're quite expensive but the price isn't so bad if they're used sparingly. You can get 24K gold in SuperDuos, druks and a variety of other types of beads.

I'm currently working on a bracelet for my other sister-in-law that also has these gold seed beads. I'm adapting the necklace that I saw on a blog, HERE, as a bracelet. I'm waiting for the 24K gold Pinch beads and the montees that I ordered to get here before I can start on it. I will be making her bracelet with black Kheops beads instead of the matte gray ones in the photo on that blog.  Below is a photo of the sample that I made using beads that I have on hand. I wanted to figure out how to make the bracelet before I invested in the expensive beads. I only had five montees in my stash and they're a little smaller than the clear "diamond" ones that I will be using. The black Kheops in my sample are "Jet Hematite" and they have a metallic finish. I will actually use shiny solid black Kheops for a more dramatic look and of course all of the metallic beads will be bright gold instead of dark bronze.  I will blog about the bracelet when it's finished.


The designer, VinJulEve, adapted this bracelet from her "Mirano" pattern which is for sale on DaWanda HERE.



 Here are the bead colors that I used in my sample:
  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • Kheops® Par Puca® beads "Jet Hematite"
  • Pinch beads "Bronze"
  • 4mm montees (no color info available)

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Beading News - Honeycomb Beads

PINCH BEADS AND HONEYCOMB BEADS

I stopped by 1960 Beads today to pick up some Pinch beads for a bracelet project. While I was there, the owner asked me if I'd seen the new 2-hole Honeycomb beads yet. I'd never heard of them before and the only thing that I can find online about them is on Akke Jonkhof's blog HERE. The distributor for these new beads is BeadSmith and you can see then on their site as well, HERE. If you go to the BeadSmith site, the link to the Honeycomb beads is on the left side of the main page under the heading "Product Spotlight". When you click the link a page will open with a list of the available colors. Click the blue "play" button/arrow next to each color and you can watch a video about these beads. HERE is the link to the video on YouTube.

I bought the Chalk Lazure Blue ones because that's one of my favorite colors. I also figured that it would be the easiest color to experiment with because I have so many other kinds of beads in that color. Linda, the shop owner (she's Adam's mom), printed out Akke's free pattern for me to take home and she had a "Bzzzzzz Bracelet" on display. I don't remember what colors she used but she had embellished hers a bit. Like me, she didn't like leaving all those SuperDuo holes along the sides of the bracelet open, so she added tiny seed bead picots (11/0 and 15/0, I think) to each SuperDuo bead. It looked very nice that way.

You can see some photos of this bracelet on Akke's blog but hers doesn't have any picots. I'm going to try the pattern sometime but I'll make mine with only two rows of Honeycomb beads for a narrower bracelet. It's quite wide with three rows. If you find a shop that has these beads they will probably have this bracelet pattern as a free hand-out. At the moment, I'm not sure if anyone online has these beads in stock yet. Google couldn't find any. I also couldn't find any on Etsy or Pinterest other than on Akke's blog. I'm pretty sure that they just came out this month so keep an eye out for them to start appearing in your favorite bead shops.

 

Monday, October 26, 2015

Pearly Lace Earrings - Bronze & Blue

Pearly Lace Earrings
  • 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Metallic Matte Bronze" (2006)
  • 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Matte Blue Lilac" (2030)

I bought a few more 15/0 seed bead colors to use with this earring pattern, including this pretty shade of blue. I've blogged about this earring pattern before, HERE, HERE and HERE.

You can buy Iulia Postica's "Pearly Lace Earrings" pattern HERE on Etsy.


I probably won't be posting anything for a few days. I've got a pile of stuff to photograph as soon as the sunshine returns.
 

 

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Coin Earrings Variation - Capri Blue II


  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • CzechMates "Capri Blue Gold Marbled"
  • SuperDuo beads "Crystal Gold Luster"

I blogged about the other variation of these earrings HERE on Monday. That version makes a more rounded earring and this version is more diamond-shaped. This is my favorite of the two versions. Both of them were adapted from Deborah Roberti's "Coin Earrings" pattern which you can buy HERE.

 
Below is is the other version of these earrings that I blogged about previously:


 

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Bracelet of the Day: Bandwidth Bracelet - Turquoise & Gold


BANDWIDTH BRACELET
  • 15/0 seed beads Toho "Permanent Finish Galvanized Starlight" (557PF)
  • 11/0 seed beads Toho "Permanent Finish Galvanized Starlight" (557PF)
  • 8/0 seed beads Toho "Permanent Finish Galvanized Starlight" (557PF)
  • SuperDuo beads "Turquoise"


I'm always on the lookout for new ways to use SuperDuos and this simple yet stunning bracelet is just my style. It can look very dressy, like this bracelet, or you can make it very casual by using grungy Picasso SuperDuo beads like my little samples below. I will post more of these bracelets as I make them. As I often do, I did change the loop for the clasp. You can buy Angie's pattern at NannyPinksPassion on Etsy HERE.

UPDATE 7/24/2022: Angie Martin has closed her Etsy shop. I found this message on her Nanny Pink's Passion Facebook page:

"Shop is now closed.  If anyone is looking for any of my patterns, please send me a private message on my personal page  https://www.facebook.com/angie.martin.50"

Top Sample:
  • 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • SuperDuo beads "Opaque Rose Gold Topaz Luster"
Bottom Sample:
  • 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Metallic Matte Bronze" (2006)
  • 11/0 seed beads Toho "Metallic Bronze Antique Gold" (225)
  • 8/0 seed beads Toho "Metallic Bronze Antique Gold" (225)
  • SuperDuo beads "Chalk Blue Picasso Luster"

 


 

Friday, October 23, 2015

Camille Bracelet Variation with Kheops® Par Puca® beads

You probably won't find the free version of this pattern by Puca for immediate download anywhere. However, it's often available as a free bonus with the purchase of Kheops® Par Puca® beads from many online bead shops such as Red Panda and Robin's Beads. You can also buy the pattern in Puca's Etsy shop HERE. This is what Puca's original bracelet looks like:

"Camille Bracelet" by Puca

Puca's "Camille Bracelet" is one of the few Kheops designs that I like. That's probably because the scalloped edge softens the angular shape of the Kheops. As soon as I started to follow the tutorial, I realized that I'd have to come up with an alternative method for making it. The first step tells you to pick up a whole bracelet's length of beads on the thread all at once with nothing securing them on the end. Once I came up with a way to secure the beads on the end, I was able to follow the rest of the tutorial as written without having to worry that the beads would slide off.

I also made another change when adding the netting. It kept flopping over too much where it goes around the druks and I found a way to secure it a little better. However, I've decided that I like the bracelet even better without the netting around the druks. Below are two samples. One has the netting and the other doesn't.

 
While making the sample without the netting on the druks, I got the idea to try adding other beads to the bracelet. I tried lots of different things with rondelles, druks, Silky beads and even SuperDuo beads. Here's the "sampler" bracelet that I made to try out my ideas:


  • 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • Kheops® Par Puca® beads "Opaque Rose Gold Ceramic Mix"
  • Silky beads "Crystal Gold Luster"
  • Silky beads "Alabaster Senegal"
  • SuperDuo beads "Polychrome Copper Rose"
  • 4mm druks "Opaque Gold and Smoky Topaz Luster"
  • 3x4mm rondelles "Amethyst AB" (Chinavoski)
  • 4mm bicones "Amethyst AB" (Chinavoski)

I really liked some of the additions. In the end, I kept the Silky beads but switched the rondelles to bicones. The result is a beautiful bracelet with a bit of sparkle and fewer Kheops beads. If you have Puca's pattern, it shouldn't be difficult to figure out how to add the extra beads.


  • 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • Kheops® Par Puca® beads "Opaque Rose Gold Ceramic Mix"
  • Silky beads "Crystal Gold Luster"
  • 4mm bicones "Amethyst AB" (Chinavoski)

 
This next bracelet is the one that I mentioned in yesterday's post:


  • 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • Kheops® Par Puca® beads "Jet Hematite"
  • Silky beads "Alabaster Teal Luster"
  • 4mm Czech bicones "Hematite Luster Aquamarine"

 
Now I've got two Kheops patterns that I really like a lot. I love that I've also found another way to use Silky beads. I've noticed that there haven't been many new Silky patterns coming out in a while. So, if you've been looking for something new to make with Silkies and you've been itching to try the new Kheops beads the "Camille Bracelet" or my variation might be just the thing.




Thursday, October 22, 2015

Clara Bracelet with Kheops beads sample


  • 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • Kheops® par Puca® beads "Jet Hematite"
  • SuperDuo beads "Metallic Suede Teal"
  • 4mm Czech bicones "Hematite Luster Aquamarine"
  • 3mm druks "Jet Picasso"

I just happened to see an example of this bracelet at 1960 Beads, which is a local bead shop. I can barely make out what colors Adam used to make his but I liked it so well that I took a photo of it with my iPod. The photo came out lousy but at least I can see the shapes and sizes of the beads that he used. Here is the photo:


I've seen several versions of this free pattern online but the best one, and easiest to read and follow, is the one posted on the BeadSmith site HERE. Some sites call this "Clara Bracelet" but the BeadSmith site just calls it "Puca Bracelet".

When I realized that I had the pattern that Adam used, I gave it a try for the first time using the beads that the pattern suggests. The only beads that I didn't use were the Matubo beads because I don't have any. Instead I used 8/0 seed beads. What I found is that some of the beads called for are actually too large for the design so my sample came out rather wonky and I took it apart. Now that I've tried this pattern, I can see this wonkiness in the bracelet photos the internet that I hadn't noticed before. Everything looks very crowded and crooked. So, I decided to try what Adam did with his bracelet. He used 3mm druks instead of the Matubo beads. He replaced the 4mm fire polished beads with 4mm bicones and put 3mm druks on the sides of the bracelet where the bicones would have been. Everything fits much better and the bracelet has a nice feel to it.

It can be a little confusing knowing which way to add the Kheops beads with this pattern. It doesn't help that two of the photos in the tutorial appear to have them going the wrong direction. The photos for Steps 4 and 5 are incorrect. Photo number 5 might be correct but the red arrows show the double holes to be on the wrong side of the Kheop bead. The thing to remember is that the sides of the Kheops with two holes should be adjacent to the SuperDuos wherever they appear in the bracelet.

I haven't decided yet if I like this sample well enough to make myself a bracelet. It's pretty and I like it but it's not really my style and I don't know what I'd wear it with. Perhaps I'd like it better made with less metallic colors that are more to my taste. I just ordered several more colors of Kheops yesterday, including these two:
Opaque Violet Gold Luster Mix

Opaque Rose Luster

You can buy both colors from Red Panda HERE.

Stay tuned for my next post because I came up with something that I like so much better than this particular design. I made two bracelets using a different Puca pattern and one of them has some of the same color beads that I used in this sample. I also found a nice way to use some of the Czech bicones that I blogged about recently. I know that you're going to love tomorrow's bracelets.


 

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Duo Kheops Bracelets


DUO KHEOPS BRACELET
  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • Kheops par Puca beads "Opaque Rose Gold Ceramic Mix"
  • SuperDuo beads "Matte Chalk Bronze"

Teejay sent me some "Hematite" Kheops par Puca beads for Christmas but I hadn't gotten around to trying them until just recently. Frankly, I wasn't all that keen on the beads because of their angular shape. I also haven't seen more than a couple of patterns for them that I actually like. This bracelet design did catch my eye and I thought it would be just the thing to make with some my Kheops beads. I bought some Kheops in one other color so I've made this bracelet pattern in two colorways.

 
The pattern I used is from Marina Beads on Etsy and you can buy the pattern HERE. Marina has a few other patterns that use Kheops beads but this is the only one that appeals to me. The oval shape of the motifs seems to soften the angular look of the triangle beads. I did make a little change from the pattern as it's written. I made each motif separately and then connected them with 5mm jump rings. To do this, I replaced the 11/0 seed beads on the ends of each motif with 8/0 seed beads for the jump rings to go through. I like these bracelets both so well that I might buy some Kheops in more colors so that I can make some more.


  • 11/0 seed beads Toho "Transparent Montana Gold Luster" (204)
  • 8/0 seed beads Toho "Transparent Montana Gold Luster" (204)
  • Kheops par Puca beads "Jet Hematite"
  • SuperDuo beads "Granite Galaxy Gold"

 


 

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Coin Earrings Variation - Jet Bronze Picasso

  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Metallic Chocolate" (461)
  • 8/0 seed beads "Metallic Chocolate" (no info available)
  • CzechMates "Jet Bronze Picasso"
  • SuperDuo beads "Jet Bronze Picasso"

I've blogged before about my adaptation of Deb Roberti's "Coin Earrings" HERE and HERE as well as my post yesterday HERE. I made this pair of earrings to go with a "Coin Band" bracelet that I made quite some time ago and blogged about it HERE


You can buy Deb's "Coin Earrings" pattern HERE and her "Coin Bands" pattern HERE.


 

Monday, October 19, 2015

Coin Earrings Variation - Capri Blue


  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • CzechMates "Capri Blue Gold Marbled"
  • SuperDuo beads "Crystal Gold Luster"

I made these earrings to go with a "Tweaked Stacker" bracelet that I blogged about HERE. "Linda's Tweaked Stacker" is available from Around the Beading Table as a free pattern HERE. The bracelet that goes with these earrings just happens to be the one in the photo featured in Deb's pattern.


  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457D)
  • SuperDuo beads "Crystal Luster Gold"
  • CzechMates "Capri Blue Gold Marbled"

I've come up with two variations of the Deb's "Coin Earrings" pattern, which you can buy HERE, and she has suggested that I make a tutorial to post here on my blog. I will do that sometime after the holidays. I haven't decided yet what I will call them. I previously blogged about my variations HERE.

The photo below shows examples of the two variations:


  • 11/0 seed beads Toho "Antique Bronze" (223)
  • 8/0 seed beads Toho "Antique Bronze" (223)
  • CzechMates "Turquoise Copper Picasso"
  • SuperDuo beads "Green Turquoise Red Terracotta"