In the Bead Soup section of the December 2011 issue of Bead&Button, I wrote about using individual components from jewelry designs to suit your personal taste, then I made a ring using the techniques from two different articles to illustrate. This flower ring is the result of combining the diagonal peyote stitch technique used in Carole Horn's "Neptune's garden" bracelet (p. 48) and variations of the bezeled rivoli and peyote leaves from Lauren Miller's "Fire flower" necklace (p. 62). Here is what I did to change the projects and create my ring:
Diagonal peyote band
1. I worked the diagonal peyote technique the same as for Carole's bracelet, but in step 1 of "Base" I used 11/0 cylinder beads and 15/0 seed beads instead of 8/0 and 11/0 seed beads. I picked up eight 11/0s and a 15/0 to start the first row.
2. In step 2, I worked three stitches with 11/0s, then made an increase turn.
3. In step 3, I worked three stitches with 11/0s, then made a decrease turn.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3, but when the strip of beadwork is the desired length, you must join the two end rows to form a ring. To do this, end after step 3 (a–b), and instead of picking up three new 11/0s as in step 2, sew through the end three 11/0s from the other end of the strip (b–c). Then pick up a 15/0, and sew through the last 11/0 stitch in the end row (c–d). This will align the two end rows, but you must retrace the thread path to secure the join, then end the threads.
Rivoli bezel
1. I made my baby bezeled rivoli the same way as Lauren's, but in step 1 of "Rivoli bezel" I used 11/0 seed beads instead of cylinder beads and I only used 20 11/0s to make the initial ring. To surround the 8 mm rivoli, I ended up with these beads in order from the front of the bezel to the back: one round of 13/0 Charlottes, one round of 15/0 seed beads, four rounds of 11/0 seed beads, and one round of 15/0 seed beads.
2. I worked four rounds of picot embellishments instead of two, but in step 2 of "Picots" I used five 11/0 cylinder beads in each stitch instead of an E, three Bs, and an E. Repeat steps 1 and 2 instead of working any rounds of petals. I saved the working thread to attach the bezel to the ring band.
3. Using 12–18 in. (30–46 cm) of thread, I made two of each size petal, leaving the working thread to attach the petals to the band.
4. I attached the bezel to the ring base, then arranged the leaves around it and stitched them in place. End all the working threads.
