Editors' Blog

Bead & Button Show 2012: Three classes you shouldn't miss, Part 3

Julia Gerlach — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:13:00 GMT

We all come to beading and jewelry-making from a different starting point, and one of the best aspects of the Bead & Button Show is the many techniques one can learn, regardless of one's path on this jewelry-making journey. If you are like me and enjoy stretching your skills and testing techniques that would make you a more versatile beader, be sure to check out these classes. Sign up soon! The last day to register for classes is Tuesday, May 29th.

Metal Etching
If you’ve always wanted to learn to acid etch but have been afraid to try, this class is for you. In this class, you will learn to use metal shears, perform two types of image transfers, and etch using ferric chloride. Etched sheets can be used for incorporation into jewelry pieces or as texture plates for metal clay or polymer clay.

Beginner Bead Crochet
Learn to bead crochet from a patient teacher who has been in your shoes! You will learn how to start, finish, and embellish your bracelet. The instructor will also discuss sizes of bead and crochet hooks, different threads and their usage, joining techniques, and closure techniques for your projects. You will be given tips and tricks to make this technique one of your favorites. Clear, concise instructions and many pictures ensure you will go home and be able to start and complete many beautiful projects. Kits will be available in several colorways with enough materials to make two bracelets, one with a focal bead and the other with end caps and a clasp.

Torch Enameling: Raku Designs
Take your torch-enameling skills in an entirely new design direction with the stunning beauty of this Japanese technique. Get the glimmer and shine of an authentic raku-inspired design. The beauty of the design is different every time you fire, so Steven James will take you through all the necessary steps to create the raku-look. He’ll also show you how to create a more fragrant and pleasant-smelling firing pot. You'll play with a partner and use this ancient technique to create one-of-a-kind designs that will amaze and delight you! Each piece you pull out of your raku pot will be unique, and it will be different each time you pull your treasure from the ash pile. Before signing up for this class, you should feel comfortable working with a torch, as well as multiple processes at one time, and should be familiar with torch enameling techniques.

For more information on the Bead & Button Show 2012, visit our Facebook page.

Bead & Button Show 2012: Three classes you shouldn’t miss, Part 2

Julia Gerlach — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:12:00 GMT

As we get closer to the first day of the Bead & Button Show 2012, my excitement continues to grow for all the fun times ahead. One of my favorite parts of the Show is learning new tips and techniques that I can apply to my own jewelry making. The Bead & Button Show offers a wide variety of classes that are sure to take your jewelry-making skills to the next level. Here are three with lots of skill-building potential.

Starstruck Pendant
Learn how to create this mystical, spherical, beaded pendant glittering with stars and crystals in this class taught by Judy Walker, author of The Beaded Sphere. This is a simply stunning pendant that could be worn everyday and Judy promises that it's easier to make than you would expect! The finished size is 1 1/4 in. in diameter.

Zipper Embroidered Cuff
In this exciting class, you will explore a unique fusion of seed beads and metal zippers to make this stunning free-form bracelet. Try this fun combination of peyote stitch and bead embroidery to add a new dimension to your beading skill set.

Micro-Macramé Rainbow Bracelet and Lantern Earrings
In this workshop, micro-macramé guru Joan Babcock will show you how to make two beautiful and popular styles of micro-macramé jewelry. First, you’ll make the colorful “Sandstone” bracelet embellished with a rainbow of beads. Once you learn this fun and easy bracelet style you'll surely want to improvise and make your own interpretation using your favorite beads and colors. Next, you will learn how to make a pair of elegant and eye-catching “Lantern” style earrings to complement your bracelet. Kits will be available in three or more colorways.

Read Julia's other class recommendations.

Bead & Button Show 2012: Three classes you shouldn’t miss

Julia Gerlach — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:23:00 GMT

The annual Bead & Button Show is quickly approaching. In addition to the more than 370 vendors selling one-of-a kind finished jewelry, precious gems, beading supplies books, and much more, the show also features over 600 bead and jewelry classes. Did you know there are still seats available in many of our most popular classes? Here are a few classes you shouldn’t miss.

Beads on Beads - The Embellished Tube
Are you interested in crystal clay, but afraid to try it? Consider this class with Betsy Younquist! This in-depth workshop provides you with the opportunity to create a set of five embellished metal tube beads. The class will cover design issues such as reflective vs. non-reflective glass surfaces, bead/stone shape and size, and the directional placement of beads. Betsy will demonstrate the embedding techniques she uses in her beaded sculptural work.

The Crown Jewels Collection
Create jewelry fit for a queen! In this class with Leslee Frumin, you’ll learn the innovative techniques incorporated in these new designs. The sky is the limit for what can be created with the interchangeable component pieces: pendant, earrings, buttons, bracelets and more.

Two-In-One Kumihimo Necklace
Designed to launch your imagination into more advanced and complex Kumihimo designs, this necklace project will add several techniques to your Kumihimo tool set. You will learn how to split a single braid into two braids and bring it back into one braid again, how to incorporate drop beads while braiding, and how to plan braid patterns. As a class bonus, Adrienne Gaskell and Linda Richman will demonstrate how to create a beaded clasp with an invisible magnetic connection.

Follow the Bead & Button Show on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest Bead & Button Show news.

"Sew fun" bangle from the June 2012 issue

Anna Draeger — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:26:00 GMT

In the June 2012 issue of Bead&Button magazine, we featured a bracelet made with bead embroidery on a rickrack base. While I was at the fabric store to purchase the rickrack, I found the cool lingerie fasteners studded with Swarovski crystals, and they were the perfect fit for the width of the rickrack. Using one as a clasp meant that I could simply fold each end of the rickrack around the bars of the fastener and stitch them in place, allowing me to embroider right up to the clasp without interfering with the clasping mechanism. Once I had the base figured out, the rest was easy. The resulting bracelet was so light and comfortable to wear, I decided to try the same design to make a bangle. The small amount of beads and the rickrack base creates a low-profile bangle that is oh-so-wearable, and just begs to be stacked.

Bangle base

Wrap a piece of rickrack around the widest part of your hand, overlapping the ends a little past the actual length needed. Cut the rickrack to that length. Wrap the rickrack around the largest part of your hand again, overlapping the ends once more. There should be just a bit of slack in the rickrack, because as you stitch the bead-embroidered design, the rickrack will shrink a bit. Trim the rickrack as needed.

Once you've got the right length of rickrack for your desired bangle circumference, use a comfortable length of 6 lb. Fireline to stitch the ends and the edges of the overlapping rickrack to secure them, making sure the ends are completely stitched down or they may fray.

For my bangle, I just eye-balled the placement of each pearl, but if desired, use a ruler to mark a spot at the center point of each V of the rickrack to spread them out at even intervals around the bangle.

Bead embroidery

In the bangle above, I used dark brown 3 mm round crystal pearls for the centers of my bead-embroidery circle motifs, instead of gluing down flat-back crystals as I did in the magazine. Use either technique for your own bangle.

Next, I worked in beaded backstitch, stitching three rounds in the following colors and using comfortable lengths of Fireline:
Round 1: 11/0 cylinder beads (Miyuki 671, silver-lined variegated taupe)
Round 2: 15/0 seed beads (Miyuki 458, metallic brown iris)
Round 3: 12/0 Charlotte seed beads (Czech, silver-plated)

After completing all of the circle motifs, I stitched a 2 mm round crystal between the circle motifs along each edge to give the design a little sparkle (shocking, I know). If desired, cut a second piece of rickrack to line the back side of the bangle, and stitch the edges and ends down to hide the stitching from the bead embroidery.

I hope you enjoy this fun project! If you think of some other products that would make interesting bases for your next bead-embroidery design, share them below!

New for-sale ornament, plus our May freebies!

Stacy Werkheiser — Tue, 01 May 2012 16:54:00 GMT

It's the first of the month, which means that new stuff abounds at BeadAndButton.com! If you read my previous blog about our for-sale ornament series, you know it's time to add another to the line-up. This month, it's "Star light, star bright," a brand-new design by Associate Editor Jane Danley Cruz. Click here to purchase it for $3.95 and download instantly.

Then we come to our free projects. "Wallflower finery" (left) is a delicate bracelet design from Kassie Inmon. It has the look of right-angle weave but takes a more meandering and relaxing approach. This project is free to Bead&Button magazine subscribers; if you're not a subscriber yet, click here to get in on the action.

And finally, check out "Lacy butterflies" by Lorraine Coetzee (below). It's a two-drop peyote stitch bracelet (lifelike, isn't it?) that's free to anyone registered on our site. You do not need to be a subscriber to register, and registration is fast and free. Click here to register now.

Vacation jewelry

Erica Swanson — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:45:00 GMT

Every summer since I was a young girl, my family has gone on a road trip. From our home in Minnesota, we managed to visit quite a few places—both far away and right next door. Wandering the gift shops, checking out shot glasses and commemorative pencils, I always thought, “What’s the point of an oversized novelty spoon?” Then my eyes would slide to the jewelry displays, and I knew I would be heading home with a beautiful necklace or ring to remember the trip.

A visit to the Black Hills of South Dakota (my favorite place on Earth) means you simply MUST spend some time checking out the Black Hills gold. The beautiful design of leaves and berries in green, rose, and yellow colors is distinctive to that area. Wearing that style of jewelry is a giveaway that you’ve either been to Sturgis, gone camping in Custer National Park, or taken a scenic drive through the Needles highway.

Another beautiful destination is Arizona. From the desert valley of Phoenix to the red hills of Sedona to the Grand Canyon, the entire state is a majestic testament to Nature’s beauty. But of course, there’s only one type of jewelry that will do when you visit: turquoise. I was determined to find a chunky necklace, and at a roadside stand near the Grand Canyon, I found the perfect piece incorporating turquoise and carnelian. Wearing that necklace at home during a Wisconsin winter brings a little hot Southwestern spice to a chilly climate.

I even still have vacation jewelry from when I was a child. I still wear the shell pendant in the shape of a fish I got from a trip to Florida when I was nine years old. The pendant now hangs on a silver chain bought during a college study abroad in Taxco, Mexico (known for its silverwork). Two trips in one beautiful piece!

What about you? Are you drawn to the necklace and earrings displays when you hunt for souvenirs? Or do you take it to the next level and buy special beads to make into memory jewelry using a book like Beading Across America, with projects inspired by the various regions of the US?

I’m off to Los Angeles next week to visit my sister. I can’t wait to see her—and I can’t wait to add a new memory to my jewelry box!

Beaded leather bracelet

Jane Cruz — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:09:00 GMT

Beaded leather bracelet

bracelet 8 in. (20 cm)

Materials list

18-20 4-6 mm rondelle gemstone beads

4 6 mm fire-polished beads

4 6 x 4 mm glass rondelles

12 4 mm fire-polished beads

40 4 mm bicone crystals

4 3 mm fire-polished beads

11/0 seed beads

3 g color A

1 g color B

1 g color C

Fireline, 6 lb. test and 14 lb. test

Beading needles, # 11

Four-strand leather bracelet

Refer to figure 1 for placement of the embellishments on the leather bracelet.

Tubular netted tube

This tube will be stitched around an outside strand of the bracelet.

[1] On 1½ yd. (1.4 m) of 6 lb. Fireline, pick up nine color A 11/0 seed beads, wrap the beads around an outside strand of the bracelet, and tie the beads into a ring with a square knot (Online Beading Basics), leaving a 6-in. (15 cm) tail. Sew through all the beads again.

[2] Pick up three As, skip the next A in the ring, and sew through the next A. Repeat around the ring, and step up through the first two As added in this round.

[3] Pick up three As, and sew through the center A in the next stitch of the previous round. Repeat around the ring, and step up through the first two As added in this round.

[4] Repeat step 3 for the desired length of the tube. If desired, stitch several rounds using color B 11/0 seed beads to make an interesting pattern. End the threads (Online Basics).

Wrap bracelet

This technique is used for the two center strands of the bracelet.

[1] On 2 yd. (1.8 m) of 14 lb. Fireline, wrap the Fireline around the first center strand near one end, and tie several square knots to secure (Online Basics), leaving a 6-in. (15 cm) tail. Wrap the Fireline around the same strand, and tie a half-hitch knot (Online Basics). Sew under the Fireline, and tie another half-hitch knot.

[2] Position a gemstone rondelle between the two center strands, and hold it in place with your non-needle hand. With the needle on the back of the bracelet, sew behind the first center strand, through the rondelle, and sew behind the second center strand.

[3] Bring the needle to the front across the top of the second strand, sew through the rondelle, and across the top of the first leather strand (figure 2), snugging up the thread.

[4] Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the desired length. End the thread by sewing between the thread and the strand several times and tying half-hitch knots.

Beaded beads

My bracelet has three beaded beads using 4 mm fire-polished beads in the center, one using 6 mm fire-polished beads, and one using 4 x 6 mm glass rondelles.

[1] On 18 in. (46 cm) of Fireline, pick up a repeating pattern of a 4 mm fire polished bead and a color C 11/0 seed bead four times. Wrap the beads around the available strand on the bracelet, and tie the beads into a ring with a square knot (Online Basics), leaving a 6-in. (15 cm) tail. Sew through the beads again to exit a 6 mm.

[2] Pick up seven color A and B 11/0 seed beads, and sew through the 6 mm your thread is exiting in the same direction (figure 3). Push the seven 11/0s to one side of the 6 mm. Repeat this step on the same 6 mm, but push this new loop of 11/0s to the other side of the 6 mm (figure 4).

[3] Sew through the next C and 6 mm, and repeat step 2 to complete the round. Sew through the next C in the original ring.

[4] Sew through the next four 11/0s in the seven-bead loop on one side of the 6 mm. Pick up a 4 mm bicone crystal, and sew through the center 11/0 in next the seven-bead loop around the following 6 mm fire polished bead in the original ring. Repeat to complete the round.

[5] Sew through the beadwork to exit a center 11/0 in a seven-bead loop on the other side of a 6 mm, and repeat step 4. End the threads.

[6 ] Repeat steps 1-5, substituting 4 x 6 mm rondelles for the 6 mm.

[7] Repeat steps 1-5, substituting 4 mm fire-polished beads for the 6 mm. Pick up only five 11/0s in step 2 instead of seven, and in step 4, sew through only three 11/0s. Make three beads with 4 mms.

Enjoy!

Update on the Bead-It-Forward quilts

Stacy Werkheiser — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:48:00 GMT

Last week, I posted a blog about the making of the bird-themed quilts for this year's Bead-It-Forward project. While that post addressed the technical construction of the quilts, it also touched on how I get this overwhelming sense of being surrounded by a community of beaders each time I assemble a quilt. That could not be more true of my most recent quilt, which I call "80-Strong Throng."

This quilt features 80 squares from countries like Australia, the Czech Republic, and Germany, and it includes a few gems like two squares stitched by a 6-year-old and an 8-year-old. I was particularly moved when working on this square by Karla Estes (above), who included a tiny testimony on the back: "In memory of Mom." As I sewed it into the quilt, I was aware that I was sewing more than fabric -- I was sewing stories. Karla, wherever you may be, the memory of your mother is now woven into a quilt with, no doubt, dozens of stories of lives saved, loves lost, and the enduring hope that someday breast cancer will be banished from the face of this planet.

Whoever comes to own this quilt when it goes to auction at the Bead&Button Show, I've added a special feature that I hope you will find handy: a wall-hanging sleeve on the back. (I tested it myself -- and believe me, I was sad to have to take it down off my wall!) May your home be filled with the same sense of community that I have been so fortunate to enjoy these past few weeks.

Next up on my sewing list is a quilt featuring squares donated by the Capitol Area Beading Organization (or CABO) in Raleigh, North Carolina. I call it "Winging in from NC," and here it is laid out (below), the squares waiting to be sewn down this weekend!

The making of the Bead-It-Forward bead quilts

Stacy Werkheiser — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:00:00 GMT

Several weeks ago, approximately 250 birds took up residence in my home. No, I am not raising chickens and, no, I am not bucking the handbag-chihuahua trend with pashmina-parakeets. Rather, I have become the custodian of just a portion of the 950+ beaded bird squares submitted for the 2012 Bead-It-Forward Bead-Quilt Project.

Did I say custodian? I meant quilter!

Following in the footsteps of founder Jeannette Shanigan -- who so graciously passed us this baton last summer -- the Bead&Button editors are hard at work sewing all your 1.5-inch beaded squares (designed around this year's theme of birds) into quilts to be auctioned at the Bead&Button Show in June. Yet even as we continue Jeannette's legacy, we can't help but put our own spin on things. This year's bead quilts will offer some surprises that we think you're going to love:

Quilts will be made in various styles, as each editor is pursuing her own vision for assembly.
Some quilts will be displayed in shadow boxes and frames while others await your own creative presentation.
The quilts will come in different sizes, ranging from nine squares (like the ones above) to 90-ish.
Due to the different sizes of the quilts, the starting bids will reflect different price points (whew, finally!).
A few bird squares will be featured in non-quilt items, like greetings cards (below).
To accommodate global interest in this project, some quilts will be part of an online eBay auction. More details on that to come.

What has not changed is that all proceeds will benefit breast cancer research at the Medical College of Wisconsin. As this year's bead-quilt theme suggests, we're flocking together to find a cure!

And speaking of flocks, what about those 250 house guests I mentioned at the start of this blog? Slowly but surely, they're taking their place in some of those much-anticipated quilts. Here's a peek into the process.

One editor, one vision: Remember, each Bead&Button editor is following her own vision for assembling the squares. Some are hand-stitching the squares in much the same way Jeannette did. I, however, have a background in traditional quilting and saw an opportunity for using a sewing machine.

Winging in: I begin by laying out a grouping of squares. Arranging them can take hours -- I've even moved a few squares after days of scrutinizing the pattern! Here's the tricky part: Several bird themes were so popular that we received dozens and dozens of them. In my arrangements, I try to spread out the parrots, the flamingos, the owls, and all the other birds you deemed your favs.

Then, going row by row, I catalog the name and city/state of each person who stitched these squares. I want the purchaser of my quilts to have documentation of the beaders represented in them. I find it absolutely astounding how many different people -- from every corner of the planet and every walk of life! -- have their stories stitched together in these quilts. It is a very, very powerful thing that I often find myself reflecting on as I handle these squares.

Now for the nest: Next, I design the quilt top. I lightly draw a 2 x 2-inch "cell" for each square, which allows the birds to breathe and mitigates any size discrepancies due to the different beads and stitches used in each square.

After the quilt top is sketched, I cut backing and batting to fit, then I quilt the three layers together, sewing along the "cell lines." To the left, we're looking at a larger quilt that will hold 80 squares (the same squares pictured above). Even though the front of the quilt matters most, I couldn't resist using a bird-themed fabric for the backing (shown folded over on the right side of the sewing machine). After the layers have been quilted, I add a traditional quilt binding around the edges. And now...the real fun begins!

Birds of a feather: Keeping the squares in order, I trim the beading foundation around each so I can use a spade-shaped zipper foot (right) to sew close to the beadwork without crushing it. Some of the other editors need a larger margin of beading foundation for their chosen assembly methods, so thank you to everyone for submitting beadwork on 2 x 2-inch squares of Lacy's Stiff Stuff!

I wish I could show you this quilt with squares sewn in place, but alas the weekend was too short! For just as all of you donated your time, your talent, and your beads when you submitted squares, us editors are donating our resources as well by working at home. Thank you in advance for your patience as we complete these quilts, and rest assured that we will post pictures of the finished products on Facebook. We'll also keep you informed about the eBay portion of the auction and of course...next year's bead-quilt theme!

2012 Bead Dreams update

Lora Groszkiewicz — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:40:00 GMT

Thank you to everyone who entered the 2012 Bead Dreams competition! If you live in the United States, status letters were mailed out this past Monday (some of you may have already gotten it). International participants should check their electronic inbox as emails were sent out today. Due to the large number of submissions we received for Bead Dreams, we are unable to offer critiques in the status letters, but here are just a few examples of what the judges looked for: originality, craftsmanship, mastery of major stitches or techniques, sturdiness/longevity, and finishing touches. If you do not receive your letter or email by April 9, please email editor@beadandbutton.com and a copy will be emailed to you.

Congratulations to everyone who had a piece accepted. Please remember that your contract, contact information sheet, and accepted piece must be in our office no later than April 27, 2012. The names of ribbon winners will be posted on the Bead&Button forum the beginning of June.

Lora

April ornament in our 2012 series

Stacy Werkheiser — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:42:00 GMT

The talented and much-beloved Cathy Lampole has done it again! She is the designer of our April ornament, "Sugarplum ornament cover," the third ornament in our 2012 series. This is a for-sale ($3.95) project that you can download instantly, meaning you can get a leg up on your holiday gift list. And by "holiday" I don't just mean those big days in December. I think Cathy's white/pink/green ornament is perfect for Easter, and I can easily envision a red-white-and-blue variation for Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and any other day you're feeling patriotic!

Purchase and download "Sugarplum ornament cover" here.

And don't forget to check out the previous ornaments in our series:

Peyote "rivets" bracelet - free instructions

Julia Gerlach — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 20:40:00 GMT

In the April 2012 issue of Bead&Button, we pictured a few jewelry pieces we made with some of the cool Bakelite components from the Bead Hoard discovered by Suzanne Branca at A Grain of Sand. A few people have written in requesting the instructions for my peyote "rivets" bracelet (shown at right)
so here they are:

Materials

bracelet 7¼ in. (18.4 cm)

• 37 mm Bakelite ring (butterscotch yellow)*

• 2 31 mm Bakelite hexagon 2-hole connectors (black)*

• 4 12 mm Bakelite rounds (cherry red / apple juice)*

• 8 8/0 seed beads (Toho 307, turquoise Picasso)

• 2 g 11/0 seed beads (Toho 1207, marbled opaque turquoise blue)

• 1 g 11/0 cylinder beads (Miyuki DB0653, opaque pumpkin)

• 1 g 15/0 seed beads (Toho 307, turquoise Picasso)

• clasp

• Fireline or WildFire, 6 lb. test

* Bakelite beads and components from A Grain Of Sand, agrainofsand.com.

stepbystep

Bakelite ring

1. On a comfortable length of Fireline or WildFire, center 44 11/0 seed beads, and tie them into a ring with a square knot, leaving a bit of slack between beads. Place the ring on a dowel or marker for support, if desired. These beads will shift to form rounds 1 and 2 as the next round is added.

2. Working in even-count tubular peyote stitch, pick up an 11/0, skip the next 11/0 in the ring, and sew through the following 11/0. Repeat this stitch around the ring, and step up through the first 11/0 added in this round.

3. Work four more rounds of tubular peyote using 11/0s.

4. Exiting an 11/0 in the last round, pick up a 15/0, an 11/0, and a 15/0, and sew through the next 11/0 in the previous round. Repeat this stitch to complete the round. Leave the working thread for later, and remove the beadwork from the form if you used one.

5. Insert the beadwork into the 37 mm Bakelite ring, and with the tail, repeat step 4 along the other edge. Do not end the tail. Set this component aside.

Bakelite hexagon connectors

1. On a comfortable length of Fireline or WildFire, center 12 15/0 seed beads, and tie them into a ring with a square knot, leaving a bit of slack between beads. Place the ring on a dowel or knitting needle for support, if desired. These beads will shift to form rounds 1 and 2 as the next round is added.

2. Working in even-count tubular peyote stitch, pick up a 15/0, skip the next 15/0 in the ring, and sew through the following 15/0. Repeat this stitch around the ring, and step up through the first 15/0 added in this round.

3. Work six more rounds of tubular peyote using 15/0s.

4. Exiting a 15/0 in the last round, pick up a 15/0, an 11/0 cylinder bead, and a 15/0, and sew through the next 15/0 in the previous round. Repeat this stitch to complete the round. End the working thread. Remove the beadwork from the form if you used one.

5. Insert the beadwork into an opening of a 31 mm hexagon connector, and using the tail, repeat step 4 along the other edge. End the tail.

6. Repeat steps 1–5 to line the other hole of the connector.

7. Repeat steps 1–6 to line both holes of the remaining connector.

Assembly

1. On 2 ft. of Fireline or WildFire, pick up seven 11/0s, half of the clasp, and an 8/0 seed bead. Sew through all the beads again, leaving a 6-in. (15 cm) tail. Exit the 8/0.

2. Pick up a 12 mm Bakelite round and an 8/0. Skip the 8/0 just added, and sew back through the 12 mm and the 8/0 from step 1. Sew through the 12 mm again, and exit the 8/0 added in this step.

3. Pick up three 11/0s, and sew through a cylinder at the tip of a hexagon connector “rivet.” Pick up three 11/0s, and sew through the 8/0 your thread exited at the start of this step. Repeat this step, sewing through the corresponding cylinder on the other side of the hexagon connector. Retrace the thread path through the connections again, and end the thread.

4. Repeat steps 1–3 to connect the other hexagon connector to the other clasp half.

5. With a thread remaining from the Bakelite ring, sew through the beadwork to exit a tip 11/0. Pick up five 11/0s, an 8/0, and five 11/0s, and sew through the tip 11/0 again to form a loop of beads. Retrace the thread path of the loop, and exit the 8/0. Pick up five 11/0s, and sew through the corresponding tip 11/0 on the other side of the Bakelite ring. Pick up five 11/0s, and sew through the 8/0. Retrace the thread path of the new loop, exiting the 8/0.

6. Connect the ring to a hexagon connector as in steps 2 and 3. End the thread.

7. Using the remaining thread from the Bakelite ring, repeat steps 5 and 6 to connect the ring to the remaining hexagon connector, positioning it opposite the first connector.

Your top 10 favorite projects revealed!

Stacy Werkheiser — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:00:00 GMT

The results are in! Last month, readers like you made these 10 online projects the hot spots of BeadAndButton.com. Combined, these projects totaled just under 35,000 page views! If you haven't seen them yet, use the links below to find out what made these 10 the top 10:

"Triangles and squares" necklace (above, right) by Rose Rushbrooke - This was our free-for-everyone project for February, jettisoning it the top of your favorites list. It features tiny (but not too tiny!) three-dimensional peyote shapes you can string like beads.
"Two hearts forever" pendant by Susan Eisemann - Who would have guessed hearts would be popular for February? I think what makes this subscriber-exclusive pendant a winner is that it's reversible and features some of your favorite beads: crystals on one side, pearls on the other!
"Green with envy" necklace by Glenda Payseno - Perhaps some of you were thinking of St. Patrick's Day when you made this subscriber-exclusive project your third favorite. Or perhaps you wanted to learn chevron chain!
"Picket fence" bracelet (right) by Samantha Mitchell - Your next three favorite projects all feature Tila beads. "Picket fence" is free to everyone and has continued to be one of our most popular designs since it was first posted last December.
"City pass" bracelet (below) by Shoshana Rubin - This subscriber-exclusive project has an interesting name and an interesting shape, all created by Tilas!
"Hip to be squared" bracelet by Judith Hind - Here's one more Tila treasure in our lineup. I love how bicone crystals fit so neatly between the Tila beads in this subscriber-exclusive project.
"Catching cabs" bracelet by Glenda Payseno - Way to go, Glenda, for having two projects featured in the top 10 favorites for February! This subscriber-exclusive project features gorgeous turquoise cabs and bugle beads (the length of the bugles make the stitching go faster).
"Crystal ribbon" bracelet by Nancy Zellers - This free-for-everyone project has been teaching beaders right-angle weave since we first posted it in 2009. Talk about a perennial favorite!
"Graceful companions" bracelet (above, right) by Mindy Brooks - Who are the "graceful companions" in this subscriber-exclusive project? Right-angle weave and herringbone? Or seed beads and gemstone rondelles? You decide!
"Flaming cuff" by Ellen Friedenberg - I'm never sure what to expect when I hear the title of this project, but then I see a photo (right) and I'm amazed! This subscriber-exclusive project will get you hooked on loomwork (if you're not already!).

We post two new online projects on the first of every month, so stay tuned to this Bead Buzz blog, or "like" us on Facebook for instant updates about the latest new free stuff at BeadAndButton.com. And if you want in on the subscriber-exclusive projects, you can subscribe to our magazine here.

Extra embellishment option for "Cocktail cuff," April issue pp. 62–63

Jane Cruz — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 17:23:00 GMT

As I designed the "Cocktail cuff" on pages 62 and 63 of the April issue of Bead&Button, I came up with a variety of ways to embellish the simple pearl base. One of my favorites was creating seed bead "thrones" to lift the margaritas above the base and elevate their impact on the bracelet.

Since there wasn't room in the magazine to include these optional instructions, I decided to include them in a blog. In the bracelet at right, I positioned the margarita thrones along both edges of the bracelet and off-set them with a center row of margarita embellishments as described in the magazine article. Have fun with these two embellishments and incorporate as many or as few of both designs as you like!

Preparing the pearl base

[1] Add 1.5 yd. (1.4 m) of Fireline to the "Pearl base" made following the instructions on p. 63 of the April 2012 issue, and exit an end 4 mm on one long edge of the base. Pick up an 11/0 seed bead, and sew through the next 4 mm pearl along the edge. Repeat all along the edge.

[2] Sew through the beads at the end of the bracelet to exit the opposite edge, and repeat step 1. End the threads.

Margarita throne

[1] Determine where you want to position a throne on the base, and add a comfortable length of thread, exiting an inside 4 mm (figure 1, point a). Pick up a three 11/0s, and sew through the adjacent 4 mm in the right-angle weave unit in the base (a-b). Repeat this stitch three times to complete the round, and step up through the first three 11/0s added in this step (b-c).

[2] Pick up three 11/0s, skip the next 4 mm, and sew through the following three 11/0s added in the previous round (figure 2, a-b). Repeat this stitch three times to complete the round, and step up through the first two 11/0s added in this step (b-c).

[3] Pick up an 11/0, skip the next five 11/0s, and sew through the center 11/0 added in the previous round (figure 3, a-b). Make sure the 11/0 just added falls to the inside of the unit. Repeat this stitch three times to complete the round (b-c). Retrace the thread path through the eight beads sewn through in this step, snugging up the beads tightly to form a center ring.

[4] With the thread exiting the first "corner" 11/0 added in the previous round, pick up a 6 mm margarita crystal and a 15/0 seed bead, skip the 15/0, and sew back through the margarita and the corresponding corner 11/0 on the opposite side of the ring. Sew through the beadwork to exit the adjacent corner 11/0, sew through the margarita and the 15/0, centering the margarita over the throne. Skip the 15/0, and sew back through the margarita and the corresponding corner 11/0 on the other side of the ring.

[5] Sew through the beadwork to exit an inside 4 mm in the next right-angle weave unit you wish to embellish with a throne, and repeat steps 1-4, ending and adding thread as necessary.

Enjoy!

New FREE projects to kick off March!

Stacy Werkheiser — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 15:05:00 GMT

Welcome to March! Since we're at the start of a new month, it's time to reveal the latest online projects from BeadAndButton.com!

Whether you're observing Lent or pining for a balmy Italian summer of sight-seeing, Faith Shea's "Creation of Adam" peyote bracelet pattern (above) is a beautiful tribute to Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel masterpiece. Unlike the Sistine Chapel, though, this pattern is free for all!
"Two-step trinket" by Marcia Balonis (right) is as simple as it sounds! Work a bracelet band of right-angle weave and pearls, and then add overlapping arms of embellishment along the edges. This project is free to subscribers. Not a subscriber? You can become one today!