Tuesday 24 June 2014

Free tutorial - Cuff links

To create a pair of cuff links - will need chain nose pliers, round nose pliers and crimping pliers.
  • 10 mm ceramic beads with flowers (2)
  • 4 spacer beads
  • 8 mm by 6 mm fluorite doughnut beads (2)
  • 2 inch head pins (4)
  • Soldered jump rings (2)
Ingredients for one
1) Place a spacer bead, 10 mm ceramic bead and spacer bead on a headpin.  Using round nose pliers - bend head pin using fingers to 90 degrees.
90 degree fold of head pin
2) Re-position round nose pliers - form a turned loop using fingers - insert closed jump ring.
Addition of closed jump ring
3) Form a wrapped loop using chain nose pliers - smoothing down final end by using crimping pliers.
Crimping pliers to smooth ends
4) Now completed focal bead of cufflink.
Focal bead
5) Place a 8 mm by 6 mm fluorite doughnut on a second head pin. Using chain nose pliers - bend head pin using fingers to 90 degrees.
90 degree fold of head pin
6) Using round nose pliers - bend using fingers - to form a turned loop.
Starting turned loop
7) Re-position round nose pliers - and complete loop - add closed jump ring with focal bead.
Closing opening - using wrapped loop
8) As described in step 3 - smoothing down ends of wrapped loop to complete first cuff link
Completed cuff link

Using doughbut bead pass through button holes of cuff.
Closure created









Friday 13 June 2014

O Bead Wrap

New beads offer flexibility and scope for a range of designs.  When the O Bead was released in winter 2013 - immediately saw the potential for their use in kumihimo.  The large hole in the O Bead means more than one pass is possible - with this in mind and the monthly OTTBS male challenge theme - finally  got my act together and started experimenting with the O Beads.  This is an accessible design to braid but weight, thread bobbins and lots of patience are key to neat tension.  Taking less than 5g of O beads and a few metres of 0.5 mm C-lon - these are an accessible make for summer wear.   Unusual shank buttons really add to the design - these 10 mm vintage buttons with shank - were a nice find at Tynemouth market.

I was hoping to share my first freeform creation - but announcing the Bead Star finalists has been put back to the end of the month.......

Wednesday 4 June 2014

Soutache heart drops

My latest soutache design was inspired by 'Hearts for Becs'.


I wanted to create a heart that would reflect that the well wishes were from me - so soutache and purple would obviously feature - my small contribution to a heartfelt beaded message.



The heart is 12mm - I don't think I'd ever entertained adding soutache to such a small gemstone. Whilst stitching thought these would be great earrings for leavers dinner - a nice little evening project.......edged with size 15 seed beads - magnifying lamp called for.



Sunday 1 June 2014

Project in Bead Me Magazine


I was absolutely thrilled when Aztec Flower was selected as a project for the latest issue of the digital publication Bead Me Magazine  - http://bit.ly/BeadMeMagazine.