Apr 22, 2020

Kate's Creative Connections: Peyote Week!

This week (April 21-24 and beyond!) Kate is having a blast with Peyote Stitch! We start the week with her stretch bracelet using our new 8/0 Delicas, and on Wednesday get into a little free form peyote beaded beads. Thursday we'll see some new O Peyote samples from Alley Mori...there's lots of fun to be had this week!

Tuesday, 4.21.20
Our new 8/0 Delicas launch! Kate's ready to go, making a fun stretchy cuff with them and a new size of Stretch Magic, 0.5mm.

Kate's using:
Stretch Magic 0.5mm
DBL0310- 8/0 Matte Black
DBL0011- 8/0 Metallic Olive
DBL0324- 8/0 Matte Metallic Patina Iris
Collapsible Eye Needle


Wednesday, 4.22.20
We continue our journey with Kate's stretch bracelet. Below, find some photos, notes from Kate, and the video. She also cut up (gasp!) a necklace of freeform peyote stitch beaded beads. Find more on making freeform beads here and here.









Thursday, 4.23.20
Three new samples of our O Peyote Project debut today! Alley Mori created these, as well as a handout to go along with them for her patterns and ingredients. Amazing! This is a project we love, and we especially love Alley's special touch added to the design. Here are her three samples:
From left to right: Looking Up - Early Spring - Nature's Hope

Kate started her own O Peyote, too...with the idea of making a bracelet instead of a pendant! Check out her piece and the episode below:

Kate's O Peyote Ingredients:
8-4514
8-4243
Crystal Slipperit O Beads
Shadows- Antique Brass
Coiled Spacer- Antique Brass
Tierra Heishi- Antique Brass
6mm Round Coil Jump Rings- Antique Gold
Alder Leaf- Antique Gold
Hana Thread- Pebble
Size 10 Sharps
Beeswax





Friday, 4.24.20
More on Kate's stretchy Peyote cuff today...working on closures and ending threads today!


Tuesday, 4.28.20
That O Peyote section Kate made last week is ready for the spotlight again! This time, Kate adds some macramé, inspired by Britt: Triple Bollywood!!



Apr 17, 2020

The Beadlympics!

This week, Kate chose three basics to work on: Wire wrapping, macramé, and pearl knotting. For three days she focused on one technique at a time, testing her abilities with a race: how many could she create in 5 minutes?

Set your timers, get your tools...on your mark...get set...GO!


















Day 1: Wire-Wrapping
Ingredients used: Bare Copper 22G ParaWire and 8mm Rondelles- Jeweltone Matte Mix
Tools needed: Flush Wire Cutters, Round Nose Pliers, Chain Nose Pliers, Bent Nose Pliers, and Nylon Jaw Pliers
Wire wraps completed: 6!


Day 2: Macramé Knots
Ingredients used: 1.5mm Metallic Charcoal Leather, 0.5mm Antique Pink CKC, and a Mini Hoop in Copper
Tools needed: Design Tray and insert, Clampers
Knots completed: 68!


Day 3: Pearl Knotting
Ingredients used: 5mm Purple Iris Potato Pearl, Gunmetal Micro C-Lon, and Antique Copper Clamshell End Tips
Tools needed: Knotting Tweezers
Knots completed: 50!





Apr 10, 2020

Kate's Creative Connections: Rose's Knot

When Kate was a little girl she was taught "finger tatting" by her beloved Gran. Inspired by this technique, Kate brings us today's lesson in knotting, using leather to make some really beautiful pieces that could be used as a pendant, earrings, or a loop for a toggle. Find the ingredients she used as well as a photo of her finished products and the episode below!

Ingredients
1.5mm LeatherDistressed Mahogany and Distressed Gray
1mm Leather - Distressed Gray
Waxed Linen - Teal and Country Red
0.4mm Chinese Knotting Cord - Teal
Roller Beads - Light Smoky Grey, Turquoise Picasso, and Lt. Rose/Gold
Serpentine Donuts
6/0 Seed Beads -  6-1256 Metallic Matte Green Iris
ChainWrapped Link in Antique Silver and Long View in Antique Brass


Apr 3, 2020

Mar 25, 2020

Kate's Creative Connection: Steadfast, an epic wrap bracelet.

As we continue our series to keep connected, Kate's working on an EPIC wrap bracelet.  All videos are below, along with an ingredients list and photos. We'll continue to update this blog post as she works on her wrap! Enjoy...

Ingredients
2 Serpentine Donuts

You'll also want to have:
Flush Cutters
Thread Snips
Project Tray and Insert
Clampers
Mini Ruler or Handy Tape
Zap Gel or GS Hypo Cement

Episode 1: Tuesday, 3.24.20, we started with the Button Knot! For more on this knot, check out Pages 7-8 of these Episode Notes.



Episode 2: Wednesday, 3.25.20, Kate started working on macramé and laddering.


Episode 3: Friday, 3.27.20, a third wrap with beaded alternating half-hitch knots was created. Find more information on the basics of this knotting technique in Brittany's Young Love handout.

Episode 4: Wednesday, 4.1.20, a little more macramé and a clasp have been added. For more on the "Alley Splice" technique, check out Pages 13-14 of these Episode Notes.


Episode 5: Wednesday, 4.7.20, the epic conclusion! Kate has added .5mm leather to herringbone with, and this piece is finished! And this bracelet now has a name: Steadfast!









Mar 20, 2020

Kate's Creative Connection: Wire Pendant Necklace

Hey gang! This pendant/necklace is all about working with WIRE! Take a peek at her gorgeous work and ideas...The ingredients lists, episodes, and photos are below! Happy beading...

Spiral Pendant and Necklace (Epic Journey)
1 Indicolite Briolette

Round Pendant
Medium Brown Serpentine Round
Bare Copper 22g
11-4481 Duracoat Opaque Eucalyptus
DBC-0021 Delica Cut Nickel Plated Cut
SB18-2006 Matte Metallic Dark Bronze Miyuki Cubes
2mm Hematite Cut Cubes- Gold

You will also want to have:
Chain Nose Pliers
Bent Nose Pliers
Maxi Shear Flush Cutters
Round Nose Pliers
Nylon Jaw Pliers
Chasing Hammer
Bench Block

Episode 1: Thursday, 3.19.20, Kate creates a spiral wire pendant, hammers it flat, and begins to embellish.

Episode 2: Friday, 3.20.20, round beads have been wire-wrapped for later use!


Episode 3: Friday, 3.27.20, tassels are taking shape.

Episode 4: Tuesday, 3.31.20, the embellishment continues! Wire wraps galore!



Episode 5: Thursday, 4.2.20, Kate is ready to string a necklace to add her pendant to.



Episode 6: Wednesday, 4.8.20, entwined strands coming together...

Episode 7: Thursday, 4.9.20, working on that neckpiece some more...


Episode 8: Tuesday, 4.14.20, finishing touches! Kate adds a clasp to complete the project.














Mar 19, 2020

Flash Sale Friday...get creative!

Last week Kate went shopping for some special strands at a local gem show, and she brought back six stone strands she couldn't live with...