Russian Spiral Bracelet

Today I mastered the Russian Spiral Weave, making this bracelet with 3mm Fire Polished Crystals and 11/0 seed beads. This is the second one I completed, the first one being a thing of abject horror and nastiness that it had to be buried in a box, in soft peat in my garden. I can only imagine what archaeologists of the future are going to say when they dig it up. Yay for buried treasure...

Anyway, this second version, made after studying lots of Youtube tutorials, most notably from Jill Wiseman, Kelly Dale and Spoilt Rotten Beads, turned out really well. I used, 3mm Crystal AB, 3mm half coated green, 3mm Magic Wine Fire Polished beads and Toho 11/0 Metalic Hematite seed beads, to make the body of the bracelet. The thread I used was 8lb Smoke Fireline, though I am sure 6lb would of been good as well. The clasp is a silver plated S hook, which I have had in my stash for quite a while, and looks good to finish off the design.

I did make it a little big for most people, though it fits me nicely so I am keeping it, and for some reason I am not unhappy with that. LOL.

It always amazes me how a design can look a lot more complicated than it is, the Russian Spiral Weave stitches up really quickly, and I am definitely going to be making more.

Happy beading, JanieB xxx

Comments

Cali Beads

Hi there, I recently was sent via email from Deb Roberti's, Around the Beading Table , a link to a rather gorgeous beading pattern called the Claudi Cali Bead Chain by Linda Genaw. The pattern included some beads called Cali Beads, and I must admit to never having heard of them, so off I went on a search. I discovered that Cali beads are Czech glass beads in a marquise shape with three holes and are 3x8mm in size. I looked around the internet and finally decided to buy some from CjBeaders , an online shop I have personally never tried before. They are available at other online stores so you can shop around, but they are not widely available as I type this. I purchased three colours as you can see from the picture above. Top is Hematite, bottom left is Crystal Gold Amber and bottom right is Crystal Vega Iris, which all came in packs of 50 at various prices depending on the colour. I am excited to get started on my bracelet and will show it off once completed. Happy beading.. J

Note To Self - Don't Be Cheap

There is nothing more frustrating than picking out the colours of beads you want to use, pouring them out into neat little piles and finding that because at some point you saw some lovely unbranded beads at a really great price, and bought them without thinking why. I started to make another Fun Floral Necklace curtesy of Kelly Dale from Upthebeadedpath, and discovered the sizing of the 8/0 Heamatite seed beads I have in my stash are all over the place. Small, big, wonky, long, chunky are just a few of the different shapes. I had been trying to pick out beads of roughly the same size, but have decided to give up with a bah humbug attitude. I have only myself to blame, there are reasons why some beads are a lot cheaper than others, and sometimes it really isn't a money saving option at all when you find that around half the beads are not fit for purpose. So my first Note To Self is... DON'T BE CHEAP. Toddle Pip... JanieB. Xxx

Labradorite pendant

Hey all, today I have just finished my very first Peyote stitch bezel, and though it might not be my finest work, I can't help but be quite proud of myself for giving it a go. I am sure once I get more confident doing things like this my workmanship will improve, well hopefully anyway. LOL. The stone is a fancy carved, puffy rectangle Labradorite, around 25x18mm bought from Jewellery Maker , and I used Galvanised Silver Miyuki 11/0 Delicas to encase the stone. The pictures really don't do the Labradorite justice, as the flashes of colour from the labradorescence isn't picked up by my camera so well, though the second picture shows it better. The carving is is lovely, I have never seen carved Labradorite before, and this is so pretty. Til next time, JanieB xxx

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