A Time To Stitch 6 - Reveal

  It's time for the reveal of the 6th beadweaving challenge A Time to Stitch, hosted by Therese Frank and Christine Altmiller. I love their challenges and I always learn a lot!!
  This time we had to use a graphed chart, Word chart or Picture chart using peyote, square, RAW or brich stitches.

While searching for interesting patterns I've found this one by Lariata on Etsy:

 
  A two drop even count poyote - it looked just right for my project!!! The colors I've chosen are a little different than the ones on the pattern, but I've followed the chart exactly. Oh, I've needed to undo several rows more than once ... and I've found out it's rather addictive!!! Here it is (a little shorter than in the original pattern, but it's enough long for my wrist):

 

 Do you see a fish in there??
And I still need to find a perfect closure ... any ideas??

  Lesson one: In Slovenia the size measuring is in milimetres and it differs from brand to brand. I've used 2,2 mm Miyuki Rocailles from two different manufacturers (it's difficult to get all that colors from one only) and I've found they are not exactly the same size - the reult is a slightly wonky bracelet.

  Lesson two: Miyuki Rocailles by Rayher are not so even ...


  I didn't have enough, had to do more. So I've found this free pattern online - a three count peyote:

This one also needs a closure ...


  My sister asked me if I could make her something to cover a stain on her T-shirt and the Desert Rose tutorial by Eridhan Creations, Therese and Christine used on the badge for this challenge just spoke to me, so I purchased it.
  It took me much more time to make that I thought it would, I've broken 4 needles making it and I've finished it just yesterday evening before going to bed. Well, more exactly almost finished - there's the last row I need to do ... I've used all Miyuki Rocailles, because had no Delicas of the right size and color in my stash.

  Lesson three: No matter how I try to, I can not find the perfect match for the 11/o, 15/o, 8/o beads in mm sizes ... The online converters differs one from another and I can only guess which one is the most accurate. However, there are only 1.5 mm, 2.2 mm, 2.6 mm and 4.0 mm beads available in our shops ... so there is only one possible conversion, even if it's not the right one ...

Well, thank you ladies for this interesting challenge and can't wait the next one :-)

Let's now see what the other participants have made - here's the list:

1-Therese Frank  (Host)    

2-Christine Altmiller  (Host)

3-Cynthia Machata

4-Samantha Wescott

5-Karin Slaton

6-Wendy

7-Dagi (Kokopelli)

8-Lola

9-Paula

10-Karin G.

11-Becky Pancake

12-Ana Cravidao

13-Alenka

14-Debbie (Kepi)

15-Nelly May

16-LiliKrist

17-Sally Russick

18-Maryanne

19-Kim

20-Amy

Be(ad) happy!!!

Alenka

 

Custom Order Earrings / Uhani po naročilu

Polymer clay beads (made by me), metallic sead beads (tubular herringbone), wire.

Be happy,

Alenka

ATTS 5 Afterparty - Part One

  I was so sorry to had to step out from Therese's and Christine's challenge A Time to Stitch 5 as it's one of my favorites. However, sometimes the life gets it's own way and I had no energy to create anything at that time ... 

  The challenge was to pick only one stitch and to make three bracelets in a different size, shape and/or color of beads.

  My choice was the Right Angle Weave Stitch (RAW). This is not exactly my favorite stitch, but when I was choosing only one to use for a bracelet it inspired me the most. 

  I was able to finish the first bracelet (cuff) by now - the basic one. The squares are three per three beads.  The beads are Miyuki Rocailles 2,2 mm in different colors, according to one of the conversion tables available online it should be 11/0 or so. 
  To get a better consistency and straighter lines I've added some embellishments (white beads) passing through every line again. In the middle I've added also the diagonals of three beads. 

  This is the result (click on the pictures to enlarge):

On my wrist:

   

The inner side of the wrist:

   

Two more to go now ... 

If you want to see what the other participants created for the actual reveal, the list is here.

Be happy,

Alenka

BSBP8 Afterparty - Part 1

 Today I'm working on my unfinished projects ... and I've finally finished one more piece using the beads I've received in the bead soup from my partner Lori Anderson.

  Do you remember my bracelet with lampwork beads (for more pictures click on the link):

  Well, I had left two of the smaller lampwork beads that were perfect for a pair of earrings. I've made the herringbone rope a looong time ago, but had to make several attempts to stitch all the components together.

  The bracelet rope is tubular herringbone with 6 beads in a row, for the earrings I preferred to make a thinner rope and I used 4 beads in a row:

  As you can see, I'm still having fun with my bead soup :-)

Be happy,

Alenka 

Finally finished!!!

  Do you remember my unfinished necklace from the A Time to Stitch Challenge? For the netted base I've used the "Round and Round Collar" pattern from Marcia DeCoster's book Beads in Motion.

 

  Well, I've just finished it, finally!!! I was so hurrying to take the pictures before the sun went down to show it here today, that the pictures are not perfect.

  The first part of the necklace was done quite quickly, but the second part needed much more time. The main problem was that I don't have a lot of practice in bezeling a cabochon (it was only my second attempt) and the shape was particularly challenging for me. In fact it was much easier to make the cabochon from polymer clay than bezeling it. 

  The first try was a failure ... but the second one was just right (I would exaggerate a little saying perfect)!!!

  

  I had anther idea flowing in my mind ... what if I make the focal detachable?? When you want the necklace to be a little less "important", you can wear it without the focal, but when you want a statement piece, you put the focal on ... 

  Why I have to complicate a simple thing?? Wasn't it hard enough to bezel that cabochon?? Apparently not and I've found a perfect system to make the focal invisibly detachable :-)  Happy, happy, happy!!! 

  Here's the first option - without the focal: 

   And here's the secon one - with the focal: 

 
Khm, khm, I've seen that little flaw ... or better two of them :-$ ... it seems I can not count to three each and every time ... 

 

   Anyway ... I really love it!!!
  And now just leave a comment to tell me what do you think ...

 Be happy,

Alenka

A Time To Stitch 4

  Beadweaving time! Today is the reveal for another A Time To Stitch challenge hosted by Therese and Christine. I have to say I really enjoy participating and learning new stitches, so I'm not gonna miss any of them ... even if I'm overwhelmed with work as this last months.
  

  This time we had to create something with a net stitch (mandatory) and chose one of the other stitches between Spiral rope, Chevron stitch and Chenille.

  For my first piece I've found an interesting tutorial on Youtube (sorry, I' can't find the link right now, will add it later) to create short pieces of rope in two colors with the ends of a third color, a kind of beaded beads. I've played a little with these pieces and came out with this necklace:

(sorry for the blurry pictures - if you click on them it's a little better)

  For the pendant part I've made a rectangle and tried different combinations of  including something inside the rectangle, but didn't like any of them and preferred it just like it is. I think is the minimalist part of me speaking (lol).

 So, what do you think - what should I do with the pendant part? Any ideas will be welcome.    

  Let's go to the mandatory part of the challenge - netting. Well, I run out of time and beads and all I can show you is the work in progress ... I need one more evening or two to finish it.

  The base is Chevron stitch and the pattern is from Marcia DeCoster's book Beads in Motion. I've just used a different size of beads and adjusted it a little. I'll include also a triangular polymer clay cabochon, made by me ... 

  This is from my side and you'll be welcome if you would like to come back in few days to see the finished necklace.

And now, here's the list of  all the other participants at this challenge:

Hosted by Therese Frank and Christine Altmiller

1.  Amy Severino

2.  Janet Bocciardi

3.  Cynthia Machata

4.  Alicia Marinache

5.  Paula Kramer

6.  Kim Hora

7.  Dee Alcalde

8.  Dagi (Kokopelli)

9   Maryanne Gross

10. LizE

11. Sally Russick

12. Becky Pancake

13. Jasvanti Patel

14. Karin Slaton

15. Alenka  <-- You are here!

16. Sarah Sequins

17. Tanya Goodwin

18. Debbie Rasmussen

19. Shirley Moore

20. Crystie Willard

21.  Nelly May

22. Ana Cravidao

    Be happy,
    Alenka

I have finally finished ... / Pa sem le dokončala ....

  ... my "Leaf in the wind" necklace.
... ogrlico, ki sem jo poimenovala "List v vetru".

After several diferent ideas that came on my mind, I've chosen a simple button closure. The polymer clay button is made using the same surface treatment as the leaf pendant.
Po poigravanju z različnimi možnostmi in idejami, sem se odločila za enostavno zapiranje na gumb, ki sem ga izdelala iz polimerne mase z enako površinsko obledavo kot obesek.

And - I'm so happy to announce that this pendant was featured in the November issue of Bead Chat magazine (on page 27)!!! I submitted the picture the last minute and I wasn't sure it will be accepted.
In - z velikim veseljem lahko povem, da je ta obesek/ogrlica objavljen v novembrski številki revije Bead Chat!!! Fotografijo sem poslala zadnji trenutek, tako da nisem bila prepričana, če bo objavljena - a je bila - poglejte na stran 27!!!

  This is the very first feature of a piece of jewelry made by me in a magazine and I'm soooo happy, I can't explain how!!! ***Happy dance*** 
 To je moja čisto prva objava v reviji, ki se ukvarja z nakitom in sem takoooo vesela, da ne morem razložiti!!! ***juppi-juppi-jaaaa***

  The Leave in the wind necklace will be available in my etsy shop later tonight. Oh, yes, I'm fnally opening my Etsy shop!
  Ogrlica bo kasneje zvečer na razpolago v moji Etsy trgovinici. Tako je, končno odpiram svojo Etsy trgovinico!

  Be happy,

Bodite veseli,

Alenka

A Time to Stitch 3 - Update 1 (After Reveal)

If you are looking for the reveal of the Bead Soup Blog Party, please go here!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The reveal for this challenge organized by Christine Altmiller and Therese Frank was a few days ago, but at that time I've had two still unfinished pieces, the Cellini spiral and the Russian spiral - as you can see here.

  Today I have finally finished the necklace with the Cellini spiral:

  The flower and the clasp are made from polymer clay - with a technique I've learned from the tutorial Cosmic Ceramic by Iris Mishly and Hila Bushari.  

   
The bead caps (for both ends of the Cellini spiral) and brown oval beads are also made from polymer clay.

 

  I'm quite proud of my first Cellini and these are the colors I wear very often, so I'll keep it for me :-D     However, I'll be more than happy to read your comments! 

  If you want to see the finished Russian spiral necklace, come back in a few days as I'm waiting for the seed beads to arrive...

  Be happy,

  Alenka

  

A Time to Stitch 3 - Reveal!

If you are looking for the reveal of the Bead Soup Blog Party, please go here!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Hello, it's finally time for the reveal of this bead-weaving challenge organized by Christine Altmiller and Therese Frank. It's my second time participating in their challenge and it is always so fun.

  
 This time we had to pick one flat stitch between Square stitch and Brick stitch, and one spiral stitch - choosing between Cellini spiral, Russian spiral and African Helix. I have to say I've never tried ANY of these stitches before, so it was my very first time for all of them.

~~~

  I've decided to start with the Square stitch as I've just brought home some cube beads. As for the pattern I've drawn some waves in two colors. After 15-20 rows I was a little disappointed as the cube beads were not the same size and not perfect and I was not sure if continue or not. Well, this last week I've started to kind a like the way they look and I've finally finished it. And I've noticed that the waves actually form the letter N.

 

~~~

  My first pick for spiral stitch was Cellini. I started to follow the tutorial word by word, moment by moment, but met some problems and had to undo the first rows three to four times. It was just a mess!!! Then I've said to myself: "Ok, let's use the logic!" When I've started to look at the logic of the pattern while stitching and not just following the instructions ... eureka! That was it! From the fourth-fifth row on it was just as meditating, I've found it very easy to continue without instructions.

   This is the work in progress - I still need to make some polymer clay parts/components to finish it .. and that means you'll have to come back next week to see the finished piece. 

~~~

  
  The next try for me was African Helix. The main problem with this stitch for me is the tension of the thread. Even if the tension is right the beads tend to slide from their optimal position, just as the bead holes were too large ... 
  I've made a very simple bracelet this time, just following the instructions of the tutorial.

~~~

  And then finally the Russian spiral. I've used a knitting needle for the support and at the beginning I had to keep the thread tight with my left hand, but I've enjoyed very much stitching. You stitch 4 beads at a time (1 4-mm and 3 seed beads) so it proceeds very quickly. When I was starting to imagine in my mind the final necklace design, I've run out of these seed beads. The ones I have in my stash are just slightly darker - and I didn't notice that before. So I can show you now just another work in progress that will be finished next week, when I receive the right beads.

~~~

  I didn't have time for the brick stitch, but I will certainly try it after I finish these pieces.

  That's it for me, but now you should visit the blogs of the other participants - I can't wait to see what have they made (well, they are much more proficient than me)!!!

Therese Frank

ChristineAltmiller

MaryanneGross

Cynthia Machata

Bobbie Rafferty

Katherine Gale

Sally Russick

Niky

Alenka  <-- you are here

Kim Hora

Karin Slaton

Shirley Moore

Tami Norris

Amy Severino

Alicia Marinache

Lola Surwillo

Mandy Duffy

Kristen Stevens

 

Happy hopping!
  Alenka