Back to Beading

It's been a very quiet summer and I haven't really felt like doing a whole lot of anything.  Well, I did get a couple of books read, but that's about it.   

 

I keep an idea journal handy so that when I do get back to the Bead Desk, I have something to refer to when I need the inspiration.  (As if Pinterest weren't enough!)  In my wanderings around the net, I came across a picture of a young girl weaving a small bit of art and thought, "I can do that with beads!"  So, I did.  Here is my version in beady goodness.  I used up some of the spatterings of old bead left overs and new wire wrapped beads to complete this wall hanging.

 

Bead and Wire Wall Hanging

Detail

 

Granted, it's not really woven, just strung, but it's colorful, used up old beads and got me doing some art.  I think I'm going to do a couple more of these wall hangings, tho'  I will need to make a bunch more of those wire beads.  They're really fun, but hard on the hands.  Next time I'll use some copper wire for a different look.

 

Before I played with the wall hanging, I tried an experiment with a spool and bead fringe.  I think it came out quite well. 

 

End View with Copper Wire Insert

Lots and Lots of Fringe

Front View with Lampworked Beads

 

Now...this took me the better part of two months to complete.  I started back in May by doing peyote stitch around the spool with a three color bead soup.  I had teal, transparent purple and silver lined purple seed beads in the soup.  Then I added some wonderful purple leaf beads in matte, transparent with AB finish and matte in AB finish.  I worked on the fringe bit by bit until I ran out of leaf beads.  Added the copper wire insert so the ball chain wouldn't rub on the sides of the spool and mess it up.  The lampworked beads were an afterthought, because there can never be enough beads, right?  And they matched the color of the leaf beads. 

 

The thing I like most about this piece is how it feels.  I can't really describe it, but the fringe gives it a wonderful weight and sensual experience in the palm of your hand.

 

I'm working on another beaded wall hanging, but it's not ready for prime time, yet.  This one has been in the pipeline since about last fall.  I've been taking pictures of the work in process and will post those after completion.  Until then....enjoy the quotes.