I really love designing with cubic right angle weave (CRAW), but I really hate trying to write tutorials for it. CRAW has a couple problems that make it hard to document on paper. First, the C in CRAW stands for "cubic," meaning it's made of cubes. Cubes are three dimensional, and the beads in CRAW go in three different (mutually perpendicular) directions. That's not so easy to draw. Second, there are lots of correct ways to bead weave a cube, and I don't like having to pick the one and only way for my students to do it because I certainly don't do it the same way every time, myself.
So I developed what I think might be a new way of writing tutorials for CRAW that is much faster and easier to write and read, that is, assuming you already know how to weave CRAW. And I'd love to hear your feedback. If you don't know CRAW and want to learn, here's a great CRAW video by Heather Collins. Here's a Doceri video on CRAW that I did. And here's information on a step-by-step tutorial for the CRAW Borromean Link that I wrote.
The first page here shows a piece of finished beadwork with a list of materials to make the CRAW Tower in two sizes, and some charts that explain the structure of the beadwork. My hope is that if you're an experienced bead weaver, all of the information you need to make this CRAW Tower is on these two pages.
The second page gives some tips on how to read the charts.
So, what do you think? If you already know how to do CRAW, could you make the CRAW Tower from just these two pages? If so, stay tuned because I plan to release some new tutorials using this new method of diagramming CRAW.
Update 9/27/2014: I've written some tutorials with this notation, including the following. This is the Highly Unlikely Triangle, written for advanced beginning beaders. This tutorial is designed to help you learn how to read the charts as well as to do the project. So, if you don't know how to read the charts and want to learn, I recommend the tutorial for the Highly Unlikely Triangle.
The Sweetheart Pendant is for experienced bead weavers. This tutorial is only 6 pages, quite short by my standards. If you don't know how to weave CRAW without looking at instructions, please do not purchase this tutorial. You will be disappointed. If you love CRAW and want a new challenge, try it.
This is the Conway Bead, and advanced design with tetrahedrons and prism. Like the Sweetheart Pendant, if you don't know how to weave CRAW without looking at instructions, please do not purchase this tutorial. You will be disappointed. If you love CRAW and want a new challenge, try it.
And the tutorial for the Coxeter Bead is also designed for experienced beaders. Same story as above. If you're new to beading, don't start here.
Thanks for looking.
So I developed what I think might be a new way of writing tutorials for CRAW that is much faster and easier to write and read, that is, assuming you already know how to weave CRAW. And I'd love to hear your feedback. If you don't know CRAW and want to learn, here's a great CRAW video by Heather Collins. Here's a Doceri video on CRAW that I did. And here's information on a step-by-step tutorial for the CRAW Borromean Link that I wrote.
The first page here shows a piece of finished beadwork with a list of materials to make the CRAW Tower in two sizes, and some charts that explain the structure of the beadwork. My hope is that if you're an experienced bead weaver, all of the information you need to make this CRAW Tower is on these two pages.
Update 9/27/2014: I've written some tutorials with this notation, including the following. This is the Highly Unlikely Triangle, written for advanced beginning beaders. This tutorial is designed to help you learn how to read the charts as well as to do the project. So, if you don't know how to read the charts and want to learn, I recommend the tutorial for the Highly Unlikely Triangle.
The Sweetheart Pendant is for experienced bead weavers. This tutorial is only 6 pages, quite short by my standards. If you don't know how to weave CRAW without looking at instructions, please do not purchase this tutorial. You will be disappointed. If you love CRAW and want a new challenge, try it.
This is the Conway Bead, and advanced design with tetrahedrons and prism. Like the Sweetheart Pendant, if you don't know how to weave CRAW without looking at instructions, please do not purchase this tutorial. You will be disappointed. If you love CRAW and want a new challenge, try it.
And the tutorial for the Coxeter Bead is also designed for experienced beaders. Same story as above. If you're new to beading, don't start here.
I am very short on time so I don't know if I will have the time to try this. I will tell you from looking at it what I am going to rely on is the picture of the front layer and the back layer and only if I get stuck reference the faces. This looks pretty straight forward to me.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first discovered CRAW, it was your Doceri video that made it click for me. It's been my favorite stitch ever since. Looking forward to stitching up your tower.
ReplyDeleteSince I can see from the diagram that all of the 'middle' beads are single seed beads, I would also just rely on the front and back layers for the top and bottom beads. This is a pretty simple design, though. Not sure how hard it would be with a more difficult design.
ReplyDeleteI know the basics of CRAW, but I want to get a little more advanced with it. I want to do things like those hearts or 3D objects.. .. especially the CRAW with a twist. Love it!
Deletehi. now I found you and I'm truly impressed with all your job. For me your way of explanation is just perfect.
ReplyDeleteMy own experience with CRAW it's kind of different because I was barely speak English and i just bough one of beading magazines (years ago) so first i have to brake the language barrier and then difficulty of description which was extremely difficult. i was a beginner with language and generally with beading. Your explanation make beaders easier. and i really love your projects!!
It’s years after you wrote this -but I just LOVE this notation. I kept wishing there was some kind of shorthand for bead patterns. I mean the thread paths are good for when I need a step by step -but a lot of times, I’m just like ‘give me the big picture’! And here it is!!! I bought the sweetheart pattern. I haven’t done PRAW, but I think I’ll be able to figure it out, thanks to these diagrams!
ReplyDelete