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Thursday, March 1, 2012

Twisty DNA Earrings

I tried a new variation of my DNA beaded earrings.  These are all in silver seed beads, with matte silver on the inside and shiny silver along the edges.  I removed the bugle bead rungs to make a narrower helix.  The result gave not only a narrower helix, but more twist per rung.  See, in the original design below, eight rungs gives just over one complete twist.
But with this new pair,  eight rungs gives about one and a half complete twists.  They're more twisty.
What I learned from this little experiment is that you can use different lengths of bugle beads for the rungs, but the smaller the bugle bead (or none at all) will make the beaded DNA twist more, and conversely, if you use longer bugle beads, the DNA will twist less.  Click the photos to see the listings.
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8 comments:

  1. KatieMarch 1, 2012 at 2:10 PM

    I love the extra twist that you got using seed beads instead of bugles! I am definitely going to have to try that for myself :o)

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  2. CindyMarch 1, 2012 at 3:04 PM

    Those are really pretty! I've also noticed that the twistiness of the double helix changes with the nature of the rungs. For the record, the real thing has a little over 10 base pairs per complete twist. My groovy variation is between 9 and 10, but your twistier version looks much better in earrings.

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  3. GwenbeadsMarch 1, 2012 at 3:48 PM

    Thanks Cindy. I do like this new innovation for earrings because they're more dainty. I tried making a more chemically accurate pair last night, but I got more than half way through the first earring, with three false starts, and realized I forgot a bead near the beginning. Uhg. So I ripped it apart and made something simpler. 12 base pairs with the crease to make the major and minor grooves, all cut up and put back into boxes...

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  4. CindyMarch 1, 2012 at 4:35 PM

    That's too bad... Although I've been down that road too. I must admit, my 100+ base pair necklace has a few "point mutations," which is bio-speak for errors ;)

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  5. KJMarch 1, 2012 at 4:46 PM

    LOL Beading geeks it all comes out in the comments.

    Personally, I will stick with just telling you that I like the new shape and color.

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  6. GwenbeadsMarch 1, 2012 at 5:52 PM

    Cindy, point mutations... not a flaw, but a feature. I love it.

    KJ, you can join our beading geek party when you're ready.

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  7. CristinaMarch 2, 2012 at 7:18 AM

    Son muy bonitos y originales!!!!

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  8. AntiquityTravelersMarch 3, 2012 at 12:28 PM

    Those are seriously cool! I love the first pair (and yes a self-professed beading geek)

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