Textile Bangle Bracelets No. 45 Purple, 46 Green, and 47 Yellow

I'm making felted lace bracelets again in celebration of the holiday. It's very labor intensive, but I love the forms, texture and color combinations that are possible with wool, silk and sparkle fibers.

No. 45 Purple

No. 46 Green

No.47 Yellow

One of the fun things about felt is that it's super flexible, but when it gets bent out of shape, it will pop right back into position.   

That it doesn't collapse under it's own weight is more a product of how light it is than how stiff it is.  If you're like me and like the look of jewelry, but find bracelets really uncomfortable, you might just love wearing felt bracelets as much as I do.  These pieces are for sale in my Etsy shop.  Click on the photos to go to the listings.  Thanks for looking. 

Iris Drop Earrings in Pink Pearl Bronze

These Iris Drop Earrings are dramatic little dangles that are small enough to be comfortable and fancy enough to be noticed. They are woven with glass seed beads in bronze, with Swarovaki crystals in several shades of pink and creamy Swarovski pearls. The little rings and ear wires are sterling silver.

These are medium sized earrings, and the beaded beads have a lot of bling and detail for their size.
Length of earrings from top of ear wire is 39mm (1 1/2 inches).

If you would like to learn to make your own Iris Drop Earrings, check out the tutorial available here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/118888909/

The Beaded Lace Adventure Continues

I'm working on a second lace collar for my beaded lace adventure, and I thought I'd show you one of my stops along the way.  Here are a few of the components that I've made for the piece so far.

This includes a beaded lace medallion, four lace flowers, and a swag. 

Fern Earrings for My Sister

A few days ago, I showed you the pair of Melissa Grakowski's Fern Earrings I made for mom for the holidays.  When my sister saw them, she also wanted a pair.  She chose blue, purple and metal, and this is what I came up with.

For my sister

Here's mom's pair so you can compare the colors.  It's always fun making pretty things.

For Mom

Beaded Fern Earrings with Herringbone Stitch

I've always loved Melissa Grakowsky Shippee's beaded ferns, and I finally got a hold of her book "I can herringbone" and made myself a pair. Actually, I think I'll give this pair to my mom for Thanksgiving. I rarely make other people's beadwork designs these days, but these were a real pleasure to make with Melissa's fantastic instructions.

Lace Medallions: Part 4 of the Beaded Lace Adventure

I finished my first beaded lace necklace, and I'm so in love. 

It's so comfortable, and it hangs beautifully below my neck. The drape is just perfect. I chose steampunk colors of black, gold, bronze and pearl.   

You might notice this necklace features a large golden bronze Beaded Lace Medallion, which happens to be Part 4 of my Beaded Lace Adventure. The medallion tutorial is now available if you would like to make some medallions too.

 

The instructions explain how to make 5 different medallion variations. I give specific patterns for medallions with 6, 7, and 8 petals that range in size from 1 1/2 to 2 inches. The last three pages includes photos of several design possibilities for necklaces and wide cuff bracelets using medallions, flowers, and swags. more designs are coming!  Here's an example of a cuff design.

You can read more about the Beaded Lace Adventure here on my blog, find the patterns in the tutorials section of my Etsy shop, and please look out for more soon. I've got more designs in my notebook still to realize in seed beads, but I have to sit down and bead them first before I can show you.  So, come back later!  And as always, thanks for looking.

Beaded Swags: Part 3 of the Beaded Lace Adventure

I'm still having fun designing lace for my Beaded Lace Adventure.  I love lace, always have.  And with more elements to design with, I can create larger, more elaborate compositions. 

In my new pattern on Beaded Lace Swags, I show how to weave 9 different versions of swags, including these.  So you can make a beaded lace necklace with me!

The compositions here also include Beaded Lace Flowers and Swarovski crystals.  This composition is almost symmetric, but I realized that if I want to make a symmetric necklace, I better start making two of each sample piece.  

 

I did that for most of the flowers, but I haven't started making doubles of the swags yet. So these compositions are quite asymmetric, because that's all I've got.

You can read more about the Beaded Lace Adventure here on my blog, and please look out for more soon.  I haven't finished this necklace yet, and I've got more designs in my head, but I have to sit down and bead them first before I can show you.  So, come back later!  And as always, thanks for looking.

Behold the power of the BEADS!

I'm working diligently on my next installment of my beaded lace adventure, but until then, here's a little something to appeal to the 4-year old in you.