Conway Bead with Dodecahedron 5-Coloring of Vertices

This Conway Bead is a beaded bead, woven from blue, green, purple, and silver seed beads in different shapes including drops and O-beads. This ornate cluster is composed of nearly 400 beads, each one precisely woven into place. I used five different colors for the background, giving the piece an interesting symmetry where every hole touches each color exactly once. 

If you look at just one of the colors, say lime green, for example, they form the vertices of a regular tetrahedron.  Since there are five colors, there are five tetrahedrons.  Thomas Hull has made an origami model of five intersecting tetrahedrons that exhibits the same coloring as my beaded bead.

You can see Thomas Hull's folding instructions here: http://mars.wne.edu/~thull/fit.html.
Here is a 3D printed version of the same model by George Hart. 

I tried beading one of these orderly tangles a long time ago, and failed after several attempts, but that shouldn't stop you from trying!  It's a real puzzle.

Anyway, my little Conway Bead is very round and hollow. The shape reminds me of a virus. 

It measures just 21 mm (> 3/4 inch) in diameter, suitable for a focal bead on a necklace.

There are a couple of different ways to string this, and the largest hole is 2 mm wide, wide enough to accommodate a thick cord or chain.  I also made a pair of matching earrings using my Iris Drop Earrings Tutorial.

If you would like to learn how to make your own Conway Beads, I have a tutorial here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/189075857/

This beaded bead is for sale.  Click on the photos to see the listing.  Thanks for looking!

Iris Drop Earrings in Aqua, Blue, Purple, Silver

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 tiny glass, metal and Swarovski crystal beads in silver, blue, turquoise and purple. I think the colors go really well together.  

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.
Width is 16 mm (5/8 inch).  Length of earrings from top of ear wire is 39mm (1 1/2 inches).

These earrings are for sale here in my Etsy shop.  If you would like to learn to make your own Iris Drop Earrings, check out my tutorial.

Thanks for looking!

Nuts and Washers Beaded Beads Necklace in Red Black Silver with Lampwork Glass

For this necklace, I made 7 beaded beads, including 5 using my newest tutorial: Beaded Nuts and Washers, an Mini Ionic Dodecahedron, and a Mini Infinity Dodecahedron and an Infinity Cube.

Then, I added 5 borosilicate and lampwork glass beads torched by 5 different artists. Together they make a pallet of red, black and silver. This is an unusual and strand of beads, eclectic yet harmonious.

They're all strung on a 36 inch piece of 100% cotton cord, that I twisted and plied on my spinning wheel. If you enjoy stringing beads, you could use this set as a beginning of a more elaborate necklace, but I would wear them just as they are, strung on cord.

Includes 4 inches (10 cm) of beads. Largest beaded bead measures an inch (25 mm).

This strand of beaded beads is for sale.  Click on the photos to go to the listing.  Thanks for looking!

Nuts and Washers Beaded Beads Necklace in Red Orange Black Silver with Lampwork Glass

For this whimsical necklace, I made 7 beaded beads, including 5 Beaded Nuts and Washers, a Rainbow Twist, and a Conway Bead.

Then, I added 5 borosilicate and lampwork glass beads torched by 5 different artists. Together they make a pallet of red, black and silver, with a bit of orange and yellow.

 This is an unusual and strand of beads, eclectic yet harmonious. 

This strand of beaded beads is for sale.  Click on the photos to go to the listing.

Thanks for looking!