New Tutorial - Cellini Asterisk Pendants

Make these starfish pendants in 2 sizes with this original variation on beaded Cellini spiral, using peyote and herringbone stitches and seed beads.

Alien flower pods or star fish? The center of these pendants is an urchin-like hollow puff of seed beads, with five pointy legs growing out of the base. The beadwork is stitched with just 3 sizes of regular Japanese seed beads. No fancy shapes required! So if you are a bead weaver, you probably already have everything you need.

This project is suitable for intermediate bead weavers who like peyote stitch. If you like the Victory Pod Earrings, you'll love making the matching Cellini Asterisk Pendant.

This tutorial shows three versions of the large Cellini Asterisk Pendant. The large ones measure 6 cm (2 and 3/8 in) point to point by 17 mm (less than 3/4 inch) thick. I made the easier version first, and although I like it, it is a bit squishy and, its legs are a bit wiggly. For the second version, I set out to make it stiffer, and so it is. The legs are also a wee bit fatter.

All of the adjustments are explained in the instructions. The stiffer large pendant is used in the step photos and illustrations. After you learn to make the units and assemble them, there is one page on stitching a bail, and another page on how to make the easier version of the pendant and how it differs from the harder version. There is also one page on the small pendant, including a few key illustrations and comments to get you started, and then a bunch of step photos showing how to assemble the pieces, including the bail.

You can also make these pendants with 2, 3 or 4 points instead of 5. So if you want to make a whole alien garden, you'll have lots of different flowers to put into it.

The tutorial is 15 pages, with 100 full color illustrations and photographs, a colorful feast for the eyes. The tutorial gives highly detailed illustrations, photographs, and written instructions to make Cellini Asterisk Pendants with seed beads and thread.

Thanks for looking.

Sweater Hoodie Pullover No. 11 Beach Sun Rain Wind Sand

My first completed project of 2016: this pullover sweater hoodie is mostly wool with a touch of cashmere. That's me... Hi, happy new year!

It all started with a crazy striped yellow, blue, tan and white sweater of thick, soft lambs wool. It was a really nice quality wool, thick and still soft, and it had a lot of usable fabric. I cut it apart and stitched the patches back together with a bunch of other sweaters to make this wearable, cozy piece of art. The focus is the long patch pocket on the front that I embellished with symbols of the beach: sun, water, and wind. I used a variety of hand stitching techniques including applique (raindrops), reverse-applique (sun), embroidery (sun) and couching (sun and wind).

The cut is a tunic dress that drapes slightly longer on the sides and back. It has a roomy hood that isn't so big that it will fall over your eyes when you wear it. When the hood is down, it forms a large wide collar that frames your face and keeps your shoulders warm. The sleeve ends are finished with soft, cozy cashmere is bright aqua.

The hood has a single brass and metal button. The picture button is large and antique (c. 1890) with birds, flowers, and trees on it. It's one of the nicest buttons in my collection, but I decided to let it go because the birds added something special to the beach theme of the piece.

The colors are an assortment of beach colors including sand, golden yellow, pale blue, gray, and bright aqua. The seams are bright aqua.

The seams and hems are professionally sewn with four polyester threads on my serger sewing machine. Some of the finer detailing, I first edged on my serger and then stitched by hand with aqua wool yarn. The hand stitching adds visual interest and gives me more control when assembling the pieces so that everything sits as I like. The hand stitching is on the sleeve hems, the pouch pocket and the inside of the collar. This sweater very well made, comfortable and warm.

Size: Medium. Laid flat, the bust measures 20", waist 18.5", hip 21". I am modeling this piece in the photos, and I'm 5'5", US size 8-10.

This work was inspired by the amazing sweater coats of Katwise, with help from her tutorials. Find her on Etsy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/katwise
The inspiration for the combining the needlecraft techniques on the pocket came from Alabama Chanin. and her books.