Best of Two-Hole Bead Stitching E-Book

Virginia Jensen

• Herausgeber: Fox Chapel Publishing
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Seitenzahl: 116

Beschreibung

Master the art of creating your own beaded jewelry and build your stitching skills! A must-have jewelry making guide to craft your own stunning statement pieces, Best of Two-Hole Bead Stitching features more than 38 bead stitching projects that showcase beautiful beadwork in unique bracelets, necklaces, and earrings. The materials featured tiles, bricks, SuperDuos, bars, cabochon beads, pyramid beads, seed beads, pearls, and more have stood the test of time and remain popular with bead stitchers. These contemporary, geometric designs include stitches created specifically for these two-hole shaped beads. Some projects are a bit more complex and are perfect for experienced stitchers and advanced beginners looking for projects that require some knowledge of bead stitching. This must-have project-focused book features clear and complete instructions for every DIY jewelry project, as well as variations and alternative designs.

Leseprobe

© 2023 by Virginia Jensen and Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552.

Best of Two-Hole Bead Stitching (2023) is a revised and updated edition of Stitching with Two-Hole Shaped Beads (2015), Contemporary Cube Bead Designs (2012), and Two-Hole Bead Stitching (2019), originally published by Kalmbach Media. Revisions include all-new photography and new projects.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright holders.

Project Team

Managing Editor: Gretchen Bacon

Acquisitions Editor: Amelia Johanson

Editor: Christa Oestreich

Designer: Wendy Reynolds

Photographer: Mike Mihalo

Indexer: Jay Kreider

Shutterstock used: Greazel (7 top); Agnieszka Romaniuk

(7 middle); Trygve Finkelsen (7 bottom); Lars Poyansky (10–11).

Print ISBN 978-1-4971-0340-5eISBN 978-1-6374-1176-6

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023936536

To learn more about the other great books from Fox Chapel Publishing, or to find a retailer near you, call toll-free 800-457-9112 or visit us at www.FoxChapelPublishing.com.

We are always looking for talented authors. To submit an idea, please send a brief inquiry to [email protected].

Welcome to the Best!

I feel so fortunate to have found Fox Chapel Publishing, who are eager to help me keep my designs available to beaders. This book is a compilation of three previous books, published between 2012 and 2019. This “best of” collection is a great resource for beaders, featuring some of my all-time favorite earrings, bracelets, and necklaces as well as invaluable technique instruction.

I’ve had so much fun over the years working with multi-hole beads and finding ways to make them fit and play together. I hope you will join me in exploring their creative possibilities.

Happy beading!

Please take the time to read the introductory material. I provide many tips from my 17 years of beading, plus information that will be useful throughout the book. Thanks.

Contents

Introduction

Tools & Materials

Techniques

EARRINGS

MiniSilky Diamond Earrings

Magic Circle Earrings

Dot ’N Dash Earrings

Elegant Drop Earrings

Cluster Earrings

Keystone Earrings

Open Leaf Earrings

Snaky Curves Earrings

Sweet Zolitude Earrings

Zoli Lotus Earrings

Reverse Swirl Earrings

Fleur de Zoli Earrings

BRACELETS

SuperDuo Ruffle Bracelet

Herringbone Cuff

Peyote Cuff

Diagonal Peyote Cuff

Buds ’N Studs Bracelet

Cluster Stitch Bracelet

Double Row Cluster Cuff

Single Bracelet with Studs

S-Braid with SuperDuos

Double S-Braid with Rullas

Double S-Braid with Bricks and Squares

Sophisticated Beams

Splendid Singlet

Pharoah’s Gift Bracelet

IRAW with AVAs

IRAW with SuperDuo Center

NECKLACES

Running River

Buds ’N Squares Necklace

Dots ‘N Dashes Necklace

Double Braid

Two-Hole Dagger Necklace

Cluster Necklace

IRAW Single

IRAW Zigzag

IRAW Geomancy Fancy

Pharaoh’s Gift Necklace

About the Author

Tools & Materials

My tools have not changed substantially over many years of making jewelry. But I encourage beaders to work with what suits them and makes a sound and attractive piece of work. Every design in this book has a materials list, which varies depending on the project. However, I recommend bringing the following tool kit for every project.

I’ve tried different beading needles and will switch to #11 or #12 if needed, but I find my hand works best with the standard #10. Any finer needle and I find myself bending them into unusable shapes. With my sturdy #10s, I just use some pliers to straighten them a bit, and I’m back in business.

You’ll need a place to lay out your beads, such as a felt mat, sticky mat, or bowls. I prefer my little white ceramic dipping bowls. It’s easier to move the beads around en masse and to pick up the beads without catching the tip of the needle. They require less contortion of the hand, and when I’m finished, it’s simple to pour the beads into my hand or back into their home containers.

You’re bound to need some kind of magnifier eventually. Make friends with your ophthalmologist if you have any kind of problem seeing your work. I’ve solved a couple of problems with just a lens correction or a different pair of glasses more suited to beadwork. I also recommend good light!

Scissors that cut cleanly and closely will make your life easier and save on thread.

A couple of small pliers are handy for just about everything. I used needle-nose pliers the most to open jump rings and hold small pieces.

A ruler (preferably with metric markings). There are bead-measuring rulers out there, but I find a standard ruler works just fine for this work.

THREAD

Your thread should be flexible, strong, nonstretch, and if possible, braided (so it’s harder to split and catch). I use 8-pound PowerPro fishing line for earrings and fine work, and switch to 10-pound line for necklaces and bracelets. FireLine® is a good alternative when I need black thread. If I must match my colors, I will go to C-Lon bead cord or something similar.

In the materials list, usually I give an amount of thread to start with. Some beaders have difficulty working with very long cuts of thread. My maximum is 2 yards (1.8m) at a time. After being pulled through the beads, the thread may begin to ravel a bit and weaken.

Depending on the length you need, bracelets average about 2 yards (1.8m) of thread. For a necklace you may need up to 3 or 4 yards (2.7 or 3.7m) of thread. Start with a length you are comfortable working with and plan on adding new thread before you get too close to the end so your tying-on knots will not interfere with sewing on the clasp.

JUMP RINGS

I always keep on hand 20- or 22-gauge (3 or 4mm) open and closed jump rings in silver and gold. Open jump rings are used for attaching findings, while soldered closed jump rings are used to transition from thread to metal or wire. Never attach beading thread to an open jump ring because the mischievous thread loves to find the tiny gap and slip through.

With necklaces, I like to use closed jump rings to end the neck strands because they let me change the clasp if I want, and I can easily add an extender when necessary. Because a bracelet is usually a smaller investment of time than a necklace, I don’t mind attaching the bracelet clasp directly to the work. I also like to minimize the clasp and show more of the beadwork, unless of course, the clasp itself is a feature. With earrings, you want the work to swing freely but not rotate; closed jump rings allow this.

Organize your jump rings by size and color to make it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for.

This multi-strand clasp makes it easy to attach thread to the end of your bracelet or necklace.

French hook earwires are the most common, but are certainly not the only option. See what other options you like!

If you are missing the closed jump rings and absolutely must go ahead and bead, you can make do by incorporating a small ring of 15º seed beads in the piece. Or you can weave a fastening into the work itself.

OTHER FINDINGS

Findings are the pieces used to attach thread and beads to form a piece of jewelry. While there are various styles that can be used and I recommend using what you prefer, these are what I use in this book.

Clasps: Plan the clasp you are going to use when you start your piece. This can save you a lot of trouble when attaching (see here). The best clasps for beadwork have smooth round rings. A sharp edge on the rings of a clasp can eventually rub and cut the thread. I like toggle clasps for narrow bracelets. Magnetic clasps are a good alternative for a narrow bracelet, especially for lightweight bracelets and necklaces. These are also useful if the wearer has difficulty fastening, such as children or those with limited motion or control. Of course, you want to be aware if a child is prone to pulling a piece off and putting it in their mouth.

Earwires: Most jewelry makers will be familiar with the French hook, which has been a popular choice for earrings over the decades. The kidney-shape hooks are less likely to poke and are a good match for the style of my designs. This aspect it sometimes overlooked when designing earrings, but an interesting finding can transform the look of a piece. I encourage you to see the large variety of earwire styles that are now available.

Beads

The number of beads listed for each project is usually for an average-size piece. If your requirements are larger or smaller, please adjust the amount accordingly.

As for the beads themselves, two-hole beads are fast becoming available in local craft shops. If you can’t find what you need there, try online. Often a simple search phrase, such as “buy 12mm drop beads,” “buy three-hole CzechMates beams,” or “buy GemDuo beads” will take you to stores that sell them. Online shops sometimes have unusual colors and shapes that are hard to find. There are plenty of ways to find something wonderful!

MULTIPLE-HOLE BEADS

Most multiple-hole beads are pressed glass. Pressed glass beads are made differently from seed beads; they are molten glass that is pressed into the shape of tiny molds, just as the name implies. Molding a bead to a tiny size, as small as most seed beads, is not practical, but to obtain a variety of shapes and multiple holes, pressing can provide many more options. In addition, pressing a bead allows different designs on the front and back.

There are now so many different sizes and shapes of multiple-hole beads that wading through the many designers, manufacturers, and unusual names can be daunting. In addition, shops can name the beads they sell anything they want. I have found quite disparate names for the same bead—a bead called “White Rembrant” in one place was called “Opaque Luster Picasso” at a different shop. I wish I could supply all of you with the exact beads I’ve found, but that is almost impossible. For this book, I’ve listed the most common shape names for each bead so you can find something similar. I encourage you to be creative and find your own color choices!

CHALLENGES WITH MULTIPLE HOLES

Clogged holes: One of the biggest worries when working with multiple-hole beads is finding one of the holes plugged after you’ve incorporated it into the work. After this happened to me the first, second, and third times, I started testing the holes.

This usually only happens with pressed-glass beads and narrower beads, such as SuperDuos, Rullas, bars, and bricks. Conditions are worse when there is a coating of some kind, which can further clog the holes. The temptation is to just poke out the hole, but avoid this! You may create a very sharp break right where the thread rubs, and this can cut the thread. Just throw that bead away.

If a clogged hole happens to you and you have to take apart a section of work—or worse, make the whole piece over—you will understand the need to test each hole. I simply poke my needle through the holes, and if it goes all the way through, I go into the last hole and use it to pick up the bead.

With SuperDuos, there is an even simpler way to deal with this. Get a bead bowl that is a contrasting color to your beads (mine are white). The SuperDuos will tilt when laying, allowing you to look through the upper hole and see that it’s open. Just pick up the bead with the lower hole and know that both holes are open. Please don’t let this little feature deter you from using these fun and interesting beads. Nothing is perfect, and they create a beautiful look you can’t get from one-hole beads.

This multi-strand clasp makes it easy to attach thread to the end of your bracelet or necklace.

Broken beads: I find that Tilas especially have sharper edges and like to break at the corners. Work a bit looser than usual to prevent the Tilas from rubbing or pressing against one another when moving. Pressed glass beads usually don’t have this problem.

Bead size: While the standard sizes of beads are remarkably consistent, a little difference in a bead’s size or shape when multiplied across an entire bracelet or necklace can make a big difference in how your piece fits or hangs. Necklaces in particular need to curve just right to fit at the neckline. I suggest that you leave yourself options by not tying off the necklace too quickly, so you can adjust if needed.

About Illustrations

This book contains companion illustrations for the written instructions. I don’t give my illustrated beads color. I’ve found that putting the author’s colors in the illustrations are confusing. What is dark for the author may be light in the beader’s palette. In my illustrations, I use shading to indicate old and new beads from step to step. The beads already incorporated are lighter and the new beads are darker. I add a bit of color when it is useful to indicate a pattern or to highlight a particular bead or action.

The illustrations of the thread paths are consistent in the order of colors: red, blue, then orange. The beginning of each color is indicated with a matching dot, showing where to start. Each new illustration usually starts over again with the colors. This system allows me to include several actions in one illustration.

The written instructions are keyed to the illustrations as well, so you can work them together. Often, one action will be clearer in the illustrations, while another will be clearer in the text.