Table of contents for June 2016 in Bead&Button

In 1994, Alice Korach launched Bead&Button magazine. It was the first of its kind and every issue featured an article or two in each of several categories, including stringing, wirework, on- and off-loom bead weaving, polymer clay, fashion, and whatever else struck Alice’s fancy. A groundswell of interest in beading and jewelry making followed, and led to the spin-off of Bead Style magazine in 2003 and Art Jewelry magazine in 2005, plus a multitude of special issues over the years. But times have changed and many readers have migrated to the internet for jewelry-making instructions and inspiration. So it was with great regret at the end of last year that Kalmbach Publishing shuttered both of our sister titles in favor of a new online learning environment that will be unveiled…

(Design challenge ideas are for your inspiration; instructions are not available.) Cassie Robyn’s metal bead is absolutely amazing. I echoed the various colors of metals she used in a stitched tubular right-angle weave necklace in gold and bronze hues with a touch of blue for an added pop of color. I slid my beaadwork over leather cord for extra bulk and stability. Jane Cruz (B&B reader) The Show Bead has a hand-forged texture and I love the movement within the bead itself; the center silver component moves independent of the rest of the bead. I wanted to carry that movement through the entire necklace so I made the rope in sections and then strung them on beading wire, so they too, will rotate as the necklace is worn. Connie I…

adrienne Gaskell is a thoroughly modern jewelry artist, unafraid to explore new techniques, materials, or processes, and equally unafraid to adopt what works and reject what doesn’t. Kumihimo is the Japanese art of braiding, usually with silk. It’s an ancient art weighted with symbolism and ritual, heavy with tradition. When a 21st century artist meets a 1500-year-old art, the artist has a choice to make: adhere tightly to the art’s traditions, or run roughshod over hundreds of years of history and meaning. Or the artist can choose as Gaskell did: She respects artistic traditions of kumihimo, but she also respects her own vision, and thus she can fuse the two into pieces that transcend both. Charting her course Gaskell, who is celebrating her eleventh year as a teacher at the…

Bracelet band 1 On a comfortable length of thread, attach a stop bead, leaving a 12-in. (30 cm) tail. Starting at the upper-right corner of the pattern (p. 48), pick up 10 color A 110 cylinder beads, one color L 110 cylinder bead, and 21 As for rows 1 and 2. 2 Following the pattern, work in flat even-count peyote stitch using the appropriate color beads. End and add thread as needed, but do not end the working thread or tail when you complete the band. make it longer Use color A cylinders to work additional rows of peyote stitch evenly on each end of the base. Ten rows adds approximately 3⁄8 in. (1 cm). Difficulty rating Materials bracelet 7 x 15⁄8 in. (18 x 4.1 cm) • 110 Delica…

Bezel 1 On 3 yd. (2.7 m) of thread, pick up 46 color A 110 cylinder beads, leaving a 1-yd. (.9 m) tail. Sew through the first four As picked up, going in the same direction, and pull the thread tight to form a ring. These beads will shift to form the first two rounds as the next round is added (figure 1, a–b). If desired, wrap the tail thread around a thread bobbin or piece of cardboard. 2 Work in rounds of tubular peyote stitch as follows, stepping up at the end of each round. To keep the tension even, you will alternate the threads you stitch with. Round 3: Using the working thread, work a round using As (b–c). Round 4: Unwind the tail and using the tail,…

THREAD AND KNOTS Conditioning thread Use wax (beeswax or microcrystalline wax) or a thread conditioner (like Thread Heaven or Thread Magic), to condition nylon beading thread and Fireline. Wax smooths nylon fibers and adds tackiness that will stiffen your beadwork slightly. Conditioners add a static charge that causes the thread to repel itself, so don’t use it with doubled thread. All conditioners help thread resist wear. To condition, stretch nylon thread to remove the curl (you don’t need to stretch Fireline). Place the thread or Fireline on top of the conditioner, hold it in place with your thumb or finger, and pull the thread through the conditioner. Ending and adding thread To end a thread, sew back through the last few rows or rounds of beadwork, following the thread path…

Lady Mary Crawley: Downton Abbey You love the elegance of Edwardian and Art Deco styles of the early 1900s and find ways to use those motifs in your jewelry. You’re enjoying the current resurgence of tassels in today’s fashion and like to create classic and antique styles with crystals, pearls, and seed beads. Queen Daenerys: Game of Thrones Whether made of metal, chain mail, or beads, your jewelry features strong imagery like dragons and wolves. It’s tough and edgy, made luscious with accents of Celtic knotwork and gemstones. Aged artifacts, bone, and horn also have a place in your jewelry. Olivia Pope: Scandal With your high-fashion aesthetic and strong sense of confidence, you stand out in a crowd and revel in it. Contemporary power suits define your look, but your jewelry really makes…

Bead&Button Show 2016 Once again, it’s time for the largest retail bead show! Running June 3–13 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Bead&Button Show features classes in bead stitching, metalwork, wirework, kumihimo, bead crochet, polymer clay, metal clay, and more. In addition, it is the only place to see the 2016 BeadDreams finalists and winners all together in one place. Other exhibits and events round out this beading bonanza. It’s not too late to sign up! Learn more at www.BeadAndButtonShow.com. Halstead Grant Halstead is calling for entries to the annual Halstead Grant, to be awarded this summer. New jewelry artists who work primarily in silver and intend to pursue a full-time career in jewelry design are invited to apply. The winner will receive $7,500 in cash for their business start-up, $1,000 in…

Difficulty rating Materials gold/brown necklace 18 in. (46 cm) • 48 6 mm CzechMates four-hole QuadraTile beads (dark bronze) • 15 g 2.5 x 5 mm SuperDuo beads (opaque luster Picasso) • dagger beads (Czech) -- 48 5 x 16 mm (smoked topaz) -- 48 3 x 10 mm (iris brown) • 5 g 110 seed beads (Toho PF557, galvanized starlight) • 17 in. (43 cm) 5 mm round leather cord (brown, www.primitivearthbeads.com) • 1 5 mm inner diameter round magnetic end clasp (www.primitivearthbeads.com) • Fireline, 6 lb. test • beading needles, #11 or #12 • Super New Glue or 2-part epoxy Information for the alternate colorway is listed at www.BeadAndButton.com/resources. Basics, p. 78 • ending and adding thread • attaching a stop bead Yasmin Sarfati is a self-taught designer…

Center component 1 On 2 yd. (1.8 m) of thread, pick up a 6 mm pearl and six 110 seed beads. Sew through the pearl again in the same direction, leaving a 6-in. (15 cm) tail (figure 1, a–b). This forms a loop of 110s around one side of the pearl. Pick up six 110s, and sew through the pearl again to form a loop on the other side of the pearl (b–c). Sew through the first six 110s. Pick up two 110s, and sew through the next six 110s. Pick up two 110s, and sew through all the beads in the ring around the pearl (retrace not shown in the figure for clarity). Continue through the next two 110s (c–d). 2 Pick up two 150s, a 4 mm pearl,…

Leather and metals a Stainless steel mesh chain, embossed leather, cord, findings and slides, available from www.t-beads.com. b New leather components from www.lillypillydesigns.com. c Amoracast art deco and naturethemed charms and components available at your local bead shop. d and e A wide selection of enameled components from www.gardannebeads.etsy.com (d) and www.ckoopbeads.com (e). Ceramics and porcelain f Ceramic pendants and beads from www.golemstudio.com. g Porcelain beads and more featuring Native American imagery from www.amazingporcelain.com. h Ceramic cabochons and pendants, available at www.artbeads.com. i Unique raku-fired ceramic pendants plus stamped polymer clay ribbon closures, from www.laurasouderstudio. etsy.com. Natural materials j Royston turquoise and spiney oyster cabochons from www.gibsonturquoise.com. k Mactan stone cabochon inlaid with abalone shell and natural handmade wood beads from the Phillippines, available at www.beadsandhoney.com. New beads l 6…

Buying in quantity? Here are some terms you need to know! Mass = 1200 beads ½ mass = 600 beads ¼ mass = 300 beads 1⁄8 mass = 150 beads 1⁄10 mass = 120 beads Gross = 144 beads ½ gross = 72 beads 1½gross = 12 beads Kilo = 1000 grams (2.2 pounds) ½ kilo = 500 grams ¼ kilo = 250 grams 1⁄10 kilo = 100 grams It’s no coincidence that as you go from bead shop to bead shop you often find Czech glass beads sold on strands — sometimes in individual strands and sometimes in bundles called hanks. This has been the practice within the Czech bead industry for decades. Of course you may find Czech beads in bags, tubes, or on shorter strands, but with…

Difficulty rating Materials pendant 2 in. (5 cm) • 1 14 mm rivoli (Swarovski, purple haze) • 9 4 mm fire-polished beads (polychromeolive mauve) • 45 2.5 x 5 mm SuperDuo beads (pearl coat purple velvet) • 27 80 cylinder beads (Miyuki DBL0023, metallic smoky gold iris) • 110 cylinder beads (Miyuki) -- 2 g color A (DB1055, matte metallic gray dusk gold iris -- 2 g color B (DB0611, dyed silverlined wine) • 1 g 150 seed beads (Toho 221, bronze) • 1 12 x 5 mm bail (TierraCast “Legend,” antique copper) • 1 6 mm jump ring (antique copper) • Fireline, 6 lb. test • beading needles, #11 or #12 • 2 pairs of chainnose, flatnose, and/or bentnose pliers • thread bobbin or piece of cardboard Basics, p.78…