Bead Art Originals Team Event

BAO (Bead Art Originals) Team is going to have a special virtual trunk show in the TreeHouse in Etsy's Virtual Labs. The show will take place on Thursday, October 9^th. A few of our group's talented artists will be showing their wonderful, varied work, so don't miss out the show! We would love to have you there! :)


Also, you are invited to subscribe to the BAO newsletter, to stay updated with new events and information. Just click on the widget below or visit the BAO blog.

"Sunrise" - My First Embroidered Cuff

I finally finished my first embroidered cuff. I planned to make a rather geometric pattern, but when I started working I was drawn to a freer pattern. I worked on one section at a time, without much planning. (Some photos of the work in progress are here and here).
To be honest, I am not sure how I feel about the result. It didn't come out the way I saw it in my mind.
BUT, I got a lot of satisfactory by the fact that I managed to finish it, and more important – I have learned a few important things about bead embroidery and gained some experience. I've learned a few things about myself, too; One is that I need to be more patient and stay positive when dealing with unexpected major problems in my work (and stop to scare my family with my frustration screams..) Another one is to really accept a compromise when I decide to make one, and not think about it over and over again after it has already been done; To practice a lot more, just as I did when I taught myself beadweaving- to start with small projects and progress gradually (did I mention patience?...;) So, all in all, it's an accomplishment for me, regardless the imaginative cuff I had in my mind… :)

I finished the body a while ago, but then faced the challenge of sewing it to a genuine leather backing - it was so hard to pass the needle through the leather - my size 10 beading needle was not good for this (I actually broke two of them by trying).
I had to use a special thick needle for leather works. The thick needle did pass trough the leather (though not easily), but it was too thick to pass even trough 6/0 seed beads holes. So I had to take separate steps: first connect the two materials and then stitch rows of beads to cover the connecting points. Step 1 caused my fingers to feel numb for a few days. I didn't succeed in using a thimble to help me push the needle through the leather, so I used my bare fingers. I still have this ugly distortion on my thumb – it is now acts as a reminder for me, to find and buy Ultrasuede in a few colors for my next embroidery works… Step 2, the diagonal rows on the edges, actually added about 15 mm to the final width of the cuff. I didn't plan to make a 2.4 inch (6 cm) wide cuff, but I couldn't think of another way to finish it. And I just had to finish it! ;)

Bead Artists Against Breast Cancer Project

A fellow member of the EtsyBeadWeavers Team, Susan of Clinckscales Arts, encouraged all group members to participate in Jeanette Shanigan's project "Bead It Forward" - Bead Artists Against Breast Cancer. Susan will be collecting all the squares and photograph them. She's also trying to get Etsy Admin interested in publishing an article about the project on The Storque. Let's hope that Etsy will agree to help.

The original guidelines are to make 4 beaded squares in any beading technique - 1 for the quilt to be made by Jeanette and 3 more to pass forward to three other beaders, to encourage them to participate in this project. I, and I know that a lot of other members of the group as well, have decided to contribute all the squares to Jeanette's quilt. That way she could make bigger quilt and hopefully, raise more money for this important cause.

OK, so here are my 4 squares:-
The first 2 are done in peyote stitch

The third is done in square stitch

And the last one is embroidered, using Cat-Eye heart beads

If you would like to participate as well, please visit Jeanette's site for more details.

Yin & Yang - Complementary Contradictions

The theme for this month – Complementary Contradictions, was picked by me, after winning the July challenge with my Roses in the Night Sky bracelet (Thanks again to everyone who voted for me!).

Yin and Yang are the Chinese symbols of harmony, as they are opposites that complement each other. If you would like to read more about this symbol and the Chinese theory, please visit this page of Wikipedia.

At first I wanted to create a pendant of the traditional, rounded symbol, using rocailles. But later I decided to use the black and silver Aiko's that a very dear friend from the U.S. has sent me. They are very uniformed and perfect for peyote work, so I then decided to design the symbol in straight lines and create a bracelet instead of a pendant. I also used 24k gold-plated Delica beads. The closing is also representing Yin & Yang - two straps in opposite directions and colors.
I have spent about 3 hours working on the 'body' of cuff and additional 2 hours of work on the closure... ;) I really like how it came out.

Please visit the EBW blog, VIEW other entries and VOTE for your favorite. Voting starts on the 9th and lasts until the 15th, at midnight.
The talented team member would also love to read your COMMENT.

I now realize that it has been more than a month since my last post.
I have been so busy and troubled lately. Unfortunately, I have some family 'issues' and health problems. I hardly find time to bead (I still haven't finished the embroidered cuff), but when I do find some free time to do my beadwork, I really enjoy it! It allows me to take a break from life, so to speak... I hope this period of time will pass quickly, as well as the health problems, so I can get back to my beading routine... I really miss the days (and nights) when I was able to finish a work almost every other day!... :)

Almost Finished

I am almost done working on this embroidered cuff. Of course I have to attach it to a backing material – Ultrasuede or genuine leather – I haven't decided yet. I am also not sure yet what kind of closure to use. But those are the easy part, arn't they? :)
I will post the finished cuff when it's ready, and after my photographer is back from his vacation (this not-so-good photo was taken by me with my son's camera ;).



Right after I will finish this embroidered piece, I am going to start working on embroidered squares for Jeanette Shanigan's beaded quilts project “Bead-It-Forward” Breast Cancer Donation Project. The theme this year is "Heart". Check out Jeanette's site and see the finished quilts she makes using beaded squares. You might want to take part in this project.
I am happy to participate in this project for this important, good cause and I already have an idea of what I want to make. I just hope that this embroidered work will be finished before the dead-line…