Thursday night I taught a class at Beadzo (Tivoli NY) and Claudia, the brandy new beader, came sporting all the new creations since her first class a couple weeks ago. This is bead crochet although it is so unlike the tubular ropes we are accustomed to seeing. One of the German beaders in my class at Perlen Akademie last month, showed me this type and I was eager to work it up and share it. Multiple beads are pulled into each stitch.

It is an adventure planning the necklace because the beads are strung in advance and then crocheted. You must imagine its composition as you string the beads. Plus, the finished length is about 30% of what is strung. It produces refined and textured beadwork.

Terry brought cake, tortilla chips and salsa and I had the chance to celebrate my birthday once again. Isn't it fabulous to see all those beads in this shot. And what you don't see is the array of ethnic and trade beads on the opposite wall. Quite a collection.

Terry and Tara were able to string everything for the necklace and crochet half of the length in our 3 hours.

As they worked the strung beads into the finished necklace and could actually see the result of each set of beads (3, 5, or 7) they were designing the next one in their heads. For the first one you just have to string them, with some intention but, with the spirit of adventure to just see the result. Then you can more clearly plan the ones to follow.

I liked sets of 3 drops, cube-11-cube-11-cube, 5 11s-stick pearl-5 11s, 5 magatamas, 3 or 5 or 7 seed beads and also just single cubes, pearls, drops.