In the evening of March 30th, I'll be teaching this bracelet, Aurora Borealis, at Beads By Blanche. This past Thursday in the class at Beadzo (Tivoli NY, sorry no website), Terry made this one. The sparkling rivoli is securely held in a beaded bezel on one end of the polygon bracelet. The rivoli is framed within the loop at the opposite end and serves as the closure.

During the Beadzo class, Cookie made a cell phone ornament like the one I was given for my cell phone. It is a two-needle technique similar to cross needle weaving BUT the two needles pass through the common bead together rather than crossing through it. It is as lovely around your wrist or neck as it is dangling from the cell phone. Whip one up too.

Cookie finished her "cross-stitched bracelet with rivoli closure" tonight at the Beadzo class. (Neither photo came out very clear, sorry.) The bezeled rivoli (yes, you read about these kits that Bead Gallery and I have collaborated on) fits through a loop that extends from the bracelet, making a beautiful finish. Cookie chose those wonderful khaki beads (no 2035) for their elegant patina. They are the perfect contrast to the rivoli and shiny beads at the edges.

This cross-stitched technique is one of a half dozen new techniques I teach in my new workshop: More Faces of Polygon. It is the sequel to my Many Faces of Polygon workshop. It will premier at Bead Gallery Inc on April 9th. Only fitting, since I developed this workshop in response to their demands for MORE polygon adventures.

That same weekend in April, at Bead Gallery Inc, in addition to More Faces of Polygon, I will teach Bead Happy, the Fine Marcasite Chain for Focal bead, Pentagon Pendant on Chain, and the Cornflake Pearl Petal Flower Lariat.

A couple of designs that sprung from developing More Faces of Polygon are suitable as half-day or evening classes. A few I'm offering at Beads By Blanche in Bergenfield NJ. On March 3oth, 6-9 pm is Aurora Borealis bracelet, one of the new techniques plus a bezeled rivoli closure!

Jill volunteered to be the first to bead the new bangle design I haven't named yet. Yet, another result of exploring polygon stitch with a sense of adventure and sometimes even daring! This bracelet fits like a bangle but has a magnetic closure hidden deep within the beadwork. I may decide to offer this as a 3hr class in next year's Bead & Button Show. Teachers must submit their proposals in July for June classes the following year. Good to plan ahead.
Irma made trip to Beads By Blanche Saturday and bought metallic beads and 3mm Swarovski crystals to bead a netted panel for her husband's woodturning. This one is just the mock up of the one he is rendering in ebony. Such grace! You can see others of their collaborations on Steve's website.

Eva and Cheryl have just tackled bead crochet using the "Bead Crochet Out Loud" method. Join me March 9th at Knitty City in Manhattan NYC. From 2-5pm I will teach you to bead crochet (and some folks will actually finish a bracelet in class). From 6-9pm I will teach "Beaded Edgings". Expect to learn 3 or more techniques to embellish your garments and accessories with beads. Not only are they lovely but, the weight of the beads can affect the drape and hand of fabric or clothing...just ask Chanel!

Tomorrow at Beadzo in Tivoli (1-845-757-5306) I'll offer to teach that brandy new bangle, as well as Aurora Borealis and whatever else they ask for. This is a local beadstore where I teach about twice-a-month. I am there 6-9pm on those Thursdays and we run it as anarchy, in a GOOD way. That is, each person gets to use me up in whatever project or technqiue they want. Usually I bring whatever new things I am working on, and sometimes everyone wants to make that project or learn that thing. But there are times that I teach 8 different things at once. I just float (not literally, would that I could) around the room tending to each individual beader and her project/technique. I guess it is the residual of my 22 year career as a chef. You never know who is coming in the door, when, and what they'll order. The mental gymnastics necessary to juggle several projects/meals at once are thrilling and enjoyable. Everyone knows they will get the attention they need and it works great. And it happens that sometimes you learn another thing or two out of the corner of your mind, while you are learning the thing you came for.

Caroline at Moral Fibre Felting Studio in UK reports that there are vacancies in the 2-day workshop March 2 & 3. So I am trying to spread the word to beaders across the pond, in hopes that they will join us in a day of felted beadiness. Those beaders who mention the blog, Jean Powers or Spangles will receive a free kit for Fireflies at Sunset (My popular Bead and Button Show 3 hour class, offered twice this year. One class is sold out and there are a few seats left on Sunday just before we all go home.
Although my weekend workshop in Hand Felted Jewelry and Beads in Gallipolis OH sold out in two days, one person had a calendar conflict, making a seat available for you. Contact Marlene at FeltingMadness@wildblue.net.
Next weekend I will be at Beads By Blanche in Bergenfield NJ, teaching Felted Component Jewelry. We'll create felt components all morning and in the afternoon, fabricate finished jewelry using our fresh felt and glass, wire, chain, bead components on hand in this abundant store.
This week's new experience was to tape myself using a flip video. It is a short piece about cubic right angle weave with demonstration and tips. It will be linked to the Master Class I have written for June/July Beadwork Magazine. It breaks my heart that so many beaders are intimidated by r.a.w., let alone, cubic r.a.w. So, I'm offering up a cheerful and meditative approach. Just the way we love peyote for its short and sweet repetitions of the same step, we can love r.a.w., hence, c.r.a.w. Don't let those pesky changes in direction cross you up and put you off. Just repeat the little mantra to yourself and ...voila...you're a right angle beader!
The Glass Bead Inspired Lariat Workshop at The Bead & Button Show filled up the second day of registration. But, if you are in the New York area, you may like to know that the Bead Society of Greater New York has asked me to teach it on March 13th. Nancy Tobey, whose beautiful glass bead inspired this piece, is sending me beads in a few color choices.
Hope I get to bead or felt with you soon. Even if we cannot be in person, perhaps I'll be turning out videos, after this week's flip adventure. Ya never know.

You've asked and Justine listened: a Felted Footwear workshop for Angelfire Studio is on our calendars for Sunday April 18. Add it to yours, and soon, as we're limiting class size to 12. We're re-arranging and adding tables so everyone has elbow room and packing it all into one long day. Justine is providing lunch right there. Expect to share some of the felting labor by taking turns; accelerate the fulling labor with a Turbo Felting Board (borrow one or take advantage of the sale until Ground Hog's Day Feb 2, just $25 includes free shipping!) and leave at 6pm with custom fitting, fabulous felted (and still damp) footwear.

Beatrice came to the studio class with this work-in-progress. It is that netting variation that we've seen rendered in pearls, as part of a necklace on a Bead & Button magazine, in round crystals by Gwen Fisher in Beadwork magazine and as the blingy bangles and gracefully knotted necklace we love by Pat Riesner. Beatrice's is solely size 6 seed beads, yeilding a textured and, frankly fascinating tubular beadwork! That Beatrice, she always sets off on adventures with each acquired skill. Love it!

Last night at the Beadzo class, Charlotte came very close to finishing the Dew Drop Diagonal Peyote bracelet. She had her copy of Mastering Beadwork close at hand, but I was delighted to talk her through it.

Terry is the first to bead the new design Aurora Borealis (I'll be teaching this at Beads By Blanche on March 30th).

New beader Chris chose to do another project from Mastering Beadwork: Joy Squared Cuff Bracelet. She chose several metallic cube beads for hers. It looks more like a jewelry store purchase than a bracelet composed of glass beads. Metallic beads are especially popular at this time.

Perfect IS the new beading magazine Perlen Poesie. And, the good news is that now, there is a source in the U.S. for this perfectly exquisite beading magazine. Beads By Blanche has just received limited copies of the first three issues. Don't delay if you want them.

Amy Raff and I got to see this premier issue even before it was published, while visiting with the publishers and editors (Friedhelm Ott, Andrea Ott, Micha Schroder and Saori Schroder) at the Bead and Button Show last June. That cover is not just a lovely photo, but it is done in relief so you can FEEL the beads. The piece is my design and if you look closely, you'll see that one of the articles is "Cypher Space". What an honor to be featured on the cover and within this stunning magazine. The article includes several gorgeous photographs of my beadwork, and an interview (by phone and translated into German). But, forget about the text, you don't need to read German to thoroughly enjoy the projects, photographs and step by step illustrations. These are some of the clearest, most precise and self-explanatory, you've ever seen!

I'll have to give Blanche a call (1-201-385-6225) myself to get those subsequent two issues.

Blanche and I just put several new workshops on our calendars for me to teach at Beads By Blanche in Bergenfield NJ. Mark your calendar for February 6 for a day of Felted Component Jewelry. Info and pics will follow in next post. Set aside Saturday April 16 for something beaded and beautiful and yet to be decided.

Allow me to tell you about the Tuesday evenings we've schedule. This Pentagon Pendant is Feb 16, 6-9pm. This solid Swarovski necklace is an ideal way to get cozy with cubic right angle weave. Notice the sweet star-shaped spaces that develop in the corners. Finish with a sparkling chain of crystals and charlottes that works up faster than you expect.

On March 30th (6-9pm) learn a quick and easy bead rope of matte and shiny 8s that finishes with a distinctive button & loop closure. We'll make it bracelet length and for the button, we'll bead a highly textured bezel for an Aurora Borealis Rivoli that is lovely from every angle.

May 4th, also a Tuesday, from 6-9pm, capitalize on the unique position of each of the multiple beads-per-stitch of polygon stitch, to incorporate tiny holed beads such as seed pearls. The closure is a decorative vertical loop centered over a beaded toggle created by joining two bead-bezeled dentelles.

As a post script, my web mistress Marylyn is preparing a huge sale on my website http://www.carolcypher.com/ . We want to clear the decks, well, Marylyn's office and my studio, of everything we've offered there to-date, to make room for the NEW kits and designs. One of the new offerings will be, while they last, the kit to make these sweet earrings featuring lampworked beads by Lea Zinke , earring wires, and an easy to follow recipe that walks you through a touch of ladder, fringe, netting, polygon stitches to create a calyx and petals for the glass bud beads. Tell me your preference: pinkish, lavenderish or light yellow. If you don't want to wait for the website posting, send a check for $30 (free parcel post or $4.95 for priority mail) and I'll get it right off to you. I'll run a New Year sale on the Turbo Felting Board ($5 discount and free shipping until Feb 2)

Saori called from Dortmund Germany to discuss the workshops I will be teaching there in March at Europe's largest craft event, Creativa. The registrations are coming in and at last I have the website to share with you that has beading workshop information. Click on Creativa now and it will open on the Bead Academy (perlen akademie) homepage. Click on workshops then click on each instructor's name: Carol Cypher, Diane Fitzgerald, Laura McCabe and Anna Draeger, to see what each of us is offering to teach there. We added the Diamonds Of Fire Necklace (a popular project that I taught at Bead & Button Show last year and will again in June) but, this is the convertible version. It has two magnetic closures hidden within bead work (all Swarovski crystals!!) and can be worn connected as a necklace or separated into two bracelets.

Having more studio time this month, I've been prolific. The felt rings have been a consuming passion. Plus I've new bracelets that will be ideal evening workshops at Beads By Blanche (I just have to call her and get them on the calendar.) One features seed pearls and a pair of bezeled dentelles and another has a bezeled rivoli closure.

Last month at our bead gathering, Myrna brought a selection of new beads by lampworker Harold Jargowsky, for our shopping pleasure. Jill incorporated one of the floral pendants into a bead crochet necklace. Lovely. Glad you're back at the torch Harold. I used many of Harold's beads in projects in HAND FELTED JEWELRY AND BEADS. His contact info listed in the book's resources section is beadsinbarn@aol.com.

Today I submitted two designs to use in a trial run of an electronic venue geared to teach beading to beaders in Asia, Europe and U.S.A. How exciting. Next I must submit two designs/projects that will be offered as animated lessons that can be purchased. I will keep you posted as things develop. They are projecting something substantive by March 2010.

Yesterday I brought a few kits for 2-Sides to the Story Bracelet (Clicking on this link will transport you to the Bead and Button Show site, where I will be teaching this project. Information about classes will not be on their website until this Friday.) to a gathering of my spinning buddies. This is that stitch that I devised after an exhaustive exploration of the tubular beadweaving stitch unfortunately named "polygon". It produces flat beadwork that corrugates as you work, the beads over-lapping, resulting in its being reversible. It is quite magical. It has a most peculiar start but, 3 rows into it and you're on a roll. In 3 hours, even these non-beaders (though clever and crafty) were more than half through the project. (The hoop earrings seen sitting on the bead mat were beaded by Mary Jo using my recipe that Bead & Button published in their magazine, in their book Creative Beading and a had their editor Linda Augsberg demonstrate on PBS TV's Beads, Baubles and Jewels.
Though everyone else headed home, I remained rather that face an hour and half drive that would be much longer and scarier on ice. So, Judy and I fortified ourselves with a litle dinner and beaded until we dropped. Judy beaded a bezel for a rivoli using one of the new kits that Bead Gallery Inc and I are offering using their rare and vintage Swarovski items with my bezel recipes. A simple band of 3-bead wide peyote, makes it a beautiful and comfortable ring.
Today Puget Sound Bead Festival sent an invitation to propose workshops for their July 9, 10, 11 show in 2010. Though I met some very creative and fascinating beaders who took my felted jewelry workshops there in 2008 and 2009 and loved being in Tacoma at this event and in the verrry lovely Hotel Murano, I was unable to put it in my calendar in 2010. Giving a nod to the trend in wire and metal jewelry, they state that they will be choosing classes based on these criteria: 60% metal & wire, 10% metal clay, 10%, contemporary jewelry, 10% seed beading and 10% mixed media.
Last week Blanche and I put a couple dates on our calendars for 2010 workshops at Beads by Blanche, in Bergenfield, NJ: April 17 and October 23. In addition to those full day workshops, Blanche offers 3 hour evening workshops during the week. I just put a wrap on two bracelet classes that I will suggest to her would be perfect evening offerings. They each offer a beaded closure using beautiful Swarovski elements. One is a bezeled rivoli and the other features a pair of joined dentelles. Photos to follow as soon as I speak with Blanche.

The flat corrugated beadwork that I have been developing is reversible and, well, last night they called it magical, when I taught it at Beads by Blanche in Bergenfield NJ. The project for the workshop is called Two Sides to the Story and is a reversible bracelet. A button works well but I found these magnetic tube closures that are perfect for this.
Before everybody got away, I remembered to take a shot to share with you. These happy beaders are Ann, Allison, Jolene, Wendy and Pat. (Yes, you recognize Pat Riesner from previous posts.)
It was fascinating to see each beaders take on color. Sometimes I have to admit to occurances of bead envy.

Genevieve, owner of the Bead Gallery in Salem, NH, and I share this giggle: that some day when I am asked in an interview about what inspires me, what is my muse, I will reply "Genevieve". Seriously, each time we wrap up a weekend of my teaching at her amazing store, we book another weekend 6 months ahead and then discuss content. As it happens, often I design projects based on something I bought in her store or some topic she suggested. When we booked Columbus weekend for 4 days of workshops (3 and 6 hour offerings!) we said there will be earrings using these delightful little bud beads by Lea Zinke. Well, a few versions have been beaded up in either my imagination or my studio since then but, it is this sweet little pair that I will teach Friday evening Oct 9th.
Of course I have to like the visual outcome, not to mention the wearability. This pair is pleasing to behold and light and comfortable to wear. But, almost more importantly, my teacher-self seeks to infuse each project with as much information and technique as possible. Here we have packed alot into a small project: an original beadstitch, some polygon and a cool combination of ladder/square and fringeless-fringe. You're gonna love this.

A couple Thursday evenings a month, I teach at Beadzo in Tivoli, NY. This week a few beaders wanted to make Two Sides of the Story, a reversible bracelet using an original stitch inspired by my exploring polygon stitch. This is Tara's, half finished and beautiful.

I'll be teaching this bracelet at the Bead Gallery in October plus September 22nd evening at Beads By Blanche in Bergenfield, NJ. Until I found this magnetic tube finding at Beadfest, I'd used a button and loop closure for this bracelet design.
The beadwork corrugates as you bead...quite magical and exciting...producing a front-side that is different from the back-side, hence, reversible.

Yoshie Marubashi came to Kinokuniya Bookstore to say hello during my 4th of July beading workshop/book signing event. Here with us is John Fuller, store manager. Look at the beautiful cuffs these new beaders completed in class.

We scheduled two more workshop/booksigning events, to include a trunk show of my beadwork and felt: $25 registration fee includes instruction, materials and supplies!

October 25, 2-5pm. Registered participants will learn how to sculpt using wool and a felting needle. They can expect to finish a small item such as jewelry, ornament or decorative item.

November 15, 2-5pm. Registered participants will hand felt flowers using wet-feltmaking
technique and an array of fine merino wool. These are both wearable and decorative.

On my way from Grand Central Station to Kinokuniya I stopped at 70 West 40th St for a bite of lunch at Le Pain Quotidien . The comfortable and welcoming ambiance drew me in. The delicious and healthful cuisine offered this seasoned foodie a new treat: farro . Here is it offered as a salad in combination with raw beets and carrots and garnished with nori and sesame seeds. Yum. Did I say how charming and knowledgeable the waiter was? And...I had a macha latte that was so good. This morning I was eager to try my hand at making one at home, and did, and it too was yum!

From my seat at this huge communal table in the center of the dining room I could see the pastry case, blackboard of the day's specials and even catch a glimpse of the barrista at work.

When I returned to the Poughkeepsie train station, the entire station, all the platforms, and several surrounding blocks were teeming with people and cars and kids and dogs and everyone eager to take in the fireworks. Once the display was under way I was able to make it to my car in the parking garage and head through the congested streets towards home.

Mary Tynes came to the studio this week and put the finishing touches to her Ostara's Emerging Blossoms Necklace. She had been in the workshop at Beads By Blanche a couple weeks ago.

While at Blanches, we put the Flat Polygon Bracelet on the schedule for Tuesday evening 6-9 on September 22nd. Here is the one Beatrice made last week in the studio class. When Blanche posts it on her website, I'll offer a link.

This past Saturday I taught Ostara's Emerging Blossoms Necklace at Beads by Blanche . This workshop focuses mostly on sculptural Polygon stitch and includes a couple of those pod sculptural components and a fast and beautiful bezel. The pod left is one of the pair Pat Riesner made using Swarovski crystals.



Below is the pair Kaja Dedijer made in a class a few weeks ago. Being a jeweler and working mostly in sterling, gold and gemstones has impacted her aesthetics. Though woven of seed beads, her pods acheive the look of sterling with gemstones!





This coming weekend I'll return to New Jersey, this time to Angelfire Studio in Basking Ridge. Sunday 12-5! Call Justine to see if she can squeeze you in. We will be felting around a resist using her yummy merino wool to make either a vessel or purse/case/clutch. We will be using those new Turbo Felting Boards I love so much. No more whining in workshops because the hand-felting just isn't instanteous enough! (Optional purchase $30) As a special treat, I will bring each felter a very special button to adorn the piece.

That's all for now, as the garden is calling me. Too much time has lapsed during too much rain! Yikes.