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.

As my work (and play) has become focused solely on feltmaking and beadwork, I have let previous interests wane. Last year a friend swapped a table for my drum. The year prior, I gave up knitting and sewing and purged the studio of these materials and accoutrement. Though some odd balls of yarn remain with my collection of crochet hooks, as I do still crochet, at least with beads.
For 3 years I have not touched my precious spinning wheel. Spinning is what seduced me into this wooly life and introduced me to a community of fiber goddesses that have informed the rest of my life. A workshop with Beth Beede at the Northeast Handspinners' Association Gathering was my introduction to feltmaking those many years ago. Years passed and I taught spinning at NEHA Gatherings, the New York Sheep and Wool Festival and many east coast guilds. (Spinning with wool, silk and feathers was a favorite.) Over the years, my workshops for these same venues evolved into feltmaking. So today I posted my sweet, signed, solid cherry Tina Traveler Jensen spinning wheel and all the accoutrement (swift, ball winder, lazy kate, fiber and library of Spin-off magazine) for sale for $500. It is not the end of an era so much as uncluttering my studio.

At Beadzo last night, Tara finished a Bead Happy Bracelet in her colors. She hid a magnetic closure rather than do the two headed beaded closure called for.
Charlotte wore the Dew Drop Diagonal Peyote Bracelet she finished from the previous class. It is lovely. It made Terry want to make one tonight.

These are two bracelets Terry made since last time. Liking the Aurora Borealis Bracelet she made last time, she said she made two more since, but they seemed different. Indeed. She made up this stitch and used it for both. Close to the same appearance, unless you examine the matte beads. Cool.

Jane learned double-needle, odd count peyote to make a toggle for her necklace. So, as described, Beadzo IS anarchy, in a good way. Three projects from MASTERING BEADWORK and two brandy new projects. A night of learning new techniques and finishing projects and good company. My life is delicious and a joy.

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.