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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Last week Kathie Tuckruskye, a teacher at Arlington Middle School, called to say that their Fiber Arts Club could use some advice with their felting project. It happens they meet after school on Wednesdays so off I went...
We talked about how felt is made and I discussed my hand felted jewelry and beads. Then we kicked back the chairs, gave each girl a TFB (Turbo Felting Board), her choice of colored merino and a metallic pipe cleaner (yes, they still call them pipecleaners, not chenille sticks). In short order they created either spiral felt earrings or a felted bangle bracelet. The last bus left at 3:45 yet we were able to "bang these out" in the time we had! (love that TFB)
This was their first wet-feltmaking experience, having only needle-felted to date. Check out this sweet teddy bear this student made.
We expect to nuno felt a scarf at their Dec 9th meeting. Yes, it IS possible in that short window of time. We'll use rubber friction cloth and heavy duty bubblewrap plus the TFB and they'll leave with finished scarves!
Beadzo is having an artisan jewelry and crafts sale at Pamela's magnificent home, 17 North Rd. Tivoli, NY on Sunday Dec 6, 1-6pm and Monday the 7th, 6-9pm. Call for info 845-757-2780 or 845-594-2649. The works of jewelers Kaja Dedijer and Betiana Ruffinatto will be featured along with beadwork by local artists and special purchase gifts that Pamela traveled far and wide to collect for us!

We had a great time at Beadzo class tonight (Tivoli, NY) . As usual each beader came with her agenda about what she'd like to accomplish. Thankfully, they give me a head's up so I knew to show up with feltmaking materials and Robert Michael Croft glass implosions. Tara is shown here beading a Treasure Bracelet (the strap for the implosion bracelet shown on beading mat in foreground).

Check out Cookie's beaded felt purse. The stippled effect outlining her floral pattern is acheived through bead embroidery.

Charlotte liked the new bezels for rivolis that I've been working on so feverishly. She is using them for earrings and will be featuring them at a craft show this month.

This is the 2-Sides of the Story bracelet that Tara finished since last time.

Lise felted and beaded the implosion to the right. Beautiful.
Our next class there is December 3rd. We know Lise wants to learn how to compose a freeform beaded bracelet, Tara wants to do Midnight in Manhattan (a new kitted project), Kaja wants Bead Happy and Terri suggested Turbo Bead Crochet. Ooooo, we'll have a ball. To join us give Beadzo a call to reserve a seat 845-757-5306.

Look at these sweet Tetra-Phyls bracelets (designed and taught by Phyllis Dintenfass) that Pat Reisner completed from that class with Phyllis at Beadfest. I love how they dance and flutter when she wears them.
A couple posts ago I spoke about the kits we're working on for Midnight in Manhattan. Meanwhile I had to ramp up the inventory of these beads. Well, I am not sure if you can tell from the photo but, both of these are each worked up in size 8 Japanese seed beads. One is the original and one is worked up from the fresh delivery of beads I ordered for the kits. Yikes! There is such a difference in the way the Matsuno worked up compared with the Miyuki. The original piece is firmer and the new one is loosey-goosely and UNacceptable. So, what is the harm in laying in even MORE beads?

Customarily you can find me teaching on a couple Thursdays a month at Beadzo in Tivoli NY . This month there is only one class and it is TUESDAY 17th.

Call to reserve a seat 845-757-5306. Lise wants to felt and bead an implosion, so I'll have the materials with me for her, and you if you wish to join in. I'll show Terri and Cookie some jewelry designs that use the new bezeled rivolis they have been making with me. Tara might bring Charlotte and perhaps they'll felt and bead a small purse like that shown in the photo. Makes a great gift!
Sunday I'll be back at Kinokuniya Bookstore in NYC (across the street from Bryant Park). We'll make a felted flower from 2-5pm in a specially discounted $25 workshop! Call to reserve your seat 212-869-1700. I'd love to link you to a sexy website but, truth is, they are an amazing bookstore with a woefully blah and uninformative website. I'll bring Turbo Felting Boards for everyone to use. There will also be a trunk show of my felted and beaded jewelry and a booksigning. Come by and felt with me.

Yesterday at Beadzo, we broke out the felt needles, Swarovski bling and seed beads and began embellishing a sweet little felt purse. This is Kaja's. She spent the workshop needlefelting the surface and will bead embroider it in the next class (Sept 24). Should you decide to join them for the fun, I'll bring felt needles, Beadzo will have white felt purses for sale and all the beads and bling you'll want. I'll coach you through your embellishment techniques. These make great gifts too. (This is one of the projects I taught in Japan. Tulip Co even sells kits for needlefelting on felt purses!)

Today Fran came to work in the studio and we ended up making more felt scarf samples for the Bead Gallery workshops coming up Columbus Weekend in October. If you register for that workshop, I assure you it will be a great way to spend a holiday!

And it is a lightweight and fashionable way to keep the chill off your neck all autumn!

Fran was dazzled by how quick and smoothly the fulling process was acheived using the Turbo Felting Board. (Just between us, I think she was skeptical until she did it for herself. Imagine Fran skeptical.) She was pleased to hear that I ordered the TFBs precut this time so we didn't have to do it ourselves. Whew.

This bead stopped me in my tracks as I dashed through the exhibit floor of the Bead & Button Show in June. It is a James Daschbach bead. It looks like the universe captured in a most appealing form of glass. It is black with nuances of greys and slate colors accented with "holes" of intense shine. It really hums at me.

Gathering up a selection of size 11 seed beads in its colors and 1/4 kilo bag of black size 8, I began to stitch a tubular herringbone with inclusions that is the basis for a necklace to support this incredible focal bead.

Tonight, while teaching at Beadzo in Tivoli, I showed them the fabulous bead and this tubular herringbone project that it inspired, and suggested that if they weave 6 "bumps", it would make a great bracelet/bangle, and several more bumps would make a necklace or lariat. Here are the pieces that they completed in class. Speedy beads!!

Louise showed us these gemstone beads she purchased at a bead show that originate in Afganistan. It is so amazing to me that someone cut and drilled these miniscule beads from rock AND that we can actually afford to buy them. Aren't these priceless?

Sorry I let a week slip by without an entry. Where DOES the time go?

The Beadfest Philadelphia is next week! No, I didn't propose any workshops there again this yearbut, I do look forward to going. Hope I see you there. It is a great shopping opportunity, a chance to schmooze and I'll be taping another Beads, Baubles and Jewels segment for PBS. My pal Phyllis Dintenfass from Wisconsin is teaching and we room together, giving us this chance to visit.