Check out the necklace of geometric shapes that Margot wore to my Diamonds of Fire Necklace workshop today at Perlen Akademie in Dortmund Germany. She could have joined the other 80,000 people shopping at the Creativa Expo next door but, instead, bless her heart, she spent the ENTIRE day beading with me. Honestly, she took the 9am-430pm (9 to 1630 as we call it here) workshop that focuses on cubic right angle, Diamonds of Fire. PLUS she beaded with me all evening in the workshop of Fireflies at Sunset Necklace. Diane Fitzgerald was teaching across the hall. When she dropped by and saw Margot's necklace she assumed that perhaps the book she wrote on beaded shapes might be behind it. Margot said she designed this piece a couple years ago. Just another example of simultaneous interest in geometrical beadwork that cropped up all over the place at around the same time. Especially rendered in peyote stitch. Just this week: Diane taught her Trillium design here today (based on triangles). Laura taught a design based on triangles yesterday and I taught the Beaded Pillows Necklace on Wednesday, also dependent on the basic beaded triangle. All such different manifestations of beaded triangles.Andrea (shown here) came to the Fireflies workshop with Felted Bangles with Beaded Beads she made, having seen them in the Bead and Button Show catalog.
Though the class concluded a long beadiful day, these beaders still look energized and even happy. One of them has just beaded for her first time. How exciting to usher yet another lucky person into this meditative, creative and joyous medium. She is eager to get around the expo tomorrow and set herself for the many years of happy beading ahead of her.
Tomorrow I will spend the entire day demonstrating feltmaking at the Perlen Expo (Hall 5 at Creativa Expo, dedicated to all things beads!). Kits will be on hand for those choosing to seize the opportunity to have a lesson and create some felted jewelry right on the spot.
In the evening I will continue with felting but, in a workshop at Perlen Akademie. We will make the Felted Bangle with Beaded Bead.

The Bead & Button Show began accepting registrations on Tuesday, and on Wednesday this lariat class featuring a fabulous Nancy Tobey focal bead filled up and sold out! Yippee. If they ask me to fit another session into the week, I will, and Nancy is willing to make us another batch of her beauties.

There are still some seats remaining in Diamonds of Fire necklace. It is a repeat of last year's popular class using 1139 Swarovski crystals! It is sponsored by Swarovski which means I do not need to lay in all those factory packs of cystals AND it is a real value for the student. As a bonus I will also offer the convertible design that can be worn as two (or more) bracelets or as a necklace. The idea of convertible or multi-purpose pieces really appeals to me. At the conclusion of this project you are completely proficient in cubic right angle weave. You begin to interpret everything around you as being composed of little c.r.a.w. units. It opens up an entire new world of creating with beads, plus you get this gorgeous sparkling jewelry.

There are just a couple seats left in Two Sides to Every Story, a bracelet that is woven using a stitch I made up based on my explorations of tubular African stitches. The beadwork magically corrugates as you work, strategically pushing some beads forward and others to the back...hence reversible. And very cool.

There is limited seating in the Felt Bangle with Beaded Bead, 2 last I checked. It is a short and sweet 3 hour class and you leave with a finished bangle (damp but wearable). It features a bit of undulating peyote stitch and a fascinating felt adventure for newbies that offers a couple interesting tips for experienced felters. We'll be using the Turbo Felting Board (optional purchase $30). Did I mention that the TFB is discounted on my website until Ground Hog Day Feb 2. $25 with free shipping?

Fireflies at Sunset is still popular. They offered 2 sessions again this year. There are only 2 seats left Tuesday evening (last I checked) but, a few seats remain for Sunday morning just before we all leave. It is a great project to wrap up the week of beading. It is composed of easy-to-see seed beads and is a meditative repetitive stitch that propels you through the work in a near-trance state. Joy. It is my original stitch based on tubular peyote with an extra bead placed where it will articulate the beadwork, making it supple like bead crochet. Amy's bead choices evoke the colors of sunset with the little lights of fireflies. Hence the name.