Sabine Lippert shares her love of Beading!

I have the extremely good fortune to have many friends in the bead world and it's always fun to spend time with them.  I will always remember when I first began seeing the name Sabine Lippert.  Her designs were beautifully executed, with a strong design sense, wonderful coloration and oh man, she was so prolific.  I remember writing her and saying something close to 'Who the heck are you?'  I laugh at those early days and memories.  She of course continued to excel and in short order we met at her first Bead and Button.  She's crazy fun in person and we've continued our friendship ever since. For two beaders who live on opposite sides of the world we manage to see each other a couple of times a year, pretty amazing!  One of my great pleasures of the bead community is spending time with other beaders.  As Sabine will tell you below it's one of hers as well.  Marcia

Do you love beads?

Yes! Definitively yes!

Well…. this is only a piece of glass with a hole (or two or three). You could also say I love vases or windows, hey, windows are even bigger pieces of glass, so what is so special about beads?

I have to confess, that I have not a real good answer to this. All I can say is, that when it comes to beads, I cannot stop drooling about their colors, their shapes, their looks. When I open a drawer full of beads, my mind starts working, starts arranging them in this or that shape, stitch, order, number.

I can talk to someone and suddenly an idea pops up and my mind is gone with the wind… beading!

You don’t find beaders at every corner of the city, but once you find them, you do not hesitate to travel for hours to meet them.

When I first time came to Bead and Button show, the officer at the immigration asked me what the purpose of my visit was. I told him where I am going, he was looking at me like, "All the way over the ocean to meet some people who share your hobby?“

Well…. non beaders will never understand.

The first local meeting of beaders (this is now over 10 years ago) was a fun experience. I just learned how to do bead crochet. Now I saw all the other women, making a show and tell, bringing all their beaded beauties, I saw Peyote, Herringbone and RAW designs for the first time and was lost! At the end of the day, I could make a drawing of every single piece I saw, I could tell you who knew which technique, but I had no single personal information about the women.

Usually when you meet other people, the first thing is "What is your job, where do you live? Are you married? Kids?"

None of that, when you are with beaders. It is one of these places in the world, where the only thing that counts is your desire for beads.

11 years ago I started beading. I was frustrated in my daily job for many reasons. Often I came home in the evening, angry, sad and upset. I closed my door, dropped my bags and jacket and started beading. Within minutes my anger disappeared and I was in the middle of my rainbow unicorn fairy world of beads. It was so soothing and still is. When stress gets too overwhelming, I meditate with my beads. 

When I quit my daily job as a physician years ago to completely dive into the beading world, my former boss asked me "What on earth did you go to university for?"

I said  "It helps me to write nice instructions" but deep inside I just thought "You will never understand, so why bother to explain".

Do you remember the first Rivoli you bezeled? With neat Peyote stitch, do you remember being proud as a peacock? As a teacher I am in the position to see this facial expression in every workshop I make. And that is priceless!

Yes I love beads, I love beading, I love all the friends and friendships that beading brought in my life.

Sabine Lippert
Tulpenweg 56

53757 Sankt Augustin
Germany
www.Trytobead.com

Sabine.Lippert@trytobead.com

www.Trytobead.com

Sparkly Heart Earrings - by Teresa Meister

One can always count on Teresa to give us an interesting thread path while creating both pretty and solidly made beadwork.  These darling sparkly earrings will be a must do earring in many different colors.  I love an earring that can be considered bead neutral, in other words I can easily combine it with other bead work I may be wearing and it will compliment easily without competing.  I see a few pairs of these in my future!

Supplies

1g seed beads size 15^o 

[8] 3mm 5000 round crystals or substitute 3mm pearls for a less sparkly look

[4] 3mm 5328 bicone crystals

[2] 1¼ in. (3.18 cm) length of chain (or desired length) – approx. link size 3x3mm

pair of earring findings

6lb crystal Fireline

beading needle size 12

Introduction

Two hearts folded over make an earring. The second heart will be folded over and attached to the first heart as it is woven. The hearts are crafted upside down to make it easier to control the dangle of the chain as it is incorporated into the beadwork. An individual heart is comprised of two loops, Loop 1 and Loop 2 and a point, called the Heart Point.

1. Loop 1. Thread a needle with approximately 36 in. (.91m) of thread or Fireline. Leaving a 6 in. (15.2 cm) tail, pick up (13) 15^o seed beads. To form a ring of beads, sew back through the first seven 15^o’s.

2. Pick up a 3mm round crystal. Tie the tail and working threads together using an overhand knot. With the working thread sew up through the next 15^o. Place a needle on the tail thread and sew through the 3mm crystal. Using the tail thread, make a half-hitch knot. Weave in the tail and trim. Snug up Loop 1, so that the crystal sits snugly inside the loop. 

3. Pick up four 15^o’s, and a piece of chain of the desired length. Sew through the three 15^o’s in Loop 1 as shown. Sew back through the first four 15^o’s strung at the start of this step. This forms two 3-bead stacks that sit side-by-side with a piece of chain positioned at the bottom between the two stacks.

4. Loop 2. Pick up ten 15^o’s. Form a ring of beads by sewing through the uppermost 15^o in the right-side 3-bead stack as shown.

5. Pick up a 3mm round crystal.  To position the crystal, count six 15^o’s from the start position and sew through the three 15^o’s labeled, 6, 5 and 4 as shown. Snug up Loop 2, so that the crystal sits snugly inside the loop.

6. Heart Point. Pick up (13) 15^o’s. Connect the Heart Point to Loop 1 by sewing through the thread path as shown. At the end, the working thread is exiting the single 15^o positioned at the top between the two 3-bead stacks.

7. Pick up three 15^o’s. Skip the first three 15^o’s labeled 1, 2 and 3 that are at the base of the Heart Point, and sew through the next three 15^o’s. Skip under the next 15^o and sew through the next two 15^o’s as shown. Tip: After you sew through the last two 15^o’s place the needle through the skipped bead and gently pull the bead away from the ring of beads. The skipped bead will “pop-out” and form the point of the heart as you snug up the thread.

8. Pick up a 3mm bicone crystal. To position the crystal sew directly across to the opposite side of the Heart Point and sew through the six 15^o’s as shown.

9. Pick up three 15^o’s. Sew through the thread path as shown.

10. We are ready to start the next heart. To start Loop 1, pick up two 15^o’s. To attach the two 15^o’s to the previous heart sew up through the 15^o  labeled 1 on Loop 2 of the previous heart. Sew back through the first 15^o  just strung as shown.

11. Pick up eleven 15^o’s. To form Loop 1, sew through the 15^o as shown.

12. Pick up a 3mm round crystal. To position the crystal, count to the bead labeled 6 and sew up through the bead labeled 6 as shown. Snug up Loop 1, so that the crystal sits snugly inside the loop.

13. No beads are picked up this step.  Turn the beadwork over to reposition the beadwork as shown. 

14. No beads are picked up this step. Fold over Loop 1 of the Second Heart so its sits atop the loop of the First Heart as shown.

15. Pick up four 15^o’s. Sew through the same link of chain on the First Heart. Sew through the three 15^o’s in Loop 1 of the Second Heart and sew back through the first four 15^o’s strung at the start of this step. 

16. Repeat steps 4-9 to complete the Second Heart. Sew through sets of two 15^o’s on both hearts as shown to complete the attachment of the hearts. Secure and trim the working thread. Attach an ear wire to the end link of the chain.

17. Repeat steps 1-16 to craft a second earring.

For a printable version of these earrings click here.

To see more of Teresa’s designs visit her website: teresameister.com

SRAW Puffy Heart & LOVE Letters by Gwen Fisher

This tutorial was inspired by Chris Prussing’s Puffy Heart and Marcia De Coster’s Love Letters, stitched with right angle weave (RAW) and cubic RAW. I wrote this tutorial expressly to be given freely on this Bead Love blog, a blog of inspirations on love and beads. I have been so inspired by so many other wonderful designers in the bead weaving community, and this is a little way for me to say "thank you" to all of you who have inspired me. Here you can learn to bead hearts and the letters in LOVE with just one size of seed beads in two colors. Since you only need one bead size, you can use any size you want. The hearts above use 15° or 11°.  The heart below uses 8° on the back (shown) and 3 mm bicone crystals on the front.

This tutorial starts with step-by-step instructions for weaving hearts using a stitch that I call super right angle weave (SRAW) because of its relationship to RAW. Both SRAW and RAW are made with loops of four beads, but SRAW also has loops of eight. You can learn more about SRAW on my blog, gwenbeads. This tutorial ends with charts for the letters in LOVE to get you started using SRAW to weave an alphabet.  What better place to start, anything really, than with love?

Materials
One size of seed beads in two colors
Beading Thread
Beading Needle

SRAW Puffy Hearts in 3 Sizes
The smallest heart uses size 15° seed beads. The medium heart uses size 11° plus other beads  for the arrow and hanger. The largest heart I made uses metal size 8° seed beads on both sides and 3 mm Swarovski bicone beads on the front. This large heart has 2 mm holes, making them large enough for a thin cord or chain. Of course, you could use plastic pony beads or even larger bead to make beaded hearts as large as you want.

Seed Bead Size     Heart Size
                            Height x Width x Thickness
15°                       16 mm x 19 mm x 4 mm
11°                       22 mm x 25 mm x 6 mm
8° with 3mm         33 mm x 40 mm x 7 mm

1. Use moderately tight tension all the way through this project.  Don’t apply a death grip, but snug is good.   Figure 1 shows the chart for the heart up through loop 61.  This chart is explained in detail in steps 2 through 12. After you complete the 61 loops in Figures 1 and 12, you can skip to step 13.

2. Thread your needle. Loop 1: Pick up 4R.  Pass through the first two beads again in the same direction to make a loop. Slide the beads down the thread leaving a tail that is long enough to rethread and weave into the beadwork.
Loops 2-3: * Pick up
     • 5 beads: G, 4 R.
Pass through the first R you just picked up. Repeat from *.
Loop 4: Pick up
     • 3 beads: G R G.
Close the loop by passing through the 2nd R bead in the first loop.  Then pass through 3 beads: G RR to position yourself to start the next stitch.  You just stitched an irregular starting unit of SRAW.

3. Loops 5-6: * Pick up
     • G, 4 R.
Pass through the first R you just picked up. Repeat from *.
Loop 7: Pick up
     • G.
Pass through RG RG RR. You just stitched a regular unit of SRAW.

4. Repeat step 3, 6 more times.

5. End First Row of SRAW:
Loop 26: Pick up
     • G, 4 R.
Pass through the first R you just picked up. 
Loop 27: Pick up
     • G R G.
Pass though RG RR.

6. Start Second Row of SRAW:
Loop 28: Pick up
     • G, 4 R.
Pass through the first R you just picked up. 
Loop 29: Pick up
     • G R G.
Pass through RG RR GR.

 

7. New Repeat:
Loop 30: Pick up
     • G, 4 R.
Pass through the first R you just picked up.
Loop 31: Pick up
     • G.
Pass through RG RG RR GR.

 8. Repeat step 7, 6 times.
 
9. End Second Row of SRAW:
Loop 44: Pick up
     • G R G.
Pass through RG RG RG RG R.

10. Start Third Row of SRAW:
Loop 45-46: *Pick up
     • G, 4 R.
Pass through the first R you just picked up.  Repeat from *.
Loop 47: Pick up
     • G.
Pass through RG RR GR.

11. Repeat step 7, 4 times, ending loop 55 as shown in Figure 11.

12. Loop 56: Pick up
     • G, 4 R.
Pass through the first R you just picked up.
Loop 57: Pick up
     • G R G.
Pass through RG RR GR.
Loop 58: Pick up
     • G R G.
Pass through RG RG RRG RRG R.
Loop 59: Repeat Loop 60.
Loop 60: Repeat Loop 61.
Loop 61: Pick up
     • G R G.
Pass through RG RG RG RG
RRG RG RG RG.

13. The Zip!
Now fold the beadwork in half to make a heart.  You will now zip up the seam between the two layers. Starting on right: Pick up
     • R.
Pass through R on left.  Pick up
     • R.
Pass through GR on right.
Pick up
     • G.
Pass through RG on left.

14. Continue zipping...
Starting on bottom layer: Pick up
     • R.
Pass through R on top.  Pick up
     • R.
Pass through GR on bottom. Pick up
     • G.
Pass through RG R GR on top. Pick up
     • G.
Pass through R G on bottom.  Pick up
     • R.
Pass through R on top. Pick up
     • R.
Pass through GR on bottom.

15. Continue zipping...
Starting on right layer: Pick up
     • G.
Pass through RG on left.  Pick up
     • R.
Pass through R on right. Pick up
     • R.
Pass through GR on left.

16. You just added the first 3 beads in the figure below.  Continue zipping:
*Pick up
     • G.
Pass through R G R on other size.  Repeat from * 3 more times. 
All the beads are now added.  Follow the green line below to balance the weave and make it symmetric.

17. Stitch around the top of the heart, using the thread path shown in figure 14,  but do not add any beads this time. The extra thread will balance the weave and help the beads sit straight.

18. Weave the last little bit by stitching the thread path shown in figure 13, but going in the opposite direction, and do not add any beads. 
Note. Start from the red bead near the arrow.

19. Tie off by weaving both ends of thread through the loops of beadwork. You don’t generally need to tie knots in SRAW if you secure your ends by weaving through 5 or 6 loops.  

Variations and Inspirations...
Now bead yourself some love letters.

Below are the charts to get you started, but I'm not going to tell you how to do the zips. You will have to figure out how to do that part yourself. Think of them as little puzzles. One of the things I have always enjoyed about bead weaving different designs is that they are each their own little puzzle, and when you solve it, you win that thing.   

If you would like to download a printable PDF of this tutorial, click here.

See more of Gwen Fisher's work on her website Bead Infinitum, and in her Etsy shop gwenbeads.

You can also follow Gwen's beadwork on Facebook.

Love the Beads you Have! By Heather Collin

Who doesn't love to have a repertoire of beaded ropes?   Heather has given us one of cubic right angle weave that waxes and wanes through thick and thin.  The trick is in the count of ceiling and side beads, which takes us from small cubes to larger ones and back again.  

Given my short attention span, this is the perfect rope to change up the rhythm of the beading. Heather also shows us how to use the bigger squares to add a jump ring so we can add the baubles of our choice.  Perhaps you'll add a LOVE letter?  Have fun with this very fluid rope from Heather!  

Marcia



Love the beads you have 

Heather Collin

It is almost impossible to find any quality beads in South Africa and when you do, you need a bank loan to pay the horrible prices and we only have a few beading stores left that actually carry Miyuki or Toho beads. I am fortunate to still have a large stash of Miyuki’s, due to huge online purchase I made back in 2010. Included in that purchase was a collection of Matsuno and Czech beads, which to date, I have ignored. But, to bead love, you need to be able to love the beads you have so, I have pulled them out and decided to start using them….so that I can hang on to my precious Miyuki's a while longer.

Flat CRAW Chain 

Inspired by Marcia’s love letters

You will need 30g size 11o beads for a 100cm long rope

Short Links

String 6 beads onto a span of stretched and conditioned thread; leave a decent tail to work away later, sew through all the beads again and exit the 1st bead strung. These are the floor beads.  Fig 1

Row 1

1^st Wall (side)

String 3 beads (1 side/1 ceiling/1 side), sew through the floor bead  just exited and the next  2 beads along Fig 2

2^nd  Wall(front)

String 3 beads, sew back down the side bead of the previous wall, the 2 floor beads just exited and the next  bead along Fig 3

3^rd  Wall(side)

String 2 beads,  sew back down the side bead of the previous wall, through the floor bead just exited, the next 2 floor beads along and up the side bead of the first wall added. Fig 4

4^th Wall(back)

String 2 beads, sew back down the side bead, through 2 floor beads, up the side bead and exit the ceiling bead of side 1 Fig 5

Sew through all the ceiling beads and exit the one to the right as shown - these beads will now be the floor beads for the next row Fig 6

Rows 2 - 7

Repeat the 1^st row  6 more times Fig 7

Long Links

Row 8

1^st Wall (side)

String 5 beads (2 side/1 ceiling/2 side), sew through the floor bead just exited and the next  2 beads along Fig 8

2^nd  Wall(front)

String 4 beads, sew back down the 2 side beads of the previous wall, the 2 floor beads just exited and the next  bead along Fig 9

3^rd  Wall(side)

String 3 beads, sew back down the 2 side beads of the previous wall, through the floor bead just exited, the next 2 floor beads along and up the 2 side beads of the first wall added. Fig 10

4^th Wall(back)

String 2 beads, sew back down 2 side beads, through 2 floor beads, up 2 side beads and exit the ceiling bead of side 1 Fig11

Sew through all the ceiling beads exiting the one to the right. Fig 12

Rows 9 & 10

Repeat twice more  Fig 13

Repeat these 10 rows for as long as you desire. Attach a clasp to either end or, make it a continuous rope. The choice is yours.

Design Note

The centre link of the 3 large links, is perfect for adding a jump ring, to which you can attach charms or beaded letters. 

Project by Heather Collin

To print this project click here.