July Program - Chevron Chain

Wednesday, July 22, 2009
7:00 - 9:00 PM, Linekona Art Center

For the July program, Dottie Rosinksy will be leading a workshop on the Chevron Chain.

From Dottie: This simple chain can be made in any length and used in many different applications, such as different styles of necklaces: long, short, single- or multi-strand, or lariat. You can probably use beads in your present stash! You don't need to decide on the ultimate use of the chain when you start; I had made my blue chain long before I acquired the two blue beads on the ends of the lariat as a door prize and then decided on the lariat.

Materials List:
The materials called for in the original instructions in Bead & Button Magazine (June 1994) are as follows:
- Size 2 (7 mm) or 3 (9 mm) bugle beads
- Size 11 seed beads (the diameter of the seed beads should be equal to or greater than that of the bugles)
- Nymo B or D thread [or Fireline 6 lb.]
- Thread conditioner if using Nymo
- Size 12 needles

The lengths of the bugle beads given in the Materials List are not necessarily accurate. I used bugles labeled size 2 which measured 4 mm, and I used them successfully with 4 seed beads as shown in the instructions. I'll show examples with different lengths of bugle beads and numbers of seed beads, but this is not a good place to use really long bugles which some members used in the spiral rope project.

You can download and print a color copy of the two-page article at:
http://dianefitzgerald.com/Articles/ChevronChain.pdf

Dottie will have a few black and white copies of it available at the meeting. If you would like to be sure to receive one, please call or e-mail Dottie (contact information is provided in the newsletter), as she doesn't want to make more copies than necessary. The instructions and illustrations in the article are kind of vague, but she can demonstrate starting, and after that it becomes easy, so this printed handout may not even be needed.

Also on Diane's Web site, there is an extensive list of Diane’s books and articles, many in PDF form that you can download and print.

Retreat News!

Good news! We have a tentative location for the retreat: the Macy's Pearlridge Gazebo. We'll announce a late-summer date soon.
On the materials front, one member is opening up her Swarovski stash and is going to sell packaged oval beads (a key part of the design) at a good price for members interested in attending the workshop. Dottie Rosinsky will also provide some suggested color combinations with other crystals.
The bracelet is another beautiful Nancy Craig design, a fun mix of shapes and colors of Swarovski crystals. Nancy has graciously allowed us use of her pattern for our Bead Society gathering.
More information about the retreat, including final cost, date and time, as well as needed materials will be posted to this blog and in announced in later newsletters.