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.

June program - Hawaii State Flag Sun Catcher

Wednesday, June 24, 2009
7:00 - 9:00 PM, Linekona Art Center

For the June program, we are making a beaded Hawaiian flag. The project uses a modified Herringbone stitch. Pattern and instructions will be provided at the meeting. The finished size is about 4 1/4 X 2 1/4 inches.

Materials list:
- 4mm beads (can be Swarovski bicones or Czech fire polish) in red, white, and blue. Roughly 140 of red, less than 100 of blue, and less than 100 and white.
- Size 11 seed beads in coordinating red, white, and blue colors (The sample uses 11° white opaque seed beads [# 402], 11° blue translucent seed beads [# 151], and 11° red translucent seed beads [# 141].)
- Crystal Fireline 6 lb. beading thread
- 10 or 12 beading needle
- Scissors
- Beading mat

The example pictured uses Czech Fire Polish 4mm beads ordered online from Fire Mountain Gems (www.firemountaingems.com):
- Opaque White (# H205587GL)
- Cobalt Blue (# H206043GB)
- Light Red (# H206013GB)

Blogger’s note:
The sample pictured is close to, but not the final design! The top-left of the flag will be tweaked prior to the meeting on June 24. This is the best picture I had when the newsletter needed to go to print. Mahalo!

May program - Stars & Stripes for the Ears

Wednesday, May 27, 2009, 7:00 - 9:00 PM, Linekona Art Center

For the May program, we are making earrings with a peyote-stitched beaded bead. These earrings feature tube beads of Delicas in patriotic colors and stars in blue and silver size 15 seed beads, along with other silver components, as follows.

Stars and Stripes for the Ears materials list:

- Delicas for Tube Beads (Red #723, White #200, Blue #726, and Silver-lined clear #41)
- Blue and silver-lined clear size 15 seed beads for the Stars
- Crystal Fireline 6 lb. for the tube beads and white Silamide or Nymo B for the stars
- Size 10 needle for the tube beads and size 12 needle for the stars (or for both)
- 2 closed rings, 5-6 mm, for the top stars
- Silver small-link chain for the bottom two stars, about 6 inches
- 4 x 6 mm silver daisy spacers

- 4 silver 4 mm bicone crystals
- 8 silver 2 mm beads
- 22 gauge silver wire, about 6 inches
- Hypo glue
- Earwires

Preview - Late summer retreat project

Hello Oahu beaders! Here's is a sneak peek at the bracelet project for the retreat we'll be holding later in the year. It's 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. We're currently looking for a venue, so if anyone has any suggestions, please share them during our regular meetings, or email beadsocietyhawaii@yahoo.com.

"Flex Your Creativity" Bead Contest

Contest alert!

What is your perfect color? Show them in the form of an awesome jewelry design! Soft Flex® Company is looking for colorful designs that showcase your creativity. Design entries must include all three Soft Flex® Wire colors from one of ten Trios. There is no limit to the number of designs that you may enter. They encourage you to feature beads and findings from your local bead shop.
FIND OUT MORE HERE!

Spiral Tube Workshop April 22, 2009

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

For the April program, we are having a workshop on the spiral tube stitch. This project is a simple technique that has many possibilities. You can make a necklace long enough to go over your head without a clasp by creating a long continuous rope, or a shorter necklace with a clasp. A bracelet can be made either completely with the spiral tube or combined shorter sections with other components. You can also make earrings either with a continuous circular loop or short dangles of the spiral tube. The design may be made with one, two, or three colors of bugle beads connected by seed beads. Three colors of bugles gives a particularly intriguing spiraling design, with a single color of coordinating seed beads. Black or dark colors of beads and thread are not recommended for learning. After starting with size 2 or 3 bugles (about 1/4") and size 10 or 11 seed beads, try smaller sizes of bugles, along with size 14 or 15 seed beads and finer needles and thread, for a delicate piece. These involve many changes of thread, as it doesn't go very far, and you'll get a lot of practice tying, gluing, and burying knots.

Diane Fitzgerald has a downloadable color PDF on her Web site, http://www.dianefitzgerald.com/. I will also have some black and white copies of the magazine article; if you would like to be sure to get a copy of one of these black and white copies, call me as I don't want to copy more than necessary. If you have a collection of Bead & Button magazines, it's from the October 1994 issue. (from Dottie Rosinsky)

Spiral Tube materials list:

- Size 2 or 3 bugle beads, 1 to 3 colors
- Size 10 or 11 seed beads (not Delicas)
- Nymo D thread or Fireline 6 lb.
- Size 10 or 12 needle
- Hypo glue for knots
- Ceramic tray and/or beading mat
- Clasp (optional for necklace) or earwires (optional for earrings)