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)

Softflex Bead Festival starts Friday

Don't forget! This Friday the Ward Warehouse hosts the SoftFlex Art Glass and Bead Festival. The show starts Friday at 10:00 AM. Please go and support the artists and companies coming in from the Mainland, as well as local stores who are operating booths.