Using Paper Patterns in Beadwork Design

I'm sure that everyone has been doing this since forever, but I only just thought of it, so I will share!
When I am designing a necklace, I previously had trouble making it into a shape that will lie flat on the neck when it is being worn. This of course does not apply to strung pieces, as they will naturally fall into the most natural shape.
If the shape that you are trying to achieve is two, or even three dimensional there is little or no flexibility within the shape, so the piece has to be the correct shape or else it will twist or flip over as it goes around the curve of the neck, for example a triangular shaped necklace like my 'Windows ans Arches' necklace.

This week I have been making a version of my 'Princess's Daisies' design, in a different colour, and shape, so that it can be worn with a scoop necked top.

I made a simple paper pattern, and then placed the component parts on it. These daisies can either be joined with two petals or one, this is dependant on whether they have an even or odd number of petals. (I have made lots of different sizes.)
Where they join with two petals, the shape is set, where they join with one petal the shape is flexible. So there is still some flexibility in this particular design from the single petal joins.

I made the alternating larger daisies first. Then, starting at the front I made the smaller daisies, which I placed on the pattern so that I could see which petals to join to create the correct curve. I worked my way from the front to the back placing a small daisy in each gap.

I will definitely be using this approach in future when I make less flexible designs. 
I should have thought of this last week when I was making my Large Celtic Triangle necklace, but I can still use it for the re-design.

Finished necklace

Midnight Daisies Necklace

Designed for my favourite scoop necked top.

Playing With Paisley

I currently have two patterns, Windows and Arches, and The Princess's Daisies that I have been exploring to find what other shapes and designs I can bend them into. 

I really like paisley shapes, they are naturalistic, and not symmetrical. Here are my first two paisleys, one in each pattern:

Paisleys made with my two patterns, windows and arches above, princess's daisies below.

To go with the top paisley I have made lots of different shapes that I am going to join together to make a lacy cuff, maybe it will come out a bit like irish crochet

To go with the bottom paisley I have brought a large swarovski triangle to be the centrepiece of a very glitzy necklace, and I would love to surround it with more paisleys, and riviol  bezels. 
It was pretty tricky to capture the triangle, I needed about three extra fingers to hold it in place! 

Centre piece, and beginning paisley for a glitzy necklace

Here's my sketch.

Huge Triangle necklace, initial sketches. 

I'll keep you posted with the latest developments!

Bonne Perler!

This blog has now moved to: TooTallToBead.co.uk

Windows and Arches goes Three Dimentional

If you have been following me on Facebook, then you will know about my design 'Windows and Arches' which is a modular design where you first make the windows, then join them with the arches. This allows for many design variations.

The Original Bracelet

The Necklace Variation with added Rivoli Bezel

Last weekend it struck me that this can, of course, be applied to beaded beads. The main adaptation is that now the windows are triangular and pentagonal, as well as square. I substituted seed beads for the bicones that were in the original windows, and here is the result:

Left to Right: Tetrahedron, Octahedron, Cube, Dodecahedron and Icosahedron.

I couldn't help making each one slightly different. The cube has 4mm bicones in each corner, the Dodecahedron has a 12mm round rock crystal inside it, and the Octahedron has 8mm chatons framed inside four of the faces. This was by far the most difficult bit!

Placing an 8mm chaton inside the octahedron faces, very fiddly to do the last one!

Having done this exercise I found that for a square or triangle window, 11/0 seed beads are the best size, but for the pentagonal window 8/0 seed beads are best and very satisfactory!
Inspired be this I made another icosahedron, with four colours of window. To make sure that no two adjacent windows are the same colour, I had to print off an icosahedral net, and then colour in the points until I had solved this puzzle.

Finished Four Colour Icosahedron

And finally, when I had completed this one, I fancied doing a more lacy version, so I added a hexagon of 6 seed beads in each corner. This gives the effect of separating the faces more clearly, and making the hollow centre more obvious. Very pleasing :-)

Completed Lacy Icosahedron

Beaded beads necklace

The beaded beads make a lovely necklace, I squished the tetrahedron inside of the cube. Nice.