EASY BEADED EDGE TUTORIAL

I don't know the name of this stitch but I call it zipper stitch, because it looks like zipper teeth. It is especially good for edging fabrics.

 You can use any size bead, but here I used triangle beads. Knot your thread and come up through 1 bead. Go around again to anchor the first bead ending with thread coming out the top.

From now on you will add 2 beads per stitch. With 2 beads on your needle come from behind , go thru your fabric, and up through the last bead added. Space your stitch a little less than one bead's width apart.

The first bead of each stitch will kind of pop up, and lie between the upright beads.

You can leave the stitch as is, or it's easy to use as a base for more beads.   In the purple and green example I added a couple of green beads between every horizontal bead. In the red example I used size 6 beads.

Here I kept going, and added 5 size 11 beads, after adding a peach size 8 bead between each horizontal triangle bead. As long a you add an uneven number of beads, you can build outward in net stitch .

I have embellished everything from clothing to beading mats with this stich. It works up quickly, especially in the larger beads.

ENJOY !

New Work

Just a few more days and we fly back to Africa, our parallel universe. Here are a couple of new designs

hatched out lately.

Bracelet crocheted with pearl cotton, beaded, and attached to braided leather  band

Embroidered cuff on wool felt

EXPRESSING MYSELF

It's spring time in the Southern Hemisphere. Cool evenings and warm days. Soon it will be warm evenings and HOT, HOT, HOT days !

 This post is confessing that sometimes I'm tired of designing projects to teach and I just want to make what I want to make! Here's a few pictures of my latest, combining love of sculpture with my new love of  the potter's wheel.

I CAN'T HEAR YOU

A BEE IN HER BONNET

DAISY BOWL

QUEEN BEE      (oops forgot to put in her earrings)

 I hope to show these in November in the local pottery show.
Well, back to real work :)