New Patterns: Halloween Classics

You have to do the classics... that's why they are classics.






Reminders with my patterns, please start beading at the end on the right (on my beading program the pattern is sideways so this is the top). This assures that you get the picture, you can then stop the solid color area where ever you need to for your finger size. A good thought is to print it out.

Trivia: My Dracaula ring started as Elvis.

Quote: You see! You must open your eyes to see things! There's more to come!
- Gazbo - Dracula vs Frankenstein 1971

New Patterns: Something pumpkin this way comes

For the record, pumpkins are hard to create in peyote stitch...





Quote: Tonight the Great Pumpkin will rise out of the pumpkin patch. He flies through the air and brings toys to all the children of the world.
- Linus, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown - Charles M Schulz

New Patterns for Halloween!

Stuff has come up this week, and I haven't gotten to post as much as I wanted, so I bring you two lovely ring patterns this week - one for Halloween and one for Autumn in general.





I keep playing with leaves. Trying to make better ones. I am also playing with the concept of letting things hang off the edge of the pattern...

When making the rings for myself, I am also playing with the beads, mixing Delicas and rocailles (rounded seed beads) to see what effects I get. I am finding that it can take a flat pattern and add a lot of texture and interest!

Quote: I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center.
Kurt Vonnegut (1922 - 2007)

Things always work perfectly in my head

For the last several weeks I have been working on a project. Working on one thing for that long is very unusual for me, as I am all about the instant gratification (thus my obsession with rings!). But this is one I really want to do and do right.

I am a member of several teams on Etsy and 2 of them have regular challenges. The Etsy Beadweavers Team and the Kansas Etsy Team. For the November Challenge the Etsy Beadweavers' theme is Totally Twisted, and the Kansas Etsy Team's theme is In the Name of Science. I have a brilliant idea to combine the two and make an item that is Totally Twisted Science!

The only problem is that every time I try to bead my lovely idea, it doesn't turn out like I want. It works in my head, but not on my thread! Blah.

So, the idea I have is to bead a Klein Bottle. For those who don't feel like following the link, a Klein Bottle is sort of like a mobius strip, except it has no edges at all. It is a construct that loops back on itself so that the outside is also the inside. While it can technically only exist in 4 dimensions, a model can be created in 3 dimensions by ignoring the hole that is needed. It is a total math geek thing, but it is definately twisted and it is definately science!



My first attempt utilized tubuliar peyote, and I thought it was going pretty well...



However, when I tried to start decreasing I lost the curve I was looking for and it went more square. Not the desired effect at all!

So, after rebeading that several times, I decided to switch to tubular herringbone, and see if that curved better. And it did, again, right up to the point where I started trying to descrease... This time, every other herringbone spine sort of folded in, giving a pleated effect. Again, not what I was looking for.



So, for now I have set the project aside. I am giving it time to stew in my brain. I have ordered the beads I want to use for the finished project and they should show up this week. Once they do, I will start again. My plan is to try tubular peyote again, only this time instead of trying to do several decreases evenly spaced in the same round, I am gonna try one per round sort of spiralling... Well, it works in my head.

Quote: Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance.
Samuel Johnson (1709 - 1784)

How to make peyote rings

I have been posting a lot of ring patterns lately, and have plans to post a lot more. So, for those of you looking for more detailed instructions then "do even count peyote and zip it up" I would like to direct you to Leslie Rogalski's Peyote Ring Tutorial.

This is a tutorial put together by the absolutely wonderful Leslie Rogalski. It is the tutorial that got me hooked on making peyote rings. The price for the tutorial is not too high, and it teaches basic even count peyote(which most of my rings are) and gives instructions on how to zip closed. It also includes some helpful tips for beginners! Once you learn the technique, it can be used for more than just rings.

For the record, I was not asked to post this link, I have chosen to do so as I think this is the best resource for learning even count peyote and for making rings.

Spiders are not my favorite thing

My 7 yr old niece keeps asking me why I am afraid of spiders, but I won't tell her as I don't want her to share this fear. I will tell you.

Spiders terrify me because they can literally kill you without you ever even seeing them. Now, some would say that germs can do this as well, and that is true. The difference is that with spider's I can scream and freak when I do see them. Germs I never see at all, so very little screaming and freaking goes on.

Anyway, in the spirit of All Hallow's Eve I am embracing the scary - or in this case letting the scary embrace me. Here is a ring pattern so that you can make your very own pet spider to embrace your finger this fall. Enjoy!



Quote: The itsy bitsy spider
climbed up the water spout.
Down came the rain
and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun
and dried up all the rain.
And the itsy bitsy spider
climbed up the spout again.

Children's song

Sometimes, I like to play with resin

So, I got to make a resin necklace on commission for a coworker. It was a fun piece to make, slightly steampunky, always fun. It was made by doing several layers of resin in a bottlecap bezel. The first layer was tinted black. The next layer was clear and I added some gears and a partial watch face. This was followed by another clear layer. Then I used a drop of resin to attach the cross. This was, of course, done over the course of several days to allow each layer to set. Once the final layer was cured, I drilled a hole and then attached my bail with a rivet. I really love rivets, not sure why.

Anyway, here is the finished product. In a box even!



Quote: To some, ‘steampunk’ is a catchall term, a concept in search of a visual identity. To me, it’s essentially the intersection of technology and romance. – Jake von Slatt

New Ring Pattern: Turkey in the Fall

I did say I would be posting more seasonal patterns right? Right.



Quote: Dear Lord, I've been asked, nay commanded, to thank Thee for the Christmas turkey before us... a turkey which was no doubt a lively, intelligent bird... a social being... capable of actual affection... nuzzling its young with almost human- like compassion. Anyway, it's dead and we're gonna eat it. Please give our respects to its family...
Berke Breathed, Bloom County Babylon

Etsy Beadweavers October Challenge voting is open!

Can't believe I almost forgot to announce that the voting for the October Challenge - Inspired by Picasso - is open. You can go to the Team Blog to view the entries and cast your vote. If you click on an entry on the mosaic, it will take you to the Etsy listing for that item.

You have until October 15th to vote for your favorite!

Thanks.

New Ring Pattern: Witch's Hat

So, busy weekend. We had a minor flood in the basement, always fun. I also got to spend lots of time taking apart and rebeading on my November challenge project. I am hoping to make one item that works for the Kansas Etsy team theme of Science and for the Etsy Beadweavers team theme of Totally Twisted. We shall see if I ever actually get it done...

Below you will find a lovely ring pattern for the Halloween season. I hope to get several of these posted this month, so stay tuned!



Quote:
When witches go riding,
and black cats are seen,
the moon laughs and whispers,
‘tis near Halloween.
~Author Unknown

Very Vintage Challenge Blog Hop!

And I didn't get done... I had things ready and all I needed was the chain, but when I went to get some they didn't have any in the right tones. I tried to alter some, but it was still too coppery/red.

So, here are pictures of my focals... we will just imagine the chain.




For this focal, I made a beaded bead in muted fall colors, topped it with the acorn bead cap and then dangled a lucite leaf and a metal leaf. This will hang from an inch of chain attached to a circle connector, which will hang from more chain.



For my second piece, I took some 6 mm bugle beads and wove them to make a mat for one of the filigree connectors. This will hang from 2 half inch lengths of chain below the branch, again with more chain.

If you would like to see actual finished products (and better pictures) please visit Michelle Mach's blog for her piece and the list of participating blogs!

Quote: There are two kinds of people, those who finish what they start and so on.
Robert Byrne

I really hate taking photos

My tripod broke last weekend and was listing. This does not make for good photos. This weekend I was lucky enough to find a new tripod for cheap at a garage sale. Set up this afternoon to take some new photos and realized something - I really REALLY hate taking photos. Mostly, I think, because I am not good at it.

At their best, my photos are so so. At their worst, they are truly bad. I tend to hate things I am bad at. Blah.

New ring set posted to 8bitrings.



Quote: Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.
Mahatma Gandhi (1869 - 1948)