Tuesday, June 12, 2012

And I Was So Excited, I Forgot To Title This Post

Got a nice cool beverage and a comfy place to surf the net?  Then settle in for a fun blog hop - A Time To Stitch!   The challenge as set out by Christine and Therese, the fearless creators of the hop, was to make a piece in peyote or herringbone.

As I mentioned in my last post, life for the past two months has been at a crazed level of busy.  Like "turned up to 11" crazy.  What better time to take on one more thing, right?  But I'm a seedy gal (or "seed bead afficionado" so my mama doesn't faint if she reads this), so I couldn't resist.

Because I can't pass a challenge without adding more difficulty to it.  You know, like the Olympic triple flip dive off the high board doesn't really count unless you add a backward twist in pike position? Yep, that's me. So I made one peyote piece, one herringbone piece, and one that combines both.

Settle into that comfy place, grab the beverage, and enjoy!  (And you can click on each picture for a bigger version)

Here's the peyote bracelet - simple, but with a twist of texture.  Perfect to fiddle with when you're stuck in a boring meeting...




For the herringbone piece, I pulled out some beautiful lapis/malachite heishi that I'd been hoarding for years and years, just waiting for the right project -- this seemed like the right time to break 'em out.



I mean, seriously, LOOK at the gorgeous naturally
combined blues and greens in these babies!
And now for the extra credit, and because I entered the challenge hoping that I'd find a way to keep working up until the very last second, a piece that transitions from peyote to herringbone and back.  I'd never done this, never saw any instructions on it, but figured "how hard could it be?"  Let me tell you, it was kinda tricky, but it was fun to puzzle out.  The resulting woven portion doesn't have a lot of bend, so it didn't work out as the center of the necklace, but it makes for a great asymmetrical feature on a long necklace.


The order of the beads stayed the same from the Cellini spiral into the herringbone,
with the exception of the light blue size 8s, which caused the herringbone
to take on a life of its own and turn into a wildly fugly monster.
It was BAD.  So it was GONE.

A few rows of herringbone in one size (silver 15s) to transition between sections.


Thanks, Christine and Therese for giving me another reason to play with the tiny beads!  And go check out the other seedy folks who participated: 

21 comments:

Therese's Treasures said...

Hi Bobbie,
Thank you for participating in mine and Christine's challenge. I love all three pieces. The first bracelet is fun and I can just picture you fiddling with it in a boring meeting LOL! The herringbone pendant on the necklace is awesome I love the colors of the stones you used. My favorite is the peyote and herringbone spiral necklace you created fantastic way to think out side of the box. Great job!
Therese

Amy S. said...

WOW! I'm stunned by the way you kicked it all up a notch!! These pieces are pretty spectacular! Your cellini sprial on that necklace is awesome!!!!!

Karin Slaton said...

Love the great sorbet colors in your peyote bracelet, what a fun design! I would be happy to fidget with that herringbone pendant in any meeting! And the luscious texture in your combination piece brings out the intense shades in the beads so masterfully. Amazing pieces, all!

Christine Altmiller said...

Wow! Bobbie! Wow!
You always blow me away with your seedy beady ways!
That herringbone necklace looks like a beautiful fish tail and is stunning in its simplicity and colors and flow.
Love the peyote bracelet and it's texture~and how it is more that adornment...it is a beautiful tool to get you through boring or stressful events.
The spiral is way too cool and I am in awe of how your mind works to see how and where to transition. Just gorgeous!

Unknown said...

I just love the "bat wing" herringbone pendant. Anything Cellini spiral does it for me, so, you could do no wrong there, either. Great group of work!

Lola said...

Beautiful beadweaving!

Unknown said...

My favorite is the cellini spiral because I have never done one and the colors are lucious. You really did some amazing work! Well done.

Shirley said...

Girl, I love reading your posts, you just crack me up! Love that first bracelet, the choice of beads in the middle section looks like diamonds sparkling! At first I thought you had made a beaded bead and attached it, but when I saw it laid out flat, I realized the pattern. I bet if feels wonderful on your wrist. I can tell you, there is no way I would have gotten the transition from peyote to herringbone to and back. Gorgeous pieces!!!

Karen Williams said...

Wow! You definitely get your extra credit and gold star! Now I feel really feel like a weak punk. :)

I am truly impressed with your transition from herringbone to cellini spiral. Definitely better you than me! I know I would have torn my hair out.

And for some reason, your herringbone necklace made me think of the collars from the King Tut exhibit I saw last month.

All so beautiful.

kimmykats said...

Wow! All of your pieces just wow me! I have at least mastered doing the peyote in the car..... Your colors are all so lovely too! I looked at the Cellini sprial and decided I needed to keep it simple. One day I will "follow a pattern" haha love your work laughing and smiling as I leave you!!

Tanya said...

Those are all inspiring. I love the texture in the first bracelet. That's an awesome way to take it to the next level. Your herringbone necklace is fabulous. The spiral is also great. I love that you combined the two stitches.

Bits of Learning said...

Wow Bobbie.. talk about an over achiever! :) Boy, ya did good!! Every design is so fun and beautiful! The mermaid tail (that's what I think of when I see it) is so clever and the colors are perfect!
I don't know how you figured out the last piece, the transition from peyote to herringbone, well, you made it look effortless. The spiral and the colors are gorgeous!

Sarah Sequins said...

I'm so impressed that you did three pieces! That last one is insanely awesome, and the one in the middle reminds me of a mermaid's tail. Very cool. :)

Marla said...

Yay! Another that tackled the spiral! I love how you finished it. Looks fantastic!

AntiquityTravelers said...

I'd hang out with a 'seedy' gal any day ...say the word! One group of beaders I was hanging out with called our 'sessions' their 'bitch stitch' hour ...just love that! (but don't tell your mom!) I think cellini spiral might need to be my next stitch challenge! love what you've done here. way to kick it up a notch!

Anonymous said...

Wow those pieces are spectacular! I especially love the peyote piece the differences in texture and color look amazing together. Awesome Job!

Paula, Chief Bead Officer said...

Holy moly! Three pieces! I am amazed. It's a triple whammy of beading beauty!

LisaS said...

So unusual -Love it!

lamplight crafts said...

You completed a lot in the time we had. I like the first cuff the best though. Was it a pattern?

CraftyHope said...

Oh holy cow!!! I started by being super impressed with the first bracelet (I do like jewelry you can fiddle with!) you showed off. But that necklace at the end just blows my mind!! How in the world can you get beads to DO THAT? Amazing, simply amazing.

Pretty Things said...

Completely awesome!