Large Hole Beads

At Gathering I purchased a selection of number 8 seed beads (not too small but not too big either) and some thread to crochet with.  I used to crochet these little bracelets with number 10 or 11 beads.  I was obsessed for a time!  Then I made a promise to myself to try to use my commuting time productively - sitting there reading is very nice, but perhaps my time could be better used?

So, I began crocheting some necklaces - they stitch up pretty fast and I can pretty well do one in a week.  I realized pretty quickly that all my mandrels are the wrong sizes so off to Nortel for some more.  The new ones are great - one is a bit snug but the other fits beautifully.  I had some fugly attempts at Ottoman in such a short space - but I am making progress.

 I really liked this one.  I have a hard time doing the same thing over and over again - I want to make it more interesting or mix it up somehow.  This sometimes works beautifully, but there are some beads I made this past week that I am not taking pictures of!

Then, today I made one this one.

It instantly has  become the new favourite!  It is always the newest bead that is the favourite!  I have a really cool green crocheted rope all ready and I think I will put it together and wear it!  I really need some cool bead caps.  I am hoping to take a pmc class at BeadFX soon.  I have been resisting the precious metal clay for a very long time - but I think I am ready to succumb!   We shall see how that all turns out!

Playing with new colours of glass that I bought at the Gathering

The International Society of Glass Beadmakers annual Gathering was recently held in Rochester, New York.  I am so glad I attended.  As always, I learned a lot.  I think that is one of my favourite things about beadmaking - there is always more to learn. 

At each Gathering there is a room with a number of technical vendors.  This year I bought a wee bit of glass from Frantz Art Glass and two new tools from Arrow Springs.  Sometimes my tool choices just don't work out so well, but this year I think I got two great new tools. 

The first new tool is a teeny tiny rod holder - it holds little rods of glass and is also pretty tiny itself.  I am loving it - I use a lot of stringers in the work I am currently doing and this is coming in very handy.  The second tool is a small pinched tweezer tool used for pulling stringers and twisties.  I used it today to pull a twistie and - WOW !!  - I am so pleased.  Usually you have to hold onto the tweezers and squeeze tightly the entire time you spin the glass out - well, not anymore - this is going to make things much easier.

As for glass I think I am in love with Spanish Leather - In real life I think it looks a bit redder than in the photo.  It is a great deep red that is holding it's own against the ivory.  That ivory - it wants to take over everything!

This next one is probably pesto (I have used it for the main top colour) - I purchased both pesto and biscotti - they seem very similar in my test beads, and frankly I can't tell you for sure which one this is.  The base is CIM olive or commando (again - not sure exactly) - but it is a great soft pale green. 

This one is called Cinnamon Choco-Lotta - on this bead it is the base colour and all the little dots.  It looks browner on the rod than it turned out - kind of a wishy washy colour  that is not really giving me any sort of a thrill. 

I am still playing with hearts and flowers - This one the base is again, Spanish Leather.  I bought a bit of tag glass and that is the brown bits - I am sure with some coaxing I could get it to be prettier, but I certainly prefer a glass that will get pretty without all the striking and cooling and reducing and striking and wishing and waving and hoping that I usually have to go through - and then the trying to remember all those steps!  I like to be in control and I guess I just don't feel like I have any control when I am so not sure how I got there, but those colours can be sooooo pretty - it is hard to stop trying to achieve all that prettiness!