Thursday Feature: Reviews & Interviews - Links Inspired Bead & Wire Jewelry Creations

In addition to buying Polymer Clay Mixed Media Jewelry: Fresh Techniques, Projects and Inspiration by Shirley Rufener and Bead And Wire Jewelry Exposed: 50 Designer Projects Featuring Beadalon And Swarovski by Katie Hacker, Fernando DaSilva and Margot Potter, I also picked up Links: Inspired Bead and Wire Jewelry Creations by Jean Yates. This book was published in 2007, but the tips, techniques and patterns in it are timeless.



Jean has provided full construction details and materials lists for 38 projects, in this 81/2 x 11", full color illustrated, soft bound, 128 page book. As the title implies the book talks about many kinds and types of links - not just jewelry component links like jump rings or chain, but the kinds of links inspired by connecting ideas, memories, imagery - and how these can be transformed into jewelry that tells a story - much like the stories told with every piece in the book.

I was drawn to the book by the chainmaille link earrings on the cover (and on page 62), but compelled to buy it when I looked inside and saw projects like the Charming Teacup Bracelet (pg 22), Nancy's Dancing Pearls Bracelet (pg 40) and the Edward the Sheep Bracelet that shows how to transform a great enameled button into a keepsake bracelet.

I can wholeheartedly recommend this book for its clear and well illustrated step by step instructions, complete materials lists, extra hints and tips, and inspirational messages from other jewelry designers.

Also, you can visit Jean Yates' blog to see more of her work.

If you think you'd like a copy of this book, you could always click the picture above to buy it from Amazon and a couple pennies would go towards Dawno's bead fund!

See you tomorrow!

Can You Tell Me What the Name of This Chain Maille Pattern Is?

I bought this bracelet at BayCon from Spirit of Iron and I really like the pattern. I'd like to give it a try myself, but I don't know what the pattern is called and can't look up a design tutorial.

If you know the name, please let me know what it is in the comments.

A New Chain Maille Bracelet

Finished the Japanese chain maille pattern bracelet I blogged about on October 11th. It's an inch wide (the larger links are 8mm and the smaller ones, 4mm) and 6 1/2 long (I've got a small wrist).

I'm debating whether or not to add some glass crystals to it - I've got some lovely olivine cubic zirconium 'gems' I could potentially put along the center.

I didn't track how many hours it took to make this, but it is a very time consuming project.

After a Very Busy Week, Finally Able to Bead Again!

Wednesday through Friday nights I was just too tired to do much more than come home and crash, so I didn't get any beading done. Today, however I was able to finish a beaded badge lanyard necklace that I think will transition beautifully from fall to winter.

It's 31" long and in addition to the tablet cut rectangles and the two tone faceted rondells there are two sizes of amber shell ("amber shell" is what the label says, not the color) beads.

I also finished my Byzantine pattern chain off as a bracelet. My next chain maille attempt will be a Japanese pattern using two different sized jump rings to make a mesh pattern. Will probably also stop at bracelet length with it.

I think I'll work on more photography and put up a few new Etsy listings tomorrow.

I Found It!

As I was going through some papers to find the documents needed for a mortgage loan pre-qualification application (yes, we're trying to buy - been renting for over 10 years now) I found my lost screwdriver. I'd already taken one of the tiny Scrimps screwdrivers and affixed it with Aleene's Jewelry & Metal glue to the wooden handle of a broken pearl reamer (I'd snapped the tip and couldn't use it anymore) and it was working fine, but it's always nice to find a favorite tool.

Yesterday (and the rest of this week) was a very busy day at the day job. I rested, and watched some TV after work, so I didn't do any new beading to share here. I did work on my jump ring chains - I have 'built' a simple chain one loop into two loops and then continue in that pattern. It's 17" long now and I will probably stop at about 20", then add some dangly beads and a focal/pendant. It's another 'apprentice' piece, so it may never be for sale.

Although I have tried to close each ring well, it still feels a little rough because the links aren't soldered. I don't know if there's an alternative to actual soldering, but it would be nice if the links were smoother feeling.

I'm feeling a bit more comfortable with the techniques, I may try something more complicated soon. There are a number of lovely pieces I've seen, for example, some of these shown in the customer gallery at Spiderchain.

I've just finished a piece using light weight eye-pins to hold table cut oval glass beads in pink and tiny, faceted pink/peach iridescent coated ovals which I'm linking together.

I think it has quite a vintage look to it with the brass filigree flower at the end.

Made some matching earrings as well.

I Figured it Out - With Help, Of Course

I have learned how to do the Byzantine pattern chain from jumprings!I really thought it would be a big challenge but it hasn't been too bad. The well illustrated and easy to follow steps came from "Bead Man". I've run out of jump rings in this size and color - but I had enough to get the hang of it:

I got some disappointing news about Los Con, although I was first on the waitlist, and there had been two unclaimed tables, which I admit got my hopes up a little, apparently they got claimed and I'm still on the waitlist. At some point I will have to say "this is definitely not going to happen" and give up, but I'm not sure when I'll do that, yet.

I will assuage my grief by buying lots of jumprings and making Byzantine chains. And figuring out how to fix the glass jewels to my filigree work in progress. And practice using my new hammer and anvil. And adding the pretty faceted crystal drops to my filigree work in progress. Looks like I have plenty of distractions to keep me from moping about the lost opportunity.

I Hope it Doesn't Get to be a Habit

Missed posting last night, too. Again, busy with other stuff and very little of it was beading. I did finish stringing the gold glass and pearl lanyard, just have to add the hardware now.

I got an email from Accessories Susan saying they had the large copper lobster claw clasps I've been looking for in stock, so those are on their way now. Many thanks to Accessories Susan, not only for taking customer requests seriously, but for great service. I'm looking forward to playing around with design ideas this weekend and hope to make a few vintage style pieces I can show off.

I also found a source for tablet cut rectangular beads to match some of the ones I bought at the Arts and Wine festival last weekend so now I can make sets - thank you Mermaid's Cove! One set I bought from Mermaid's Cove was just beads I liked, no mates from the festival purchase, these are "Seafoam Opal" and I'm really inspired by the colors - thinking about matching them to some of my hemimorphite stones.

Still practicing loops - found a bundle of thinner brass wire (might be 21 or 22 gauge - it's not on a labeled spool) stashed away and have run about 8 loops with beads in a string. I'm still very clumsy, wasting a lot of wire, too, but the loops and wraps are looking better and the wrapped end is pretty snug to the bead. Before I start doing work with sterling wire (thinking about Argentium Sterling) I want to be confident and certainly not waste any of the wire - that stuff's expensive. I can't even think about gold filled yet.

There are two beading techniques I still want to learn - one is knotting. A number of my favorite purchases from this and past festivals have been made with lovely knotted thread instead of wire or chain. I'm going to wait to learn and practice that until after I feel accomplished enough with the wire loops. Lastly is chain maille. I have also seen some lovely work using a Byzantine pattern as well as some jewelry that has beads or pearls inside little cages of links, and I'd like to learn to do that, too.

Well, I'm going to finsh off the hardware on that lanyard and maybe play around in my beads until something inspires my next design.