Table of contents for 1 June 2015 in Bead&Button

In most of the reader surveys we’ve conducted over the years, the project type that consistently tops the list is the bracelet. Some people like them because they’re like the Goldilocks of the jewelry world — not too big, not too small, but juuuust right. Bracelets often outshine necklaces for a variety of reasons — maybe they seem more versatile or maybe people like how a bangle dangles on the wrist. Well, if you’re a bracelet lover, you should love this issue, as it is packed with great beaded bracelet projects of all sorts. Whether you like peyote stitch with cylinder beads (p. 32), easy stitching with Half Tilas (p. 36), the lacy look (p. 42), bead crochet (p. 48), architectural structure (p. 62), netting (p. 66), St. Petersburg chain…

Julia I love how the button in this selection kind of looks like it’s already beaded so I chose it to be the focal point for my pendant. Because the button has a lot of detail already, I simply attached it to beading foundation, added edging and a floral drop, and stitched a bail for stringing. Connie I used fire-polished beads and pearls to make the base of my pendant, then embellished it with two sizes of daggers and pinch beads. The sage green 150s add just a little pop of contrasting color. Connie Blank (B&B reader) As soon as I saw the button in the supply of beads, I knew that I wanted to make a leather wrap bracelet. As it came together, the sections of the larger beads…

Original piece A peyote-stitched medallion featuring a zebra face forms the focal area of this necklace by Deborah Fleming (below). Seed-bead-wrapped wooden balls form the fringe, and the strap comprises alternating 110 ivory seed beads and 80 striped glass tortoiseshell beads. “I wanted to add some animal prints to my wardrobe,” Deborah said about the inspiration behind this piece. “I added dangling balls for fluidity, as is customary in the many cultures that interpret animals in their art.” Design wise, the prevailing issue here is a lack of proportional balance. But I have some ideas that will transform Deborah’s necklace into a strong, balanced piece (right). Second look The piece would have had a smoother overall look if ivory-colored thread had been used instead of black thread, which can be…

THREAD AND KNOTS Conditioning thread Use beeswax or microcrystalline wax (not candle wax or paraffin) or Thread Heaven to condition nylon beading thread and Fireline. Wax smooths nylon fibers and adds tackiness that will stiffen your beadwork slightly. Thread Heaven adds a static charge that causes the thread to repel itself, so don’t use it with doubled thread. Both conditioners help thread resist wear. To condition, stretch nylon thread to remove the curl (you don’t need to stretch Fireline). Place the thread or Fireline on top of the conditioner, hold it in place with your thumb or finger, and pull the thread through the conditioner. Ending and adding thread To end a thread, sew back through the last few rows or rounds of beadwork, following the thread path of the…

With the whimsical title of “Button, button who has 7,531 buttons,” this colorful dress was inspired by the sassy style of the 1920s. Another apt name would have been “Hour, hour who has 450 hours,” for the length of time it took Gwen Evans and Linda Varela to make it. Over the past decade, Gwen, a clothing designer for more than 30 years, has been collecting vintage buttons from the flea markets of Paris, where she leads small tour groups. Linda met Gwen on one of those trips and later happened to move to Gwen’s hometown of Port Townsend, Washington. With similar interests — Linda has an extensive background in theater, film, and television wardrobe work — the duo decided to collaborate on a project for the 2014 Port Townsend…

Every year, a bead artist is commissioned to make a commemorative bead for the Bead&Button Show (see more about the show on p. 12). This year, bead maker extraordinaire Andrea Guarino-Slemmons designed this fabulous floral bead with a silver core and end caps as a tribute to the show’s 15th anniversary. We asked three members of the Loose Bead Society of Greater Milwaukee to design a special piece with the bead, and we’re happy to share their work with you here. Each piece will be auctioned off during the Bead Social at the Bead&Button Show, with proceeds going to the Medical College of Wisconsin for breast cancer research. Go big or go home The large size of the bead demands a substantial design so I chose to make a long…

CONVERT IT! Add or subtract as many ribbon strands as you like when you use a multistrand clasp. Great new book! Get a sneek peak into Convertible Crystal Jewerly by Diane Whiting. You’ll love creating the versatile designs from this book. Available at www.jewelryand beadingstore.com. MAKE A THREE-RIBBON STRAND 1 Cut a 1-yd. (.9 m) length of ribbon, and thread a twisted wire needle on one end. 2 String 5 or 7 crystals (rounds, mini rounds, or mini oval beads), and center them on the ribbon. Remove the needle. 3 Leave the middle crystal in the center, and slide the other crystals to the right and left of it by 3–4 in. (7.6–10 cm). Tie an overhand knot (Basics, p. 79) on the left side of the center crystal, and…