So, I've been trying to bead a rivoli today. The tutorial that I posted yesterday is designed for a 16mm stone, but I had an 18mm. No big deal, I figure, I'm a reasonably smart girl, I can figure out how to do a different size. A 16mm stone uses 40 base beads, and I know that to do tubular peyote with a step up, my base row needs to be divisible by 4.* First I tried 48 beads. Way too big. Then I tried 44. That seemed right, so I continued on. I get it done, try it out, and it's TOO SMALL! Nrar! Why must math defy me? I'm going to have to do 46, which means I'm going to end up with spiral peyote, which isn't nearly as attractive. Stupid peyote stitch. This is why I never do you. You always bite me in the end.
*When I explained this concept to Chris, he quickly did some math and said that if 40 beads go around a 16mm stone, then an 18mm stone would need 45 beads. This proves that he is better at math than me, but I am better at beading. 45 is not an even number, and thus, useless for doing tubular peyote.
So anyway, I got frustrated with that and strung a necklace instead, and it turned out quite awesome. I'd photograph it, but there's a big stack of gaming books in my photography spot. *sigh* I've got to find someplace better for them by Monday, when I hope to start updating my website and Etsy shop again.
I'm going to try the rivoli again at gaming tonight. Stupid 46 beads. I wonder if I could use Japanese 11s instead of Delicas and have 44 fit? Hmmm...
I just looked in Laura McCabe's book and she suggests starting with 46 delicas for an 18mm rivoli. It's not going to spiral. It will be tubular even count peyote and should work out to look the same as in your tutorial; however, her directions differ from your tutorial by also adding a row of charlottes after the two rows of 15s (and for an 18mm, she suggests doing 2 rows of 15s on the front and 3 rows of 15s on the back. Having taken classes with Laura and doing her kits, I think adding the charlottes also helps to pull in th beadwork to bezel the rivoli more snugly.
ReplyDeleteI would suggest trying to work through it with the 46 and see what happens. Sometimes I feel like the delica ring is too small, but by doing the rows of 15s it ends up working out fine.
Can you get her book from the library to check it out (haha - that was quite the pun!) and see if you want to purchase it later? I think her directions are very good. She's kind of the master of this technique. :)
Let me know if you have any questions. I've bezeled a lot of rivolis using Laura's directions! :)
I almost forgot...
ReplyDelete♥ Happy Valentine's Day! ♥
I love spiral peyote! Okay, not right for you. If the 46 doesn't work, how about RAW? It's easy to decrease. Another way to bring the last front row tighter is to do picots with beads between.
ReplyDeleteThe 46 did work. I still don't understand what causes some peyote to have the proper step up or not!
ReplyDeleteChristina, thank you for all the advice. I actually bought Laura's book last night. I've been a big fan of her work for a long time -- sometimes I say that she's who I want to be when I grow up!
I do like the look of adding a row of charlottes after the 15s. I understand now why so many people were looking for them during gem show!