Locked Away is finally up for bids on eBay! I'm so proud of this necklace. I hadn't looked at it for a while, until I had to get it out to measure when I wrote the description for the auction. Holding it in my hands reminded me of all the hours I spent beading it, all of the little changes I made along the way. I was so into working on this piece that I even worked on it in bed a few times, something that I rarely do because of paranoia about dropped needles (I've heard some horror stories). I could barely put it down. There's something so addictive about bead embroidery.
I'm actually pretty excited about this week's BFAC auctions in general. There's a lot of stunning items up for bids, so you should really check them out. Beautiful jewelry, a doll, a vessel, and a suncatcher! Don't hesitate to bid -- remember that all proceeds, minus our small operating costs, will go to the NCCRA! Help us make this our biggest donation yet.
I hope you're not bored of Locked Away, because here's another shot! I just edited this picture, and a dozen others. That's the part I hate about doing photography... going through and getting all of the images web-ready. Luckily, with this set-up, I don't have to do any color adjustments, so it goes a little faster, but it's still a tedious job. I have to take lots of little breaks... Like a break to post on my blog!
Last night, I bezeled a rivoli in the new "Purple Haze" effect (you may have seen it advertised in the beading magazines). I'm not thrilled with the effect, it's not very purple. I won't be buying it again. But I do have a couple of vintage cabs that go nicely with it, so eventually they'll all be part of a very fancy pendant. The cabs just have to wait until I've got a couple of other projects finished, including the brooch and my November EBW challenge piece.
Rivoli bezeling is a nice, simple project for gaming, though, so if I'm not working on something else easily portable next week, I'll definitely work on another one. I feel almost like I should plot out projects for all of the rivolis that I currently have, and pick out the bezel beads for them, so I've got a ready-made project for the next half dozen or so game nights.
Just took my first batch of photos using my light tent and varitone sheet backgrounds. Ooooh. Aaaaah. I purchased these items in an attempt to make the Layne's Legacy -- Beading For A Cure photographs look nicer, hence why this test shot is of Locked Away.
By the way, if you're new to this blog and haven't seen Locked Away before, you can click on the "locked away" tag at the bottom of this post and view all of the in-progress posts I made about it.
I seem to be having some weird lighting issues in this shot, though, probably from the incandescent bulbs in the overhead fixture in the guest room, where I've been taking my pictures. Tomorrow I want to move out to the game room, where the lighting is better and I can set up on an actual table. We're not having a game on Saturday, so I can actually keep my stuff set up until Wednesday.
Work on my beaded book is going sooooo slooooow. This is why I don't do square stitch very often. It's time-consuming and well, a little boring. I'd rather be embroidering or doing a herringbone rope or something. I don't think I'll be making very many beaded books in the future, which is too bad, because I think it will be pretty cute.
Since this is a project with steampunk elements and inspiration, I felt that it was only appropriate that I do a little mad scientist title. Yes, that's right. Locked Away is complete! I spent pretty much all day today completing the clasp and attaching everything, and I am one happy beader. Although it changed quite a bit from my initial vision, I think the final necklace is even better than what I first planned.
One obvious change is that I did away with the rivolis. They didn't fit as well with the new design, and besides, I know that a few other participants are using them in the exact same color I was going to (it really matches the red beads well), and I like to stand out.
Another big change is that I was originally going to do a spiral rope for the neck chain. I changed that plan for three reasons. One is that I always do spiral ropes. Another is that I decided I wanted to let the pendant shine, so I wanted a visually simple chain. And the third is that I thought that this particular chain, with its resemblance to actual chain, fit the steampunk aesthetic more.
Now let's talk about the clasp:
(ooh, look! I used macro focus for this image!)
I knew that I wanted to do an adjustable clasp for this piece. I frequently make my necklaces too short, so I was determined to make this one long and adjustable. The easiest way to do an adjustable clasp is to have a hook or lobster type clasp and an extender chain, but I think that a beadwoven clasp looks best on the end of an otherwise entirely woven and embroidered necklace. Besides, I'd never done a beaded toggle, and I like to do new things for my LL-BFAC projects! I decided that I'd do three rings, because it's easier to have multiple rings than bars, and three is a good number.
As I mentioned before, pretty much all of my books and magazines are already packed away, so I had to figure out my own toggle design. I decided to use the same technique as a bezel for the rings. It's simple, attractive, and allows for the pleasant contrast in color between the 11s and 15s. For the bar, I was going to just do a brickstitched stack of more 11s, but then I was looking at the bugles, and I thought "Hey, they're shaped like bars anyway." Two bugles, flanked by seed beads, turned out to be the perfect size to go with the 30 bead ring I'd already made.
But the idea I'm really pleased with was the one to connect the rings with seed bead figure-8 links. This allows the rings to pivot, so the excess rings can dangle like charms, instead of just kind of being there and in your way. Plus, if the eventual owner decides that they only want to wear it on the shortest setting, they can easily snip off the extra rings if they want. And perhaps best of all, it echoes the design of the chain.
Now, I'd like to give some much deserved credit to some people who helped me out with this! To Melanie of Earthenwood Studios, for providing the keyhole cab and the earring accents. To Deb of Bead Indulgences, for giving me the drusy cab, even though neither of us knew what I'd use it for at the time (and also for constantly encouraging me!). To Heidi Kummli and Sherry Serafini for writing the excellent book The Art of Bead Embroidery, which helped me immensely. And to Barbara L Grainger, for designing the right-angle-weave chain I used here.
Please pardon the glare, I'd never used my friend's table as a backdrop before and so this picture is a little wonky. However, you can start to see what I'm doing for the neck chain on Locked Away. The row of chain that you see now will have more chain woven through it, which makes for a simple but attractive piece. It's not actually attached to the pendant yet, I just laid it out to give an idea of where it will be.
I went a little overboard weaving the base strip and may have to shorten it by a couple of inches, but that's no big deal.
Now the question on my mind is... button clasp, or beaded toggle? Button clasps are kind of my "thing," but I'd also like to give a beaded toggle a try, and I think it might go well with this design. Of course, I'm thinking of making it adjustable, which would be easier to do with a button-and-loop. I'll have to play around with it once the chain is done.
I've been one busy beader. Here it is, Locked Away, almost finished! Actually, it would have been done a lot sooner, but I kept having to readjust the fringe to make it work. I had planned to make a lot more fringes, but the crystals were so large that they kept crowding into each other and banging into the key. I think that the sparser fringe works much better here, as it allows each bead to have its own personal space, and it doesn't overwhelm the pendant.
After finishing the fringe, I also decided to make a pair of cute earrings to match it.
You know what, though? I'm pretty sure this key was a lot more copper-colored when I started. It must be oxidizing or losing its plating or doing something else that metal likes to do. What I do like is that the key is just the right size that it looks like it could actually fit into the keyhole on the cab.
Over all, I am thrilled with how this is turning out, and I'm excited to start on the neck strap, either tonight or tomorrow!
Once again, it feels good to be beading a lot. Last night I finished stitching down the rest of the teal beads, and then today I did all of the amber. I finished that early enough in the afternoon that I was also able to cut it out and glue the backing on. There's also a piece of cardboard to help keep it stiff, and a secret message hidden inside. There's something about the sandwich-y layers of bead embroidery that drives me to hide things inside. And by things, I mean cookie fortunes! I'm weird, I know, but at least it's a harmless weird.
I find this current stage very exciting. All that excess felt has been cut away and the shape has been allowed to fully emerge. And next, I move into new territory -- edging the piece! I've never gotten this far on a large bead embroidery project. I'll probably wait and move onto that tomorrow. It's getting a little late, and I like to be fresh when I try out something new.
And by the way, The Art of Bead Embroidery by Serafini and Kummli has been invaluable to this project. I already had a couple of books on the technique, but this one is just a cut above the rest. While all of my other beading books have been packed away for the impending move, I kept it out to make sure I could progress nicely on my project.
As I worked to fill in the background around the wing here, I was struck with an different inspiration for these colors. They remind me of Incan and Mayan jewelry, with the turquoise set in gold. The wing shape that I was stitching put me in mind of Quetzalcoatl.
Anyway, I kind of had to stitch in weird ways to fill in the empty space, but I think it turned out well, I've decided to be OK with tiny bits of black showing, because otherwise I'd drive myself crazy. I realized that what I could have done was started at the middle and worked out to the edge, but if I'd done that, I never would have made these wings.
I probably won't post any in-progress pictures for a bit, as they'll just be a repeat of what I've done on this side. I do hope to bead a little more quickly now that I know that I'm doing and won't be undoing so many stitched or pondering design ideas. Ok, I will be pondering, but only in a thinking-ahead sort of way. I have to consider the necklace and the fringe and the edging, and the possibility of earrings.
Last time, it was a heart. Now it's a one-winged angel with a keyhole for a head. As I was stitching the teal beads down, I noticed that the shape looked like a feathered wing, so I decided to go with it. Now I wish I could add another bead type -- I'd do black, probably matte black even, to really make the wings pop. I don't know how it will look to do the red or the amber. If I'd used Ultrasuede or even normal suede for the base, I'd just leave the area around the wings blank... But I don't think that the felt is attractive enough to be left "naked."
If I was more experienced with this sort of technique, and I hadn't already stitched down the center line of hexes and 8s there, I'd actually cut away the felt around the wings, making it a shaped pendant. Maybe for a future project! As it is, I've come to realize that this is going to be huge by the time I add the fringe, so I'm thinking of cutting the top off closer to the keyhole cab. Maybe I'll go ahead and cut around the top curve of the wing, and maybe attach the necklace there at the "shoulder." I think it might look pretty cool. Hmmm... brainstorming!
The angel with the keyhole head idea makes me think of MirrorMask. I can't remember if anyone in there had a keyhole mask. Gee shucks, I guess I might just have to watch the movie again to see. I know that some people are disturbed by masks, but I personally find them beautiful. Right now I'm enamored of the work of Merimask. I never wear the leather Green (wo)Man mask that I have (it doesn't quite fit my face and gives me a headache), but I'm still tempted to buy one of her masks. Maybe it would fit me better!
A little more beading done. As you can see, I continued the line down, and abandoned the idea of some bugles. I tried it, but they didn't line up well with the cab. Instead, there's a row of alternating size 8s and hexes leading up to the cab, with just enough space for another row of beads to go there. I started filling it in with more of the turquoise-lined amber, which I think is going to be the main color, because I like it the best.
If I do the same thing on the other side, and I probably will, because I love symmetry, then it's going to look kind of like a heart. I may or may not play up on that. I haven't decided what I want to do with the top yet.
Speaking of BFAC, have you checked out this week's auctions yet? Because you really have to see Jen's dragon! I'm currently high bidder, but you're welcome to try to outbid me. Really, it's okay. I like the competition! It's good for BFAC. Or you can bid on another item, if you can't stand the idea of depriving me of a seriously awesome dragon.
This is the first two evenings of beadwork. I decided to start by bordering both cabs, before I did anything else, and once the two cabs had met in the middle, I branched out a bit. That little green-lined amber line is going to follow the edge of the pendant for a bit, though I think it might run into a strip of bronze bugles along the way...
I really love doing bead embroidery. It's fun to design the piece as I go along. I have a lot of ideas in my head, but nothing is definitely until it's stitched down... and even then, I can undo it if I don't like it.
Unfortunately, I can't really take Locked Away to gaming with me today. The huge palette of beads I'm working with isn't very portable. I could technique just take one or two bead types and focus on those, but then what if I decided I needed something else? I'll have to content myself with an easier, more portable project... and just be ready to get back to Locked Away tomorrow!
I've finally started on Locked Away. Not that I've gotten very far. As you can see, I've drawn the outline of the shape I want for my pendant, and I've glued the two cabochons down. Now it's time to add beads! I'm actually going to get started on that after this post, it will give me something productive to do while Chris plays World of Warcraft. Usually I just bum around on the computer, but I'm trying to cut down on that.
I had to use a silver Sharpie pen to draw my design onto the black EZ Felt. I knew that thing would come in handy eventually! My original plan was to have my father draw it for me, as he can draw neatly and I cannot. I was worried about the symmetry. Then Chris, who is brilliant, pointed out that I could use a template. Wow, did that make sense. I just drew a few half-shapes on the paper until I had one I liked, I cut it out, traced the outline for one half, flipped it over, traced again. Ta da! Symmetry! I glued the cabs down right after, and let them cure for a good long time because I hate the smell of E6000.
In a couple of days, I should have images of actual beading progress.
You'll definitely want to click on the above image to get the full-size view, so you can really see everything that I've got piled onto the palette!
As you can see, I have gone maybe a little overboard on everything that I want to add to this year's BFAC kit! For my one added bead, I had to go with a size 15, and I chose a nice white-lined amber, to lighten the kit up a little bit, while nicely complimenting the amber tones already present. And then I went crazy on the non-bead items: a vintage coppery-bronze key; a titanium-coated druzy cab; 4 crystal chili pepper rivolis (two for the necklace, two for earrings); and of course, the keyhole cab from Melanie. She also sent me a pair of accents, which I may add to the necklace or earrings if that's not stretching the rules too much.
When I saw the bead kit, I first said "Great, I have no idea what I'll do with these!" But within 10 minutes, I was picking things off of my desk and adding them to the stack, to see how they went. I originally planned on adding an 11 in the same shade of amber, but then I realized I wanted to add the rivolis, and I needed to use a 15 for the bezel. When I added the key, that was when I knew that I had to have one of the keyholes that Melanie was developing for her Steam Stone line.
Did I mention how excited I was when I received my package yesterday? I had an idea that the glaze I chose would go well with the kit colors. Imagine my happiness when I discovered that not only did it go well with the kit, but the amber tones of the cab were exactly the same as the amber tones of the 15s. It's serendipitous.
All I need now is some felt to use as the base, and I am ready to start my project! I'm not sure yet what it's going to be called, but I think the name might involve secrets and things being locked away... So for blogging purposes, I'm going to use the working title "Locked Away" and that will be the tag you want to use if you want to track my progress... Because this is my first in-progress post for this project :D
Locked Away is finally up for bids on eBay! I'm so proud of this necklace. I hadn't looked at it for a while, until I had to get it out to measure when I wrote the description for the auction. Holding it in my hands reminded me of all the hours I spent beading it, all of the little changes I made along the way. I was so into working on this piece that I even worked on it in bed a few times, something that I rarely do because of paranoia about dropped needles (I've heard some horror stories). I could barely put it down. There's something so addictive about bead embroidery.
