ABC's of Creativity - Z is Zing

We have finally reached the end of our creative journey thru the alphabet. We started with A is Art and are ending with Z is Zing.

Zing is defined as vitality, zest or a quality or characteristic that excites the interest or enthusiasm (from dictionary.com).

Creatively zing could be the finding of that one color that will make you finished project different and special.  Here is an original variation of Julia Pretl's vase, with a matte olive green leaf color. The new variation I switched many colors including the leaf color to a silver lined lawn green. The use of the contasting purple for the flowers gives the new vase another needed zing.

Original variation, beaded by J. Woolverton

Revised variation, beaded by J. Woolverton

 
During her recent visit to Ukraine Maria met up with a fellow beader, Iryna Berdal-Shewchuk, who uses ndebele stitch with zing.  Here are some of her necklaces made with ndebele stitched beaded beads.

Assorted beaded bead necklaces, beaded by I. Berdal-Shewchuk

She also has an amazing way to share her creations with the world. She created this wonderful video showing her necklaces artistically arranged on the interesting and unusual manhole covers in Lviv.



Inspired by Iryna's use the ndebele stitch, Maria started to play with this stitch with zing. She played with variations of a basic motif to create this beaded bracelet. Maria will be teaching this new project at beadFX on Tuesday January 28.

Variation in ndebele, beaded by M. Rypan

Finished bracelet, beaded by M. Rypan

I hope that this past year Maria and I have inspired you to try something new with the same zing that Maria did after her visit with Iryna.

Maria and I have enjoyed taking on this creative journey thru the alphabet this year. In January we will each share some of our favourite posts.

Wishing you a happy, healthy and creative New Year!

ABC's of Creativity - P is Peyote Stitch

Peyote stitch, also know as mosiac or gourd stitch, is a very structural stitch. The beads are generally worked one bead at a time in a very tight formation. They line up like bricks or tiles.

Here is a great tutorial video by Leslie Rogalski. Leslie shows you in step by step with detailed drawings and beads how to do even-count flat peyote.

Here is geometric patterned flat peyote stitched bracelet designed by Marilyn Gardiner.

Southwest Charm Bracelet, beaded by J. Woolverton

Also on Marilyn site a wonderful free tutorial for a beginner's flat peyote stitch bracelet.

Once you have master basic flat peyote you can take a small strip of flat peyote and zip the ends together to make a tube. For instructions check out Pamela Kearn's pattern in the Jun/July 2013 issue of Beadwork for this wonderful use of peyote tube, Boho Bangle.

Circular peyote let you create shape beyond just a strip of beadwork. Triangles, squares, pentagons, hexagons and more can be created based on the number and placement of increases. Two great resources for learning how to do these shapes are Diane Fitzgerald's Shaped Beadwork and Jean Power's Geometric Beadwork.

If you take some of the shapes and stitch them together you can make 3D objects. Diane's Moorish Tile Beads combines squares and triangles.

Moorish Tile beads, beaded by Toronto beading students during class (2011)

Jean's Geometric stars uses squares that are distorted by increasing on every round.

Geometric stars, beaded by J. Woolverton

So we have looked at basic flat peyote, peyote tubes, circular peyote and peyote shapes stitched together. Next is tubular peyote stitch. This is different than our peyote tube as it is worked in rounds. Here is tutorial video by Melissa Shippee.

Melissa is showing a very thin tube. You can also use tubular peyote to bezel a crystal or cabochon. The tube would need to be large enough to go around the crystal or stone. Using smaller beads will pull the tube tighter and hold the crystal in the tube.

delicas and size 15 seed beads are used to bezel this crystal, beaded by J. Woolverton

This project was finished with some peyote stitched petals.

Zinniz Flower, designed by Jean Power, beaded by J. Woolverton

If you work tubular peyote off of a peyote stitched shape you can make a vessel or box. Julia Pretl's Little bead boxes is the resource for learning how to do this kind of project.

Here is my very first little box. I have since made at least one of every box in book.

beaded by J. Woolverton

Another resource is Melinda Barta's Mastering Peyote Stitch.

Here are the leaves that I stitched and used to work with this beautiful owl for a blog hop.

beaded by J. Woolverton

I hope that you will try peyote stitch in one of its many forms.

Happy Beading!

ABC's of Creativity - K is Kits

In recent conversations with some of my beady friends we have talked about how we got started beading. Many of us can pin point a teacher, class or kit. In many cases all three.

Found in the bottom of my kits drawer Rypan Designs Airy Crystal Choker Kit from 2000 (still waiting to be made)

Kits whether purchased for use in a class with a teacher or from a booth, website or bead store to work on at home on your own are a great way to get a head start with a project.

With a kit all of the challenging prep work has been done. Supplies have been chosen and gather. Instructions are ready to use. In some cases findings, needle and thread are also included. Your first challenge may be deciding which color kit to pick.

Rypan Designs' Chicklet Bracelet - work in progress

Often once you have used a kit by one designer you will likely want to do more. Progress your way from simple to more elaborate projects. Or you will want to make your own versions of the design.

My variations on the chicklet bracelet, beaded by J. Woolverton

If you have never done a specific technique kits can just the thing. You will learn something new and have finished project in the end.

From back in 2006, my very first attempt at chain maille. Kit by Marilyn Gardiner, made by J. Woolverton

Here are some of my favorites -

Maria's Rypan Design kits were among the first that I ever did. The Chicklet bracelet is a favorite, in fact I recent purchased more chicklets to make more variations. I also like the Cascading Swag series.

Refined variation in copper & copper lined amethyst, kit by Maria Rypan, beaded by J. Woolverton

Marilyn Gardiner's chain maille kits are wonderful. After my first kit in 2006 I have done a number of others. Here is a classic design, Byzantine Bracelet.

Byzantine Bracelet in progress, kit by Marilyn Gardiner, maker J. Woolverton

Marcia DeCoster in another fav. She taught in Toronto a few summers ago. I purchased some additional kits to make after the classes. Her elegantly packaged kits include a CD with pattern for printing. 

Under the Mast, kit by Marcia DeCoster, beaded by J. Woolverton.

I like to think of future projects as kits. I try to pull together everything I need into one zip bag or basket.

Future box project, pattern by Julia Pretl. I have decided to change two color and noted them on my hand written supplies list.

I hope that you will give a kit of a new technique, new designer or and long time favortie designer a try in the near future. But also remember to ask yourself what if and make your own version of project the next time around. Check out the gallery of Maria's students & customers' beadwork made beyond the kit.

Happy Beading!