Gerdany Seminar 2012 - Stamford, CT

The weekend at St. Basil College started with a presentation of "Beyond Stringing" as an introduction to different types of beading. We got right into beadweaving on Friday evening with Picots and Ladders and a special Byzantine Cross pendant. 

Easels showing the six different styles taught at the seminar

Pick and choose three colors for playing with picots. Gorgeous results!!

Picot Necklace and Byzantine Cross start off the Seminar

Bishop Paul checks out the Byzantine Cross kit at the start of the seminar

Picot necklaces and braclets by Sue, Helen and Marion - Fri night

Sue and Betty are overjoyed with their beading experience on Friday

Helen F has instant gratification by wearing her new Picot Necklace 

Marion, Helen and Sue's Picot necklaces and bracelets

Marian K not only organized the Seminar, but was a participant

Sr. Nataliya completes the 'X' which cleverly connects the ladders

BRX1 - Bracelet with an 'X' beadwoven by Sr. Nataliya 

Maria P models her Ladder Bracelet with and 'X'

Saturday started with "Contemporary Beadwork in Ukraine". The Netting Day included Textured Net, Netted 'X's and a Chicklet Bracelet for fun. A trip to the Ukrainian Museum was a perfect afternoon activity. Bead BINGO wound up the evening.

Maria explains the methodology of the Textured Net

Variations on a theme - Netted Bugles & Scythian Gold kits

Lots of kit choices for each technique

Sue and Helen help each other figure out the net

Marion H beads the Scythian Gold Net

Phyllis holds up her Simply Luxurious Net

Seminar participants take a break from beading. We're on our way to see the Ukrainian Museum. It was a gorgeous fall day before Hurricane Sandy.

Spot the beaded adornments: 'gerdany', headdresses, 'zgardy', 'laskunky', 'korali', Venetian beads 

Saturday Night Live: Bead BINGO

Marion & Stefania, lucky Bead BINGO winners

Maria of OH visits cousin Christine of CT for a weekend of 'gerdany-making'

The Byzantine Crosses were blessed at the end of Liturgy on Sunday. After brunch, we learned the Diagonal Weave, a handy stitch for Suspended Swags. Show and Tell brought out a lot of interesting 'gerdany'. There was a great interest in loomwork, a good possibility for next year's seminar. 

Stefania Szkafarowsky upcycles black and gold beads for Suspended Swag. First step was to bead a Diagonal Weave band for the swags to be draped from.

Stefania does Show and Tell of her 'gerdany' collection on Sunday

Maria Polnyj brought her gerdany in various stages for Show and Tell 

Two-needle netting in progress by Maria Polnyj, 2012

Netted zigzag in progress by Maria Polnyj, 2012

Maria Polnyj's netted 'gerdan', 2012

Christine models her beaded veil with cousin Maria's approval

Christine shows her own beaded headpiece from the 90's

PHOTOS: Sr. Natalia, The Sower, and Maria Rypan

Diagonal Weave Video

NEW! Check out Maria's video showing how to do the Diagonal Weave. It's a little known 'gerdany' technique with immense possibilities. It starts off with a foundation and then repeats a 3-bead by 2-bead sequence for a really neat diagonal weave. It can be done with the same-sized beads or Maria's version with larger beads for a textured edge.

This was filmed at this spring's Creativ Festival so you get a peak at the grand booth. Besides the close-ups of the steps, its full of beadweaving tips and tricks. Enjoy!


Maria will be demonstrating this technique using Swarovski crystals during the Fall 2012 Creativ Festival at the Swarovski Crystal Rock 'n Roll Pavilion.

A Needle Pulling Thread's Summer Colors

When Maria works on creating a new design or color way of an existing design, she always asks herself, "What if?". For her latest published design, the What if? came from A Needle Pulling Thread's editor Carla Canonico who had a specific color palette in mind for the summer 2012 issue.

The journey started at last fall's Creativ Festival when Carla gave Maria the challenge of her summer palette. The next step was to search for beads. Once found, it was time to test color placement (more What ifs?). With the final placement decided, next came creating the pattern, beading a complete sample and sending it all off to Carla.

Now the summer issue is on the stands and Maria's "Millefiori Mosaic Collar and Earrings" are the beading project.

Finding the millefiori beads with the colors from Carla's color palette was a great find. Taking the time to play and ask What if? with color placement was the creative challenge of this design.

The summer issue of A Needle Pulling Thread is now available. This limited edition kit is, of course, available from Rypan Designs.

"From the Museum's Trunk" Sorochky Exhibit at UNM, Chicago

Bead embroidered 'sorochka', UNM Collection

The embroidered "sorochky" exhibit opened Fri, Jun 9th, 2012, and will be on display for two months. There are 88 chemises from the Ukrainian National Museum Collection brilliantly exhibited on walls and a trunk, dramatically featured in a few frames and shown in full costume with bilingual ethnographic information. These were adorned with traditional beadwork: 'korali', 'gerdany', a Lemko 'kryza', a 'dukatch' pendant. And this the tip of the iceberg! There are about 158 'sorochky' from the XIX to XX centuries in their archives. See their video for an idea of what to expect.

East "sorochky' wall. Zakarpattia, Opillia & Volyn mannequins.

Row of "sorochky' on the east wall

The Dnipro Region, UNM Collection

On the way back from the Bead and Button show Monday we specially stopped in Chicago to view this folk art exhibit. Am I ever thankful we did! This was lucky for me, but I assure you this display is well worth the drive!!

Sorochky Exhibit at UNM, Chicago

Could not believe how prevalent the floral motif was in so many 'sorochky'... And how many interpretations and stylizations there were!! We left with a great respect for the culture, tradition, symbolism and awe at the genius of the creators of these works of art. 

I now have great material for future visual presentations. My next inspirational one is for this October's Creativ Festival. It's called "Nature Reinterpreted: Adornments and Decor".

From the East Wall of the Sorochky Exhibit

Bead & Button 2012

Maria is at the biggest consumer bead show, the Bead & Button Show, in Milwaukee, WI. this weekend.

Maria @ Rypan Designs booth #933

This is the place to meet and mingle with suppliers, magazine & book editors, other designers and of course fabulous beaders. In fact Maria says that many members of the Toronto Bead Society are at the show.

Here are a few more pictures of the booth. Hope to have more photos to share soon!

Beautifully lit booth

Back corner of booth

Looming in the Summer

Loomed by Pat Moore, Fall 2011

Beaders in the Guelph area will have the opportunity to learn about loomwork and create their our loomed necklace.

On three Tuesday evenings in July (3,10 &17), Maria will be teaching her loomwork series at the Crafter's Cupboard in Guelph, ON.

The first hour of the first evening will be an overview of the looming technique, with photos and finished pieces. You can sign up to attend just this part of the series if your want to have a better understanding of what goes into a loomwork piece.

The balance of evening one will be the pre-stringing of the looms.

Getting the warp threads on the loom

Making a design decision

Ready for weaving

 On week two we will get you started with actual weaving part of the design.

First woven beads

Pretty pattern

Week three finishing! This night will cover steps to complete your project, including joining the band to start weaving a mediallion or stringing swags and other final finishing.

Preparing band for mediallion

Weaving the mediallion

Stringing swag

Fringe is the final finishing step for mediallion style pieces. Some may be ready for this step if they are eager weavers between weeks 2 & 3.

Adding fringe

Most will have to do final finishing at home. 

If you are interested please contact Shelley at the Crafter's Cupboard to register.

revised June 9/12 by Jo-Ann

Jelly Collection

Hi, I am Jo-Ann, Maria's sample maker, show and social media assistant. I will be posting about some of the current and up coming projects she is working on.

The spring bead show season is in full swing. It started with the Creativ Festival where Maria introduced her new collection of kits and patterns especifically designed for kids. The Jelly Collection was presented at the show with a Make and Take bracelet for children and the young at heart.

Display of available Jelly Collection projects

Kits, Patterns and Make and Take supplies

We had beaders as young as 4 and and old as some lovely senior ladies. We had boys and girls. They made elegant and sophisticated bracelets as well as some that were wild and funky.

Siblings (age 4-8)

9 year old's work in progress

It was great fun to introduce beadwork to these eager crafters.