to Bead or Knot to Bead

Tuesday's Treat :)

This is the second in a series of blog posts that I'm doing to highlight Red Panda Beads customers who sell their creations.  These posts will be on Tuesdays - not every Tuesday - so when they are posted, it will be a Treat!  This post is featuring Barbara Zaner aka to Bead or Knot to Bead!

Barbara is a newer Red Panda customer.  But she is an avid beader, as you can tell from her website!  :)  Her specialty is Bead Crocheting.  

Here is Barb's bio:

From my earliest memories, my love of nature and its splendor inspired me to become a science teacher.  I wanted to covey that passion to my students hoping that they would come to love and respect nature and the environment, as I do.  After teaching Biology and Earth Science for 33 years on Long Island, I retired to the foothills of Tucson, AZ where I have magnificent views and can enjoy the rich array of plants and animals that are able to survive in the dry, arid desert (quite a change from the near coastal home we had back east).

Flowers, butterflies, animals and landscapes are the inspiration for my beadwork.  Unable to draw, I can capture the colors and shapes with my beadwork.  Pictured below is one of my original creations, the Bottle Brush design which I have used for several necklaces and even a bracelet.

Despite the necklace’s prickly appearance, it is soft and supple, almost sensuous in its feel.

The spiral pieces, shown in the gallery, were inspired by the beautiful sea shells found at Jones Beach.  One piece was inspired by peas in a pod, another by a scoop of sherbet, and yet another by an ear of Indian corn with all its wonderful varieties of color.  You are invited to take a few minutes and look at my pieces in the hope they serve to inspire memories for you, too.

An orphaned baby squirrel floating in our pool led me to one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.  The squirrel was taken to a wildlife rehab center where I saw a chance to give back to the environment and practice what I had been teaching.  For the past 10 years, my husband and I have been dedicated volunteers, helping return hundreds of birds and small mammals back to nature.  This is who I am.

Barb has an amazing repertoire!

Bead Crochet Bracelets


These bead crochet bracelets are made from seed beads and come in a wide variety of colors and patterns. They roll on, have no clasp and fit wrist sizes up to 7.75". They are made with a very strong button-hole weight polyester thread and will endure humidity, body oils, etc. Shown is a small sample of my inventory. Please contact me directly for a complete update on what's in stock. Custom orders are a welcome challenge.

Spiral Bead Crochet Bracelets

These hand crocheted bracelets are highlighted with a ridge of Czech beads or Fresh Water Pearls. These bracelets are a new design that I've developed over the past few months. They are clasp-free, just roll on and fit most wrists up to size 7.75 inches. They come in a variety of colors and color combinations. I will design one to suit your needs.

Fire Polished Bead Crochet Bracelets

Using 3 or 4 mm Fire Polished Beads creates a thicker and bolder bracelet than one done with seed beads. These have no clasp and just roll over your hand. Only a small selection of my wide variety of colors and styles are shown here. Please contact me for my current inventory or place a custom order.

Bottle Brush Crochet Bracelets

An experiment with Czech mini-daggers that is soft and supple — almost sensuous in feel. Many other colors can be made to order. 

Pinch Bead Bracelets


These triangular Czech beads fit together and form a smooth reptilian texture. The pictures don't do them justice. A wide variety of colors are available, just contact me for my current inventory.

LMA Wrist Wraps


LMA Wrist Wraps are more than a bracelet. LMA beads are new from the Czech Republic and form a delicious addition to your wrist. They are adjustable and close with a SS lobster claw clasp. More than a dozen colors are available, just contact me to check my current inventory.

She also does Necklaces......


Bead Crochet Ropes


 These ropes are usually made with Japanese seed beads, because they are a very uniform and produce a nice even quality rope. I have also experimented with Czech pinch beads and 3 mm fire polished beads. These ropes can be used alone as chokers or necklaces. They can also serve to display your favorite pendant.

Spiral Bead Crochet Necklaces


These one-of-a-kind hand crocheted necklaces are made with Japanese seed beads and fresh water pearls or Czech glass drops to create the swirl effect. They can be monochromatic or very colorful depending on your needs. Any of the necklaces can custom sized. 

Bead Crochet Necklaces with Focal Bead


These are unique, crocheted necklaces made with Japanese seed beads, silver bead caps and clasp. The focal beads can be a semiprecious stone, but usually a beautiful handmade, one-of-a-kind lamp work bead from a local artist. One special necklace features carved rabbits in domestic ivory. Any necklace can be sized to order.

Bottle Brush Bead Crochet Necklaces


These necklaces were inspired by the Bottle Brush flowers native to Arizona.

Garland Bead Crochet Necklaces


My first necklace in this original design was made with an assortment of Czech pink drop beads. It reminded me of a garland of roses. Since then I created several other necklaces using different colors and combinations. One of my favorite necklaces is shown as the icon and is called "Indian Corn".

Kumihimo Japanese Braiding


Kumihimo is the name for the ancient art of Japanese braiding. Assorted fibers, yarn, threads and even ribbon can be woven into wonderful braids. The process is labor intensive.

Barb's latest creations with Red Panda beads have used the DBM 10/0 Miyuki Mixes.

Barb is truly a fascinating bead artist.  Check out her site!  She also does purse charms and even has a cancer awareness line.  The hardest thing will be picking just one item that you must have!  :)  I'm having a tough time deciding!

Happy Beading

Betsy