Beading on a Loom

Unique One of Kind Gifts

My father is an avid fisherman and he often fishes for large mouth bass.  A couple of years ago, for his birthday, I decided to do a picture for him out of beads.

I took a clip art image, and converted it into a beading pattern.

I started out stringing my loom with Nymo.

I begin each piece of loom beadwork with a ribbon of woven Nymo to secure the beadwork.  On the woven ribbon, I also use several rows of plain colored beads to establish the beadwork - that way I can expose more of the actual picture in the frame.

After I get about 5 rows completed, the tension is set for the piece and I'll seal the Nymo ribbon with G-S Hypo Cement.  This creates a very nice finished edge on both the top and the bottom, doing away with the need to manage all those warp lines.

Now that the bottom is secure, I can go to town beading....

and beading......

and beading....

Then when the pattern is done, I add the plain rows of beads on top and do another Nymo ribbon and seal it just as I did the bottom.

Once the glue is set, I can remove the piece from the loom and trim the excess warp lines.  I always choose a backing to compliment my pieces.  There were a lot of transparent and clear beads in this piece to represent water, so I chose a nice blue scrap book stock to go behind the bead work.

I chose a rich green to make the matting to compliment the greens in the fish and the lure in it's mouth.

I secured the beadwork to the back ground, matted and framed it.

And my one of a kind gift was ready for my father.

Happy Beading!

Betsy

New Tapered SuperDuo Beads

New Tapered SuperDuo Beads

SuperDuo beads are Czech made, pressed glass, two hole beads.  Their size and shape can vary by manufacturer.  These beads are 2x5mm and have tapered ends, more closely resembling Twin Beads.  They should not be confused with Twin beads, however.  The pressed glass manufacturing process ensures more uniform and consistent sizes and shapes, unlike the Twin beads that can vary in size and/or shape slightly.

These tapered beads come in various colors and finishes, and even have 24 Karat Gold Plated beads.  

I could not resist matching up some of the new Czech Tile beads with these new tapered SuperDuo beads.

I used Deborah Roberti's Tila SuperDuo Bands pattern - modifying it slightly for the Tile Beads.  Since the Czech Tile beads have rounded corners, there is a slight gap between the beads, so I added a seed bead between the tile beads to bridge the gap.  The end result is a nice row of seed beads on top and the bottom of the bracelet.  I used CZTWN06-T13610 - Picasso Umber - the turquoise color in the umber is perfect to match the TSD-MD6313 - SuperDuo Moon Dust Turquoise.  The TSD-B9320 - SuperDuo Bronze Luster Opaque Red nicely compliment the Umber color in the Tiles.  I added the 11RR4217 - Miyuki Duracoat Seafoam Rocailles to finish the piece.

I also tried a pure turquoise version.  For this one I started with CZTWN06-6315 - Opaque Persian Turquoise.  I added TSD-6313 - SuperDuo Turquoise and TSD-W6002 - SuperDuo Twilight Aquamarine and finished the bracelet with 11RR412 Opaque Turquoise Miyuki Rocailles.

Since these SuperDuo beads are tapered and more closely resemble the Twin Beads, I decided to experiment with the Tila Twin Wiggle, also done by Deborah Roberti, from aroundthebeadingtable.com.  

I also had to modify this pattern slightly, by adding an extra seed bead on the outer edge, but otherwise, the beads worked well in this pattern.  I stared with CZTWN06-TM2398 Matte Jet Picasso Czech Tile beads.  I added TSD-P6531 - SuperDuo Luster Opaque Green and TSD-21115 SuperDuo Matte Iris Brown beads.  I finished the piece off with 11RR4210 Hot Pink Miyuki Duracoat Rocailles - they nicely compliment the luster finish in the SuperDuo beads.

Lastly, I did another Wiggle starting with CZTWN06-P65491 - Luster Opaque Rose/Gold Topaz Czech Tile beads.  These are one of the new colors I'm adding to the Red Panda Beads website.  The rose/gold color matches nicely with the Apollo Gold SuperDuo beads.  I used both the matte and regular versions and paired them with 11RR4209 Dark Coral Duracoat Miyuki Rocailles.

Now with two versions of the Czech SuperDuo beads, and two versions of Tile beads (Miyuki, Tilas and Czech Tile beads) the design options are even greater.  I can't wait to try some of the newly release Tila colos with these new SuperDuo beads.  :)

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Red Panda Beads September Sweepstake

 September Sweepstakes

Red Panda Beads provided the

"Sweet Potato Pie Challenge Stash Kit" 

for the BeadWork October/November 2012 Challenge

The prize for the September Sweepstakes is a 

"Sweet Potato Pie Challenge Stash Kit"

Kit Retail Value $124.33

The kit has 22 items, starting with the Monday's Mix, 

Sweet Potato Pie

Each Monday's Mix is an exclusive mix of 11/0 Miyuki Delica seed beads.

The Monday's Mix is the basis for Red Panda Beads Stash Kits, and other beads and components are chosen to compliment the Monday's Mix.  This mix features "a succulent mix of orange-hued beads, cord and findings" as described in the BeadWork Oct/Nov 2012 issue.  Items included are:

DPF4 - 3.4mm Miyuki Drop Beads

8RR138FR - 8/0 Miyuki Rocaille Beads

8RR421 - 8/0 Miyuki Rocaille Beads

BB-275 - Miyuki Berry Beads

BGL6-10 - Miyuki 6mm Bugle Beads

11RR4206 - Miyuki Galvanized Duracoat 11/0 Rocaille Beads

6RR138S - Miyuki 6/0 Rocaille Beads

280-516-81250 - Czech Two-hole Dagger Beads

TL-2592 - Miyuki Tila Beads

5E3272 - Miyuki 5/0 E Seed Beads

MC30204BDF - Preciosa 4mm Bicone Crystals

MC30204HYAB - Preciosa 4mm Bicone Crystals

Copper Beads

CUFF2D - 2" Brass Domed Bracelet Cuff

CP170150 - 20 1.5" Copper Head Pins

A144H-110 - 10mm Wire Mesh

US3636-R - 8.5 x 8.5 Ultra Suede

HCBCKC - Hand Carved Bone Celtic Knot Style

RFWCH - Medium 'French' Wire

CLSP04CP - Copper Plated 3 Strand Slide Clasp

SBNGB - Size B Gold Nymo

The "Sweet Potato Pie Challenge Stash Kit" is the Prize in the September Sweepstakes and one lucky winner will become the new owner.

click here to enter via facebook

click here to enter via twitter

click here to enter without social media

Good luck everyone!

Winner will be announced October 1st.

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Miyuki 2012 Tilas are here!

 Now available 30 NEW Tila colors!

Including the new 24 karat gold plated Tilas!

In honor of the new release - all Miyuki Tila beads are on sale at the Red Panda Beads website!

Use promo code:

NEW TILAS 

to receive a 15% discount

offer ends 9/16/2012 12 midnight EST

I could not resist trying out some of the new colors!  I worked a few up in Deborah Roberti's Tila SuperDuo Bands.  Deborah has a great selection of Tila patterns, including her Tila Bead eBook - don't forget to check them out at her site, www.aroundthebeadingtable.com.

This green is TL306 - it goes very nicely with the matte golden olive SuperDuo beads and the new magic yellow brown SuperDuos.  The seed beads are 11RR26 TSL Olive.

The plum gold TL1898 Tila beadshave a pink tinted coating that matches the sliperit finish on the blue turquoise SuperDuo beads.  The matte silver SuperDuos tie in the silver of the Tila beads.  The 11RR4218 Rocailles are just the shade to capture this beautiful pink!

The TL457B beads are just the beads to compliment the matte copper and matte rose gold SuperDuo beads.  The dark copper color of the 11RR4212 Rocailles are the finishing touch.

Come check out all the new colors and save 15% until 9/16/2012!

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Tila SuperDuo Bands

Deborah Roberti has just released her newest pattern for the new SuperDuo beads!

As with all her patterns, this one is so versatile!  I could not resist working it up in a few color combos....

The first color combo was in the same Southwest theme I did with the Tila Flower Bands.  (get a free preview download pattern of the Tila Flower Bands with each SuperDuo bead purchase)  This color combo has been very popular and starts with TL-2315 burnt sienna Tila beads.  I used the Capri finished VSD-6313CA-100 and VSD-1301CA-100 SuperDuo beads.  The Capri finish is a bronze and Miyuki's 11RR457 Rocaille seed beads match it nicely.

Next I went with the TL-2312 mustard Tilas and paired them with VSD-8312P-100 opaque yellow picasso and VSD-MB-100 matte brass SuperDuo beads.  The heavy picasso finish on the opaque yellow beads really transforms them from the bright yellow of the 8312 color.  The matte brass finish glows in the light and the 11RR457 Miyuki bronze Rocailles compliment all the colors.

Next, I moved to the copper TL-2005 Tila beads.  I paired these with the VSD-MC-100 matte copper and the VSD-MRG-100 matte rose gold SuperDuo beads.  The bright copper color of 11RR4206 duracoat Miyuki Rocailles add a perky shine to the bracelet.

This pattern of Deb's also has blank grids so you can create your own design.  It has a wider and a narrower version as well as the 5 SuperDuo bead version in all the above photographs.  I could not resist doing one of the narrower ones up.  It worked up quicker, since there were less beads in each row....

For this fun narrow band, I started with TL-408 opaque red Tila beads.  I know, you are scratching your head and thinking, I've not seen opaque red Tila beads???

(Well they are one of the new 30 colors release by Miyuki this Fall!  I received the shipment and while admiring all the new colors, the first thing that came to mind was, what can I use these beautiful colors for!  You'd think I'd be all business, cataloging, photographing and getting these new beauties up for sale, but at heart I am a beader first and a retailer second, so my beadie side won this battle!  All 30 colors will be available on the Red Panda Beads website later this week!) 

I paired the VSD-5341-100 opaque green SuperDuo beads and 11RR191 24kt gold plated Miyuki Rocaille beads to make a bright and cherry Christmas band.

Deb's pattern offers three design varieties for the two SuperDuo colors.  I used the first design pattern for the first three bracelets.  If you use the same colors as I have and choose one of the different variations, your finished piece will have a slightly different appearance. Or you can go completely different and use a new color palette.  The variations are countless!  And, as always, if you need any assistance picking the perfect colors, please do not hesitate to contact me, that's what I'm here for.  :)

Happy Beading!

Betsy