Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Playing with my beads...Starlace Bracelet

The other night, Jeanie Callaghan asked me if I knew where to get Sabine Lippert's "Starlace Bracelet" pattern. She had seen it all over Pinterest but it wasn't to be found anywhere on Sabine's website, HERE. It used to be a free pattern and I've had a copy of it since way back when I first started beading. For some reason, Sabine no longer has this pattern available for download anywhere that I can find. I did see the PDF file online somewhere but I'm not sure if this was sanctioned by Sabine or not. I couldn't tell if the site where the PDF file originated belonged to Sabine and I can't verify that the file is safe to download. It does open in Firefox as a normal PDF file. I found it by searching with Google for "Sternenspitze.pdf".

MY FIRST STARLACE BRACELET

As a beginning beader, I recall that this pattern was quite challenging for me and I only made one bracelet which I later took apart because it didn't fit right. Jeanie's email gave me the urge to dig out the pattern and give it another try. You see, back when I made it the first time, I had a very meager collection of beads to choose from. Now I have a wonderful selection of colors and different kinds of beads and I was sure that I could come up with some nice color combinations.

Sabine uses quite a few different types of beads in her version of the bracelet. I decided to simplify it and only used three or four kinds in each of my samples. Because I used slightly different sized beads in mine, I had to adjust the number of and size of the beads used in the center part of the motif. Instead of using Magatamas, I used 8/0 seed beads. Instead of four 15/0 seed beads between the Magatamas in the centers, I used just a single 11/0 seed bead between each one. This combination of beads seems to work very well whether I use fire polished beads, bicones or druks as the main large beads.

  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (11-457D)
  • 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Opaque Brown Tan Picasso" (4517)
  • 4mm fire polished beads "Opaque Beige Picasso"


  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (11-457D)
  • 8/0 seed beads "Metallic Olive" (no info available)
  • 4mm druks "Sage Green"


  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Antique Silver-Nickel" (11-464A)
  • 8/0 seed beads Toho "Transparent Frosted Sugar Plum" (TR-08-19F/c)
  • 4mm bicones "Amethyst AB - #C12 AB" (Beads One)


  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (11-457D)
  • 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Opaque Brown Picasso" (4517) *
  • 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Transparent Light Topaz Picasso" (4501)
  • 4mm fire polished beads "Crystal Picasso Matte"

* These are from a different dye lot and supplier than the ones I used in the top sample. That dye lot actually has bits of blue on the beads but the other dye lot doesn't seem to have any blue and is a darker brown.
 
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8 comments:

  1. LindaSeptember 16, 2014 at 11:14 AM

    Hi Linda,
    I really love this :) Beautiful bead work...Can I ask you where you purchase your seed beads? I am on a tight budget and I am having problems finding all the sizes in the same colors that are not metal. I really love the picasso finish especially. I do not have a bead shop close by that sells seed beads :( I hate paying shipping charges to multiple stores!! Thank you for all your inspiration.....

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    1. lindalowcarbSeptember 16, 2014 at 11:33 AM

      Hi Linda. I get most of my seed beads from Charlene's Beads (http://www.cbbeads.com/). Still, it's not easy to find colors that come in 15/0, 11/0 and 8/0 other than the "metal" colors. Those Miyuki Picasso seed beads only come in size 8/0 as far as I know. I have found a few Toho Picasso 11/0's on other sites but they're hard to find in that size. I might have found mine at Artbeads.com or Red Panda. The thing about the 11/0 Picasso seed beads is that they're so tiny that you really don't see the finish on them like you do with 8/0's and that may be why they don't make many that size.

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    2. lindalowcarbSeptember 16, 2014 at 11:40 AM

      Linda, if you go to Charlene's site, go to this page - http://www.cbbeads.com/beadmenu.htm#beads - from there you can choose a category and she has each type and color listed in all of the sizes that she has them in. It's easy to see what sizes there are in each kind that way.

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    3. LindaSeptember 16, 2014 at 2:12 PM

      Linda,
      Thank you so very much!
      You made my day :)
      Also a big thank you for the "Pinterest" board. I have enjoyed posting and being a part of a group of such wonderful ladies. The talent and inspiration of the bead work is amazing!

      Delete
  2. Jeanie CallaghanSeptember 16, 2014 at 2:41 PM

    Your samples are really beautiful - rich, vibrant colors! I think you have definitely improved the pattern. Well done.

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    Replies
    1. lindalowcarbSeptember 16, 2014 at 2:49 PM

      Have you tried it yet? The pattern is actually quite easy. It just looks complicated because she used so many kinds of beads. Frankly, I think Sabine's looks a bit cluttered. I get frustrated by patterns that make me have to come up with ten different types of beads that all work together. I'll give you a clue about this one. If you've done that "squares" pattern by Deb Moffett-Hall (Silver with a Marcasite Look - http://craftyinspirationbylinda.blogspot.com/2014/07/bracelet-of-day-silver-with-marcasite.html), you'll get the hang of this one pretty quickly.

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  3. dwbrandliSeptember 29, 2014 at 11:12 AM

    Linda, I love your version of this bracelet. I've been using the seed beads like your example and fire polished beads for the side beads. I've literally been having a blast making the bracelet and a pair of earrings to match. This is definitely going to be on my Christmas gift items to make . . . it goes very quickly and easily once you memorize the pattern. I made a set using black seed beeds, turquoise and black tortoise fire polished beads and turquoise size 8 seed beads in the center . . . stunning. Having more fun than a person has a right to have. Thank you for all you do with this blog!

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