PEYOTE FAN EARRINGS
- 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Duracoat Galvanized Pewter" (D4222)
- 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Duracoat Galvanized Pewter" (D4222)
- 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Duracoat Galvanized Pewter" (D4222)
- 8/0 seed beads Matsuno "Silver-Lined Matte Amethyst AB" (F639)
- 4mm druks "Opaque Amethyst Luster"
I made these earrings to go with a "Lovely Lace Bracelet" that I made a while back. I blogged about it HERE. You can download the free "Lovely Lace Bracelet" pattern from THIS post. You can get this free earring pattern from THIS post.
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| LOVELY LACE BRACELET |
The purple "rainbow" beads that I used as the accent color on these earrings didn't have a name or number on them but I think I've tracked them down. They look just like the Matsuno "Silver-Lined Matte Amethyst AB" seed beads on Charlene's site. They're about halfway down THIS page. I'm almost positive that they are the same because mine also have square holes just like the ones in the photo on that page. They make perfect accent beads for these earrings because of their straight-sided cylinder shape which seems to be typical of Matsuno beads.
The "Opaque Amethyst Luster" druks might be a little more difficult to find. That's because they came on a strand of assorted colored druks. I got them from Aura Crystals HERE and they're called "Opaque Luster Mix". Red Panda has something similar HERE called "Chalk White Vega Luster" but I think they're a little more pink and probably wouldn't go very well with the purple accent beads that I used. Artbeads also sells the luster mix, HERE.
New druks at Aura Crystals...
While looking up all of the beads for this post, I just happened to notice that Aura Crystals now has druks in 3mm and 6mm. Until this week, they only sold 4mm druks. They don't have a huge color selection of 3mm druks but they do have some of my favorites. They even have the color that I've blogged about before called "Ruby Copper Picasso" which was formerly called "Jet Copper Picasso". You can see them HERE. Be sure to look at the 6mm druks. They've got some beautiful colors that I haven't seen before. Oddly enough, they've got the "Opaque Amethyst Luster" druks in 3mm and 6mm but not in 4mm. I sent them an email yesterday and was told that they will get the "Opaque Amethyst Luster" 4mm druks in soon.
Beading Heaven...
I also want to mention that I used some 4 pound FireLine for the first time to make these earrings. I normally use 6 pound FireLine because it's the most commonly used size and the easiest to find. I bought my spool of 4 pound from the only site where I've seen it which was from Charlene's Beads HERE. It was a dream to work with and I had no trouble going around the whole earring to add every row of beads without taking any shortcuts. Perhaps it's just this particular pattern but I also didn't experience any of the horrible tangling that the 6 pound FireLine is prone to do.
I was also using one of my size 12 Tulip needles so I was in beading heaven. After making both earrings, my needle was still only ever so slightly curved. I doubt if I'll ever buy regular beading needles again now that I've used Tulip needles. They're super easy to thread and they don't bend out of shape like regular needles do after only one use. I've been using the same Tulip needle for many weeks now and it still looks almost like new. The size 12 Tulip needles are a little tricky to find, and very expensive, but they are out there if you search for them. If you work with a lot of 15/0 seed beads you'll want to get the size 12's. The size 11 Tulip needles are great if you mostly work with 11/0 seed beads and they're half the price of the 12's and they come with four in a package. The 12's are worth the price though because one needle can last pretty much forever and you get two of them. I bought mine from Lima Beads because they have the best price that I've seen on that size and I also had a 30% off coupon code. I paid $6.58 for a pair of needles. The regular price was $9.40
New Beads...
I got the cutest beads the other day from Artbeads. They're like seed beads but they're cube shape. The best part is that they're in one of those pretty "hybrid" colors. They're Toho beads with a Czech coating on them in one of my favorite colors - "Opaque Rose Gold Topaz Luster". They look to be about the size of 11/0 seed beads and I have no idea what I'll do with them yet. Does anyone have an interesting way to use these?
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| TOHO 1.5mm Cubes - Hybrid Opaque Rose Gold Topaz Luster (Y184) |
The little cubes are so cute. I also like Artbeads. I like Charlene's but she charges $25.00 for shipping to Canada. NOBODY charges me that much and $25.00 Amer. dollars costs me about $35.00 Can. and I haven't started shopping yet. LOL We do not have any good beads stores here. Just Michael's..(yuck)
ReplyDeleteI like Eureka. They found me my 3mm rose water opal ab2x which I thought was very nice of them. That size is SO hard to find.
That's outrageous! I've ordered beads from Italy and only paid $7.00 for shipping. Mind you, that was super cheap because it costs a lot more than that to send Teejay a package to England. Do you also have to pay duty on them when the package arrives? I've heard that Canada does that sort of thing.
DeleteI never have to pay duty if it is under $100.00.....just a few places. Most places charge $1.99 to $8.99. One bead store here in Canada charges me $10.00 shipping plus 15% tax...LOL I love buying beads so I pay...life is short.....buy beads :-) :-)
ReplyDeleteThose 1.5mm cubes are great for herringbone bracelets. Thanks for all the tips on the colors.
ReplyDeleteCabela's has 4 lb Fireline in 125 yd spools. Probably most fishing gear stores carry this so that you don't have to drive yourself crazy looking for the 4 lb Fireline.
ReplyDeleteI priced it at Cabela's and I can get the 125 yard 6 pound for slightly less from Aura Crystals because shipping is free with them and there's no tax. By the time Cabela's adds shipping and tax, what looks like a good price isn't all that great. I get my 4 pound from Charlene's Beads and it's only slightly more from her site than from Cabela's. Oh, and that was a sale price at Cabela's. It's normally more than that so I'm better off buying from Aura and Charlene's.
DeleteHere is a fabulous bracelet using those cubes. http://beadstreetonline.blogspot.com/2012/11/well-its-weekend-and-time-for-paris.html. I have used them on peyote patterns when you want to vary the texture of a piece.
ReplyDeleteThat's a pretty bracelet. I was thinking of using them as accent beads rather than as the main part of a bracelet. I'm not sure if I'd even have enough of them to do an entire bracelet but it's hard to say.
DeleteLove at all the beautiful beading here, and the helpful information on everything from gorgeous bead designs to low carb, really wonderful site Linda, thank you.. Sydney from sydneyjos.etsy.com
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sydney. You have some pretty beadwork in your Etsy shop.
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