Linda's Crafty Inspirations: Playing with my beads...Fringe Earrings #48 & #49

Thursday, April 6, 2017

Playing with my beads...Fringe Earrings #48 & #49

I thought I was going to make complete pairs of earrings from the samples that I've been busy making these past several days. The thing is that I kept wanting to try new designs and it seemed like there was always something that I wasn't happy with or that I want to change in some way with just about all of the samples that I'd made. So, instead of waiting until I have some finished pairs of earrings, I've decided to show you my work-in-progress samples instead. I've got several more to show you over the next few days.

One thing about earrings of this type is that they are time-consuming to make. It can easily take a couple hours to make one of the larger designs and then there's still a second earring to make. I've designed or adapted 78 fringe earring charts and it's hard to tell by looking at a chart how a design will look once it's made. Some are hits and some are misses and the only way to know for sure how something will look is to try making one. Sometimes I end up liking only the top or the fringe or just a segment of a design which might then evolve into a completely different earring design. It's a lot of fun to experiment with different patterns and colorways but I'm finding that I don't seem to accomplish as much in a day compared to other kinds of beading projects. I may need to set these aside for a while and catch up on some birthday beadwork before I run out of time.

Both of today's earrings are tiny versions of the Native American style fringe earrings that I've been making. Although they're cute, I think they're a little too small so I probably won't make the mates to either of these. I do like the small earring tops but I think I'd prefer them to have longer fringes.

8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Light Bronze" (457L)
11/0 Delica beads "Metallic Light Bronze" (DB22L)
11/0 Delica beads "Matte Asparagus Aqua Glazed" (DB391)
11/0 Delica beads "Opaque Dyed Matte Medium Blue" (DB798)

8/0 seed beads "Bright Brown Bronze" (no info available)
11/0 Delica beads "Galvanized Tarnished Copper" (DB461)
11/0 Delica beads "Matte Opaque Blue Grey" (DB792)
11/0 Delica beads "Duracoat Opaque Dyed Sienna" (DB2142)
11/0 Delica beads "Duracoat Opaque Dyed Fawn" (DB2107)

The bead colors in this sample earring didn't turn out quite right in my photos. What looks like peach is actually a tawny tan color. The blue is also a little brighter and bluer. Here are swatches of the actual bead colors: