ZENITH EARRINGS
I wanted to try Deb Roberti's latest pattern but decided that I could try more colorways if I made the earrings rather than the bracelet. Both are included in the "Zenith Bracelet & Earrings" pattern which you can buy HERE at Around the Beading Table or HERE on Etsy. As you can see, I left off the drop beads and changed the tops where the earring wires are attached.
I did something else that isn't mentioned in the instructions. As I wove around to reinforce the perimeter of each earring, I connected the center seed beads of the inner and outer rows. That helps to keep the outer row of seed beads from moving around. As I went around, I exited the center bead of the outer row, circled around through the inner row center bead and back out through the center bead in the outer row before continuing on around to the next section of seed beads.
- 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Light Bronze" (457L)
- 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Light Bronze" (457L)
- GemDuo beads "Chalk Beige Lumi"
- 3mm fire polished beads "Aztec Gold"
- 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
- 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
- DiamonDuo beads "Chalk Lumi Green"
- 3mm fire polished beads "Champagne"
- 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Light Bronze" (457L)
- 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Light Bronze" (457L)
- GemDuo beads "Bronze Pale Gold"
- 3mm fire polished beads "Bronze Illusion"
- 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
- 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
- GemDuo beads "Chalk Senegal Brown"
- 3mm fire polished beads "Transparent Gold Topaz Luster"
TILA SQUARED BRACELET
- 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
- 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
- Tila beads "Metallic Mauve Green Iris Matte" (TL-2035)
- 4mm fire polished beads "Matte Luster Transparent Rosaline" aka "Transparent Smoky Topaz Gold Luster"
Although I just made this bracelet, I made these almost matching earrings way back in 2015. I blogged about them HERE. The bead colors aren't quite the same but I think they're close enough that I can wear these together as a set.
I had a little trouble making this bracelet because these Tila beads seem to have very sharp edges that kept fraying my thread. I started out using Nymo D thread because I didn't want to use 5 yards of Fireline. I was a little more than halfway finished when it became apparent that the thread was going to break soon so I stopped right there and ended the thread. I happened to have a scrap of Fireline that was just long enough to finish the bracelet without any issues.
You can buy this pattern HERE at Around the Beading Table. I made the earrings using Yvonne King's "Layered Tila Bracelet" pattern which you can get free HERE on Craftsy.
UPDATE 6/6/19: All of the previous links to this pattern are dead. You can get the free "Layered Tila Bracelet" pattern HERE on Bead-Patterns.com.
You'll find a nice assortment of Tila beads HERE at Red Panda and HERE at Aura Crystals. I bought these fire polished beads at Aura Crystals but they're currently out of stock there. Red Panda has only one left HERE but I did find a few more HERE at Bead Passion Studio. Note that this color goes by two different names: "Matte Luster Transparent Rosaline" and also by "Transparent Smoky Topaz Gold Luster". I have bought them by both names and they are the same beads.
TILA SQUARED EARRINGS
- 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Metallic Chocolate" (461)
- 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Metallic Chocolate" (461)
- Tila beads "Metallic Dark Raspberry Iris" (TL-457B)
- 4mm fire polished beads "Copper Teal"
I showed you this bracelet a few days ago HERE. Since then I have made this matching pair of earrings using the motif from the bracelet. The pattern includes an earring pattern but it's a little more elaborate than I made these.
You can buy this pattern HERE at Around the Beading Table.
TILA SQUARED BRACELET
- 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Metallic Chocolate" (461)
- 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Metallic Chocolate" (461)
- Tila beads "Metallic Dark Raspberry Iris" (TL-457B)
- 4mm fire polished beads "Copper Teal"
Although this pattern is the cousin of Deb Roberti's "Coin Bands", I haven't decided yet if I like it. Tila beads are very angular and I tend to prefer curvy shapes. What appeals to me about this bracelet is the grungy tarnished copper combined with a hint of sparkle from the teal fire polished beads.
You can buy this pattern HERE at Around the Beading Table. You'll find a nice assortment of Tila beads HERE at Red Panda and HERE at Aura Crystals. I think that these fire polished beads have been discontinued because I can't find them online anymore.
COIN BAND
- 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Light Bronze" (457L)
- 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Light Bronze" (457L)
- 11/0 seed beads "Ivory Ceylon" (unknown brand)
- CzechMates 2-hole tile beads "Ivory Luster"
- 4mm Czech pearls "Antique Gold"
Usually when I make this bracelet pattern, I make seven motifs to fit my wrist. I would need 28 CzechMates tiles but they are usually sold in lots of 25 beads and that's all that I had. My solution was to extend the length of the bracelet by adding 4mm pearls between each motif and I also used the longest clasp that I could find. It's a little snug but I think I can wear it comfortably.
I added some ivory seed beads to give the bracelet a little more interest. I did that once before in the bracelet below and I really liked that effect. You can see that I also added druks between the motifs but I used 3mm druks that time. You can read about that bracelet HERE.
You can buy Deborah Roberti's "Coin Bands" pattern HERE at Around the Beading Table.
I got these CzechMates tile beads HERE from Supply Emporium. The ivory seed beads that I used weren't labeled with the brand. I don't think they are Miyuki or Toho based on the poor quality but for the few beads that I needed, that didn't matter very much. I just picked out the best ones. Supply Emporium has some Miyuki seed beads called Butter Cream Ceylon HERE but I don't know if they will match the CzechMates tiles. They look a little too yellow in the photo. I see three possibilities at Aura Crystals but I'm not sure which ones are the closest color match. They are HERE, HERE and HERE. I think that the last one (Ivory Pearl Ceylon #486) is the most likely match.
BUTTERCUP BRACELET
- 11/0 seed beads Toho "Metallic Bronze Antique Gold" (225)
- 8/0 seed beads Toho "Metallic Bronze Antique Gold" (225)
- SuperDuo beads "Ruby Luster"
- 4mm round stone beads "Unakite"
- 8mm round stone beads "Unakite"
A few days ago I took apart the bracelet that I blogged about HERE. I originally made it with Miyuki seed beads and I wasn't happy with the way the 8mm stone beads popped out of the motifs. This time I used Toho seed beads. While the motifs aren't completely flat, they are a lot flatter than they were on the original bracelet. Unfortunately, you probably can't see the difference in the photos. The photo above is the new version and below is the original bracelet.
Below is the original bracelet on my wrist and below that is the new bracelet. Comparing the photos, I can see that the beads in the central motif of the Toho bracelet seem more spread out.
This pattern is by Teresa Morse and you can buy the pattern HERE in her Etsy shop.
I was going to make one more MiniDuo bracelet but ended up just making a sample. I mainly wanted to see how Toho seed beads would work in the mini bracelet. As with the full-size one, the motifs do come out flatter. Oddly enough, these MiniDuos are called the same color name as the SuperDuos in the large bracelet above. The MiniDuos are a pale pink and not at all the same.
- 11/0 seed beads Toho "Antique Bronze" (223)
- MiniDuo beads "Ruby Luster"
- 3mm Czech pearls "Old Lace"
- 6mm druks "Gold Suede Smoky Topaz"
BUTTERCUP BRACELET
- 11/0 seed beads Toho "Metallic Hematite" (81)
- 8/0 seed beads Toho "Metallic Hematite" (81)
- SuperDuo beads "Opaque Violet White Luster"
- 4mm druks "Hematite"
- 8mm druks "Polychrome Orchid Aqua"
Here is the "Buttercup Bracelet" in one more colorway. This one will be a Christmas present so I added another motif on each side to make it fit someone with a 7 5/8" wrist. Yes, it's the time of year to start on my Christmas beading. The motifs are a little puffy looking on this one and I think it's because of the luster finish on the beads. I'm pretty sure that's also why the bracelet has a softer slinky feel than some of the others that I've made.
With four motifs on each side (plus the central motif) this bracelet measures 8 1/4 inches long, including the jump rings and clasp. It will fit a wrist size of 7 5/8 to 8 inches. It will be somewhat snug on an 8-inch wrist and quite loose on a 7 1/4 to 7 1/2 inch wrist. The three motif per side version fits a 6 to 6 1/4 inch wrist quite nicely. For a 6 1/2" to 7" wrist size you'll have to make extra long clasp loops and/or add some extra jump rings to your clasp.
This pattern is by Teresa Morse and you can buy the pattern HERE in her Etsy shop. Read my original post about this pattern HERE for more information.
