Friday, August 1, 2014

The Haberdashery Hop Reveal

It's finally August 2nd!
Time to reveal my 'makes' for Melissa Trudinger's beadrecipes Haberdashery Hop!

Just a quick reminder of our goal in this Hop: use components from the haberdashery department - including buttons, ribbons, lace and more - in a jewelry design.  

I knew right away what I wanted to do!  The technique I chose might seem very simple. However, I was 'oohhh so scarey-cat' to give it a try prior to Melissa's Blog Hop idea.

Lately, I've been studying tutorials and YouTube videos on basic knotting techniques. My original goal was to learn ways to create neater finishes on my pieces that used Irish waxed linen or other fibers as their foundation. It just seemed like I could/should do a better job on my finishing. After going down a glorious path of creating, filled with gorgeous beads and other beautiful elements, the 'finishing' touch was sometimes a struggle for me. Amazingly, there are tons of excellent videos out there. I quickly became glued to my iPad screen and learned a lot!  :)   Thank you, everyone!

Tie this together (no pun intended) with a lucky purchase of very pretty variegated DMC floss found during a recent family visit to Bethlehem, PA.  Roaming down the isles of an A.C.Moore Arts and Crafts Stores located in another town is always a great adventure, yes?!??  Never know what new goodies might be found that you've never seen at home??? YES!..those 'out-of-town' floss bundles nearly jumped into my cart all by themselves (notice I said 'cart'...oh dear...always a bigger purchase than first intended!).  Those floss bundles came right home to Delaware with me!

So..my haberdashery element is 'floss'.  The technique I wanted to use was simple macrame. But, what else?  If you've been reading my blog, you know that I'm currently obsessed with peanut beads...so I grabbed some of those:


Lastly, I wanted to create the macrame around a firm foundation...so decided to use this:

OMG..I have not seen nor thought of my Memory Wire (MW) stash in about 8 or 9 years! I was never a big fan of it, until now! Multiple loops of MW are right-on-trend with the current stack-able bracelet craze!

Ready! A quick turn of a simple loop at one end of the MW got it started (easy!).  I wasn't really sure how much floss to use per bracelet, so decided to played it safe..better to have too much rather than not enough. I cut about 70-80 inches (ok, maybe a little more) for about 2-circle lengths of MW.

My first knot of floss was a simple overhand square knot, made at the mid-point in the floss, to anchor the floss to the MW.  This knot was made using the MW as the middle 'leg' of the macrame work.  I pushed that knot snuggly against the MW loop (a drop of beading glue is a good way to strengthen the connection, but is optional).

Then the painstaking task of adding beads began..yup, just a few at a time, sliding them on all-the-way from the opposite open-end of the MW. This took a while for each bracelet, but was worth it!

slide, knot, slide, knot, slide knot slide...repeat...keep practicing those knots until perfect..and until reaching to within about 1/2 inch of the MW end.  After making sure my bracelet was filled with lots of beads (no gaps, please!) and had a nice twisting motion in the floss weave, I tied-off the floss in last simple overhand square knot, twice.  (again, dab of glue is optional).  A turned loop in the MW closed the end. The floss ends could either be cut right there, or, be used to add a few more beads for fringes.  I tried both options.

These 3 bracelets are a result of my first weekend!

When the Sage Green and Hot Pink peanut bead versions were completed, I decided to splurge on a Swarovski Crystal version using Amethyst and Capri Blue shades to compliment the floss. Since we were haberdasher-ing, a tassel was also required!  This one is hand-made..also my very first!


Last weekend, I decided to try Japanese Seed beads in smaller size 8s (the golden and the burnt sienna versions).  Lastly, it seemed like adding an Artisan Bead might be a fabulous idea! In the coral piece below, I added a one-of-a-kind wobble bead made by Rebekah Payne of TreeWingsStudio..a perfect color match. The dangles on the golden and sienna pieces are vintage beads from my stash.  You might also notice that I became confident enough to use an extra length of MW!


The possibilities seem endless, with just a few simple knots!
I still have this selection of floss colors to experiment with!


I had a great time exploring this very simple technique..one that I believe I've almost mastered and can build upon to create more complex designs. These were well worth the time and effort!

My heartfelt thanks go out to our Host, Melissa.  I would never have tried without her Hop inspiration!!!

Here is the full list of everyone who is hopping!  I know I'll be visiting each and everyone one!


Melissa Trudinger (Our Host!) - http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com
Ann Schroeder - http://www.beadlove.wordpress.com
Tammy Adams - http://www.paisleylizard.com/blog.html
Amanda Wacasey - http://mandyinmystic.blogspot.com
Dolores Raml - http://craftydscreations.wordpress.com 
Divya N - http://www.jewelsofsayuri.com
Michelle McCarthy - http://www.fireflydesignstudio.BlogSpot.com
DiYana Brooks - http://agapecreationsjewelry.blogspot.com/
Robin Kae Reed - http://willowdragon.blogspot.com
Andrea Glick - http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/
Karin Grosset Grange - http://ginkgoetcoquelicot.blogspot.fr
Mitzie Crider - http://needfulluxuries.blogspot.com
Janine Lucas - http://www.esfera.me/travel/blog/travel-stories
Rosantia Petkova - http://bairozan.blogspot.com/
Susan Kennedy - http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com
Leithleach Alainn Seodra - http://alainnjewelry.wordpress.com/
Kathleen Breeding - http://99bobotw.blogspot.com/
Shiraz Biggie - http://secretsongdesigns.blogspot.com
Chris Eisenberg - http://www.wanderware.blogspot.com
Heather Richter - http://desertjewelrydesigns.blogspot.com/
Lennis Carrier - http://www.windbent.net/
Rebecca Anderson - http://www.songbeads.blogspot.com
Jenny Kyrlach - http://anafiassa.blogspot.com
Rita Toltec Jewels - http://www.JewelSchoolFriends.com
Mischelle Fanucci - http://www.micheladasmusings.blogspot.com
Karen Mitchell - http://overthemoon-design.com
Carol Briody - http://Cbriody.blogspot.com
Karla Morgan - http://TexasPepperJams.blogspot.com
Carolyn Lawson - http://Carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com
Lori Anderson - http://www.prettythingsblog.com/
Jami Shipp - http://www.celebratinglifewithdamamashipp.blogspot.com
Lili Krist - http://pcbylik.blogspot.com/ 
Evelyn Shelby - http://raindropcreationsbyevelyn.blogspot.com/
Raissa de Guzman - http://www.abloro.com
Niky Sayers - http://silverniknats.blogspot.co.uk
Keren Panthaki - http://vasdea.wordpress.com
 

13 comments:

  1. Oh I tried macrame too! Yours are really lovely and you made so many. The green has to be my favorite as I love the color!

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  2. Great idea to macrame around the memory wire. I've just been using mine for string beads but now I see more possibilities. Your color choices for the bracelets are great. I would stack them together since the colors are mix and matchable.

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  3. These bracelets are all wonderful! I love the variations. I especially love the tassels! Oh and adding an art bead!

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  4. Those are great. Your excitement for learning new skills really comes through and that sense of accomplishment at a job well done.

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  5. oh these are so pretty and bang on, on trend now. Wear the second set together and you'll be a fashionista according ot spring summer fashion forecasts of 2015

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  6. I love your bracelets, this is such a great idea and wonderful results.

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  7. What a clever idea! Wonderful bracelets

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  8. Years ago, I used to use macramé around neck wires in a class I taught for youths at the art center. It's a good way to show off a simple organic pendant. But I never thought of using floss! Thanks so much for sharing this idea. I like the thought of a softer feel. (and my daughter does cross stitch so she always has leftover floss I can snag, LOL) I do like the idea of using it for the stackable bracelets. Yours are just beautiful! Another reason I love blog hops....the sharing of ideas that leads me on to ideas of my own, Thanks.

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  9. Beautiful bracelets, love the idea of doing macrame with floss.

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  10. A wonderful way to use up floss and bits of beads! Bangle bracelets are everywhere now and these could be made into so many wonderful color combos. Great possibilities!

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  11. It was only recently that I saw macrame on MW and it was like a revelation to me - had never thought of that before! What a lucky find these colors are - the bracelets are beautiful and the wire wrapped ends are giving me one more idea!

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  12. Love floss! I think I collect every color. I'm obsessed like that.

    Excellent work!

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  13. Fabulous bracelets, I love the idea of using floss on memory wire and you really explored the possibilities! Thank you for joining my blog hop!

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