August 17, 2012

Design Anxiety - African Stripes

Sometimes you can think yourself into a real tizzy.  I've been doing just that for several months now.  For this project I looked at a lot of African things during the Tucson Gem Shows back in February.  Then I bought beads and announced that I was going to do an African String-Along.  What was I going to do -- didn't have a clue.  Oh, I knew I could make up pretty designs, use African colored seed beads and we would all be happy.

Mud Cloth finished + 2 sections of Love Letters

However I had a vague picture in my mind of what I thought I wanted this pair of necklaces to look like.  Now it's 8 weeks into the project, I've been designing and adding a section a week. I can finally say that I'm ecstatic - I'm overjoyed with what it's all going to look like. It's better than what I have been picturing in my mind's eye.  I like what I do, but every once in a while something develops that goes beyond being just happy with it. . . and African Stripes is one of those times.





First two sections of Love Letter Necklace

I just finished crocheting the second section of the second necklace and I could finally see that this was going to be totally right.  Translating African symbolic graphics to 6-around bead crochet has not been easy.  Designing on a spiral is not easy, and trying to condense large motifs to this size rope can be quite challenging.










This was what I've used  for inspiration for the Love Letter Necklace. Can you see how well it's working?




Now, I'd like to hear what you think?  Is this really working as well as I think it is?
Oh, and this is perfect for next Spring & Summer as all of the trend reports are saying, Tribal, African, Native, colors and designs will (are) hot, hot, hot.

4 comments:

  1. It's a big YES from me. Black, white and lots ofcolor. Perfect!

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  2. It looks fantastic!

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  3. Love it! Gotta do lots of crocheting this weekend and catch up.

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