It all started with a NanC Meinhardt workshop at the Bead Bush Studio.
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I just threw some of my favorite bead colors into a tote and went with the idea of exploring what NanC had to offer. Once I had this sample end underway it kept looking more and more like a great bead crocheted lariat end.
OK, tassel end finished and I'm thinking I need something interesting to transition from rope end to tassel.
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Back to my bead stash to find I have a lot of pale pink Czech fire polish crystals. Rings .... wouldn't a series of rings work as an interesting element between rope and spiral? So I spent an evening, laying in bed, making a series of rings. I was too lazy to get up and see if they fit or not, but had an idea that the smallest might be the right size for a sort-of end cap.
Here is the smallest to the largest size rings that I made, with several graduated ones in between.
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Now I needed to start on a rope to put it all together. In Bead Crochet, "the last bead strung is the first bead crocheted". This meant that I had to think my necklace design through from the end opposite from the tassel. I needed to start stringing with the middle of the rope and end stringing with the portion that would be the closure end.
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The start of the crocheted rope is a piece in size 11/0 beads that will ultimately be wired in a spiral for a closure along the lines of my Wired Zipper Necklace. The spiral will be in place of the art bead.
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Will the rings work?
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Will the rings work?
Yes, they will. I try fitted them onto the rope to check sizes and colors together. The smallest rings will not slip onto a 6-around, size 11/0 rope and will function as end caps. The other rings will slide onto a rope, stack into an inverted cone shape but, will also have enough slack to move around. So far the colors are all falling into a range that pleases me - sage greens and pinks with hints of amethyst..
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Now I need to finish crocheting the segment that's strung; string about two more segments and put it all together. I'll be stringing 36" to 40+ inches of beads and adding in thread for each section. I'm not quite sure how long this lariat will be as it's still a design as I go piece.
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It would also be interesting to use beaded rings as rope enhancers for a plain bead crocheted rope. These rings are my own netted concoction. However, if you want a great pattern for something similar, check out Nikia Angel's Sparkly Wheels at Bead-Patterns. They are also in the June/July 2010 issue of BeadWork Magazine.
Great article thanks for sharing. I really enjoy your blog
ReplyDeleteI bought this popular beading book awhile back. You can only get it online too for some reason but here's the link to this excellent beading guide if you are interested.
I am very satisfied with this bead guide and I highly recommend this complete bead Ebook to all my beading friends.
Complete Bead Guide:
I posted the link in my name