Like Popcorn ~ African String-Along

Some days you can't stop at just one . . .  bracelet, that is.  African Stripes seems to be spawning bracelet ideas right and left.  It's fun to work in bright primary colors with first a black background and then a white background. As soon as I get one strung, before I even put crochet hook to thread, another possibility pops up to try out. This String-Along is going to be a prolific one for me. 

 Meanwhile, here is how the String-Along, Mud Cloth Necklace is progressing.  My piece, above, has two sections completed and the following photos are some member's work at section #1.

Terri is using a brown and cream mud palette

Debbie is also using browns, but more of a redish brown and cream

Karen has chosen such a regal cobalt and silver combination

 As opaque drops are non-existent, Marlene chose to put in a third color with the black drops

Toni has a goal of using beads she already has on hand. This could get interesting when we get to the second necklace and add in 4 more colors.

How many beads do I need? - Bead Crochet

Click here for Beads Needed Chart (PDF) - right link 7/3/2012 - sorry

I've had a few questions on "how many beads do I need to crochet that pattern in 8's, 11's, 15's, etc."  If you have an Android phone or tablet, you can download an app that will figure all of this for you. Here's some information on it... Bead Crochet Designer's Bead Needs.  I helped develop it, so I know it works quite well.

If you prefer to use pencil & paper to figure the beads needed, click on the link under the photo.  The chart is limited to only 6-around ropes, but covers 5 different bead sizes.  If you're out 'n about, buy beads, want to start stringing and crocheting right away, this is a quick and dirty calculation; length of desired rope (inches) X number-around.  OK, you want a 9" bracelet, in 8-around... simply multiply 9 x 8 for 72" of strung beads (estimated).

The Bead Crochet Ropes book does have a whole page of this kind of information and covers other number-arounds.  You can find the eBook edition over at www.bead-patterns.com .

African Stripes String-Along Begins

When I think about African beadwork, I envision lots of beads... a multitude of necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and headgear.  The African Stripes String-Along has just started and I've been making swatches of bead crochet to check both patterns and colors.  It occurred to me that I shouldn't waste those pieces as an armful of brightly colored bracelets would complement the pair of necklaces quite nicely. It isn't that hard to string 42" of beads and make the swatches into 7" bracelets.  It's also the perfect place to use an art bead as the closure.

 Marlene Brady  had the same idea, but with great polymer accent disks.  I hope more of the participants follow along and we see some different colored bracelets show up - enough for an armful. 

Meanwhile, we've been busy talking about bead colors and types. This is an adventurous group as I've heard plans for doing the necklaces in 15's, 10 Delicas, and 11's. Can you mix Toho and Miyuki beads?  I do and don't think it's a problem.  However it can be a totally different story if you mix Japanese beads and Czech beads.  Their shapes and sizes are different.  If you want uniformity in a rope, it won't happen with that combination.

Section #1 is out for crocheting.  I'm jumping into the deep end with drops in a section of triangular rope to serve as a transition area.  I'm working on the next section and I'm excited as I think the two are coming together better than I had imagined.

It's always a challenge to design to an image in one's mind and not have the beads force it into a different direction.

Black & White Vs. Colors

 It's finally Summer in New Hampshire and a couple of hot 'n muggy days has highlighted it.  I'm waiting for my big bed of orange day lilies to bloom.  It's going to be one huge splash of orange in about a week.  Day lilies in bloom tell me that the summer holidays are really here.

I guess I wasn't thinking that I'd crave light, bright colors in June.  Back in February I picked a palette of colors  for the African String-Along and decided to start with a black and white necklace.  For a couple of months now I've been playing with black and white patterns for the first necklace.  Yes, it fits the theme of an African mud cloth with both patterns and colors.  However, I'm really wanting color - bright colors.

If I had the time, these are some of the two color combinations that I would think about using.  I'm especially drawn to the pumpkin and blue at the bottom center.  I've often wondered how fashion designers manage to always be working with color a season (or three) ahead of time.

The African Stripes String-Along is ready to start next week.  I hope to be able to share what a creative group of 40 people do with my patterns as we go along. They use my colors or pick their own combination and I give them a pattern section a week til the necklace is finished. Once again, this will be an interesting journey.