Beaded fan on felt

What a treat to bead on felt after struggling with the wire.  I'm happy with this fan and it is ready to cut out when I get the silky printed.. The nice thing about doing motifs on a hoop is it's so much easier than trying to bead or satin stitch over seams...  I've never been one to keep my motifs nice and tidy in a patch. 

I used up some of the beads in my tray to make some mini-fans...  I can tuck them in somewhere and add a handle to them.   There's always a spot on a block that needs a little something.  In fact I kinda like the idea of a group of mini fans and may try that on one of the encrusted DYOB blocks coming..  AND I'm thinking some of the smaller fans would make pretty cool earrings.

Wish I could stay home and stitch today but after being sick for a week and the holidays, I need to get out to the library, post office, physical therapy, bead store, and of course.......it's 99 cent tag day at my favorite thrift store.

Am I missing something?  I can't find a spell check on the new blogger upgrade...  I will miss that!

Beaded fan on felt

This  morning I started to bead a fan on felt..  This fan will be part of the framing of the silkie. When I try to make an arch with bugle beads I have a problem keeping them from going off kelter for me.  To help with this problem I make guide lines  and then I start in the center and work out...   I'm really getting into the fan groove now...  The base  of the fan is a vintage earring and isn't it just perfect???   And how can one go wrong with peacock colors?

I have a few neat odd beads in my stash ...  Not enough for a large fan so will make a few mini fans with them at the top of the hoop.  They might be fun to tuck into a flower bed, etc... 

Celestial Fan on wire

It's just the look I wanted...  elegant and transparent.. but wasn't as easy as I thought it would be.. Would I do it again? Yes, if that's the look I wanted... but am I going to do it often ...NO!

My tips if you try this...

• You'll find out immediately you need to fold edges back or tape them so your threads don't snag.
• Use cotton thread instead of nylon beading thread as it is easier to handle
• It's really only works well if you lay beads across in  rows and then only about 3 at a time.
• I then couched AND then ran another stablelizing thread through the row in addtion...
• The wire does stretch and morph in shape but I got used to that...
• Stop and knot threads often...
• See previous blog for information on wire.

I wanted a fan of stars in the night sky and I think it works... It doesn't show as well in photo but you can actually see the "sky" through the crystals...

Good day to experiment..

I have been down with a terrible chest cold (complements of my DH) for 2 days and am finally going to live. Thought it would be a good day to get blocks ready to mail Monday and do a little experiment...

Several weeks back Susan made a jeweled crown by beading on mesh.... I thought this was a super idea and went in search of mesh. She used WireForm but the closest I could find is the Acti-wire mesh at Michaels. It is very fine and pliable. You can go to her blog and read her entry http://tinyurl.com/ye9harc and see more photos near the bottom of the page...These are Susan's crowns on the left - one on fabric and one on mesh. I was amazed at how much more elegant the one on mesh was...I want to do a jeweled fan with crystals for the sky in my challenge block... but I can see other applications for using the mesh with stumpwork... I'm hoping she'll forgive me for using her photo...Her blog is wonderful and full of fabulous photos...

January BJP done!!!

I was already signed up for BJP when I was able to take the wonderful class on bead embroidery in November from Robin Atkins... I came home so excited that I plunged ahead with my project. So I will be doing two pieces in January and will have one extra for a month that I run out of time. I chose 3 1/2 by 5 inches and it didn't take all that long with #11 beads. But Robin has me totally hooked on #15 beads and that takes a whole lot longer...

Since I've spent most of my adult life involved with wild birds and their habitat, it seemed to be the most appropriate theme for me...