Wednesday, June 18, 2008

uh on.

i went to the store for these [I knew I'd run short]:

because they're having a 20% off sale that ends today -- tonight at midnight for web orders [I'm just saying].

One aside: I asked for a rough estimate of how many beads I'd need to complete a simple inch-wide peyote stitch bracelet. Several employees -- one might have been the boss -- said, "I dunno. I don't do peyote beading," seemed annoyed at the question, and didn't go any further to help. In a yarn shop, wouldn't you direct someone to a book or magazine that might help if you didn't know the answer yourself? Anyway, a few other employees did at least try to help, but really we ended up guessing.

Then I saw these:


Which led to these:


Want closeups?






Whut? Did I do something wrong?

[Notice that, after I finish the tiny peyote piece, I'm moving on to a more reasonable, less-headachy size of bead. It may not be as exquisitely slinky, but I bet it'll be nice just the same. And it won't make me cranky.]

For Theresa, and anyone else interested, some peyote stitch tutorials to help you!

This is the best video I could find on the subject. (wait for the closeup at around 4:30 -- it helps you understand where the needle goes)

This is a cool animation that's quite clear. It's just not something you can take away from the computer.

This is the one I printed that finally explained it for me [I didn't use the videos, because I like to make things hard for myself].

There you go. Let's see your peyote!

Labels:

posted by amy [Knitty] @ 5:55 PM 13 comments

Comments:
I could ask my daughter if you have enough beads but, oops, she's currently WORKING at a bead shop!! One where they actually help customers with questions. Amazing, I know.
# posted by Anonymous Bobbi : 6:57 PM, June 18, 2008
 
And I thought *I* was the queen of picking up new hobbies on a whim. :)
# posted by Blogger Valerie : 7:14 PM, June 18, 2008
 
Your last two posts have led me to do bad things online with my Paypal account. Sigh. At least I didn't decide to make "self-control" one of my resolutions this year.
# posted by Blogger Kalista : 7:32 PM, June 18, 2008
 
kalista, what'd you get? :-)

signed,
the enabler
# posted by Blogger amy [Knitty] : 8:21 PM, June 18, 2008
 
Uhm, 12 tubes of beads and needles and thread. Like between the knitting and the spinning and a second job at a lost-wax custom jewelry shop I'm going to have lots of free time to bead bracelets, or something?

Whoo! No worries, I'll make something cool, I swear! ;)
# posted by Blogger Kalista : 8:35 PM, June 18, 2008
 
There's a big difference between bead stringing, and what I always called "needle and thread" techniques using seed beads.

I used to own a bead store. My beading passion was the seed bead work, the needle and thread techniques like peyote and brick stitch and netting. It was always my great disappointment that most people coming in to my store wanted to make simple strings of larger beads.

I became well versed in those techniques and stocked the store to supply them. And I don't think my customers could tell my heart wasn't as much into bead stringing. But the store never got to be what I wanted it to be.

Sounds like the store you went to has the bead stringing focus, and only caters to the seed bead crowd on an "as necessary" level. It's too bad they couldn't make a point of teaching themselves some of the basic techniques so they could help you better.
# posted by Blogger Jen : 9:09 PM, June 18, 2008
 
Oh...I'd offer some advice on how many beads you need, but I've actually been mostly away from the beading since I closed the store several years ago. I should think, though, that an inch wide and an average bracelet length, could be done with at most 2 10-gm boxes of Delicas. Possibly less.
# posted by Blogger Jen : 9:12 PM, June 18, 2008
 
thanks for the advice, jen! i think i'm going to be okay. i actually restarted tonight now that i have enough of the single color and am doing it much more neatly (and with a better, more neutral thread color, too)
# posted by Blogger amy [Knitty] : 10:11 PM, June 18, 2008
 
Oooooh. Pretty sparkly things. :) It's a slippery slope!
# posted by Blogger Romi : 1:13 AM, June 19, 2008
 
Amy,

I innocently flipped over to your blog to see what you have been up to and I see this.

I have socks to finish for my father in law's b-day, washcloths for my son's teachers (special ed kid with 10 teachers!) due in a week, not to mention my charming 5 year old daughter is now out of school and in my head all day long.

But now all I can think about is making one of these bracelets (after learning how, minor issue) what color I would like, interesting pattern ideas, well you can imagine the rest.

If it all falls to pieces, I will let you know!

In all seriousness, this is just fascinating....thanks for the inspiration

melissa
# posted by Blogger Melissa : 8:41 AM, June 19, 2008
 
Amy,

Interweave puts out a neat little book called The Beader's Companion and I *think* there is some info in there about bead weaving, sizes, how many beads you'd need for a project and things of that nature.

I tend to buy beads and let them decide what they want to be!
# posted by Anonymous Anne : 9:19 AM, June 19, 2008
 
Be careful , beading can become addictive and make you crazy :-)
I found a photo of a seahorse in national geographic and decided I should make it in beads. I lost about a week, and the damn thing is still not even 1/4 done. Oh well, got side tracked by spinning instead. I certainly will have lots to do when I retire in 15 years or so:-)
# posted by Anonymous Ella : 8:57 PM, June 19, 2008
 
Learned peyote stitch about 13 years ago by beading an amulet bag. (I never start small.) I graduated to beaded ornaments, two humming birds, square stitch, spirals (all flavors)...just about everything except loom weaving which never appealed to me. I occasionally go back to it when the spirit moves me, and I wear the pieces I made all the time.

May I suggest Power Pro, Fireline, or Spiderwire fishing lines for your beadwork...Fireline for Delicas. I never use Nymo anymore. The others hold up much better.
# posted by Blogger Cindy in Happy Valley : 10:40 AM, June 20, 2008
 
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