Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Bead Crochet patchwork bracelet

   Often regarding a craft, I say, "It is so easy to do!" Not so with bead crochet. I always say it is the most difficult craft I have ever learned.
click to enlarge
    However, it is a very portable craft. On vacations, in meetings, and waiting for appointments, it is relaxing to have something involving small motor skills. 
    For my birthday Nancy made a patchwork crocheted beaded bracelet that I had admired. I wanted to make more since I am so into quilting these days. The patchwork is a 6-around pattern. This diamond pattern is found in many crochet bead books and on-line but you can create any pattern.
    It is good to start learning by stringing 6 different colors, repeatedly, on a topstitch thread and we Beadsprouts use Gutterman's 30m thread, a size 10 or 11 crochet needle, glass seed beads, a bead blanket made of a cut-up Velux blanket, a long wide-eyed needle, and a good light with magnifier. Sitting in the sun helps to see. There are wonderful books with techniques and YouTube demos on-line. Gradually you can expand to work in silver and gold, pop-up and other beads to vary. Below I have included the patchwork pattern.
    I was excited by the craft six years ago when Anna mentioned that she and her friends each made a segment for a necklace for the birthday girl in their group. The Beadsprouts were soon to follow. In this pattern for the patchwork bracelet, B stands for the background color. Vary the colors As and Cs. Usually 42 to 44 inches is a good length. String the beads, wind them around the thread spool, put them in an eyeglass case and you are ready to roll. 
ABBCBB
AABCCB
BABBCB  

8 comments:

  1. Beautiful. You are good. I'm afraid this will always be a spectator sport for me. I do love the bracelets you sent me several years ago. I wear them often. Green's my favorite color, or one of them.

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  2. Amazing! I was into the peyote stitch a few years ago ( before discovering quilting/surface design ) which was fun and relaxing, but I am impressed with anyone who can bead crochet...I wouldn't even attempt! Your piece is beautiful! LOVE the name of your bead group also!

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  3. I am on Trilla's wave-length. I enjoy so much the red and blue spiral beaded bracelet you made several years ago. Is it done as a crochet bead? Green is my favorite color too,Trilla. :). sherron

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  4. I was happy to see that you could be with the beading group in spirit as you worked on the bracelet! DJD

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  5. Sometime maybe you and I can sit down together and you can teach me to do this! I have never crocheted, and so the entire world of crochet is a mystery to me. Mixing beading into the pot baffles me still further! But I love the results, so I'd love to learn how to do this eventually! I don't trust teaching myself, however!

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  6. That bracelet sounds beautiful, amazing, & harder than heck - to this novice. It will be fun to admire your work! :-) I'm going to check the shops around here to see what I can find.

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  7. I still love the bracelet I chose from the ones you made for our NYC reunion. The one you pictured in this blog is beautiful, too.
    It does sound complicated. Nevertheless, that has never discouraged you.
    NM

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  8. I really like bead crochet and have quite a few bracelets and necklaces. What fun!

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