Royal Ras Zulu Double Weave

This reversible bracelet is based on a piece from Diane Fitzgerald’s
book, Zulu Inspired Beadwork. I did make a few design alterations, but that’s the freedom of beading! I used only one clasp instead of two and omitted the picot edges of the original design.

The three rib rows are size 6 seed beads and the two woven connecting rows are size 11 seed beads, black on one side and white on the other. It gives me two looks in one bracelet. The toggle is a peyote stitched tube of size 6s with size 11 embellishments.

I find the traditional Zulu beading stitches to be labour intensive, but meditative. Once you understand the stitch pattern, it is easy to get lost in the repetitive motions of the beading. I was able to complete this one in just four days. I can see it becoming one of my favorites!

Fingo Chain

This set includes a peyote-stitched ring, a Zulu square tube pendant and a Fingo Chain bracelet, all made with faux pearls and silver-lined gold seed beads.

Using faux pearls gives the set a more European look, even tho I used two African beading stitches and one Native America beading stitch. Because the bracelet is stitched on both sides it is a substantial and lush piece. That allowed me to balance the weight of the bracelet band with a larger than usual toggle and loop.
The toggle is a beaded bead I made from two of the Parts of a Piece to Come set. (If you link over, look at the two beads in the upper right hand corner.) The square bead was placed over the round bead and then stitched together with a faux pearl between them to create dimension.

I learned the Fingo chain stitch from Diane Fitzgerald's book, Zulu Inspired Beadwork. The Fingo chain stitch was adapted from a Fingo belt beaded by the Mfengu peoples (a Zulu subgroup) of South Africa.