Netted Pearls in Bronze

This is the third set of netted pearls I have done for Nurse M, the wife of the surgeon who worked on my ankle. The original set was done in a netting of gold seed beads with bronze accent beads. The second set was netted in opaque black seed beeds.

The bangle bracelet, pendant and earrings in this faux pearl set were netted in silver-lined bronze seed beads with clear gold seed bead accents. The earwires are 14ktgp.

Client Designed

This is the first time I have had a client completely design a set, then commission me to make it. She chose the AB noir seed beads and the glass pendant. Having seen many of the beading stitches I use, she selected right angle weave for the cross on the front of the pendant and the center of the band around it.

She chose the length of the peyote stitch chain. I did recommend the creation of the peyote tube bail, since it allows the pendant to move more freely on the chain. The toggle clasp is done in the peyote stitch, also.
The earrings are on 14ktgp earwires.

Pearls Netted In Black

This is a set commissioned by Nurse M, the surgeon's wife. It is faux pearls netted in opaque black seed beads. The jump ring and earwires are 14ktgf.

Her original set was done in gold with bronze accent points. She liked it enough to order a set done in black and another to be done in bronze.

Seven Stitches

Like many beaded pieces, I started this with one direction in mind and ended up following the beading muse to a totally different and unintended destination.

A one-, two- and three-drop peyote seed bead and bugle bead bracelet was what I started. Fifteen or so rows into it, I realized that since I was using bugle beads, which are notorious for cutting threads, I should have doubled the thread. Instead of undoing it, I rolled it into a tube and it became the bail around the one tortoise shell ring that was left after this piece was finished.

The tube alone lacked something, so I kept beading. One thing led to another and it became a pendant using ladder, brick, and flat N’debele stitches. I wanted the chain to be made of the same beads, but I didn’t want it to be boring. The center piece of the chain is tubular N’debele that transitions to a spiral rope stitch. The transition point is covered with tubes of one- and two-drop peyote.

A magnetic clasp is hidden in a tube of ladder-stitched bugle beads with N’debele spears on each side.

Right Angle Weave Cross

When Sistren Shauna saw Idren Clay's bracelet, she ordered this cross for her Mother.

The beads are size 6 opaque seed beads. The stitch is layered right angle weave. The base layer is black.

Sistren Shauna will provide the chain from which to hang the cross. The box chain in the picture is for illustration purposes only.

Four Pendants

The triangle pendants are peyote stitched delicas.

The brick stitched one was shown with a bangle inspired by Mandela's tribal collar. The other is a netted stitch.

Inspired By Mandela's Collar

Nelson Mandela's tribal collar was the inspiration for the bracelet below.
The bracelet is stitched in N'debele using various size beads to create the curve. The red beads are size 6, the yellows are size 8 and the greens are size 10s. The black seed beads on the inside and outside of the bangle are size 11s.

This bracelet is so flexible that it seems to float on my arm.

The pendant is brick stitched around a base metal ring.

RAS Celini Spiral and Pendant

The bracelet is a Celini spiral bangle. The seed beads are 11's, 10's, 8's and 6's. The larger the number, the smaller the bead. A clear tube helps hold the bangle shape.

The pendant uses the same pattern with bead sizes 11-8.

Crystal Rondels

Ites, green and gold (red, green and yellow) crystal rondels are the design focal point for this set. The necklace, constructed of seed beads between bugle beads, is long enough to go over my head without a clasp. The pendant is made of the same beads and rondels.
The bracelet has two magnetic clasps, enclosed in beaded tubes.
The bangle was created with embellished tubular N'debele and tubular peyote stitches. For dimension and texture I used different sizes of black seed beads and bugle beads. The bangle holds it's shape because it is beaded around a large metal ring.

Stained Glass

The bracelet really does resemble stained glass when held up to the light, but that kind of shot is still beyond my limited photographic skills.

The pendant is constructed over a wooden bead. The peyote stitch holds the beads tightly against the surface. I have been asked more that once how I was able to glue all the beads so neatly in place. Aaarrrgggh! Stitched, not glued. [(Anything like shaken, not stirred?) Please share a thought if you get that reference at all.]

The bracelet uses the N'debele stitch to create ribs of black opaque seed beads with transparent seed beads between the ribs. By altering the number of transparent beads between the ribs I was able to gently curve the bracelet. The clasp is a peyote stitched toggle.

Faux Pearls with Black Seed Beads

The bracelet is constructed of a netted cage of black seed beads enclosing faux pearls ranging in size from 6 to 10mm.


The pendant uses the same seed beads and faux pearls. The piece includes brick stitch, peyote stitch and picot stitches. It is strung on 2mm satin rattail cord.

O Ring Pendants

These pendants were made on rubber O rings purchased from an automotive parts store. The white seed beads were brick stitched around the inside and outside of the O rings. I like that these pieces had an unconventional start.