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.

RAW Fiesta

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While proof-reading the post from yesterday about my struggles with the Zulu square tube and RAW (right angle weave) beading stitches, I realized that I was giving them more power in my life than I was happy with. I want my comfort zones identified, but still expandable.

I feel truly blessed that I have found in beading the kind of soul-healing escape that others may find in music or poetry.

I started this RAW stitch bracelet yesterday and finished it this morning. It has a peyote stitched toggle clasp and is embellished with seed beads.

I am dream-, plan-, thinking about another bracelet using the Zulu square tube stitch with pearls and gold seed beads. Sounds like another comfort zone is about to be expanded!

Fiesta Zulu Square Tube

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I have struggled with the Zulu square tube stitch.

Not with the learning curve, because Nancy Zellers’ instructions and diagrams in the February 2007 issue of Bead and Button magazine were easy to read and follow. Thanks, Nancy, for sharing! The inadequacy is mine entirely.

My struggle with the Zulu square tube was that I just could not get a “riddim” (rhythm) going. With peyote, N’debele, or brick stitch I can just bead and flow and bead and chant and bead and pray and bead and chill and bead and lyme and bead and iditate and bead and bead and it just feels so good in my hands, in my head and in my heart.

Not so with the Zulu square tube. It is just like the struggle I have with the RAW (right angle weave) stitch. I have learned the TECHNIQUES of both stitches, but neither of those stitches gives me the soul balm I feel when I bead peyote, N’debele or brick.

Even though I really like the end results of my efforts with the RAW and Zulu square tube techniques, when my soul needs comfort I will probably continue to turn to my tried and true favorites.

For those of my readers who are also beaders, what beading stitch gives your soul the greatest comfort?

Zulu Flowerette Chain Bracelet

I enjoyed learning this stitch, the Zulu Flowerette Chain.

My subscription to Beading Daily allows me to download PDF tutorials from their free project library.

A recent project was an exerpt from Diane Fitzgerald's book Zulu Inspired Beadwork from Interweave Press. Some of her other incredible books include "Beading With Brick Stitch", "Netted Beadwork" and "The Beaded Garden".

Instead of the button closure shown in the instructions, I peyote stitched a toggle clasp. This is a labour-intensive stitch, but well worth the effort.

The next stitch I am going to learn is the Zulu Square Tube, which incorporates both N'debele and African Helix stitches to form a squared tube.