FARFALLE FEVER

     I fell in love with the new etched farfalle beads from York Beads the moment I saw Maggie Roschyk demonstrating what to do with them in the York Booth at Bead and Button.   Now I have finally had a few minutes to play with them.
     Following Maggie's lead, I made a bracelet of etched farfalle beads in peyote stitch and finished it with a great magnetic clasp from York Beads.

     I was partly inspired by Shelley Nybakke's similar bracelet using the Right Angle Weave stitch and really appreciated the knowledge she shared about working with these beads.

   
     Notice that Shelley used size 8/0 seed beads at each end of the bracelet to make the ends fit into the magnetic clasps.  I would also heartily recommend that you use doubled 14 lb Fireline to stitch a bracelet of these etched farfalle beads because they need the support.  I also ran the doubled thread through microcrystalline wax to protect it;yes I know that it is Fireline, but the wax helped keep the thread intact longer.
     For another view of etched farfalles done in 3 different stitches, check out Jennifer VanBenschoten's Beading Daily blog.

     For me, one bracelet was not enough.  I also snagged some of the etched melons when I visited York beads, so I combined both in a bead crochet bracelet.


bead crochet with etched farfalles and melons


Then, I played with more bead crochet techniques.

 

various bead crochet stitches

I took a moment to play with the Turkish flat Bead Crochet Stitch that I learned in Turkey with some melon beads and seed beads.

 

Then, I had one more idea for the farfalles: a version of Right Angle Weave with seed beads.  It looks very nice on it's own but I wonder what would happen if I filled in the holes with another bead?

 

A version of Right Angle Weave

 

 

I seem to be in York Bead mode as I made a bracelet in June using a pattern by  Kerrie Slade, Modern Antique Cut Glass Beads from York, and a clasp made from a vintage 1939 World's Fair cabochon from A Grain of Sand.

 

 

 

Now, while I wait for York to get the next shipment of etched farfalle beads, I have their new 9x7 mm Old Copper Nuts to play with.

 

 

9 x 7 mm Old Copper Nuts 

PARAWIRE DEMONSTRATIONS AT BEAD FEST PHILADELPHIA 2014

If you are visiting Bead Fest Philadelphia on Saturday (August 23), stop by the Parawire  booths (236 and 238) to say hello because I will be demonstrating wire crochet from 12N-1:30 pm. 

Here is the whole wire demonstration schedule:

Friday, August 22 :
     10 am-11:30 am:  Jennifer VanBenschoten
     1:30 pm-3 pm Cindy Holcslaw

Saturday, August 23:
     12N-1:30 pm:  Adele Rogers Recklies
      3 pm-4:30:   Debra Saucier

Hope to see you there!