Handmade Monday: Beaded flowers

An exciting time for Blue Forest Jewellery, as my wire rose necklace and earrings were featured in Bead Trends this month.  I'm waiting for the hard copies to arrive so I can show it to you, as the mag is only available in the States.





While I was thinking about that, I started to list and make some more wire rose items

 I took these to the filming of the BBC show 'Handmade Revolution' in Hanley at the weekend, but was too chicken to show them in the end! 










And while I was making those, some daisies popped into my head as well!

 I've been mad on flowers for a while now, and thought I'd share the technique for these beaded beauties.  I've been turning them into rings.

 Here's a quick run through how to make them.

You will need:
Monofilament
5 4mm beads in your main petal colour
1 4mm bead in your chosen centre colour
Jewellery glue (optional)

Thread three of the beads, including the centre one, on to a length of monofilament.  Cut more monofilament than you think you will need so that you have enough to feed back through the flower for strengthening at the end.

Take one end of the monofilament (it doesn't matter which) and thread it back through the two main colour beads.  Pull tight to form a triangle of beads.

Thread the other 3 main colour beads onto one end of the monofilament.  Again, it doesn't really matter which end.

Take the other end of the monofilament and go back through the 3 beads you just added.  Pull the thread tightly and the flower forms.

When you pull, the centre bead will automatically become raised as it get pushed up by the other beads.  Go through all the main colour beads as many times as you can with the monofilament and the flower will gradually strengthen.  Knot the ends or continue to work them, and add a spot of jewellery glue if desired.  Done!



Here's a link to see what other lovely crafty folk have been making this week.

Alison x

Handmade Monday: More flowers and weaving

My obsession with all things floral seems to be continuing, and at least today the sun is shining, so maybe it's working as a charm to create some good weather? Hope everyone gets some respite from the rain this week.

I find making rings challenging so I was pleased with this little one.  The rose motif is becoming a bit of a signature, and it won't be long now until I see my roses necklace which has been professionally photographed for the September edition of Bead Trends magazine.  Really looking forward to that.

This lapis bracelet has mobius flower chain maille links in between.

This woven flower turned out a bit bigger than I envisaged.  Now I'm not sure whether to make it the centrepiece of a necklace, turn it into a brooch or wire it onto a hair comb, or something else.  What do you think?

Just noticed everything is blue and brown this week  One of my favourite colour combinations, think it's because it reminds me of my chocolate Labrador in his blue collar.

Had to order more wire to finish off a project, and hoping to do a tutorial next week.  The non-jewellery makers will probably be saying 'What on earth is that?' - all will be revealed.

Here's a link to see what other lovely crafty folk have been making this week.

Alison x