Sunday, March 22, 2009

In the Beginning

I've written several times in previous blogs and also on my main site about the way I execute the first two rows of my beaded beads and also my beaded flowers. I'm going to begin a series of instructions for the various flowers on this blog that I use in my bracelets, and rather than explain each time about the start, I decided to devote today's blog to this technique so I can refer back to it.



String on twice the number of beads that you want in the circle, thus a 5-bead circle will require 10 beads--a two-row beginning to a peyote tube or a peyote round. Push the beads down to within 3" or 4" from the end. Lay the beads across your forefinger, bring the needle around and take the needle through the first bead you strung on and then through every other bead until you reach the last two beads. Take the needle through these beads which creates the step up to place the needle in position for the next row of beads.

Some people lay the beads on the matte, holding the thread as shown, and then taking the needle through every other bead, again going through the last two beads before pulling the beads into a circle.






I find it easier to pull the beads into a circle if I insert my forefinger into the circle and tug the thread below the needle. I also place the end of the thread in the palm of my hand to hold it securely. When you are pulling the beads into a circle, sometimes you will need to nudge one of the beads on the outer circle as shown here.


















I often make this beginning circle from two different size beads or two different colors. The trick here is to remember that whatever bead you place first on the needle will be the bead in the inner circle. This is important if you are using a smaller bead in the inner circle to make a smaller hole on the beaded beads.

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