Book Review: Shaped Beadwork & Beyond: Dimensional Jewelry in Peyote Stitch

Shaped Beadwork & Beyond: Dimensional Jewelry in Peyote StitchShaped Beadwork & Beyond: Dimensional Jewelry in Peyote Stitch by Diane Fitzgerald

One of the first things I noticed was the feel of the book. It is a paperback, but it has a bit of a heft to the cover, making the book feel as if the cover wouldnt’ be damaged immediately.

Upon opening the book, I was enchanted by a photo of a group of bead starfish. they look like they are photographed on a piece of Styrofoam, but it isn’t obvious and it is the perfect background. I love these little starfish.

Both are, of course, irrelevant to the content. As with her previous books, Diane Fitzgerald makes a brief introduction and then gets on the with the projects. This book is STUFFED full of projects, 43 in all. If you want a peyote stitch project book, you won’t be disappointed.

Unlike Diane Fitzgerald’s Favorite Beading Projects Designs from Stringing to Beadweaving, which I reviewed before, there is a ‘Basics’ section, which includes the contents of a Basic Beadwork Kit, understanding the Peyote stitch, general techniques (including unpicking!), and recognizing patterns. Chapter 1 is brief, but seems to be fairly comprehensive.

After Chapter 1’s intructions, there is what I would call a practice/basic pattern. It is a basic triangle (as 60 degree triangle, if you want to translate the patterns to quiltmaking), which is a component of many of the projects in this book. I see immediately, in the Oh My Stars! necklace (pg.18), a pretty and delicate piece, that this triangle is used. It is clear from leafing through the book that mastering this first pattern will go a long way towards success with the other patterns.

Throughout the book, the author shows very clearly how to put the beads together into the larger units needs to make the various projects. In looking at these images, I am sure a clever quiltmaker could apply beads to a quilt project in the same manner and achieve a great, if flatter look. This book can also be used as a good source of inspiration as it has wonderful pictures of different beads used as well as different pieces.

The Temari Beads necklace (pg.23) gets the reader early into the dimensional aspect of the book

I was hard pressed to pick a favorite project as I started to look through them. I liked many of the projects as objects, but weren’t my style in terms of wearing. If forced, I would choose the Rivoli Bracelet (pg.104). I like the sparkle and flash and think it would go well with what I wear to black tie events. I also think the construction is interesting. The Navette Pendant (pg.132) is also something that I might wear. The construction makes it look like a very large gem and I can see people doing as double-take as they see from the middle distance. Aside from the eye bead, which I liked and was a bit repelling, the Eye of Providence (pg.142) is appealing. I can see wearing the Eye of Providence with Roses(pg.145) pendant.

Chapter 6 covers pointed ovals. While the shape can look a bit weird and eyelike, I did like the variety of options presented in the book, especially the Eye of Apollo necklace (pg.133). This shape and the projects shown really look like jewelry to me.

Each project has a good description of the supplies required along with the nice photos. Variations are mostly shown, though not always described. The reader can get a brief idea of what the project looks like in slightly different colors.

The end of the book has a gallery of projects, by different artists, but all, presumably made in the peyote stitch.

As I said, this book has a whopping 43 projects. At an MSRP of $27.95, that is about $.65 per pattern. If you want to try a lot of different techniques, this is a good buy.

Enjoy this inspirational book and thanks to Lark Books for sending it to me.

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Onward HO!

My machine is back from the spa and seems to be running only when I press the foot pedal.

I put on The Girl You Left Behind audiobook and drove down to San Jose to pick up the machine. It is about an hour each way for me, so I want the machine to be right when I go to get it. I know many of you have dealers that are far away and can sympathize.

I have to say that I don’t think they take very good notes at the dealer because they gave me another new foot pedal just in case. They did that last time, too. It makes me wonder how they keep their business in business.

I told the repair guy/owner of the shop that I would demand he come and pick up the machine if it didn’t work. Clearly, I can’t force him to do anything, but it sounded good.

This whole machine drama has made me think about opening a sewing machine repair shop in the City. It would be so nice if there were one closer. The place I bought my machine from closed a few years after I bought my machine after a number of family tragedies. Of course, I know nothing about repairing sewing machines, but why should that stop me? 😉

Obviously, if I were really going to do something like that, I would need to do a lot of research.The quiet of the drive down to the shop was good for me. I am a little impatient with people these days and I am pretty sure my work colleagues were glad to see the back of me at the end of the week. Listening to the book made me not have to think too much. My brain is tired.

Now I am going to put on Still Life by Louise Penny (yes, I am listening to it a second time, as I think I missed half the story in the drama of last week) and figure out if I remember how to sew.

What are you working on?

Creative Prompt #232: Bloom

I apologize for being MIA last week. It was a tough week. I am back in the saddle, so get your paints, colored pencils, crayons and needles out!

The bloom is off the rose

Definition: “Bloom, one or more flowers on a flowering plant” (Wikipedia)

algae bloom

Bloomberg Business, Financial and Economic news (a stretch, I know)

blooming garlic

Post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and/or your blog.

We are also talking about this on Twitter. Use the hashtag #CPP

The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to  post your responses. I created this spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses.

Biology

  • Bloom, one or more flowers on a flowering plant
  • Algal bloom, a rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae in an aquatic system
  • Bloom, a collective noun for a large group of jellyfish
  • Epicuticular wax bloom, a whitish haze due to small crystals of wax, occurring on the surface of many fruits
  • Bloom syndrome, autosomal recessive human genetic disorder that predispose patient to a wide variety of cancer

Technology

Art and art conservation

People

Places

Music

Entertainment

Businesses

Other uses

  • “Blooming”, a less offensive version of the term Bloody
  • Chocolate bloom, the appearance of a white, mouldy-looking film on chocolate
  • Bloom’s Taxonomy, a classification of learning objectives

Round Robin Progress

The Round Robin isn’t going exactly as planned and I have two at my house while Chris has none. I am not sure what Kathleen has. Fortunately, we are flexible and working through it.

Kathleen's Round Robin
Kathleen’s Round Robin

This is a pretty and fresh piece. That white is very stark and helps the other piecing float. As I stared at the piece, I knew I wanted to maintain that bright freshness.

Finally, I came up with an idea. I plan to add some Kaleidoscope-esque bits to the corners.

That was rolling around in my mind from the beginning, but I couldn’t figure out exactly how I wanted to do it. I was finally struck with a technical plan over the weekend and began the process of foundation piecing.

As I mentioned on Twitter, I sewed the same seam 3 times and ripped it out 3 times, then quit. I think I was trying to use a piece of fabric that was too small and my stubbornness (work, dammit!) got in the way. That one foundation is shredded, so, hopefully, I have learned my lesson.

 

Stay tuned for more details.

Color Group Quilt

Back in April, we started the Color Group. Finally, we got enough blocks together to put a quilt together.

Color Group: Row Layout
Color Group: Row Layout

Kathleen and I were at the BAMQG Sew Day/Meeting, so we took all the blocks and laid them out and tried to figure out a way to put the quilt together.

The row layout was the best of the way to use all the blocks at once.

We didn’t think it was great, but it was almost the best of all of the layouts we tried.

Color Group: Offset Row Layout
Color Group: Offset Row Layout

One of the trial layouts was also a row quilt layout, but, in this version, we offset the blocks a little bit.

We were trying to make it a little more modern while making it look good.

It just looked messy to me. Kathleen didn’t like it either.

Color Group: On Point Layout
Color Group: On Point Layout

 

 

Color Group Final Layout
Color Group Final Layout

 

 

 

 

We also tried out an on point layout. I did like the extra whitespace, but the problem was that block patterns didn’t work with the on point layout.

So, we went full on modern. We split the blocks up and used 5 in a row for two quilts. Two blocks will be on the back of one of the quilts.

Color Group Final Layout 2
Color Group Final Layout 2

We will use a lot of the Kona White to make the quilts ~48×60. These will go to a women’s shelter, we think, which is why we are making them the size we decided on.

We might put one column of blocks closer to the edge and on the other quilt closer to the center.

I am in charge of one of the quilts and Kathleen is making the other. I haven’t started yet, but plan on doing so as soon as I remember how to sew. 😉

 

To Do List

I feel so discombobulated. Not only is the machine still gone, but I was also out of town unexpectedly for a week. I am, now, not sure I know what I need to do or how to do it. I am definitely out of my element and out of my habit of sewing.

I thought a good way to get back in the saddle was to make a to do list. This is separate from the 26 Projects list, because it is more about immediate things. I might add it as a separate category to the 26 Projects list, but it might be a good post on its own.

To Do List:

  1. Finish binding on T-Shirt quilt
  2. Secret Santa gift for BAMQG
  3. Kathleen’s Round Robin
  4. Brown Round Robin
  5. Sleeve for Original Bullseye
  6. Pillow from cake tea towel
  7. Finish sewing triangles for Scrapitude
  8. Try plain square for center of Russian Rubix blocks
  9. Wash fabric
  10. Take apart Ribbon Star and resew
  11. Sew green and red striped 8 pointed star
  12. Sew white on black wavy line 8 pointed star
  13. Layer and quilt Christmas table runner
  14. Quilt/stitch fish postcard
  15. Wash fabric (I am guessing this will never be off the list) 😉
  16. Make stiff bucket or box for TP in main bath
  17. Make stiff bucket or box for TP in second bath
  18. Dragon Box (gift)
  19. Anna Maria Horner Multi-tasker tote (gift-due Holiday 2013)
  20. Make 3 notepad covers (gifts)