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Bead Hoarder’s Collage Bracelet

Jeanette Shanigan

Jeanette admits that sometimes she buys beads for which she has no intended use. One of her weaknesses is millefiori beads. She guesses their bright colors or their significance in bead history or the flowers call to her. Each bead is a collage of glass canes. Feel free to embellish your bracelet with any favorite beads in your hoard.

Copyright BeadworkÂŽ magazine, Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.

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FINISHED SIZE 7" Materials

Tools

15 g silver-lined blue size 11° seed beads (A) 50 blue 4×6mm glass drops 2 blue matte 8–10mm druks 13 assorted 8×10mm millefiori ovals Size D beading thread

Beading needle Scissors

stitch as before (Figure 6).

Rows 4 and on: Repeat Row 2 (Figure 7) and Row 3 for the length of the bracelet (49 rows

1: Base. The base of the bracelet is worked with two-drop herringbone stitches, placing drop beads after the first and before the last columns.

Ladder foundation: Use 6' of thread to string 2A; pass through them again, leaving a 20" tail. String 1A and pass through the previous bead and the bead just strung; repeat for a total of 14 beads. Weave the loose tail to the second bead.

Row 1: String 4A; pass down through the next bead and up through the following bead, then down and up again, skipping a stitch (Figure 1). *String 4A; pass down through

Figure 3

1A and pass up through the next bead.

String 4A and work the final stitch as before (Figure 4).

Figure 4

Figure 1

the next bead and up through the following bead. Repeat from * twice. Weave through the next 2 beads. For the final stitch of each row, string 4A and pass down through the last bead of the previous row, up through the second-to-last bead, then back through the last 2 beads of the current row (Figure 2).

Give a slight tug to secure the stitch.

Figure 7

as shown).

Final row: Matching the foundation row, work 2 beads per herringbone stitch and ladderstitch 2 beads to bridge the drop gaps between columns.

2: Clasp beads. Work 2 brick-stitched triangles, one at a time, off the end of the bracelet (Figure 8). Stitch a 5-bead base row, then decrease for 3 rows so that you have 2 beads in

Row 3: String 4A and pass down through the next bead. String 1A and pass back through the drop bead; pull snug, string 1A, and pass up through the first top bead of the next

a

Figure 5

c

stitch (Figure 5). Work 3 middle stitches.

String 1A, pass back through the second drop, string 1A, and pass up through the next bead. String 4A and work the final Figure 2

Row 2: String 4A and pass down through the next bead. String 1A, 1 drop, and 1A and pass up through the next bead (the first top bead, Figure 3). String 4A and pass down through the next bead, then up through the following bead; repeat twice to complete the 3 middle stitches. String 1A, 1 drop, and

b

Figure 6 Figure 8

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the fourth row. String 1 druk and 1A; pass back through the druk and into the triangle. Weave through beads to reinforce, then weave back down to the base and make the second triangle (Figure 8a). Weave through beads several times to secure, then trim.

3: Clasp loops. Use the tail thread to work 2 triangles at the other end of the bracelet. At the tip of each triangle, string enough beads to form a loop around the druk; pass back through the first bead of the loop and into the triangle (Figure 8b). Reinforce the loop, secure the thread, and trim.

4: Accent beads. Play with the arrangement of your accent beads, laying them out on the bracelet. Don’t worry too much about getting the spacing even, as it should appear as if the millefiori beads were spilled across the herringbone middle (Figure 8c). Secure a new thread near the middle herringbone section of the bracelet. Pass through 3 beads in the second row of the center section. String an accent bead and slide it into position so that you can pass through the nearest 3 beads on the opposite edge of the center section. String another bead and pass through 3 beads of the second row. Continue to the end, then follow the same thread path back to reinforce. Tie off and trim threads. !

Jeanette Shanigan has been happily addicted to beads for forty years or so. She has written eleven books on beadwork and teaches regularly at the major bead shows. Her current beady passion is organizing beaded quilts as a fundraiser for breast cancer research. Get more info at her website, www.shanigansbeadshenanigans.com.

RESOURCES Check your local bead shop or contact: Seed beads: Beadcats, (503) 625-2323, www.beadcats.com or Alaska Bead Company, (907) 563-2323, www.alaskabead.com.

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