Spotlight Saturday: Beaded Fringe Earrings

Summer is not over yet and those outdoor music festivals are just heating up.  One of the best parts about going to a crowded music festival is that you have so many different people from so many walks of life that it truly makes for the best people watching.  

Featured Video:  How to Make Brick Stitch and Fringe Beaded Earrings

This video walks you through the step by step process of making these beautiful earrings.  They are inspired by traditional Native American styles.  You will learn about the brick stitch as well as the ladder stitch.

Featured Project: Fringe Festival Earrings

What I love about these earrings in particular is that I can picture these looking great for so many occasions.  All you have to do is change the colors.  Think of it this way: if you are going to a folk festival make them in a Bronze.  If you are attending a surf rock festival on the beach go with Turquoise.  Headed to a country music festival, go for Pepper Red.

Featured Product:  Toho Bugle Tube Beads Size #3 

Did you know that Toho in Japanese translates to "Eastern Treasure" in English?  These bugle beads truly are a treasure but I realize that most people shy away from them because they don't know how to use them.  I hope the project and video will inspire you to use this type of beads in your work.  The Toho Bugle Beads come in so many colors and finishes that you can really mix it up.  Pictured here is the Silver Lined Teal. One of my other favorites is the Gold Lustered African Sunset.  Talk about eye catching in the sea of people at the music festival.  So go rock out in your Fringe earrings, bob your head to the music and let the fringe fly!

Happy Beading!  

BTW: Bead Table Wednesday 6/22/2011

Andrea's Table 

The featured item on my bead table today is waxed linen.  I am extremely excited about getting this stuff in-- it is so perfect for making macrame wrap bracelets; absolutely made for knotting.  I'm experimenting with using the "cobra" knot, and adding beads as I go.  Pictured here is a wrap bracelet using 8/0 Toho beads woven into the natural waxed linen.  I also made a triple-wrapped bracelet using the brown waxed linen with some antiqued copper metal seed beads along the outside.  Watch for upcoming instructional videos on both bracelets!

Julie's Table

I love the look of bead weaving, especially when combined with brass filigree or other unexpected elements. Front and center on my table is an earring which only needs the hook to be added. Using a circular brick stitch, I've combined 3 shades of Toho beads to make each round pictured. If you have yet to try beadweaving, give it a try - it's addictive! There are lots of instructional videos on the Beadaholique website on different bead stitches and more are soon to come.