Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Learning Something New

I find it so invigorating and exciting to stretch myself and learn a new skill. This Spring, as I have been unable to take advantage of several art retreats, I have been on the lookout for learning new techniques closer to home.
Beads On Parade is a wonderful bead shop in Fredericksburg where I will be teaching my Beaded Cuff class in the near future. Carol, who I have dubbed the Chain Maille Queen, works at the shop and is incredibly generous with her fabulous skills. Carol is a Chain Maille officianado and has designed many of her own patterns. Carol teaches many of the simpler techniques for FREE and displays an amazing array of Chain Maille patterns to entice we novices to plunge in with both feet!!!
About two weeks ago I sat down with Carol, a pile of beads and jump rings and tried my hand at a pattern called Shaggy Loops.
Besides beads and rings, one needs tow good pairs of pliers. My first creation was a pink shaggy loops bracelet for Becca. I used silver and rose gold colored links and two colors of pink beads. I put the entire piece together in about two hours!!! The bracelet is incredibly tactile and fun to wear along with being quite a nice bit of blingy color.
After finishing the bracelet, i went on to make several pairs of Shaggy Loops earrings. I was hooked!!!

For this pair I used wonderful matte finished peacock colored and purple beads and copper links.

Subtle and elegant, don't you think?

For this pair I used some of the fabulously colored rings that Beads on Parade has in stock. The color range is simply amazing and all are available on line!!

I started another set of earrings using the silver links from the bracelet but ran out after creating only one earring. Time to restock!!!!!

Needless to say, I will be spending more time with Carol the Chain Maille Queen to learn some of the more intricate chain maille techniques!!

Now I am off to spread mulch on my gardens before the rain rolls in! have a wonderful day!!

9 comments:

Anna M. Branner said...

Very cool! :) My roses survived their spring haircut and are blooming like crazy!

Anonymous said...

These are very cool, I love the flow of those earings and the matte finish. I would like to be in that class....xox corrine

Leslie Brier, Brier Design Studio said...

They're beautiful! How do you keep track of where you are in the pattern? So much detail!

Ro Bruhn said...

Wow Elizabeth, what amazing results, they look like they would have taken hours to create.

Debrina said...

Jewelry is such fun! I love what you've managed to do here!Beautiful stuff, Elizabeth!

Peggy Beck said...

These bracelets are wonderful. I have done a bizantine bracelet but never saw one of these. I like the beads mixed in. Love them.

Createology said...

Your new skill is amazing and the results are stunning. I love your shaggy loops. The possibilities are endless when it comes to beads and rings. This looks like lots of fun to learn. Marvelous May to you...

Alisa Noble said...

They are all very cool!

Elizabeth Seaver said...

You are always learning more stuff, Elizabeth! I love that about you and your artwork. It changes and grows and your artistic enthusiasm shows in all you do.

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