Crochet Beaded Wrap Bracelet Pattern

I used light spring colors, but this would work in other shades, and the basic technique will work with other weights of yarn. Just size the beads up or down to match and the number of stitches.

You will need:

• size 10 thread (bedspread weight)
• size 6 steel crochet hook (1.6 mm)
• tapestry needle
• 5/8th inch button
• size 8 seed beads - a size 8 seed bead is about 3mm
• needle and thread for loading beads

All of the supplies for mine came from my stash, the thread is from a thrift store, the button is from my button box, and the beads are one of my favorite colors, Orange Opal Gold-Lined. 

American terminology

• ch=chain
• sc=single crochet
• repeat ** means repeat the step between the asterisks.

To work a beaded single crochet: Insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull loop through stitch, push up bead, yarn over, finish stitch. 

Loading beads on size 10 thread is easy, if you're using hanked beads, you'll pull a string loose, take off a couple of beads, then tie the thread and string together and slide the beads off the hank onto the thread. For beads that aren't on a hank, thread the small needle with sewing thread, double it and tie in a knot, then put the crochet thread through the loop, and load the beads on the needle and slide them down on to the crochet thread.

String 61 beads on thread (66 for a large wrist, 56 for a smaller wrist, 51 for a child)

Loosely chain 147 (157, 137, 127)

Row 1: Beaded single crochet in 17th chain from hook (button loop formed),* ch 1, skip stitch, beaded single crochet* repeat **, sc in last 10 chains.

Row 2: Ch 1 to turn (does not count as first stitch), sc in last sc of previous row, sc in next 9 stitches, sc in beaded sc,* sc in ch space, sc in beaded sc*, repeat ** to the end of the beaded section, 16 sc in ch 16 space, sc in each stitch down the other side. On the last stitch, cut the thread, leaving a tail to weave in, and pull through last stitch. I secured the last stitch with a half hitch knot, then wove in the ends.

Sew button to center of the 10 stitch single crochet end. 

You can also make this a choker style necklace. 

Facebook Quotes and Beady Things

Since I make quote art to post every so often on Facebook, I decided to create a page for it, so other people could share it if they wanted to. Don't Eat the Paste Quotes

Also! Read my review of Japanese Beadwork with Sonoko Nozue. Short version? LOVED the book.

I also posted instructions for a wrap bracelet.

Friendship pins and ice sculptures

First- I posted instructions for these cute little square stitch pins at Beadwork at BellaOnline. You can find the article *here*.

 The rest of the photos can be clicked for larger versions.

Ice ice ice! Recently I was sent a game to review. It's a very complicated and interesting game, so I asked a friend for help with the review. We decided to meet at a friendly locally owned coffee shop that has a big enough table for playing. When we got downtown, I stopped to take some photos of a few of the ice sculptures in town square.

I only took photos of a few sculptures. Because it was COLD! The other reason is that like a lot of places, our town square has a fountain, lots of trees, steps, path, a paved area for shows and other events. During the summer there is occasionally roller derby there. As well as lots of fairs and other things. In the winter? That paved area, with it's small curb all around is an ice rink. Not figuratively. Literally. There are skating nights there. TG crossed it to look at the rest of the sculptures happily. I looked at it, and decided that I wanted to stay on my feet.
The peacock above has a puntastic name.

I told my friend Sam, who occasionally writes on Tuesday Afternoon (not a craft blog!) that I was going to take some close up photos for all of you.

He said, and I agreed, the peacock should have more colored lights!

It was an ice sculpture that inspired yesterday's triple trinity knot.

See that bit of ice on the left hand side? It was part of the same sculpture and set perpendicular to the knot.

I love mandalas!

The close up shows the tool work.
Also on that side, were a pair of Mickey and Minnie sculptures, with holes in the faces for photographs. I tried to talk him into posing, and he said he was absolutely NOT going to put his face in the ice. At that point, TG rejoined us, and did so happily.

My husband, quite sensibly, was in the coffee shop, happily enjoying a nice hot mocha while we were looking at ice and freezing. The game play was fun. We didn't finish a game but had the chance to at least start learning the rules.
Today it's below 0 here in Anchorage. Hopefully you are all staying warm!

Chevron boxes and a chevron chain

Chevron 2x2 printable gift boxes in 4 colorways. I hope you like them. Click on the images for larger versions. Print on card stock, cut, score, fold, glue!

Recently someone left a comment that they weren't able to print out my boxes anymore since I started increasing the DPI on them. If you're printing from a browser with these style boxes, you'll want to set your printer settings to Fit to Page. Most of my single page boxes are set up on an 8x10 page so fit to page will be just right. With the 2 page boxes, it's very important to print both pages at the same DPI, so if it downloads for you at 200 dpi, print both pages at that setting.
I really recommend for printing from a browser, switching to Chrome browser. It's print preview gives you a look at exactly how it's going to print and it's "smart" enough to handle higher DPI settings.

Instructions for this chevron chain are HERE. It's made fairly quickly in one of my favorite bead stitch techniques.

A bunting necklace project and other stuff

I completely forgot to link to this project on the Beadwork at BellaOnline page.
Button Bunting Necklace Project
This is what it looks like. Modeled by the Turnip Girl in one of her favorite teeshirts.

I also reviewed Tapestry Bead Crochet over there. It's a wonderful book if you like crocheting or beadwork.

Other than that, I'm on Google+, have been for a while now but keep forgetting to post it here. Just look for Shala Kerrigan if you want to add me to your circles. I haven't been using it much yet. 

We plan to go to the State Fair this week, during the week because it's too crowded on weekends and my darling, wonderful husband gets very cranky with long drives and huge crowds. Hopefully we will be able to get some good photos!

I'm thinking of having a couple book giveaways. Is anyone interested?

My husband is my hero this week. He bought me lilies to start the week, and installed a new faucet for me. The faucet is just wonderful, it's a lever operated Moen gooseneck faucet. (In the Amazon.com affiliate link). I got it as a part of the Amazon Vine program. He installed it with a left-handed mount and it took him about an hour to install (including pulling out the old faucet). I'll be writing a review for it later at Amazon.

I *love* it. I'm absolutely enthralled with my new faucet and keep telling people "I have a new faucet."  My big stock pot that I use for canning fits under it! It's a thing of joy. My review will be more than "YAY! I love my new faucet." which is why I haven't written it yet. Still just too thrilled with it to be truly coherent. 

Just this second occurred to me that I'm not sure he didn't throw away the old one. I'll have to check since William will probably want it for sculpture. I guess that's proof that I'm an adult now. Being so thrilled about a new faucet which will make cooking a lot easier.