Wednesday, February 29, 2012

I'm in Love with Metal Beads!

I've always been a fan of jewelry designers who have used metal beads in their designs.   Metal beads come in all the standard sizes of seed beads (size 15, 11, 8 and 6)  but are made of metal instead of glass.  They are sometimes made of a base metal and then plated with a colored finish - like 24k gold or silver.  Others are made from the actual metal - like copper and zinc.  They are very uniform in size and shape, making them delightful to work with in bead weaving projects.

Beadsmith recently formed a group of beaders on facebook (in which I was included) and challenged us to create jewelry with the metal beads they provided.  Here's the first bracelet I made with the metal beads.  I call it my Metal Bead Sampler Bracelet because it uses all of the fourteen different metal seed bead colors.


I created a tutorial for this bracelet and it is available for purchase in my Etsy shop and in my ArtFire shop.

The 2nd bracelet I created has a zig zag pattern.  I'm currently working on a tutorial for this bracelet which I call my Metal Zig Zag Sampler Bracelet.  It also uses all 14 colors of the metal beads.

Cynthia Newcomer Daniel, another member of our Facebook Group created and designed a Best Friend Bracelet.  I purchased the tutorial from her Jewelry Tales website and fell in love with the design.  Cynthia's Best Friend bracelet combines metal beads with Swarovski crystals and is so gorgeous!

I used Cynthia's pattern to create a slightly different look.  I wear this bracelet all the time and love it.


 Using Cynthia's pattern as inspiration, I created another bracelet using my own design.  I call this one Rhapsody and hope to have the pattern available soon. 


I'm full of ideas for using the metal beads in new designs.  I'm just lacking in time - a common malady for all bead weavers.  I wish there was a cure.

Happy beading to you all!

9 comments:

  1. Great designs Linda!! I'm so looking forward to your Rhapsody pattern....and whatever else you come up with!

    Laurie
    :D

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  2. The love is infectious, and I'v caught it! They're all terrific, but I think the first design is my favorite. That's the one I'll be wearing every day! (The clasps are inspiring, too.)

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  3. Wow I love the ideas coming from your creative mind I will have to purchase some of these turtorials and some metal beads and make them. I have a friend that would flip for the first one.
    Therese

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  4. I have the same problem with more ideas than I have time to bead. The metal beads are beautiful! I love your designs with them.

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  5. Thank you all very much! I'm struggling to find time to do everything I want to do too, but one of my top priorities is to make a kit for the Metal Bead Sampler Bracelet (the first picture). Hopefully by the end of next week.

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  6. Beautiful design work Linda. Inspirational. You make simplicity sing.

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  7. I know how you feel Linda. I have become addicted too!
    In case you are looking for my blog, i changed the address, and now I am almost impossible to find.So I figured I would leave you my new address:
    http://crimsonfrogdesigns.blogspot.com/

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  8. hello, is there a pattern available from rapsody ? Anne Aerts (belgium)

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Thanks for sharing your thoughts!