Let the games begin..

Greetings fellow crafty and arty people!

 I think I've had enough of 2011 now....I now have an orthopedic boot on my left leg (not called a moonboot for nothing...)and have cruthches for the next 3-4 weeks after tearing my calf muscle running on grass! I run on beach sand, on the road twice a week, but no...I run on grass and there we go! Ho hum...! All I need is a white marker and I can tangle my leg!

Anyway...a couple of weeks ago, I posted my Christmas Twirly's. They were designed by Sharon Wilson - serendipity@polka.co.za. I sat yesterday with my camera on a tripod and photographed each step as I beaded another one! So, for all you beaders out there, here goes:

Materials: beading needle, bead thread (I've got nymo thread), 45 size 8 seedbeads for the  core, size 11 seedbeads and 6mm bugles for the spiral. NB...use good quality bugle beads as the edges aren't as sharp and your thread won't get sliced!

Thread needle with 2m of thread. Thread a stopper bead (any large bead 30cm from the end to prevent beads falling off!)

Step 2: Pick up 4 core beads(size8); then 2 size 11 seeds, 1 bugle and 2 size 11s.

Step 3: Sew back through the 4 core beads.

Step 4: Pick up 1 core bead, 2 size 11, 1 bugle, 2 size 11s.

Step 5: Put the needle through the last 3 core beads AND your new one (so your needle goes through 4 beads), and pull through.

Step 6: Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you've used up all 45 core beads!

Hint/advice: Make sure each spiral lies on the top of the previous spiral. Don't pull the thread too tight - it'll snap and you have to start again! (We neaten and tighten the whole thing later!)

Step 7: Pick up 20-25 size 11s to make the loop.

Step 8: Sew back through at least 3 core beads, knot the thread in the gap, and go back through the 3 core beads. Now the tightening starts...you now have to put the needle through the first size 11 seed bead on the first spiral, pull through. Sew through the first seed bead on the next sprial and so on, gently pulling the thread as you go. (The photo didn't come out too clearly...buit what you're doing is joining each sprial to the next one using only the first seedbead each time.)

Step 9: Now that you're at the end of the spiral (hopefully), remove the stopper bead (DON'T cut the thread to get it off) and thread on your charm or a bell. End off your thread by threading it back up the core and knotting it a few times.

Step 10: Thread your needle with the original 30cm that was behind the stopper bead and work your way back up the spiral - sewing through the first seedbead of each spiral. Again, DON'T pull too tight...bugles love to cut through your thread when your almost finished a project!

The finished product! But....if you look really carefully, towards the loop is a broken thread...I didn't follow my own advice about not pulling tight and the whole thing is coming apart! Be careful!

End off your thread by sewing up the core and knotting.

I'm going to post this now and then go finish my tile for the Challenge, which I'll post tomorrow...along with my pottery which I got back!

Friday 25 Nov
Well, with only a month to go, whose thought about Christmas shopping yet...whose started Christmas shopping yet...?


Onto happier thoughts..! While I've been sitting around(not that I can do anything else at the moment, I've been drawing.) Challenge #49 "came to me" while I was putting on my one and only takkie... 

Challenge #49: Abbe Road, Jetties, Cockles and Mussels

My Raku fired pieces! We've had to wait 3 weeks because we've had very unseasonal rain and there's been a gas shortage...always tricky when the kiln is outside and is powered by gas!!

 

Zenplosions by Dani O' Brien...quite fun to do!

Flowe field inspired by Major Lazor from Flickr - he's got some amazing stuff!

Phew!
Play nicely

Pennyb