Brick Stitch Inside a Wire Frame

Trying Something New

I'm still playing with brick stitch, but tried something new this weekend.

I made a teardrop shaped wire frame following the same technique I used on the silver and gemstone mosaic earrings from a couple of weeks ago.

Then, I added brick stitch rows inside the frame.  

I've done plenty of brick stitching around the outside of objects.  

For example:

Cleaning Silver Jewelry Without Chemicals

Let it Shine

All that gorgeous jewelry we make eventually needs to be cleaned and polished.

Usually, I use a Sunshine Polishing Cloth.

The sunshine cloth works great on most items, but no matter how many times I pull my chains through the cloth, it never removes all of the tarnish.

It gets the high spots, and adds some sparkle - but the chain is not bright and shiny like new.

In the case of this necklace, I oxidized it and then didn't like the way it looked.  I think it looks tarnished (and dirty), not antiqued.

So, I thought this would be the perfect time to test one of those internet gems that you see on Facebook and Pinterest all the time.  How to clean your sterling silver jewelry with boiling water, tin foil and baking soda.

DIY Easy Wire and Bead Chip Headband Free Tutorial

Not a hair out of place

I love hair accessories.  

I grow my hair longer every few years just so I have a reason to wear them.  

However, it's my lovely daughter modeling my project du jour - a headband made with wire and cats eye glass bead chips.

I've  made this style headband before - but recently learned a different way to finish the elastic in the back.

That makes it worth making another and sharing it here.  Also, did I mention I love hair accessories?

These headbands come together very quickly and are perfect to use up inexpensive beads.

Silver and Gemstone Mosaic Statement Earrings

Out with the old, in with the bling

I made these earrings as a special order for a friend.

The design is similar to pair she had that was well loved - and overly worn.  Worn so much that the ear wires were smushed and all of the silver plating had worn off leaving them copper and brass colored.

But they looked fabulous on her - large and showy, so I can see why she persisted in wearing them even when they were obviously past their prime.

I felt great being able to make her this pair to replace them.

All sterling silver, with freshwater pearls, sterling beads, coated labradorite, pyrite and crystals - I think these

Finished Ases Style Beaded Earrings, Bracelet and Some Work In Progress

Ases style earrings - all done!

These earrings are my recent triumph.  One of the few pieces of jewelry I've finished lately.  

It was over a year ago that I set out to learn to make Miguel Ases style jewelry. I've completed three pairs of earrings since then.  

That's one part of making beaded items that I find most difficult.  How to finish and connect them - either to each other or to ear wires.  

In this case, I made both components and there was no simple way to add a jump ring.  I ended up adding a an extender of 3 beads and a jump ring.  Luckily it really blends with the earring design.

Ases style bracelet - made that too!

But I've also made some other bits and baubles too - they haven't all been earrings.  Today, I made this bracelet with one of my brick stitched Ases inspired beaded components.

Making Miguel Ases Style Jewelry: Adding a Picot Edge

Finishing up what I started

I like that in my last post on making Miguel Ases Style Jewelry I could show you the reality of how I mess up my projects just like everyone else and how to remove the stitches to fix it.  

I didn't like that I couldn't show you how to finish the final picot round of the beaded component though - so that's what I'll do today.

This is where I should have stopped yesterday, after I completed the second round of brick stitch around the focal bead.

Making Miguel Ases Style Jewelry: Basic Technique

Making Miguel Ases Style Jewelry

There are two main components to making Miguel Ases style jewelry - learning how to stitch the beads to make the various shapes and finding beautiful bead color and finish combinations.

I'm going to try to tackle both of those areas bit by bit - starting with a basic stitch and color combination and gradually varying it over subsequent projects.

 Here's an example: I started with a basic stitch and only one size bead in different colors on the first round component.