Abstract Petals :-

ABSTRACT PETALS

Go for stylistic drama with petal shaped pieces

and spring into a pretty flourishing mood

Petal Earrings

Tulip Motif Bracelet

"The tulip's petals shine in dew,

all beautiful, but none alike."

- James Montgomery -



Materials (for ONE Petal Earring) :-

12 x 4mm crystals in jet (black)

21 x 4mm glass pearls in white

size 8 seed beads

10cm of wire (“center bar”)

40cm of wire (“revolving wire”)

1 silver spacer

1 x 10mm faceted bead in silver

1 eye pin

1 earring finding

Step-by-step :-

1.  Twist the 10cm piece of wire (center bar) with the 40cm piece of wire (revolving wire) approximately 5cm from the end of both wires held together at one end.

2.  Thread both wires together through five jet crystals and at the top of those crystals, wrap the revolving wire snugly around the center bar.  Thread five seed beads followed by five jet crystals onto the revolving wire.

3.  Wrap the revolving wire now snugly below the original five jet crystals around the center bar.  Then thread five glass pearls and about seven seed beads on the revolving wire.  Wrap the revolving wire around the center bar at the top to form the first loop.

4.  Make the next loop by threading approx. twelve seed beads followed by three jet crystals and wrap at the bottom.  Then thread nine pearls followed by six seed beads and warp at the top.  This time, bend the center bar alongside the revolving wire.

5.  Thread whatever wire is remaining of the center bar together with the revolving wire through approx. thirteen seed beads followed by seven pearls and wrap at the bottom.  Twist the revolving wire with the original twisted wires at the bottom for about 2cm.  String on a silver spacer and complete a wrapped loop beneath the spacer and trim the excess wire.

6.  String the large silver bead on an eye pin and make a plain loop above the bead.  Open the loop below the bead and attach to the wrapped loop of the beaded petal.  Close the loop.  Open the loop above the silver bead, attach to the earring finding and close the loop.

Make the other earring either exactly similar than the one above; or (for more dramatic abstract appeal) experiment with altered arrangements of the beads in the petal motif.

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Materials for Tulip Motif Bracelet :-

12 x (2cm in diameter) diamond shaped glass bead in turquoise

12 x 8mm faceted plastic beads in transparent blue

24 x 6mm rhombic beads in silver

90cm of stretchy cord

clear nail varnish

Step-by-step :-

1.  Thread a turquoise bead, a silver bead, a blue bead, a silver bead and a turquoise bead onto the elastic cord.  Cross the two ends of the cord in the first turquoise bead and ensure that the right end of the cord is 20cm longer than the left end.

2.  Add a silver bead, a blue bead, a silver bead and a turquoise bead on to the right end of the cord - then cross in the turquoise bead.  Continue with this sequence with the remaining nine turquoise beads.

3.  After the cord is crossed in the final turquoise bead, thread the remaining blue- and silver beads on to the corresponding end of the cord.  Close the bracelet by threading one of the strands through the turquoise bead on the other end.  Finish with a decent knot and feed the ends through some beads before cutting off.  Transparent nail varnish may also be used to strengthen the knot.

Hint : Try the bracelet on before finally tying the knot.  Should you wish to alter the size of the bracelet, do so by increasing with an EVEN count of turquoise beads, otherwise the “tulip” motif will be spoiled.