Oyster Fans :-

OYSTER FANS

The world is your oyster.  Go on - live it!



Oyster Fan Earrings




Fan Ring



"All art is autobiographical.  The pearl is the oyster's autobiography."

- Federico Fellini -



Materials for Oyster Fan Earrings :-

size 6 seed beads in turquoise

size 6 seed beads in red

silver wire cut into lengths of 2 x 50cm; 2 x 20cm

2 x 10mm glass pearls in cream

4 x silver head pins

2 x 5mm silver jump rings

2 x silver earring hooks

Step-by-step :-

1.  The fan base of the earring consists of even count single-drop peyote stitch increasing on the outside edges to two-drop peyote stitch.  Because wire is used it offers both strength and flexibility and thus allowing a more three-dimensional appearance when bending and sculpting the finished beaded motif.  Start by stringing a turquoise seed bead on one end of a 50cm piece of wire and loop back through that bead.  Add another turquoise bead on the tall wire end and pass back through the first turquoise bead.  Next string a red seed bead followed by three more turquoise- alternated with three more red beads to form the first row. (which should consist of eight beads then)

2.  For the next row, add a red bead and feed back through the last strung turquoise bead of the previous row.  Make sure to pull the wire tight enough.  Continue adding more red beads, feeding through the adjacent turquoise beads of the previous row.  Also ensure that the red beads in the second row lay snugly parallel to the red beads in the first row, forming a brick pattern.

3.  In the third row, turquoise beads get added this time feeding through the red beads added in the second row.  After this turquoise row, make one more red- and one more turquoise single-drop row.

4.  Now for the two-drop rows, which is exactly the same procedure, except that two beads are added this time per stitch instead of one.  Start a row by stringing two red beads and feed through the last strung turquoise bead of the last turquoise single-drop row.  Finish this row adding two red beads each time.  Of course, the following two-drop turquoise row will feed through the relevant TWO red beads per stitch of the previous row.  Make one more red- followed by one more turquoise two-drop row.  Finish the motif by feeding through the remaining two red beads after the final two-drop turquoise row and loop the wire back through the last red bead.  Trim excess wire.  Also trim the excess wire of the original turquoise bead in the first row.

5.  Pick up a 20cm piece of wire and thread it through the exposed turquoise bead on top of the base row of the motif.  Feed through the adjacent red beads, adding a turquoise bead inbetween each.  Ensure that the two exposed wire ends are equal lengths when you’ve feed through the base row of the motif.  Add a red- and a turquoise bead on the turquoise bead wire end and cross the other wire end through both these beads.  Bend the motif into a slight cone shape when crossing through those beads.  Then bend the edge of the motif down to form a scalloped fan.

6.  Add a red bead on the red bead end; a turquoise bead on the turquoise bead end, followed by another turquoise- and a red bead.  Cross in the last two beads.  Continue with one more right angle loop like this and feed both wire ends through a red bead (or turquoise).  Twist the two wire ends together and finish with a wrapped loop.  Trim excess wire.  String a cream pearl on a head pin and make a wrapped loop a considerable length above the pearl.  Connect the two wrapped loops with a jump ring and attach to your choice of wire finding or and earring hook.  Make a second earring to match the first.

___________________________________

Materials for Fan Ring :-

size 6 seed beads in white

size 6 seed beads in black

silver wire cut into lengths of 2 x 50cm

1 x 10mm faceted silver bead

Step-by-step :-

1.  To make the fan base of the ring, follow steps 1 to 5 of the Oyster Fan Earrings above, except use another 50cm piece of wire instead of 20cm to feed through the base row of the motif.  After crossing in a white- and a black seed bead, feed both wire ends through the large silver bead.  Then cross again in the two beads in the opposite side of the motif, ensuring that the silver bead lies snug inside the cone base of the scalloped fan.

2.  Simply continue the band of the ring with the same right angle weave technique as per step 6 of the Oyster Fan Earrings above.  Continue beading loops to fit the size of your finger.  After the final loop, cross again through the original two seed beads in the beginning.  Feed the wire ends through some adjacent beads and trim excess wire.