InspirationFX: Tucson Tapestry

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InspirationFX

Get your creative juices flowing

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Tucson Tapestry

by: Dwyn Tomlinson

This piece was something of a journey of discovery. I started it, got sidetracked, had to restart myself because I got frustrated, but ultimately ended up with a piece I like very much and am enjoying wearing!

It's a very straightforward stringing piece - just a few tips to make the stringing go easier.

1. If you are designing your own pattern instead of following this one - the sticky bead mat is totally awesome.
2. Two words: bead stoppers
3. Magnetics clasps - argh. But in this case - make the magnet work for you by sticking it to your bench block to keep the clasp in place while you are attaching the strands.

I suggest you string the strands first, put the crimp and wire guardians on, and then attach them to the bracelet. The wire guardians give you a nice even loop at the end.

Pattern.

The pattern is based on 9 strands, and is symmetric in both axis. Left and right are the same, so is top and bottom.

The names of these colours are confusing: The Swarovski Red Coral is the dark bricky red one. Coral is the mid-range orangey-salmon coloured one. Pink Coral is the light pink one.  For the purposes of this pattern, they are Red, Orange, Pink.


Strand 1 & 9: 3 x Ivory. 1 x Turquoise. 1 x Orange. 1 x Pink. 1 x Ivory. 11 x Turq. 1 x Ivory. 1 pink. 1 orange. 1 red - which is the centre - now reverse out (same as the other side, in reverse order.)
Strand 2 & 8: 3 Turq. 1 orange. 1 pink. 1 ivory. 1 turq. 1 red. 9 x turq. 1 ivory. 1 pink. 1 orange. 3 red. Reverse out.
Strand 3 & 7:  3 ivory. 1 turq. 1 orange. 1 pink. 1 ivory. 3 turq. 1 pink. 5 turq. 1 ivory. 1 pink. 1 orange. 5 red. Reverse out.
Strand 4 & 6: 1 orange. 2 turq. 1 orange. 1 pink. 1 ivory. 3 turq. 1 orange. 1 red. 1 orange. 3 turq. 1 ivory. 1 pink. 1 orange. 2 red. 1 turq. 1 red. Reverse out.
Strand 5 - centre strand: 1 turq. 1 red. 2 turq. 1 orange. 1 pink. 1 ivory. 1 turq. 1 pink. 1 red. 1 ivory. 1 red. 1 pink. 1 turq. 1 ivory. 1 pink. 1 orange. 4 red. 1 turq. Reverse out.

Add your crimp, and the wire guardian. When they are all done, attach to the clasp with jumprings, making sure to keep them lined up correctly.

When you wear it, it will move in and out of alignment - that's part of the charm of it. Sometimes you see the pattern, sometimes you see a different pattern.

(I think I have the quantities more or less correct, below. Feel free to let me know if I've mis-counted. Actually. I think I may have over-counted the turquoise beads. )

Components

Go to our components list for this project and to buy what you need!
Need some help with some of the techniques? Check our tips page.