April continues with Awesome Classes

I think Spring is finally arriving -- at least the snow has melted! The latter half of April has some amazing classes for you - lots of new classes as well as great returning classes.

Linda Landy brings us three classes aimed at bead embroidery novices and enthusiasts. You can meet Linda at an Open House too! Iris Rogers Melamed has set aside her soldering tools for a new two day class all about cold connections. Anne Marie Desaulniers will be sharing how to create small felt dolls that are ready for embellishment. Angela Peace has a new knotted pendant project perfect for your favourite stones.

We're pleased to have Rae Huggins back in the classroom to teach pearl knotting again and Jenn Jevons has an intensive ACS weekend - a perfect time to learn how to use art clay silver. Look for classes from our other instructors too!

Here are the classes scheduled April 16 - 30:

Thursday, April 16
Hot Connections: Bangles Afternoon Class
Instructor: Iris Rogers Melamed
10:30am - 4:30pm

Wire Wrapped Stone Bracelet

Instructor: Bonni Poch

6:00 - 9:00pm

Double Strand Pearl Bracelet
Instructor: Rae Huggins
6:00 - 9:00pm

Friday, April 17
NEW Textured Bead Embroidery Workshop
Instructor: Linda Landy
10:00am - 5:00pm

Meet and Greet with Linda Landy - everyone welcome!

6:00 - 7:30pm

Saturday, April 18
NEW Iconic Bead Embroidery Earrings
Instructor: Linda Landy
10:00am - 5:00pm

NEW Metalsmith Essential: Cold Connections

Instructor: Iris Rogers Melamed

10:00am - 5:00pm

(continues Sunday, April 19; 10:00am - 5:00pm)

Sunday, April 19
NEW Unleashed
Instructor: Linda Landy
10:00am - 5:00pm

Thursday, April 23
Seedbeading 101
Instructor: Pamela Kearns
5:00 - 9:00pm

Friday, April 24
Create a Felted Choker
Instructor: Dawn Liu-Smyth
5:00 - 9:00pm

Saturday, April 25
NEW Bodies on Demand: Design and Create a small Spirit Doll
Instructor: Anne Marie Desaulniers
10:00am - 5:00pm

Intro Weekend to Lampworking, Part B

Instructor: Amy Waldman-Smith

10:00am - 2:30pm

(continues Sunday, April 26; 11:00am - 4:30pm)

Art Clay Silver Intensive Weekend
Instructor: Jenn Jevons
10:30am - 5:00pm
(continues Sunday, April 26; 10:30am - 5:00pm)

Sunday, April 26
NEW The Fiesta Pendant
Instructor: Angela Peace
11:30am - 5:00pm

Thursday, April 30
Beadweaving on a Loom: A Beginner's Guide
Instructor: Kelly Garland
5:00 - 9:00pm

Open Metal Studio: Soldering

Facilitator: Iris Rogers Melamed

6:00 - 9:00pm

Complete information, including course descriptions and fees, is found on our website. Click on 'Classes' and follow the links to the April calendar.

Bring your projects and join us at our FREE open bead opportunities:

Wednesday, April 22
Wednesday, April 29
Open Bead Night
Facilitator: BeadFX staff members Bonnie Cottingham, Pamela Kearns or Malliga Nathan
6:00 - 8:00pm

Thursday, April 16

Thursday, April 23

Thursday, April 30

Afternoon Bead Tea

Facilitator: Pamela Kearns

1:00 - 3:00pm

BeadFX is proud to offer these FREE sessions. In return we ask that you use our merchandise in our facility. Thank you.

Viking Knit

Four years ago, Marilyn Gardiner brought me a Lazee Daizee viking knitter which was designed by Stephanie Eddy. She knew I was interested in wire and had wanted to Viking knit for a while but had no patience for the long and involved process to get it started. I fell in love with the tool instantly and started making beautiful wire jewellery.

“Viking knitting” is not actually knitting with two needles: it is a type of weaving. Chains are made from long pieces of wire that are worked by hand into interconnecting loops. For those who knit with yarn, the connected loops look like twisted knitting (knit through back loop). Several shorter pieces must be joined together during construction of the chain to create lengths for a bracelet or necklace, and the wire is spliced together in a way that is nearly impossible to detect when you have completed the piece.

The raw chain is woven around a form (Allen wrenches or dowels are popular choices) and is then pulled through holes in a draw plate to tighten the weave and make the chain a bit longer and much stronger. If you put beads into your weave, however, you will not be able to pull your finished knitting through a draw plate. Instead, the knitting can be rolled in a cloth and pulled by hand to complete it. You can finish the ends of the chain in various ways. You can put beads, end caps that are cast or that you create from coiling wire, or string a ribbon/leather thong/silk cord through the knitting.

Examples of Viking knit chains have been found at various archaeological sites in Scandinavia dating back to the 8th century A.D. Similar chains have been found in other areas of the world, so the technique may not have been unique to the Vikings.

Also known as trichinopoly, this technique creates chain that can be either lacy or dense, depending on the number of loops woven into each round, whether you single, double or triple knit, the gauge of wire you use and the width to which you draw the knitting down using a draw plate. Other factors that will affect your finished piece include the type of wire you use and whether it is coloured.  

This is an extremely easy, portable and fun technique and I urge you all to try it at least once. I'll be teaching a Viking Knit class at BeadFX on May 16. Join me and I promise you'll have fun and find a new way to show off your other treasures by creating chain for necklaces, bracelets, even earrings. We will also discuss finishing techniques.

InspirationFX: Blue Lagoon

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InspirationFX

Get your creative juices flowing

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Blue Lagoon

by: Kelly Garland

Spring time or beach time, this is a great bracelet for the younger crowd or a casual look. Mixed blue shades with splashes of opal, it's an eye catching but simple design.

1) Cut three lengths wire of equal length. Add approx 1 inch to each strand.

2) Separate the slide fastener and attach one length of wire to one loop. You can attach all three if you prefer. Crimp securely and attach crimp cover. Try to keep your loop sizes consistent and uniform. 

3) Mix the two types 8x6 donuts, as well as the tire rondelles so the color pattern is random.

4) String one donut and two rondelles until the desired length is reached. Each strand will require the same amount of beads in order to lay flat and uniform against your wrist. 

5) Secure the remaining end wire with your crimp and crimp cover onto the matching slide connector. Make sure you are attaching it correctly according to the direction of the slide connection. Again, keep your loops consistent and uniform. 

Slide connectors of any length are a great way to create multiple strand, easy bracelets quickly and securely. Try mixing up your bead choices!! Pearls look fantastic as well!!

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.

More Spring Clearing ...at BeadFX

On Sale this Week

(sale ends Apr 29)

 30%
Asian
Knotting Cord

 

35%
Bone

 

40%
Squarelets

 

30%
Bead Frames

Still
Spring
Cleaning ...

35% off

Bakelite Beads
& Shapes

50% off
Feathers!

50% off
Thai Silver

 

50% off

Metal Plated
Leaves

 

30% off

Lampwork
Bead
Accessories

 

30% off

Swarovski
Sew On
Stones

30%
Roving

&
Felting Tools

 

30% off Spikes

30% off Daggers

50% off
Lantern-inspired
Lucernas

35% off
Simplicity Spacers

70% off
Swarovski
Crystal Letters
rhinestones!

50% off
Vertical letter
cubes

50% off
Big Bold
Swarovski
Fancy stones

Here be-ad Dragons ...

Once upon a time, there was a wily celestial dragon of the air - a handsome lapis blue creature who was so beautiful, he could make you cry just by looking at him. He bossed all the other dragons around.


He was so vain and arrogant, that when the green spring dragon came to chase away the ethereally beautiful Mother of Pearl winter dragon in the annual dance of the spring festival, the lapis dragon just rushed at him and scared him away. And the people were sad, because as beautiful as the winter dragon was - he was like 3-day-old fish or uninvited house guests - very un-welcome by now.





So they called out to the dragon of the earth - the powerful and lustrous hematite dragon. "Please," they implored him - "drive out the lapis dragon of the sky - he is keeping Spring away and our crops won't grow and then we will all starve, and we won't be able to give you steaks and bbq ribs," because, if there is any way to a ground dragon's heart, it is through his love of a good barbecue.


So the ground dragon rose up and did battle with the lapis dragon, and the ground ran with blood, which immediately turned to Dragon's Blood Jasper, which everyone scrambled to pick up and save to make into lovely jewellery.
But the hematite dragon could not defeat the lapis dragon, and he lay panting on the ground, muttering about how he must be loony as Crazy Lace Agate to try, and the folks all asked "Azurite?"



Suddenly, there was a rustling in the shrubbery, and a purple quartz dragon rose from the ground! She had a high-pitched, squeaky voice like a little girl, and she screeched at the sky dragon - "If you don't go away right now so that spring can come and I can grow pretty Purple flowers and have tea parties with my friends, I'm going to come and stomp all over you and paint your toenails and spritz you with perfume."
And the sky dragon, who was allergic to perfume - and flowers too - which was why he didn't want spring to come in the first place, was so afraid that he dove into the river, turning it a beautiful shade of lapis blue and splashing drops of water like labradorite all over. He swam away in the river, and was never heard from again!




If that story didn't make an impression on you, I guess you need to make your own impression - in which case, we have new ImpressArt stamps, including the new font "Juniper" and some great motif stamps, such as this "Handmade" stamp, these butterfly wings, a dragonfly, a maple leaf, and a zuni bear, which, because this is Canada, is actually a polar bear.



Also new this week - if you are trying to do some spring cleaning of your own, do a little decluttering and organizing, then you might want to pick up tubes. These are the same, quality tubes that we use to package our beads, and because so many of you asked, we can now buy them for your organizing!






A new stash of chain too - including this rather interesting chain with holes in big links - just made for dangles, don't you think?

So check out all the great new stuff here, or click on a link or image above!

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