Bezelled octagon and a beaded crochet rope

When I have found some Preciosa 18mm octagons for a very reasonable price, couldn't just help but order a few, although I didn't know what I could use them for at that time. Especially one of them, Bermuda Blue, has drawn my attention and it was the first I decided to work with. Its colour really makes me dream of lying on the beach on some tropical island and watching the wide, clear, turquoise ocean... Gods, I think I need some vacation! ;)

Too bad it is impossible at the moment and my Bermuda Blue crystal needs to serve some other purpose to not remind me of any holidays. Only had to dress it in snowy white seed beads and it has become a perfect focal bead in another beaded crochet bracelet. It doesn't look like a octagon anymore though, but who said that only round rivoli crystals could be bezelled to achieve a similar effect? ;)

Yes, I love making beaded crochet ropes. I can make two bracelets in just one evening, while on some more complex projects I have to work for many hours... So I have finished quite a few of them recently and have a few more in my nearest beading plans. Like making a similar bezelled octagon, this time a Vitrail Light one, with a double rope in matching violet and light blue. It will have to wait a few days though... Until then you can see some of the latest crocheted bracelets I have made.

Like this one, with a beaded sphere again, this time used as a charm...

...and this one, with a charm of a different shape, made with cubic right angle weave stitch...

...and two more with the beaded spheres (I must be crazy about them since I make them so often)...

...and the last one, made of transparent beads, with a shading effect given entirely by the floss.

I'm pretty sure that's not the end of the beaded crochet ropes on here yet. ;)

Beaded "donuts"

The pattern for this pendant was designed some time ago, when I was making it as a gift. Originally it was blue and ecru, and I liked it enough to create some other one too. It is double sided and consists of wax pearls, seed beads and fire polished beads. The red one however was modified a bit by adding a few bicone crystals on the edge.

And that's how it looks like:

However, I liked the blue version of this pattern quite much, so decided to recreate it. This time without any embellishment on the edge of it.

Both pendants are 4 cm (1,57") wide in diameter.

Beaded crochet bracelet

Must admit that I was very impressed when I saw the beaded crochet ropes for the first time. Mostly because crocheting sounded like a black magic to me. Yet, I couldn't give up too quickly, even though most of the tutorials available throughout the web haven't been very helpful to me. However once finally I've managed to learn it (thank you, weraph, for your wonderful tutorial!), it has become one of my favourite beading techniques. For ropes like this I have tried tubular peyote stitch before, but crochet ropes are faster to make, easier, and - what is the most important - are very flexible without losing their tubular shape.

This bracelet was waiting for over a week to be finished though, since I couldn't decide what kind of focal bead would fit to it. Eventually made a beaded sphere, using a peyote stitch. Think it was the best choice. ;)

Couldn't help myself though and had to make two more beaded spheres for earrings, however they are slightly smaller than the one used in the bracelet. Their size doesn't exceed 14 mm.

Should make more beaded crochet bracelets soon I think... :)

The very first post… ;)

So this is how it looks like…

Gods, would have never thought that I might be running a blog some day, yet it has just happened. Oh well, it cannot be that hard, can it? Hopefully it can’t. ;)

This blog is going to be about hand-made jewellery, as well as some other artisan crafts. Jewellery though will be the main subject of it. So far you, my dear visitors, can see only some older works, but it will surely change quite soon, I promise.

So… enjoy. :)