Flower Bead Crochet Bracelet

Beaded Floral Bracelet
I crocheted a beaded bracelet for my granddaughter.

                                                K's Tubular Beaded Crochet Flower Bracelet

The pattern is from the book, "The Art & Elegance of Beadweaving," by Carol Wilcox Wells.  She has a group of patterns in her book by Martha Forsyth, Pat Iverson, and Kathryn Black, who own the company Beads Without End.  Martha and Pat learned to do spiral (also called tubular) bead crochet in Bulgaria in 1994.  They note that there are 5 pattern families, which include Dots, Diamonds, Flowers and Line, Sawteeth, and Eye Beads.  Within each family, there are variations. 

I used Czech beads from Joann's in size 6.  The beads weren't all uniform in size, so if you can find beads that are consistently sized, it is helpful.  I used size 10 DMC crochet cotton and a size 7 (1.5 mm) Susan Bates crochet hook.

                                                         K's Floral Bead Crochet Bracelet

Bead Crochet isn't easy to begin because the beads can get jumbled together, which can make it difficult to know which bead to crochet into.  I used a piece of cord to set into the beginning of my bead crochet to help stabilize it for an inch or so.  I used engine starter cord size 4, which is about 1/8" inch in diameter. 

Lablun's Stitch Art on Youtube shows how to begin with a piece of cord in the center:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiKASqS7fOg

Closing a bracelet with an invisible join takes some practice, too.  Susan Goldstine on Youtube has a good video showing how to join the two ends:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENPNdh5SIQ4  Another video is from Bead and Button Magazine here: http://www.facetjewelry.com/fiber-cord/videos/2016/05/create-an-invisible-join-in-bead-crochet

With this pattern, it is important to end with a complete pattern that will join seamlessly with the beginning of the bracelet. 

My notes: End with 1 green (highest bead on end). Begin with 1 blue, so green is lowest on beginning side. Beginning tail on blue.  Attach 1st blue to blue other side.  Then blue to pink. Pink to blue. Blue-pink, pink-blue, blue-blue 4 times, blue-green, green-green.  Used beginning tail. Hide end tail first.  Sew from beginning side to ending side, under thread of 1st blue, flip bead to right as if crocheting.  Then to beginning side again threading from top to bottom toward yourself.   Hold beginning side in right hand, ending side in left hand.  7" for K.  16 repeats. About 48 inches of beads on thread. 1 blue, 2 pink, 2 blue, 1 green. 1 blue, pink, yellow, pink, blue, green.  2 blue, 2 pink, blue, green. 5 blue, 1 green.  Always ends round with green.  6 around.

1960's Kessenich Loom Renovated

My 1960's Kessenich Loom Renovation looks like it's complete except for a few minor things. 

Treadle Tie-Ups:  Anchor Pegs
I decided to try anchor pegs to anchor the Texsolv cord to the lamms instead of the wooden dowels, and it works well.  The hole of the lamms is the correct diameter to use them, and they don't interfere with the metal pipes inside the loom castle.  I will cut the Texsolv cord shorter at the treadles after weaving a bit to make sure they are adjusted correctly.

                                         Kessenich Loom:  Anchor Pegs Treadle Tie-Up at Lamms

I put a test warp on the loom to try it out, and the shed looks very good.  This is a child's scarf in the colors she chose.  After weaving this, I'll try out a wider weaving project.

                                  1960's Kessenich Loom Renovation Complete:  A Beautiful Loom

                                                   K's Scarf and Test Warp:  Loom Working Well

My notes:  Rubber pads replaced, all 16 cords replaced in castle to shafts and lamms, cracked beater bar replaced, warped wooden board replaced under shaft 3, warp beam cords replaced, brake cord replaced, apron replaced, apron cords to tie on bar replaced with Texsolv, treadle tie-ups replaced with Texsolv, some shaft metal brads replaced, wood cleaned and 2 coats of Trewax applied, metal cleaned, apron metal rod cleaned of rust and treated with dry lube and rough places sanded, and metal parts oiled.  New inserted eye heddles and reeds.

Little Hearts and Horses Christmas Stocking

I really enjoy knitting Christmas stockings.  I just finished this Christmas stocking, which is from an old pattern kit called Letty's Scandinavian Christmas Stocking, Little Hearts and Horses.

                                               Christmas Stocking, Little Hearts and Horses

I had purchased several Christmas stocking kits years ago, and I found I didn't have enough green yarn in the original DK weight in the kit.  The original yarn was called Darby DK.  So, I substituted worsted weight yarns from a local store, and the stocking is larger than my other knitted stockings.  I used Patons Wool in blue, white, and red, and gold, and Galway Wool in green. 

I made these stockings years ago using the original Darby DK yarn.  The Snowman pattern is also a Letty's Scandinavian Christmas Stocking pattern. 

                                         Letty's Scandinavian Christmas Stocking pattern

My notes:
Size 5 needle for ribbing, size 6 needle for stocking. Paton’s Classic Wool in gold, red, white, and blue, and Plymouth Galway in green. One ball of each.

Stranded knitting: Background color in right hand, pattern color in left hand. Center name and hearts in 9 rows. Name on both sides.  One row above and below name, 2 rows above and below hearts.
This stocking turned out quite a bit bigger than the stockings I made using DK weight yarn.

I Cord stocking hanger--I cast on 4 stitches on a size 5 double pointed needle, leaving a tail, and knitted I Cord for several inches. I tacked the I Cord stocking loop onto the edge of the stocking, reinforcing it well. I might add a small button on the inside to help add some reinforcement at the top edge.