June 2012

The bezel around this trillion-cut CZ is pretty and also practical - a sculptural peyote "throne" on the back protects against the stone's pointed terminus. The bezel's pearl detailing then draws the eye upward to a scalloped necklace chain of wrapped loops and more pearls.

Russian spiral normally produces a soft drape, but substituting beading wire for regular thread gives this stitch an unexpected springy feel while allowing it to hold its shape. This provides the structure needed for a big, bold bangle!

Follow along with a netting pattern to stitch up a bracelet of trailing chicks.

Combine round disks with angular Tila beads and mix in twisted tubular herringbone for a shapely necklace that transcends time.

Artist Gail Be adds eye-popping, fabric-less beaded fashions to her design legacy.

Embellish a netted choker with pearls, suspend bezeled chatons from the band, and make an adjustable closure for a luxurious necklace.

Transform bugle beads into a square frame that forms the base of these earrings. That plain square then becomes a diamond with cube bead corners and crystal elements.

Picture a microscopic beach with sea foam bubbles, lapping waves, and the midday sun reflecting off the water. Then make your image with polymer clay, and wear it as a brooch.

Find more great projects online!
On May 1 you'll find Kassie Inman's Wallflower finery bracelet at BeadAndButton.com/subscriber and Stacy Werkheiser's "Dolphin duo" pattern at BeadAndButton.com/patterns.
On June 1 you'll find Peggy Matteliano's Right-angle weave peanut bead bracelet at BeadAndButton.com/projects and Lorraine Coetzee's "Lacy Butterflies" pattern at BeadAndButton.com/patterns.
NEW! Find a new online ornament project for sale every month at BeadAndButton.com. The ornament for the month of May is Star light, star bright by Jane Danley Cruz.

The June issue Design challenge uses Lisa Kan's new line of bronze findings, read Bead&Button's Handy-Dandy Guide to Shopping for seed beads online, Ask Anna answers an organization question, see Gary Markstein's cartoon, and read a beaders tip.

Thank you to the hundreds of beaders from around the world who contributed squares for the Bead-It-Forward bead-quilt project, first started by Jeanette Shanigan. The images shown here are just a sampling of the more than 900 square we received. The various items made from these squares will be autioned off at the annual Bead&Button Show in June in Milwaukee, Wis. and on Ebay. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Medical College of Wisconsin for breast cancer research. For information and updates about the Bead-It-Forward bead-quilt project and auction visit BeadAndButton.com.

Transform a bit of rickrack into a blingy bracelet with flat-back crystals and minimal bead embroidery.

Learn to make sinuous shapes with beads and soutache (pronounced SOO-tash) braid, a common element in the French art of passementerie. Apply the basic techniques in a cute pair of earrings.

Suspend Tila beads between delicate rows of herringbone stitch in this surprisingly sturdy bracelet.

How can curves seduce the senses and angles intrigue the mind? In part three of this Design & Color Mastery series, we'll learn to create more effective jewelry by focusing on shape.

Weave a lovely crystal topper for a large pearl or gemstone, and then enclose the bead within a seed bead cage.

Shape sheet metal into a textured cuff, weave wire through punched holes, and finish off with a flat focal centerpiece and accent-bead edging.