Daisy Chains Tutorial

I wanted to complete the beaded strap for my cell phone pouch. So I sat at it and completed it today. As I was working, it occurred to me that maybe I could do a simple tutorial on this technique, and I took pictures of each of the steps. Here they are. The pictures are self-explanatory.

Isn't this a terrible strain for your eyes? Not if you use a needle. Then you can do this blindly. Well, almost. Another trick is to use a threader to load the beads.

If you can find the needles, wire and beads that work well together, you can have fun making all kinds of exoctic things with this beautiful beading pattern. 

With the long summer vacations ahead, kids can drive you crazy. Keep them engaged with this project!!!

Beaded Strap

I got the idea from a Russian beaded jewelry book. There are very clear pictorial instructions. I've adapted the design to suit my requirement.

I thought I'll make 2 strands clasped occasionally with a larger bead. Have to work it out. I've tried out several options. Haven't come up with a satisfactory idea as yet. I've decided that the ideal length for the strap is 35". That's it for now.  Here's a close-up of the design.

This is actually a variation of a design I posted a couple of years back.

Black Tear-Drop Beaded Necklace

Here's a very simple beaded necklace I made using 3 types of beads.
The entire project took just over an hour.

This is now my favourite accessory since it goes well with most of my kurtas.

I bought the tear-drop beads in 4 colours when we were in Trivandrum - their translucent beauty just kept calling out to me.

I did not know what to do with them though. I simply kept taking them out of their boxes to admire them or left them lying around where I could feast my eyes on them.

It was in a visit to an all states craft expo that I saw beautiful necklaces made out of the very same type of beads. I could never lay claim to a decent memory let alone a photographic one.(How I admire those souls who can see a beautiful piece of art or embroidery and come home & put it down on paper.) I did my best to commit the design to memory - I could have used my mobile phone to photograph it. But the idea occurred to me only after I got home. So I continued to feast my eyes on my lovely beads until I once again managed to ferret out Teri Dusenbury new web location. She keeps disappearing only to pop up again somewhere else.

The things she can do to beads and yarn with her tatting is mind boggling!

Anyway the inspiration for this piece came from there and my bead box. I've used nylon wire for stringing the beads as pearl cotton somehow gave it a shabby look.

Beadwork - Daisy Chain

Ploughing through the scores of sites on beadwork and bead embroidery, I stumbled upon this beautiful and relatively easy technique called the 'Daisy Chain' You'll find the instructions in  Unique Beaded Jewelery.com

I found all the materials required in my stash so I am working on it. Here is the picture. Don't miss a tour of their  homeage. It's absolutely delightful.

So, here's my daisy chain rope.  Once I got started, I could not stop until I had exhausted almost all my beads. Now I have quite a long daisy chain.

I found this bit of denim in my stash.- apparently left over from a carry all I made when my kids were toddlers. All I can make out of it is a little bag that would hold my cell-phone, glasses and maybe my keys and some cash.  My librarian is always behind me to leave my handbag on the shelf provided - of course there is no one to guard the shelf, and the shelf is right next to the door.  The librarian sits with his back to the shelf!!!

I think I will use the daisy chain as a handle attached to the sides and the bottom of the bag. It should go across my shoulders and also get this guy off my back.