Superduo & Rivoli Flower Pendant {Tried & Tested}

I’m still working on a more consistent blogging schedule (it seemed ridiculously difficult in 2015, when there was so much *new stuff* to deal with in my personal life!) So, over the next few weeks, I’m re-introducing a few old favourites including Tried & Tested. 

The idea behind Tried & Tested is really very simple – I’ll find an idea or a cute tutorial that I want to try; I’ll test it out; then I’ll let you know the results of my efforts. I’ll try to be honest, sometimes it will work, sometimes it won’t. 

Susan Sassoon’s ‘Rivoli and Superduo Flower Pendant’ looked like a lovely, little project that I could complete in the evening or over the course of weekend. However, I must admit to a little surprise at its complexity. It caught me out and I’m thrilled. It was really, really interesting to see the mind of another tutorial writer at work. Each new round had me wondering how the next bead placement would affect the overall structure and shape, which meant that I was more ‘involved’ than usual. It was wonderful to switch off, concentrate on the instructions and enjoy the journey!

Susan includes well written instructions, diagrams and clear photographs in the tutorial (so there’s something for every kind of beader to follow) and, while the tutorial is a little more involved than I had first imagined, I think a confident beginner could take this on to stretch themselves a little. 

The end result is super sparkly from the front and the back has some beautiful netting that *could* make it reversible. This will depend on whether the foiled side of a standard rivoli is appealing to you, or if you can find a suitable double-sided alternative. I’m intending to try with an alternative soon! The ‘bail’ included in the tutorial (something that I don’t see with many necklace tutorials) is also an interesting make and, I believe, it would look fantastic as components in bracelet or necklace. I love a tutorial with options – so much more worthy of that initial investment!

I’ve bookmarked Susan’s store – SoSassySusanSassoon – and will definitely be heading there for inspiration when I need a nice weekend project.

Radiance Earrings {Tried & Tested}

There is something very liberating about following someone else's tutorials - whatever craft you may choose as your favourite, every so often (usually when I'm lacking a little bit of focus) I like to visit my Pinterest Boards or my Etsy Favourites to find an achieveable little project that I have been 'meaning to do'.

A couple of weeks ago, with no mojo but a need to make something I went in search and found Sarouchka Lobbens' Radiance Earrings Tutorial - a small, but suitably sparkly project that I could make in an afternoon. Little did I know just how much I would love, and I do mean truly love, this beautiful and adaptable pattern!

The pattern calls for a small selection of easy to find materials, making this a wonderful stash stretcher (or perhaps an opportunity to use up all of those little leftovers?) The tutorial included well photographed, step-by-step pictures, combined with easy to follow written instructions. I was intrigued by the 'unusual thread path' - it's like a small insight into how someone else thinks - and I was surprised to find that I was really enjoying myself. It was so nice to just 'bead'.

But the best thing about this tutorial? It's easily adapted for different sizes of chatons, rivolis and dentelles! Needing a bit of beautiful bling for my niece's 21st birthday, I had acquired some 10mm Swarovski Dentelles in this luscious 'lemon meringue' - my niece's favourite colour - through an Operation Tackle That Bead Stash friend. To adapt the pattern, I simply used five Bicone/Superduo Sets in the first round, instead of seven, which worked a treat! To adapt for other sizes, simply divide the diameter of the stone by two for the number of Bicone/Superduo sets - it's that simple!

If you would like to try out Sarouchka's beautiful tutorials, you can visit her etsy store - JuJuJewelleryUK. I've certainly been back and bought a few more!

It's Back! {Tried & Tested}

I'm battling an addiction and, I admit, I'm in serious need of a Pin-tervention! Just recently, I've been 'busy' sifting and sorting through my 'lazy old likes' and have either re-pinned them or deleted them - whittling down over seven thousand (ahem!) likes and leaving myself with twenty-six boards and well over nine hundred lovely looking projects to attempt - eventually.

In my defence, it wasn't a complete waste of time - and that some-day has already arrived. That's right, I've actually started to work on some projects inspired by all of that pinning. So, I'm bringing back Tried & Tested, and will be regularly reviewing and revealing the results of my crafting efforts that have been inspired by all of the beautiful projects and tempting tutorials that can be found on the internet!

To prove that I mean business this time around, I started with a project that has been languishing in my 'likes' for a very, very long time. The tutorial, 'Random Snow', is in Russian, but beaders familiar with basic square stitch should find the diagram fairly easy to follow. The basic pattern is repeated - over and over and over - but the end result is more than worth a little tedium! 

Materials: Blue Moon Beads - 4mm Champagne Glass Pearls & 6mm Champagne Glass Pearls; Miyuki - Size 11 Galvanised Gold Seed Beads.

I went for a 'classic' look, using some of my favourite Champagne Glass Pearls from Blue Moon Beads and some Galvanised Gold Seed Beads. I'm absolutely loving this combination at the moment - there's just something timeless about it! Given the time it took to stitch (oh so long!) I'm unlikely to be making another one anytime soon, but I am ever so pleased that I finally made something from my Pinterest boards.

I'd love to hear from other 'addicts'. If there's enough of us, we could encourage each other to move away from the computer and into the craft room!

Kasaviragas Karkoto {Tried & Tested}

Just popping in today with a Tried & Tested review of another tutorial that's perfect for using up some of your beading leftovers - Kisaviragas Karkoto by Panita. That's right, it's in another language - but please don't let that put you off! The diagram truly is exceptionally easy to follow if you have a little bit of beading experience and, of course, anyone who needs a little bit of help can just ask me!

The pattern calls for seed beads in Size 11 and Size 6, though I have successfully used Size 11 and Size 8 in my own version of the bracelet. To stitch up the full bracelet, with three rows, you'll need approximately three grams of each bead size. So, have a little rummage for all of those 'nearly empty' tubes of seed beads! 

If you're not sure whether you have quite enough beads for the full bracelet, I've found that a one row version looks just as cute and, of course, if you want to play around with the basic pattern to make some earrings, you'll need a much smaller amount!

You can vary the pattern a little by working with other sizes of beads, as long as you pair together two different sizes. Size 15 and Size 11, still work perfectly well, but you'll need a smaller needle and possibly a thinner thread. 

Can't wait to see the variations that you all come up with x

Striped Peyote Bracelet {Tried & Tested}

One of the things that I hope will be highlighted by my new feature - Tried & Tested - is the people within the crafting community with experience and expertise who happily share their knowledge and enthusiasm with others. There is some amazing talent out there - and the lovely Tracey of Crystal Star Gems & Jewellery is no different. Every month, Tracey is posting a free tutorial on the Crystal Star Gems & Jewellery Facebook Page, each of them covering a new beading stitch at a level suitable for absolute beginners. 

And let me tell you, Tracey's Striped Peyote Bracelet Tutorial was amazing to work on! The photographs are fantastic, showing each of the steps in clear detail - and the instructions are well written without being too wordy. So, even though I only knew the basics of weaving in peyote stitch, I was soon beading away and, more importantly, enjoying myself!

Although it's an extremely easy piece to bead, I felt that I learnt so much from this one tutorial - including how to keep track of stitch counts, zip up flat bead work and decrease or increase in peyote using different sized beads. So to finish up with such a beautiful bracelet at the end, seems like a bonus! 

Tracey has now 'retired' the free version of this tutorial, but you can still purchase the Striped Peyote Bracelet Tutorial from Crystal Star Gems & Jewellery. At £2.99 it's a steal - and I promise you won't be disappointed. 

Introducing Tried & Tested

Last week, I came across a Pinterest board called 'Crafts I'll Never Make, But Pretend I Will' and realised that, ironic or not, that name could easily apply to anyone of my 21 Boards, 401 Pins or 2467 Likes. I'm obviously a little trigger happy with that 'Like' Button!

And before Pinterest? Let me just check my Internet Favourites. 117 Bracelets, 132 Necklaces, 17 Embroidery Patterns, 47 Crochet Patterns, 20 Interior Design Projects, 94 Photography Techniques, 57 Scrapbooking Embellishments and 58 Sewing Designs. And don't even ask me about what's saved to my desktop. I will deny all knowledge!

But, I don't want all of the time I've spent searching, selecting and saving to be wasted. So, I'm going to blog about them, one at a time, in a new feature - Tried & Tested. I'll be sharing the results of my crafting efforts with you, so that you can decide whether or not to 'Save It For A Rainy Day'.