Beadwork - wire and bead jewelry

It seems a natural progression from weaving bead bracelets to working with wire - wire stringing, wire wrapping, and wire shaping. I find twisting straight pieces of metal into intricate shapes to be a very soothing pastime. For my wire-worked pieces, I generally create my own clasps. So here are some of the things I've created using wire, pliers, jigs, and larger beads:

Starting with pearls - instead of knots between, gold figure-8s

Jig-shaped links between pearls
Jig-shaped links between black 4mm bicones
Jig-shaped links with royal blue 4mm bicones

Matching bracelet

Jig-shaped pieces with red 3mm rondelles (this also has a matching bracelet)

Wire-wrapped bezel around an 8mm iridescent pearl, with a wire-wrapped bail

"Figure-8" bracelet with lavender cube beads
"Figure-8" bracelet - finer gauge wire, and fire-polished 3mm rondelles

Beadwork - seed bead weaving

I started working with beads when my first child was 1 year old. It was Christmas time, and we didn't have a lot of money for gifts for family members. So I decided to make grandmother's bracelets for my mother and mother-in-law. They were hideous, but they were made with love! Around the same time I discovered all the things that could be done with seed beads. I made Christmas cards with beaded designs on the front. And then I started visiting web sites, and I taught myself seed bead stitches, and started making all kinds of things! Check out a few of the things I've made by weaving beads. (I've included the stitch-type, for those of you who are beady types.)

Snowflake ornaments (circular flat net)

Candle sleeves (3-bead net)

"Crystal Waves" bracelets - right-angle weave

"Butterfly" bracelet - right-angle weaveSpiral Rope chain bracelets