Bead and Braid
Today's picture gets you both my handmade item and the interesting found object. The lampwork glass bead comes to me from Oak Grove Yarns. I found Linda at the Michigan Fiber Festival and really fell in love with her interesting beads in all shapes and sizes and irridescent colors. The crow in me that collects the shiny things had to have one. Only none of the ones she had on display that I liked had a hole big enough for a Kumihimo braid (at least not the ones I make, I am sure you can make them out of finer thread). When she offered make one custom for my needs, I jumped at the chance to have my own small piece of unique handiwork. It arrived last week and I love it's rough hewn texture and the sense of depth the bead conveys, like water moving under ice.
The braid you see threaded through the bead will not be the bead's final cord. This cord is barely long enough to be a bracelet. However, it is probably the first Kumihimo braid that I have created that I really like. It's made from silver and lilac DMC perle cotton. It was made on the Kumihimo disk. I seem to get better results from the disk thank the plate. I'd like to make a somewhat thicker cord for this bead. And I think I will probably choose darker thread colors to set off the bead better. Perhaps black with a teal accent? And then I will need to find the the jewelry findings. Amazing how one inspirational bead can send me off on a whole collection of new adventures.
Very pretty! The colors work well together.
That is stunning. When it is finished will we get to see you wearing it?
I really like your Kumihino braid. It seems like somthing my 11 yo daughter would like to do. I may hve to look back at your previous post on the subject and help her learn to do it. I finished another pair of socks in the Family sock challenge, only they are for me again (it was the one other pair I allowed myself). Now I have to get back to my son's socks!
I'm glad you're having so much fun with the kumihimo. The first time I saw a kumihimo cord my mind starting spinning with all the possibilities and I had to force myself to look away. There's no room in my head for another craft! I hope I get to see some of your beautiful work in person.
Love the bead. The braid looks pretty good too.
I knitted a pair of the Dragonscale socks last month. A fair amount of watching of patterns involved. Not to mention unpicking the (finished) second sock when I realised that the reason why the two toes were different was cos I'd missed out half a pattern repeat before the heel. Aaaarrrggh1 Actually it wasn't too bad, at least it was only a short row heel & then the foot was only half patterned!
Will send a pic when I've taken one, which had better be soon cos they're destined as a birthday pressie for my niece!
I'd like to know/see what kind of closure/clasp you used for the necklace.
If I may put forward a humble opinion: A black and teal cord would pick up the colors in the bead, but too stark a contrast could draw focus away from the subtleties of the bead itself. I like the less-saturated, low-contrast effect of the cord it's on now (pretty!), although I agree that darker would be better.
Kumihimo! Its great to see this craft getting a little more exposure...I do lampwork beads myself and got started in braiding while looking for the best way to show off the glass...Its a fascinating craft and I love it (but knitting still comes first I think)