MIRRIX LOOM WEAVE-ALONG #24

Wow, it's been so long since I posted here! Let me tell you, I've been busy. Completing more of those unfinished pieces, mostly bracelets. As soon as I have time to take photos and get a few into my Etsy shop, I'll show you what I've made. I'm trying to build up my inventory and hopefully do well during the upcoming holiday sales.

Right now I'm participating in a Mirrix Loom weave-along to make a tapestry bracelet. I've done a few on my loom in the past with seed beads, but this one teaches you several new techniques: Slit Tapestry where you weave two different color threads in opposite directions creating a straight line where they meet; Pick and Pick creating stripes with two different color threads. The concept is easy, but it's so tricky to do correctly! Wavy Lines weaving one thread color back and forth once, then repeating with a second color.

Here's what I've done so far. This is about 2-1/2 inches, and I need to weave 7 inches. Then we have to stitch a piece of ultra-suede to the back, which covers all the ends sticking out, sew 16/0 (Yikes!) seed beads along all edges, and add a loop and button for the closure. Who knew weaving could be so much fun. My next project will be making coasters out of strips of material. There was a Mirrix Loom weave-long a while ago that has my perfect project .... can't wait to try it.

NEW BRACELETS

I've had lots of time to work on projects indoors .... since it's been so cold in my garage work studio. One good thing is that we've had so much rain in the past few weeks and it looks like more at the end of next week.

Anyway .... I just finished this bracelet that has two strips of leather and beautiful sliders. It wraps around the wrist twice. I love this bracelet. I love the magnetic clasp. It's called "Trail Ride", and you can order the supplies from https://www.beadshop.com. (Find the project under Projects, then Prairie Leather Wrap, then Trail Ride).

This shop has a live Wednesday morning Facebook broadcast with a different project each week. It's hosted by the owner, Janice Parsons, and someone you probably know, Kate Richbourg. I should say, Kate will be at the upcoming bead show in Tucson, so she will be live from there Sunday the 29th at 10:30 a.m. PST (instead of next Wednesday). I really should stop watching their broadcasts, as it has become rather expensive! I must tell you, Beadship.com has the BEST customer service. They are called the "Customer Happiness Team".

Then there's the other bracelet I finished on my new loom a few days ago. This one is a bracelet kit from http://www.mirrixlooms.com called "Queen Nefertiti". Actually, the kit makes two bracelets, one 1" wide and the other 3/4" wide. It uses 11/0 delica beads. Crazy??? Yes! My daughter could not believe I was making it. The instructions were great, the beads labeled A, B, C, D, E and F. So I had six piles with a sticker label for each. I enlarged the pattern on my iPad and followed it row by row. There were about 74 rows! And now you know I AM crazy.

I have to decide if I want to leave the bracelet like it is or weave beads on the edges like the photo below.