Warren Feld, Jewelry Designer

file:///C|/...%20DOCUMENTS%20Workaday/LearnToBead/Workshops/Etruscan%20Butterfly%20Bracelet/coverpage-etruscan-butterfly-bracelet.htm[1/27/2010 2:01:38 PM]

Jewelry Designs

BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATELEVEL

-- Bead Weaving and WireWork Sequences

------ Bracelet

ETRUSCAN BUTTERFLY BRACELET

Today we will learn to make a bracelet usingbeadweaving and simple wire-wrappingtechniques, and then attaching a clasp. Thesetechniques will be used to create componentsand then assemble them into a finished piece.We will use brick stitch to create butterflies;tubular peyote to created beaded cabochons,and wire-wrapping to create clover leaf andfigure 8 connectors.

Good Jewelry Design seeks toanswer the question:

Why Do Some Pieces OfJewelry Draw Your

Attention,... And Others Do Not?

--- Warren Feld

All jewelry, artworks, images, designs, copy, Copyright 2008 Warren Feld. All rights reserved. Warren Feld Studio

Phone: 615/292-0610Website: www.warrenfeldjewelry.com Email: warren@warrenfeldjewelry.com

Etruscan Butterfly Bracelet

Instructor: Warren Feld www.warrenfeldjewelry.com warren@warrenfeldjewelry.com 718 Thompson Lane, #123, Nashville, TN 37204 615-292-0610

THE ETRUSCAN BUTTERFLY BRACELET

During the middle and latter part of the 1800's, there were major archaeological projects all over the classical world, including Rome and the Italian peninsula. The beauty and craftsmanship of Etruscan jewelry had gone largely unnoticed and unacknowledged after 500 AD, until this time. These archaeological projects, and the wealth of artifacts and jewelry they uncovered, sparked the public's imagination, triggering Revival Styles in architecture, art, fashion and jewelry. Etruscan jewelry experience revival styles in the late 1800's, the 1920's, the 1950's and the 1980's.

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The Butterfly Necklace pictured below is an Etruscan Revival Piece from the 20th century. Like the pieces associated with all Revival Styles, there was a tendency to copy original Etruscan jewelry components, and not to contemporize them.

Etruscan Revival Butterfly Necklace, circa 1900

This piece above is no exception. The gold butterfly components have hammered out details (repousse). The necklace is an assemblage of similar components, symmetrically arranged.

With my contemporized Butterfly Bracelet interpretation of this Etruscan piece, I've used bead weaving techniques (brick stitch and peyote stitch), some simple wire working and bead stringing assembling. Here I work with components, their coloration and dimensionality, and the arrangement of these components to create a more contemporary stylistic sensibility. In the contemporized vein, we want to add some sense of non-linearity, dimensionality, more complex use of color, more intricate techniques, more sensitivity to the body’s shape and movement.

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In this project, we learn to lan for a bracelet made with two bead-woven components and one

use brick-stitch to create simple butterfly components

- create a design-pwire-worked component -

use tubular peyote to create a bezel setting, which in this project I call a “shoe”, for a - 10x14mm cabochon and with which to use as a bracelet component

front

back

use simple wire-wrapping technique to create a cloverleaf connector and a figure 8 - connector

cloverleaf connector

figure 8 connector

assemble bracelet components into a full bracelet - create and attach a clasp assembly

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-

This bra elet takes about 24 hours to complete.

LANNING YOUR PROJECT

c

P

his project involves creating components to use in a bracelet, a strategy for linking each inishing off the clasp assembly.

a butterfly using brick stitch beaded cabochon using tubular peyote

r linking the butterfly and beaded cabochon components g a spring ring and a soldered ring

. Conceptualizing the piece

Tcomponent, and a strategy for f For our project, we will create - - - a cloverleaf wire connector fo- a simple clasp assembly usin A

ook back at the image of our sample piece above.

sk yourself these questions: be?

ow large do I want each component to be? nd be sure that there is enough jointedness, that is, that the

, curvature around the wrist, and

nt

pes of materials do I want to use? Combining materials is always an issue – glass seed

I attach the clasp?

r patterns for each butterfly and beaded cabochon, or do I

porizing

L AWhat length around the wrist do I want the bracelet toHHow will I link each component, alinking techniques will allow for adequate movement, drapewear? For the bead-woven components, which stitches to I want to use? How stiff or flexible do I waeach component to be, and how does this relate to my choices of stitch? What tybeads with gemstone? Crystal? Glass? Cabochons? For the connectors, what type of wire? What gauge of wire? What kinds of thread do I want to use – such as Nymo, C-Lon, FireLine, or ONE-G? What color of thread do I want to use? What will the clasp assembly look like, and where and how willWhat colors do I want to use? Metal colors? Glass bead colors? Cabochon colors?Do I want to use the same colors and/owant to vary these? If so, vary in what ways? How do I lay-out the components? In what order? In what positions? In my ContemTraditional Etruscan Jewelry Workshop, the development of this Butterfly Bracelet is used as a challenge to see how many different arrangements of the bracelet components participants can come up with. Here are some examples of different arrangements that students have come up with. What is the Context/Setting the bracelet might be worn in? How easily will the bracelet, once the project is finished, conform to and feel comfortable around the wrist?

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In this project, I wanted to create a mixed technique and components-based bracelet, with some feel of dimensionality, something both elegant and casual, and something that combined bead weaving with wire working techniques.

nd necklaces, varying colors nd patterns from component to component, adding some dimensionality, and mixing

epends on the type and number of components, and their arrangement.

he components could be any size, but the size of the butterfly component sets the stage

th adequate loop-sizes to allow free movement as beaded loops were nked to these. Second, rather than attach these wire connectors directly to the beaded

s

eate stiff rms. It was important that this butterfly component keep its shape, as

orn.

e within which the cabochon sits. And this stitch allows you to tightly envelop a rm that has dimensionality to it, curves, lines and angles. You don’t want the cabochon

help ith the decreasing of the tubular peyote for the beaded cabochon. For the cabochon

he thread I used in this piece was FireLine size D in smoke gray color. I wax the atina,

chness to the beadwoven components.

ts. I wanted it to look similar to the cloverleaf

ire connectors. I wanted it to look like the butterflies on either side of the bracelet

nd he same outline pattern for

e butterfly component, as well as the beaded cabochons, I selected different colors for

It was important that the piece look more contemporary, than traditional. This meant breaking the typical “line” associated with most bracelets aatechniques. The use of components allows you to make as long or as short a bracelet as you like. The length dTfor everything else you do. Here, I tried to keep the butterfly component to about one square inch. Linkage and jointedness result from two things. First, I created cloverleaf wire connectors wilicabochons or butterfly components, I created beaded loops to extend from the component boundaries, and to inter-loop with the wire loops on the connectors. Thireduces undue force on any of the beads or threads within each component’s composition. For the butterfly component, I chose the brick stitch. This stitch allows you to crshapes and fow For the beaded cabochon, I chose tubular peyote. This stitch allows you to create a tight shofoto pop out. You don’t want the “shoe” or bezel to be oddly or awkwardly shaped. For the beaded components, I used 11/0 delicas. There are some 15/0 seed beads to add some embellishment to the butterfly component, and some 15/0 seed beads to witself, I used simple gemstone cabochons (10x14mm). In our example, I used black onyx. For the wire connectors, I used 22 gauge, half hard, round gold-filled wire. TFireLine. The thread color – basically a “black” – adds a sense of antiquity, pri I used a simple spring ring and soldered ring as my clasp assembly. I didn’t want theclasp to compete with the other componenwcame together – that the clasp did not create a visual gap. Since I was contemporizing a traditional Etruscan piece, I wanted to work with golds arich-gold-based and gold-lustered colors. While I created tth

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coloring in each section of the patterns in each component. So, I had the same color palette, but used the colors differently within each component. In fact, I use 5 colors in

any one butterfly component, but choose which 5 from a choice among 6 delica colors, and I vary these choices from butterfly component to butterfly component. Last, when I assembled the components, I did not want to position the butterflies and abochons all in a row. I have two right-side-up and two upside-down, and I attach them

e

B. Measurements

cat different angles. I have the beaded cabochons pointed at different angles. In somplaces, I’ve attached the beaded cabochons to the butterflies at one point, and in others, I’ve attached the cabochons to two points on the butterflies.

sk yourself these questions: A

ow big do I want each component to be? What size and shaped cabochons do I want to use? t do I want to end up with? How much length will my clasp

d” ” number?

I decided to make each butterfly about 1” square. I felt that a 10x14mm oval cabochon would coordinate well in look and size. After playing with the components in many

s

3 beaded cabochons, nd 8 cloverleaf connectors, plus a spring ring clasp and ring.

ber of beads to start off. he first step is making a ring of beads around the bezel. It’s better if it’s tighter than

. Sketching a Pattern

HWhat length and width braceleassembly add to the piece? Can I anticipate any situation(s) within the piece, where I will need to delineate either an “odnumber of beads, or an “evenWhere (what spacing) should I locate the linkage points from component to component?

arrangements, I decided to link them asymmetrically. In some places, the butterfly and beaded cabochon are linked in one place only; in others, in two places. The butterflieface different directions with different North-South orientations. A woman’s size bracelet of 7” consists of 4 butterfly components,a The beaded bezel for the cabochon requires using an even numTlooser.

C

easiest to draw the patterns on a graph. In this case, I used brick titch graph paper, and drew out and colored in my butterfly component.

For a project like this, it is s Do this so it makes sense for you. There are no pre-set rules here.

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Assign symbols to each type of bead and component. KEY

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SKETCH: The BUTTERFLY and Its Patterning

. Each cell represents one 11/0 delica bead. ote how the beads are staggered from row to row, just like in a brick wall. Number each row in

Using Brick Stitch graph paper, draw your butterflyNyour pattern.

In my final piece, I used 5 delica colors in each butterfly component, but selected 5 from a list of 6hoices, and then varied my choices from butterfly component to butterfly component. I used

cdifferent colors from this same palette for each beaded bezel setting.

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SKTECH: The BEADED CABOCHON

te and creates this kind of row structure. You begin ith the center FOUNDATION RING, and then work up. When you feel this part of the setting is

nd

PTIONAL Decreasing Row Above 3: 5/0

ove 1: Main Delica Color

NG:

ow 1: 15/0 between Delica

low 4: 5/0

The beaded cabochon uses tubular peyowsufficient to secure the cabochon, you work your way back down to the FOUNDATION RING, awork down to secure the base of the setting. O1Decreasing Row Above 2: 15/0 betweenDelica Row Ab FOUNDATION CENTER RIAlternating colors in two Peyote Rows Row Bel Decreasing Row Below 2: 15/0 Decreasing Row Below 3: 15/0 OPTIONAL Decreasing Row Be1

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SKETCH: The CLOVERLEAF WIRE CONNECTOR and FIGURE 8 WIRE CONNECTOR

itially, I wanted to use either a FIGURE 8 SHAPE and/or a CLOVERLEAF SHAPE. When I tarted, I wasn’t sure which shape(s) would work best, and since I wanted to play with the

Inspossible arrangements, I created some of both. In my finished piece, I only used the Cloverleafshape.

inally, before we begin to implement our design ideas, we need to do a couple more anticipatory teps.

entify points of potential weakness, that will need reinforcing. In this bracelet, points of potential eakness include:

ttom of each beaded bezel cabochon setting

entify how you want to secure the clasp. In this piece, since I use FireLine, I tie double-knots to the clasp and to the accompanying

Fs Idw

Each place any two components are connected to one another. The top and bo

Id

soldered ring.

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D. Selecting Materials

(125 yards) Beads to form the butterfly components

setting for each cabochon component

#12 English beading needle handy)

paper, ruler

For our example project, a 7” Etruscan Butterfly Bracelet, we will be using the following materials:

moke gray, Size D cable thread (125 yards) Miyuki 11/0 Delica beads in these colors

rams)

s)

rams) et)

ck onyx

e pliers, round nose pliers, scissors, bees wax, size 10 English beading needles, size #12 English beading needle, paper and pencil, ruler

. Visualizing The Process

- Thread or cable thread - - Beads to form the beadwoven bezel - 22 gauge, round, half hard wire - Clasp assembly, including clasp and soldered ring - Work surface - Size #10 English beading needles (and have a size- Bees wax - side cutters, chain nose pliers, round nose pliers, scissors - pen/pencil,

- FireLine, s- DB22L (light metallic bronze), (5-10 grams) DB322 (metallic dark bronze matte), (5 g DB651 (opaque squash), (5-10 grams) DB1016 (metallic raspberry gold iris), (5-10 gram DB12 (metallic raspberry), (5-10 grams) DB133 (olive gold lustered AB), (5-10 grams) - Miyuki 15/0 Seed Bead in black #401, (10 g- 22 gauge, round, half hard, gold-filled wire (2 fe- 6mm gold filled spring ring - 6mm gold filled soldered ring - 3 10x14mm cabochons, bla - work surface, side cutters, chain nos#

E

or the brick stitch butterfly, I personally liked to work this piece going back and forth, left to right, you like to work each row in the same direction, you can work left to right,

unter clockwise. you are left handed, you might like to work clockwise.

oints of weakness. These are areas of your piece that will need reinforcement, and sufficient intedness (such as large enough loops to allow free movement). The clasp assembly will be a

Holding the piece. Fthen right to left. Ifthen flip the piece, to continue to work left to right. In this case, be sure you can remember which side is true left and which is true right, so you can follow the color pattern. For the peyote stitch beaded bezel setting, I am right handed, and like to work coIf P

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jo

weak link on this piece. Another weak link will be the points at which each component connects to the other.

. Organizing Your Work Space

F

needles, tools, bees wax, work surface, handy pen and aper, ruler, and the like, altogether in one place.

. Beginning Your Project: The Basic Steps

Get your beads, stringing materials,p G

man’s bracelet using FireLine cable thread

. Create the butterfly components aded cabochon components

nts

TEP A. Create the Butterfly Components Using Brick Stitch

The instructions below are for making a 7” long wo BASIC STEPS: AB. Create the beC. Create the wire connectors D. Assemble the pieces, and link the componeE. Add the clasp assembly S

snagging a thread loop etween previously bead-woven beads.

riented up and down.

1. Create a base ladder row

Brick Stitch is a beadweaving technique that locks in each bead byb In Brick Stitch, the hole of each bead is o A

create a base row using a ladder stitch.

is to create the base w ladder. In our project, the widest row is Row 17. It is 16 beads across.

To start Brick Stitch, we need to It’s easiest to begin by selecting the widest row in our diagram, and use thro

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Start with an arm-to-arm’s length of FireLine (about 6 feet). [We typically work with this much thread at a time.] Thread this onto a size #10 English beading needle. Leave about a 6” tail.

Note: FireLine is round and beading needles have rectangular holes. If you have having difficulty threading the FireLine onto the needle, either use your fingernails or a chain nose pliers to flatten the end of the thread.

We are going to use a single needle ladder stitch technique, and create a ladder that is 1 bead tall and 16 beads wide, following the pattern in our graph for Row 17. We start with 2 (A and B) 11/0 delica beads, a Gold (A) and a Rose (B). Take your needle/thread up through the Rose (B) bead, down through the Gold (A) bead. Slide the two beads down towards the end of the thread, leaving about a 6-8” tail. Tie a tight overhand knot to secure the two beads together. Be sure that the beads are aligned so that both are facing up and down in the same way. Circle one more time with your thread and come back up through the Rose (B) bead so that the thread is coming out the top.

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Add another bead (C). In this case, it will be another Rose color bead. Double back around, making a circle, going up through B, then down through C, coming out the bottom of C. Be sure the 3 beads are aligned and oriented in the same direction. Pinch the beads, and give the thread a good tug to tighten them together, before adding the next bead (D).

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Continue with these steps, adding, circling back, tightening, adding, circling back, tightening, until your ladder includes the full Row 17 (that is, has 16 beads all in a row, all facing the same direction). While you’re working your way across, keep the developing ladder-row of beads pinched between your thumb and forefinger. Frequently tug on your thread to keep the beads

tightly lined up together, and locked in place. If you pull your thread in the direction you want the bead to end up in, this helps lock it in place.

We want to position this ladder-row with the thread exiting the top of the last bead in the row. If your thread is pointing in the wrong direction, flip the beads over, so it is coming out the top. [It doesn’t matter if your tail thread is coming out the bottom or the top of the first bead.] A2. Adding the Wings On Top To add the wing sections on top, in order to get that sense of “indentation”, we need to Decrease the next row (ROW 18), using brick stitch. To decrease, we will begin by picking up 2 beads to the thread, and snagging the 2nd exposed loop from the right. Then we go back up through the last bead, coming out the top, and positioned for the next step.

Each time we begin a row, we pick up 2 beads. Then as we work down the row, we typically pick up 1 bead at a time.

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We continue down the row by adding 1 bead at a time, and snagging the next exposed loop. Then we go back up through the bead we added, coming out the top, and positioned to pick up the next bead.

If we were not Decreasing, we would start off the next row by adding 2 beads, but snagging the first exposed loop, rather than the second. And then continue one bead at a time until we reached the end of the row.

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If we wanted to Increase the length of the row, we would begin the row by adding 2 beads and snagging the first exposed loop. Then we would continue one bead at a time until we snagged the next to the last exposed loop. At this point, we would end the row by squeezing 2 beads off of this last exposed loop, adding one bead at a time.

Let’s begin. This next row (ROW 18) is broken up into two halves. On the right side, we will make a row with 5 Gold beads. Pick up 2 GOLD (F and G), and snag the 2nd exposed loop from the right side. Come back up through G. To secure, make one more circle, going from the top of G, back down through F, and back up through G, exiting the top of G. Tug on the thread, and use your fingers, to be sure these two beads are locked into place. Add 1 more Gold bead, and snag the next exposed loop. Bring the needle back up through this new Gold bead, coming out the top. Tug on the thread, and use your fingers, to be sure this bead is now locked into place. We won’t worry about that extra reinforcing circle, except where I indicate in these instructions. Continue down this Row, repeating two more times, to complete a row of 5 beads, where the thread is exiting the top of your fifth bead, and ready to create the Row 19 above it. Now compare Row 18 to Row 19. Ask yourself: - Same number of beads? – then, no decreasing or increasing - Greater number of beads? – then, need to increase - Fewer number of beads? - then, need to decrease Row 19 has 4 beads and Row 18 has 5 beads, for each wing section, so we need to decrease here. So, we pick up 2 GOLD beads and snag the 2nd exposed loop from the left side. Then come back up from bottom to top through the 2nd bead. Add the 3rd Gold bead, snag the last loop, and come back up from bottom to top through this 3rd bead. Repeat with the 4th bead. Now your thread is exiting the top of this 4th bead, Row 20 has 2 beads and Row 19 has 4 beads, so that means we will be decreasing one more time. Pick up 2 GOLD beads, and snag the 2nd exposed loop from the right side. Then come back up from bottom to top through the 2nd bead.

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The next step is to create the top of the wing on the other side of this piece. Notice where the thread is coming out. We need to maneuver from there over to the other end of Row 17. So, we want to take our needle and thread, and snag the loop between the two beads which make up Row 20. This lets us reverse direction. Now we can continue by going through, from top to bottom, the 2nd (inside) bead on Row 20, and down the diagonal through the 3rd (inside bead) of Row 19, the 4th (inside) bead on Row 18, and the 5th bead on Row 17. Repeat the ladder stitch along Row 17 until you get to the other end. So, up 6th bead, down 7th bead, up 8th bead, down 9th bead, and so forth, until you are coming up 16th bead, and ready to begin Row 18 on this side of the piece.

Compare Row 18 to Row 17, and you see we want to Decrease. So, pick up 2 beads, snag the 2nd exposed loop from the end, go back up through the 2nd bead. Reinforce this first pair of beads by circling through them a 2nd time. Then follow the pattern as we did for the other side.

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A3. Completing the Rest of the Body Your thread is coming out of bead 2 (inside) in Row 20. You want your thread to be coming out of the first bead on the left side in Row 17. Take your needle and thread and follow the outside diagonal – Bead 1 (Row 20), Bead 1 (Row 19), Bead 1 (Row 18) and Bead 1 (Row 17), coming out the bottom of this bead. The next row we’ll do is Row 16. Compare the number of beads in Row 16 to that in Row 17. Row 16 has one less bead. This means we will be decreasing. Flip your piece so that Row 17 is on top. Pick up two beads – one Gold and then one Rose, snag the 2nd exposed loop from the left, go back through the 2nd bead (Rose), coming out the top. Pick up 1 bead, snag the next exposed loop, back up through this bead, and so forth, working your way down Row 16, following the color pattern in our graph. Be sure to lock your beads in place, each facing the correct direction. Tug on the thread, use your fingers, and/or use your needle to line each bead up correctly. When you get to the middle of this row, stop. Your thread will be coming out the top of the 7th bead in Row 16. If you are following the color pattern in our graph, this will be a Gold bead, and the next bead we will be adding is a Bronze one. We need to add one bead as the “head”. Pick up 1 Bronze bead. Snag the next exposed loop. Come back up through the Bronze bead. Snag the thread loop next to it, so you can reverse direction, and return back up through the Bronze bead, headed towards Row 17. Continue to take your needle up the diagonal through the right-most Bronze Bead (bead 9 in Row 17). Pick up a Bronze Bead. Take your needle down through the left most Bronze bead (bead 8 in Row 17), and back through our Bronze bead (bead 8 in Row 16). Notice that the “head” bronze bead lies on its side.

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Now we are ready to finish off Row 16, using brick stitch, and following our color pattern. Rows 15, 14, 13, 12, 11 and 10 all decrease. Finish them off, as we have Row 16. Be sure to lock each bead in place, before proceeding to the next. Row 9, and again Row 8, increase in size.

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To increase in brick stitch, we begin the row by picking up 2 beads, snagging the First exposed thread-loop, going back up through the 2nd bead, and continue across the row, adding 1 bead at a time, until we get to the last exposed thread loop. Here we are going to squeeze 2 beads off the last exposed thread-loop, but still adding 1 bead at a time. Pick up 1 bead and then snag this last thread loop. Come back up through this bead. Add another bead, and then snag this same last thread-loop. Come back up through this bead, and you are positioned to start the next row. See the diagram above. We increase again in Row 8. We then decrease in Rows 7, 6, 5, 4, and 3. Continue brick sticking until you finish Row 3.

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A4. Adding the Two Tails We are ready to add the two tails and end of the body, and complete Rows 2 and 1.

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Orient your piece, so that your working thread is coming out of the first bead on the left-most side of Row 3. Pick up one bead, pull it close up to Row 3, and snag the 2nd exposed thread-loop. This bead is now laying on its side, covering the bottom hole of the second bead in Row 3. Bring your thread back through this bead, from the right and toward the outer left edge of your piece. Pick up another bead, and make a circle with your thread, just like the ladder stitch, going through the first bead from right to left. Make two more reinforcing circles. (See part a of diagram above) Then as you come out the first bead (the one on top), take your needle/thread Up through the 2nd bead in Row 3. And then down through the 3rd bead in Row 3. (See part b of diagram above) Pick up another bead, and take your thread up through the 4th bead in Row 3. This new bead will be laying on its side, You need to do some reinforcing here. Circle 1 or 2 times from Row 3/Bead 4 to Row 3/bead 3 through the new bead laying on its side, up back through Row 3/Bead 4. (See part c of diagram above)

Your thread is now coming out the top of the 4th bead in Row 3. Bring it down through the 5th bead in Row 3, and then up through the 6th bead in Row 3. We want to change directions, so we will snag the thread between the edge beads on Row 3 and Row 4, and then come back down through this 6th bead in Row 3, coming out the bottom. (See part d of diagram above) Last we want to add the 2nd tail. Your thread is coming out of bead 6 in Row 3. Pick up one bead, pull it close up to Row 3, and snag the 2nd exposed thread-loop from the right side. This bead is now laying on its side, covering the bottom hole of the next to last bead in Row 3. Bring your thread back through this next-to-last bead on Row 3, then down through the last bead (bead 6), back through this Row 2 bead which is on its side, coming out its left side. Pick up another bead, and make a circle with your thread, just like the ladder stitch, going through the first bead from right to left. Make two more reinforcing circles.

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Then as you come out the first bead (the one on top), take your needle/thread Up through the next to last bead (5th bead) in Row 3.

5. Adding Some Embellishment

A

e want to add a little embellishment to give our butterfly component some dimensionality. The W

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first thing we are going to do, using 11/0 delica beads, is to embellish the long, central tubular body. The second thing we are going to do, using 15/0 seed beads, is to add some surface texture near the top of each wing.

Delicas along the body tube: Your thread is exiting the top of the 5th bead in Row three. Come back down through the 4th bead in Row three. Go through the middle bead in Row 2 which is on its side, and at the base of the body tube. Then snag the thread loop between this Row 2 bead and the 3rd and 4th bead in Row 3. We are now position to go up the body in a straight line, towards the head of the butterfly. Add 1 bead. I used the Gold Beads (DB 22L), in my example. Pull the bead all the way down to the body. Take your needle/thread through the middle bead (bead 4) in Row 4, and come out the other end. Add another bead. Pull the bead all the way down to the body. Take your needle/thread through the middle bead (bead 6) in Row 6, and come out the other end. Continue this pattern until you have added 7 embellishment beads. Each time you come out a bead with your thread, give a good pull on the thread, to make sure these new beads sit close and tight to the body.

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We are going to add an 8th embellishment bead, but finishing this step off is a little trickier. Pick up 1 bead. Take your needle and push through the gap between the middle bead (the “head”) in Row 18, and the two middle beads (8th and 9th beads) in Row 17. Pull hard. The circle through the right side of the “head” bead and out through the left. Then go down through the 8th bead in Row 17. 15/0’s at the top of each wing We need to position the working through where we want to add the 15/0 seed bead embellishment at the top of the left wing. For this project, I used black opaque 15/0 seed beads. The goal here is to add 3 beads (on each side) in a triangular pattern, roughly in the locations illustrated in the graph above. Pick up one 15/0 bead. Push the needle/thread between two beads in the same row where you want your 15/0 bead to sit, and come out the back of the butterfly. Pull tightly on the thread to lock the 15/0’s above the delicas. Push the needle/thread back up to the front of the butterfly, making sure that your thread will snag one of the thread loops, and holdthe 15/0 securely in place. Again, pull tight on the thread. Reposition your needle/thread where you want your next 15/0 seed bead to go. [This may be in the same place where you are now.] Do the same thing. Repeat one more time. Then maneuver your working thread across your piece, and add 3 15/0 seed beads on the top of the other wing as well.

You are finished with your first butterfly component. You will need to make at least 3 additional ones for your bracelet. Next we use the peyote stitch to create bezel settings for our cabochons.

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STEP B. Create the beaded cabochon components We will be using the tubular peyote stitch here. The peyote stitch creates a similar “staggered brick wall” effect, like the brick. But unlike in brick, in peyote, you take your threads through each bead. You do not snag thread-loops. Where in brick, the beads orient North-South, in Peyote, they will orient East-West. We will be using an open-back method for creating a beaded bezel setting for our cabochons. This method allows the back to show, as well as the front, and looks more elegant than older methods of creating these settings. Like the brick, we want to lock each bead tightly in place, as we add it. As we build up the sides of the bezel, it’s helpful to pull the thread in the direction you want the bead to lay. This helps increase the thread tension and leads to a tighter bezel. In tubular peyote, as we make each circular row and go up to the next, we call this a “step-up”. We need to pay close attention to our pieces so that we don’t miss the step-up. We will also be decreasing in tubular peyote. For one of our circular rows, this means using the smaller 15/0 seed beads as we create our peyote zipper. The smaller beads have the effect of pulling the circle smaller. For other rows, we will use a typical decreasing strategy for tubular peyote. B1: Creating the Foundation Center For this bezel, we will use 11/0 delicas and 15/0 seed beads, with 10x14mm cabochons and FireLine Size D thread. The delicas form the body (or shoe) of the bezel. The seed beads are used to tighten the top and the bottom of the bezel, to lock the cabochon stone in place. In selecting colors, you would want the 11/0 delicas to pick up and coordinate with the colors you have used in your butterfly components. You would want the 15/0 seed beads to come as close to the predominant color in your cabochons, so that, in the completed beadwoven piece, they do not detract from the stone, and in fact, are somewhat camouflaged. The more the top and bottom of the stone shows and is not hidden by beads, the prettier it will be. Color-matching with the 15/0’s adds to this illusion. The colors I selected for the 3 cabochons in my finished piece were: Cabochon Top 11/0 delica Middle 11/0 delica 15/0 Seed #1 12 purple 651 marigold 401 black #2 1016 rose 133 olive 401 black #3 651 marigold 12 purple 401 black You can use a size #10 needles to start the project, but switch to a size #12 needle, when you begin to work with the 15/0 seed beads. Start with 1 yard of FireLine. This should be sufficient. Thread your needle. For this set of instructions, we are going to start with Cabochon #3 with DB651 (marigold) and DB12 (purple).

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We are going to alternate the colors – marigold/purple/marigold/purple/marigold/purple etc. Pick up enough beads to make a complete, snug circle around the 10x14mm cabochon. You always want to end up with an even number of beads on your thread. For our 10x14mm cabochon, we should need 30 beads (15 of each color, in an alternating layout). Push your beads down the thread on the opposite end from the needle, and leave about a 6” tail. Run your thread back through the first 10-11 of the beads to form a circle, making sure you are exiting the Top 11/0 delica color (in this case, the DB651 marigold; see chart above). This is the predominant color that people will see, when you complete your bezel.

I am right-handed and am going to work counter-clockwise. The thread is ready for me to go to the next step. [If you are left-handed, flip the piece over, so that you can work in a clockwise direction] From this ring, we are going to create the “zipper” that characterizes the peyote stitch. And the up-and-down “zipper” arrangement of beads will be counted as the first two rows of our peyote piece.

Be careful that you don’t push all the beads off the tail end. Good idea to pinch the tail to your bead ring until after you’ve completed making your “zipper.”

We are going to add Top-Delica-Colors to our ring. So pick up a Top-Delica-Color, in this case a DB651 marigold, skip over the DB12 purple bead, and pass through the next DB651 marigold bead. We are going to continue to Add1, skip1, all around the circle until we get to our step-up point.

For this 10x14mm cabochon, we will be adding 15 more Top-Delica-Color beads before we arrive at the Step-Up.

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As we are working our way around the circle, we want to keep things tight. Using our fingers and our needle, we want to push things so that they line up like a zipper, like this diagram below.

We want to minimize any twisting of the thread as we’re creating this circular zipper. The easiest way to do this, while you are bead weaving, is to pinch the circle with your thumb and forefinger. Also pinch down the tail. As you add each Top-Delica-Color bead (in this case, marigold), for this first cabochon, pull your thread outward as you are locking the bead in place. This makes it easier to end up with a ring that has the Middle-Delica Color (in this case, purple) pointing inward from the circle, and the Top-Delica-Color (marigold) pointing outward from the circle. [For subsequent cabochon bezels, if you are comfortable with the process, pull inward in the direction you want the bead to end up as part of the “shoe”, rather than outward. You’ll end up with a tighter piece here, but all the visual clues won’t be as obvious, as you work through the project.] Last, before we step up, lay your circle of beads onto a hard surface – like a desk or table top. Using your fingers, fingernails and your needle, flatten everything out so you can clearly see our circular zipper. Tighten every thing up as best you can.

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[When you make your 2nd and 3rd beaded cabochon bezels, you don’t need to flatten everything out, like we did here. I was trying to make a visual point. As you learn to get more control over creating this kind of piece, you’ll want to pull all your beads inward, not outward, as you weave. But you do need to make sure each color is in the right position, before you step up and start the next peyote row.]

B2: The Step-Up The Step-Up is the point where you finish one row, and you need to step-up to the next point, where you can continue to peyote stitch and add another row. So, in the picture below, there is no more place to add a marigold bead and skip over a purple. When we reach this point, we take our needle and thread up through the next marigold bead, and the begin the peyote stitch pattern again.

In our project, we will continue using the Top-Delica-Color (marigold). So we will pick up 1 marigold bead, skip over a marigold bead, and thread through the next marigold bead, and so forth.

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We are going to add one more row of Top-Color-Delicas (marigold). When we get to the end of the row and the Step-Up, this time, all the beads will be the same color, so you need to pay good attention. It’s all over if you miss the Step-Up. We want the eventual shape of the bezel to be like an oval shoe. So this third time around, as we add each bead, we’re going to pull the bead inward in the direction we want it sit, as we lock it in place. So, pinch the bead woven ring between your thumb and forefinger, add a bead, tug the thread inward in the direction you want the bead to lay, pass through the next zipper point, shift the bead woven ring between your fingers a bit, add a bead and so forth. After you thread through the next step up, we’re going to pause here. We want to fit our bead woven band around our cabochon, and begin to push it into the shape we want to end up with. If this band is too loose, we may want to begin again with 2 fewer delica beads in our foundation circle. We have to make a decision here. If your cabochon is very high-domed, you may want to add 1 more row of 11/0 delicas. If it is not, we can begin a row with 15/0 seed beads. Remember, our goal is to have as much of the stone showing, yet still secure within the bezel and which won’t pop out of the setting. Let’s begin with the 15/0 seed beads. Since these are smaller than the 11/0 delicas, the top of the bezel will begin to cup. Remember, add a bead, pull inward with the thread in the direction you want the bead to lay. You also may want to switch to your size #12 needle here. You probably can now work this developing bezel over the fingertip of your forefinger. Use your thumb to pinch it in place.

Go ahead and step up into the next row through that 15/0 seed bead, and pause.

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Take this band and fit it back over your cabochon. Decision time: Do you feel that the band covers enough area and is tight enough, so that the stone won’t pop out, after we create the bezel bottom? If not, you can add another row of 15/0 seed beads. In this row, however, you might either want to do some decreasing (see how we do this below when we create the bezel bottom), or use an even smaller bead, such as a Czech size 14/0 or 15/0, which is smaller than the Japanese 15/0.

B3: Creating The Bezel Bottom, and Locking In The Cabochon Stone You need to work your needle/thread down to the bottom row, so that you are exiting a Middle-Delica-Color (in this example, a purple) bead, and facing in the direction you want to bead. I am right-handed, so I prefer to work counter-clockwise with this stitch. We will be adding several rounds of 15/0 seed beads on the back until the cabochon is secure within the beadwork. The first, and perhaps second, round of 15/0’s can be worked without the cabochon in place. However, at this point, you will need to slip the cabochon into the “shoe” and work over it. As we add each subsequent row of 15/0 seed beads to the bezel bottom, we will want to decrease 2 to 4 times, each circumference, spacing each decrease as evenly as possible. Decreasing in Peyote: It takes 2 rows (that is, going twice around) in order to complete a decrease in peyote stitch. In the first go-around, we skip adding a bead, by stitching into the ditch.

In the second go-around, we add one bead in the decrease, where otherwise there would have been two beads. One bead takes the place of two, thus narrowing the gap, and pulling the tension tighter. [Occasionally, we might add two beads in the decrease, if the gap created by this decrease is especially wide.]

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Let’s Start The Bottom Of The Bezel Let’s peyote around, using the 15/0’s (which, in this case, are black) and passing through the existing 11/0 delicas (which, in this case are purple). The smaller size of the 15/0’s will force the edge to begin curving inward. Each time you add a bead, pull on it inward to lock it in place and get it to lay in the direction you want it to. When you get to the last Delica (purple) bead, you will step up through a 15/0 (black) bead. You are in position to do the next row. Try to fit your bezel over the cabochon. See if you can hold the cabochon in the bezel and control the bezel so that it doesn’t slip off, and that you can continue to make another bottom row with 15/0’s. If not, make one more row with 15/0s, and then you’ll have to make the cabochon fit and stay, in order to complete the task. In this next row, I suggest making 3-4 decreases in this row, as evenly spaced as you can. This means, that in 3-4 places around the row (about every 3-4 up-beads in your peyote pattern), you will sew into a “ditch” rather than add a bead in the peyote pattern. So, in this particular row, you would add a 15/0, sew down through a 15/0, then an 11/0 delica, and back up through a 15/0, and then add another 15/0. Then you continue by going through a 15/0, adding a 15/0, going through a 15/0, and continuing with your pattern, until you are ready to make the next decrease. Until you are ready to step up.

I find that it’s a good idea in this row to make a lot of decreases. If you had a larger stone, you might make 5 or more decreases. It’s good to force this bottom bezeling to get very tight very quickly.

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Now we are making our 3rd circumference with 15/0 seed beads. When we come to a ditch, we add a bead, and peyote through the next up-bead across the ditch. Pull tight. This brings our

beadwork in tighter. We are not going to decrease in this row. Work your way around until you step up again. [Sometimes, this ditch is especially wide. If, after you’ve added 1 bead, you have too much thread showing and can’t pull the beads tightly to each other across this ditch, weave your way backward one step. Then add 2 15/0 seed beads, and try to cross the ditch again. As you add rows, especially if your cabochon is not a round shape, you might find that there are places, such as the top and bottom of our oval, where if you added 1 bead, it would fit too tightly – thus forcing your weaving apart, when you are wanting to bring the beads tighter together. In this case, you would not add a bead, but rather stitch into the ditch.]

I know we are having to make a lot of judgment calls here. And I know holding the bezel and the cabochon at the same time is very awkward. Hold in here. When we are finished, you’ll be very pleased with the result.

We don’t want to fill in the back of the stone completely. We want some of the stone to show. We are going to stop this process when we are sure the stone is locked in. Finishing the bezel off Snag a thread loop and tie a half hitch knot with your thread. Weave back through several beads, zig-zagging where you can. Snag another thread loop, tie a knot, and zig zag some more. Not cut off your thread. If you have a tail thread still showing, but the needle on the thread, snag a thread loop, and zig zag so that your tail comes out one of the 15/0 seed beads on the bottom of your bezel. Trim your tail thread. STEP C. Create the wire connectors We are going to create 2 styles of wire connectors – a Figure 8, and a Cloverleaf. Which shapes you use, how many, and where depends on how you end up wanting to design and assemble the final components piece. !!!SAFETY: When CUTTING, point the wire at an angle down towards and close to the table, so that when you cut the piece off, it drops onto the table, …. And doesn’t fly through the air and hit someone.!!!

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C1 The Figure 8 Cut a 3” length of the 22ga gold filled, half hard wire.

1. Grab wire 1” from end with a chain nose pliers. 2. Bend wire w/ fingers at 90 degree angle away from you

3. Place round nose pliers on the bent-over-wire at and right under the bend, on the half-way point up the jaws of the round nose pliers. The bent-over wire should be facing away from you. 4. With fingers, bend the bent-over wire in a clockwise direction, going around and over the top jaw of the round nose pliers, and towards your body, and continue coming down towards the floor. Go about ¾ of the way around with your loop.

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5. Reposition the round nose pliers. Slide the loop off the top jaw. Re-slide the loop back onto the bottom jaw 6. Push the bent-over wire the remaining ¼ way to form a complete loop. Push the wire past the “neck” – where the bend in the wire is, and keep this on the right (as opposed to left) side of the neck. Push this wire tail so that it is at a 90 degree angle with the wire-spine below the base of the loop. Hold tight with round nose pliers to maintain roundness of loop.

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7. Using fingers (and/or a chain nose pliers), wrap the wire (counter clockwise) around the neck below the loop. Make 2 coils – tight. – Go slow to get the tightness. If you are starting to go around a 3rd time, cut off the excess wire. Using your chain nose pliers, tuck the cut end into the coil to hide it. Use a chain nose pliers to tighten coils so they are seated snugly against each other. [You may want to use a flat nose pliers to grab onto the loop, while finishing manipulating the coil with the chain nose pliers).

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8. If need to: - orient loop perpendicularly - flatten out any curving in loop wire 9. Slip an 11/0 delica bead on. Use one of the colors from your butterfly component color palette.

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10. Grab the wire about 1/16” to 1/8” from the bead with the chain nose pliers. REPEAT Steps 2-8. 11. If need to: - Orient loop perpendicularly - Flatten out any curving in loop wire - Orient both loops of Figure 8 so they lay in the same direction (that is, on the same plane)

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C2 The Cloverleaf This connector has 3 loops. Make the center loop slightly larger than the outer two loops. Start with a 3” length of 22ga wire.

1. Grab this piece in the center with a round nose pliers. Position the wire half way to 3/4 of the way up the jaws towards the widest part, so that your resulting loop (outer diameter) will be about 5mm or 6mm. Push both legs up and around the jaw of the pliers, to create a loop.

2. Grab the legs at the base of the loop. Twist the legs clockwise with your fingers at least twice to create a coiled loop.

3. Cut the leg on one side to 1” . 4. Slip on an 11/0 delica bead to one of the legs, using a color from your butterfly component palette.

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5. With one hand, pinch what will become the center loop. With the other hand, take a round nose pliers, and grab the end of the leg-wire, at the center point along the jaws. Hold your wire component steady, and twist your wrist, going counter clockwise. Here we are going to make a loop, and keep rolling up the wire until it meets in the center. This will take 2-3 distinct steps. First rotate your wrist as far as it will go. Let go of the tension on your pliers, rotate your wrist back a ways, again grab the loop with your pliers, and rotate your wrist counter clockwise again. Let go, move your wrist back, grab again, and rotate counterclockwise. Like rolling up a rug. This loop should be between 4mm and 5mm. Must go around at least 2 complete times. Position this loop so that it is on the same plane as your center loop, butts up next to the center loop. Use your chain nose pliers to position any wire ends so that they are tucked in with the loops and/or coils.

REPEAT steps 3, 4 and 5 with the other remaining leg.

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STEP D. Assemble the pieces, and link the components D1. Position All The Components In my Contemporizing Traditional Etruscan Jewelry Workshop, the development of this Butterfly Bracelet is used as a challenge to see how many different arrangements of the bracelet components participants can come up with. Here are some examples of different arrangements that students have come up with. The components can be positioned - along an imaginary line, or not - facing the same ways, or not - angled, or not - separated by other components, or not While you are playing with the layout, remember that you must anticipate how you will connect each component, and at which physical points on each component. Will these attach-points always be at the same placement, or not? The parts must be greater than the whole. Your final composition must feel coherent and look appealing. You want to avoid leaving uncomfortable gaps or negative spaces between components. D2. Connecting the Components Any piece of jewelry, but particularly bracelets, are subjected to lots of forces from movement, friction, twisting, and the like. So you need to create a lot of “jointedness” between components. One way to do this is through the use of rings and loops. Rather than connect each component directly to the other, I added loops to the edges of my beaded components. Each loop consists of 6 (six) 11/0 delica beads, threaded on FireLine and turned into a circle. In my example, I used the “gold” color delicas to make these connecting loops.

Each loop requires starting with 18” of FireLine. Leave a 4-6” tail.

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Position the two components you want to link together where you want the links to be. Take your needle/thread and snag a thread loop at this point on connection on the beadwoven component. Come up from the back to the front, when doing this. Tie a double knot with the tail and main thread. String on 6 11/0 delica beads. Thread through the wire component loop. Catch the same thread on the beadwoven piece, pull the circle of beads tight. Circle the 6 beads one more time. As you make this circle, go through 2 beads at a time. Then pull tight. Then the next 2 beads. Pull tight, last 2, pull tight. Bring your needle so that it is exiting the back of the beadwoven component. Snag a thread-loop and tie a knot. Circle your 6 delica beads at least 2 more times. Snag a thread-loop and tie ak not. Zig zag your main thread and then cut. Put the needle on the tail, zig zag a bit, and then cut it off. It takes about 20 minutes to complete each of these connecting loops. STEP E. Add the clasp assembly The clasp used in our example was a spring ring for one side and a soldered ring for the other. Attach these like you did the wire connectors. Make a 6 11/0 delica beads loop, taking the loop through the clasp (and then the ring on the other side), securing the beaded loop. Reinforce this loop 2 or more times.

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H. Dealing with Contingencies – Things that may happen Running Out Of Thread

ABOUT ADDING THREAD When it looks like there is about 12” of thread left, I start to plan to tie it off and begin another thread. To tie off the old thread, I snag a thread-loop (the thread between any two beads) and tie a simple half hitch knot. I then , work my way backwards towards the direction I had come from through a few beads, snag another thread-loop and tie another knot, continuing to work backwards a little bit more, and then trim the thread as close to the exiting hole of the bead as possible. With the brick stitch piece, if you can end up making a circular pattern or zig zag pattern, as you weave off your thread, this is good. To add a new thread, I start back a few beads. I snag a thread-loop, tie a half hitch knot while leaving a 6-8” tail, and work my way up to where I want the thread to come out, and continue where I left off. This is called Anchoring: After you snag the thread-loop, you tie an overhand knot around the thread, in order to anchor your main thread to the piece. When I am finished with the project, I put a needle on the tail, and work my way back through some beads, before cutting off the tail.

Thread not exiting a bead in the correct direction you want it to go.

Reversing Direction: Another thing you can do, after you snag the thread-loop, is double back with your needle and thread, to reverse direction on the same row.

Dealing With Your Tail Threads and Ending Your Working Thread

Thread your tail onto a needle, weave back into your piece. If your thread is long enough, go through a couple beads, snag a thread-loop, tie a simple knot, and continue through a few more beads, trying to make a circle or a zig zag pattern. Then cut your thread.

You Crack a Bead

If you are having difficulty pushing your needle through the bead, particularly the small delica or seed beads, then switch to the thinner size #12 English beading needle. If a delica or seed bead cracks on you, you can either ignore it, cut up your work back to that point and start again, or sew in another one, anchoring it tightly to the beads around it so that it looks like it was not sewn in.

Your Cabochon Stills Wants To Pop Out Of The Bezel

First, reinforce the inner ring on the top of your bezel by taking another thread through it. If there is still a problem, add an addition inner ring using 15/0 seed beads.

With some high-walled cabochons, you might want to start the foundation center using 10/0 or 8/0 delica beads, then graduate down to the 11/0 delicas, and finally the 15/0 seed beads.

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Cabochon is Not Laying As Centered within the Bezel as You Would Like Roll the beads with your fingers, sort of like getting your socks to lay positioned correctly on your feet when you put them on. Or, strategically fill in areas with beads, so that visually things are center.

Correcting Mistakes with Your Wire Work – Making It Pretty:

A. Loop doesn’t meet end to end. Use your chain nose pliers to push the end of the loop into place.

B. Loop not circular. Push the loop onto one of the sides of the round nose pliers. Close the jaws onto the loop. Twist the pliers back and forth while pushing the loop down.

C. Loop not centered. Stick your thumbnail behind the spine of the head pin at the point the loop begins. Put your round nose pliers into the loop, and push back towards your thumbnail to center the loop. If you end up with the end of the loop having separated from the beginning of the loop, go to “A”.

I. Finishing Touches I1. Signature bead or embellishment I think it is always a good idea to use a signature bead in your projects. This might be a unique bead added near the beginning or end of the piece, or an engraved tag added as part of the clasp assembly. You want your signature bead to identify the piece as your own, but you don’t want your signature bead to compete with or detract from your piece. The general structure of this Etruscan Butterfly Bracelet has been created by Warren Feld. However, when your personalize this pattern in any way – choice of beads, choice of patterns, choice of lay-out, choice of stringing material, choice of clasp, choice of color scheme – you add your own touches, and the piece deserves your signature. WARREN FELD www.warrenfeldjewelry.com Jewelry Designer Director, Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts (www.landofodds.com/beadschool ) and www.LearnToBead.net Owner, Land of Odds (www.landofodds.com ) and Be Dazzled Beads (www.bedazzledbeads.com) For Warren Feld, Jewelry Designer, beading and jewelry making endeavors have been wonderful adventures. These adventures, over the past 25 years, have taken Warren from the basics of bead stringing and bead weaving, to wire working and silver smithing, and onward to more complex jewelry designs which build on the strengths of a full range of technical skills and experiences. All jewelry, artworks, images, designs, copy, Copyright 2008 Warren Feld. All rights reserved. Warren Feld Studio