Géraud Marie - Beadweaving with cabochons: 30 stunning jewelry designs

Beads

Delicas are a specific type of small glass bead (generically called seed beads) made in Japan by the Miyuki company; other makers use different names: Magnifica by Mill Hill, Trsor by Toho. They are cylindrical with a large hole, and thus distinguished from rocailles, which are more or less spherical and usually have a small hole.

Most of the beads in this book are Miyuki Delicas; in the materials lists they are indicated by the code DB or DBC, followed by a numeral that specifies the color. There are also a few Toho beads; these are indicated by the code TO followed by a color number. To simplify the directions, I refer to all similar beads as Delica.

Delicas: smooth or faceted? Many Delica beads are smooth, but you can also find some with a regularly faceted surface. Viewed on end, these beads are hexagonal, which explains why they are often referred to as hex or cut, (the C in the DBC code refers to cut beads). This form adds relief, sparkle, and a unique touch to jewelry; faceted Delica beads mix well with smooth ones.

Because of their precise cylindrical shape, Delica beads produce an effect quite different from round rocailles. They align perfectly, one next to the other, creating a regular surface that looks much like a woven textile. Projects made with them are supple and easy to manipulate.

Bead sizes are indicated by a numeral followed by a/followed by zero. The higher the numeral, the smaller the bead. The jewelry in this book is made with size 11/0 beads, which are 1.7 mm in diameter, with a hole diameter of .64 mm.

This measuring system applies equally to Delicas and rocailles, and some rocailles are used in this book. But the rocailles I used most often are tinier still, size 15/0, which are about 1.3 mm in diameter. If you want this smaller size, choose good quality Japanese rocailles from the same manufacturer as the 11/0 beads. In the materials lists, Miyuki rocailles are indicated with the code M, Toho rocailles by the code TO.

These small beads are the basic ingredients for the jewelry, but its by combining them with other beadslarger, more brilliant, more spectacularthat you are able to create exceptional pieces.

Youll find in the pages that follow beads made of glass, and of crystal, in a variety of pendant forms, and also crystal cabochons and rhinestones (chatons), large, small, round, square, oval, and always with a marvelous sparkle. The color names listed for these are for Swarovski crystal beads if that is what I used for the sample in the photo, otherwise the color name is simply descriptive.

The possibilities are infinite, yet the most appealing design can be spoiled if the colors chosen are not harmonious. Every design, whether simple or complex, is best when interpreted in pleasing colors with meticulous workmanship.

Needles

Bead weaving is very similar to embroidery. The beads are threaded together with a special long, thin needle. The needle size is indicated by a number; the higher the number, the finer and more fragile the needle. You may begin a project using a size 10 or 12 needle, but as the work progresses and the thread passes through the beads repeatedly, the holes become smaller and you may need to complete the work with a smaller size needle. However, you should never need a needle smaller than size 13 for the projects in this book. (Smaller needles exist but they are very difficult to thread indeed, and above all, terribly fragile, so work that requires them holds little interest for me.)

Thread

Beads, needles, thread the thread used for the projects in this book is a multi-filament nylon thread; it is not the same as garment sewing thread. There are several brands (Nymo, Silamide, and C-Ion are widely available). I almost always use C-Ion (size D) because it is easy for me to find, it doesnt stretch, and it comes in many colors that match the beads, on 65 yard (60 m) spools.