6/12/12

A Time to (Herringbone) Stitch

When Therese of Therese's Treasures was looking for a way to celebrate her one-year blogoversary, she teamed up with Christine of One Kiss Creations, and their A Time to Stitch Challenge was born. The requirement was simple: both new and experienced beaders were encouraged to create a piece using herringbone stitch, peyote stitch, or both.

I'm quite sure I'm not the first beader to be captured by the seduction of peyote stitch. It was the first stitch I learned, and it was love at first sight. Herringbone and I had a more platonic relationship, until I began experimenting with different sized beads and realized how versatile and surprising this stitch can be.

One of my favorite herringbone patterns is Virginia Jensen's Spinner Rims from the October 2009 issue of Bead and Button. Spinner Rims got me thinking about herringbone in a new way, and although I'd created several earrings from the pattern, had never considered using it for a pendant. I had the perfect focal for it, a turquoise, orange, and deep chocolate brown flower disc by Susan Barnes of the Fire Goddess. I love the feeling of momentum this pattern gives to the pendant.

The second component in my necklace uses a smaller disc in the same colorway, accented by Mexican opal teardrops.


I used peyote stitch to create a cradle to stabilize an uneven bottom surface on the second disc, and to fill in around the bezel. Staying with my complementary color palette of oranges and blues, I finished the necklace with a leaf charm and chain in artisan coppers.

Thanks to Christine and Therese for inspiring us with this challenge. Click on the links below to explore the rich possibilities of these stitches through the work of the other challenge participants.

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26 comments:

  1. Therese's TreasuresJune 12, 2012 at 8:05 AM

    Hi Karin,
    Thank you for participating in mine and Christine's challenge. I love your necklace it is beautiful. I'm going to have to try that herringbone pattern. Great job!
    Therese

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  2. Christine AltmillerJune 12, 2012 at 8:22 AM

    I think I want to stay here all day! These are the colors I am most comfortable with and I have been doing almost nothing but circles lately.
    This is absolutely gorgeous! The colors and the flow and the drops and the touch of metal...what beauty! I am so glad you participated in the hop. Thank you so much for bringing this beauty to the show :-)

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  3. Amy S.June 12, 2012 at 8:26 AM

    Karin! This is so pretty - I've never seen herringbone done like this and I love it. You really melded your mixed media beautifullly!!

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  4. AntiquityTravelersJune 12, 2012 at 8:27 AM

    wow, just wow. what an amazing piece. I LOVE the southwestern feel and use of both blue and brown. I'm going to have to try that with my turquoise project - perhaps some sandstone beads? loving this piece of yours

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  5. ShirleyJune 12, 2012 at 9:12 AM

    Oh, I do so love this pendant. I've got to go see if I have that issue, you've promoted the pattern well. The colors are so rich, I can see this will be a joy to wear!

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  6. UnknownJune 12, 2012 at 10:16 AM

    The Lampwork focal is beautiful but when you were finished with it - it is an eye popping piece of art. Just gorgeous and I love the necklace!

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  7. LolaJune 12, 2012 at 10:28 AM

    Beautiful pendant!

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  8. BobbieJune 12, 2012 at 11:42 AM

    What a gorgeous piece! The colors, the stitches, the textures -- all combined into a truly yummy creation.

    You made me laugh out loud with your "platonic relationship" with herringbone. And I got all kinds of crazy ideas about stabilizing my own uneven bottom with peyote stitch, until I realized you were talking about a pendant ;-)

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  9. kimmykatsJune 12, 2012 at 12:17 PM

    I am with Christine...I want to stay here too! Oh boy!! Work like this makes me want to learn more! This is so beautiful. I took the designers name and will be looking for this to try with some of the new pendants I bought at Bead and Button. I love the way the design doesn't cover up the beautiful focal.

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  10. lynseyJune 12, 2012 at 1:19 PM

    Wow!! beautiful

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  11. Bits of LearningJune 12, 2012 at 1:30 PM

    *swoon* Karin, this is absolutely stunning!! I have no words to properly describe how much I love this pendant... I will just sit and stare at it for awhile!

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  12. TanyaJune 12, 2012 at 2:14 PM

    I just adore that pendant. I love those colors and the glass bead on the seed beads is stunning. I will be checking my back issues of Bead and Button. You have inspired me to try that design. :)

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  13. MarlaJune 12, 2012 at 2:50 PM

    Ohhh I love this! And I am so going to have to find a copy of that magazine to try the pattern for myself. Thank you so much for sharing that information!

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  14. Karen WilliamsJune 12, 2012 at 3:24 PM

    Beautiful! The orange/blue compliment is one of my favorite color combinations and I love the shades you chose. The turquoise contrasts beautifully with your warm siennas.

    A beautiful melding of a number of very different components. This will be such fun to wear! :)

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  15. Sarah SequinsJune 12, 2012 at 4:57 PM

    I never knew that herringbone was so versatile! I love how you've used it here. The weaving on the pendant is lovely, and I really like the addition of the metal components. :)

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  16. AnonymousJune 12, 2012 at 7:50 PM

    Wow Karin that is gorgeous! You never cease to amaze me with that you can come up with, I love it!

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  17. Paula, Chief Bead OfficerJune 12, 2012 at 10:29 PM

    What an impressive result. It looks really complex - did it take you a long time to complete? Love how your bead colors accented the focal disk. Love it!

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  18. AndraJune 12, 2012 at 11:43 PM

    WOW! Your necklace is wonderful. The colors are so striking and dynamic. I never would have thought to use herringbone on a pendant like you did. Great idea.

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  19. JenniJune 13, 2012 at 7:05 AM

    Love how you tied the two elements together in this piece tht is so strong and so beautifully designed, lovely job.
    Jenni

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  20. EmmaJune 13, 2012 at 8:08 AM

    I looooove the colours in this. They are so vibrant! It looks awesome
    Emma
    xXx

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  21. Karin SlatonJune 13, 2012 at 3:02 PM

    Thanks to everyone for their comments. To Paula, who asked how long this necklace took to complete, I kept track of the actual construction time - 6 hours. A little over 2 hours for each component, and 90 minutes to do the final finishing - attaching the components, adding the chain and wire wrapping.

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  22. LisaSJune 13, 2012 at 7:13 PM

    This is gorgeous!

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  23. Pretty ThingsJune 13, 2012 at 7:41 PM

    Stunning!

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  24. UnknownJune 23, 2012 at 9:16 PM

    Very pretty! I love the colorway you used :-) I just became your newest follower....I like your work.

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  25. Sweet FreedomJune 24, 2012 at 8:53 AM

    Karen - I love what you've done here! I missed out on this challenge - I gotta pay better attnetion. I'm doing BSBP again - are you? I have the 3rd reveal date. I was reviewing my blog posts about the last BSBP I did, and found this post, where I picked your piece as one of my favorites from the swap. This was long before we met each other, I think...
    http://sweetfreedom-designs.blogspot.com/2011/10/bsbp-revisited.html

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  26. Karin SlatonJune 24, 2012 at 9:33 PM

    I am doing the BSBP again (second reveal date)- it was so much fun last time. That was how I discovered your blog! And I certainly remember how excited I was to be chosen as one of your favorite designs. Speaking of reveals...how is that iolite fringe coming along?

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