5/15/13

A Time to Stitch - Spiral Challenge

Learning spiral stitch has been on my to-do list for the last year, but it took a challenge from Christine Altmiller and Therese Frank to spur me to actually check out some tutorials. Their challenge, A Time To Stitch 3, let us choose among 3 very popular spirals; Cellini, Russian or African Helix. After stitching up samples of each in a myriad of bead shapes and sizes, I settled on Russian spiral, using gold 3-cut size 8 seed beads and brick-red and gold marbleized size 11’s. To learn the stitch, I followed a tutorial by Mortira Vanpelt of Inspirational Beading. I liked Mortira’s approach to this spiral, which results in a snug stitch, but a very fluid and soft rope.



 
The challenge also included a trio of flat stitches – brick, ladder and square – and I chose one of my favorites, square stitch.  Tila beads and the same size 11’s from the spiral rope sections were used to create a square stitched “chain” which I made double-sided for extra heft.
My focal is a carved ebony button layered with a handmade bronze disc bead from Tamara Scott Designs, capped with a Swarovski crystal. Interspersed between the chain and the spirals are some carved ebony tubes and a charming collection of ceramic beads by Mary Hubbard of White Clover Kiln. The bottom photo shows a close up of her bird bead with its enormous and curious eyes! I like the touch of whimsy it brings to this piece.

Thanks to Therese and Christine for hosting our challenge, and helping me check off another item on my to-do-list! You’ll want to click over to their blogs and the blogs of all the participants to see how versatile these stitches can be!


19 comments:

  1. Great design and a really lovely piece!

    ReplyDelete
  2. That is a stunning necklace! I love the colors you chose, and I really, really like the square stitch section! Had my nosed pressed to the screen, I wanted to see it up close! Never would have thought of using tilas, so now I need to go play with that, thanks for the inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Karin I love these! You are such an inspiration, I wish I had half your color sense and skill! Good to visit your page again!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Awesome piece Karin! Love those colors together!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. STUNNING! Beautiful colors, wonderful spiral! and just enough spiral so as not to overwhelm the rest of the piece. just gorgeous

    ReplyDelete
  6. You have created a very beautiful piece with such lovey color. Bravo!

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is truly an inspiring piece. Beautiful color, texture and bead choices.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am really surprised to hear you are not a spiraler from way back! But you sure made up for lost time with this beauty! WoW~this is stunning! Your gorgeous spirals, beautiful chain, and really cool (Big Eyes and all) connectors...they all work with the focal and with each other, each one offering support. This is just a beautiful piece all around. I always get excited when I know I am in a Hop with you, Karin. You are so so good at what you do :-) Thanks for joining us again!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Karin, as always, you find the most beautiful ways to combine stitches and stringing and intriguing elements -- this is really lovely! I like how you incorporated the tilas into the square stitch, carrying the similar beads from the spiral into it. Can't wait to see how you use spirals in your work from now on!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Karin,
    Your piece is drop dead gorgeous! I am never disappointed when I come visit your blog, because I just know I will see some beautifully delicious eye candy. I love the color combination you used in this piece it just makes the whole piece look so rich and I agree there is always some room for a little bit of whimsy and your big eyed bead was just the right touch. Thank you so much for joining us in round 3 of the A Time To Stitch challenge and I hope that you will be joining in on round 4.
    Therese

    ReplyDelete
  11. Nice composition, and I love that you combined the 2 stitches into one piece. Very pretty!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I like the way you combined both stitches in one piece. It's really beautiful! Thanks for the comment on my blog, too.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Karin! You've got yourself one showstopper of a necklace! Beautifully composed and such a wonderful color palette! BEAUTIFULLY DONE!!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow, I loooove that necklace, and it's just in my favorites colors! Gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love your jewelry, the colors and composition is just lovely! I'm your newest follower!! I would love it if you checked out my jewelry!! I would love advice and such!!

    Nissa

    ReplyDelete
  16. Karin - I love everything about this necklace!!! The colors, design, just everything! Beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Karin you did an outstanding job designing your necklace. It's cool that you incorporated both stitches in one beautiful piece. Great color too.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Absolutely gorgeous! I have no idea how you do what you do with seed beads.

    ReplyDelete