New Pattern and Kits: Opulent Deltahedra Set

I wrote up a beading pattern for the Opulent Deltahedra Set!

Beaded Beads with Triangle Weave

You may have recognized this project from a 2015 issue of Beadwork Magazine; the Opulent Octahedron Necklace was one of my six Designer of the Year projects for 2015. These beaded beads use the geometry of the octahedron and a variation of triangle weave to make these sparkly, self-supporting beaded beads.

Five beaded beads pair with shiny crystal pearls and additional crystals for an elegant necklace:

Matching Pendant and Earrings

While I'm quite partial to the geometry of the octahedron (especially for beaded beads!), the great thing about triangle weave is that you can use it to create an infinite number of geometric objects made up of equilateral triangles. One of these objects is the icosahedron, which is made up of 20 triangles instead of eight. The Opulent Icosahedron makes a substantial beaded bead that's the perfect size for a pendant.

Additionally, a single triangle unit pairs with pear-shaped crystals for an easy, elegant pair of matching earrings.

Several Variations

The 3D shapes that can be made up only of equilateral triangles are called the deltahedra. While there are an infinite number of deltahedra (some of which feature quite cool star-shaped points), there are only eight that are strictly convex. I beaded all eight of them using the same technique that I used to make the Opulent Octahedron and Icosahedron. They make a collection of interesting structures that offer intriguing possibilities for further jewelry designs.

The beading pattern for this design includes complete written instructions on how to weave the Opulent Octahedron, the Opulent Icosahedron, and the matching Opulent Earrings. Additionally, I included several pages of variations showing photos and descriptions of all eight convex Opulent Deltahedra. The pattern is in the PDF format and clocks in at 26 pages and 89 full-color illustrations and photographs. I classify this pattern as intermediate and it's most appropriate for beaders who have already tried triangle weave and who would like to learn several possible ways to create 3D beaded beads with this stitch.

Kits for this design are available in three different colorways and in two different configurations; the Opulent Octahedron necklace kit makes one necklace with five Opulent Octahedron beaded beads, and the Opulent Icosahedron and Earrings kit makes one Opulent Icosahedron beaded bead that can easily make a pendant, and one pair of matching earrings. Each kit contains all the beads and findings needed to complete the project.

Thanks for looking!

New Pattern and Kits: Melon Ball Beaded Beads

My newest beading pattern is now complete! This design features etched melon beads woven into round beaded beads, so I've named them Melon Ball Beaded Beads.

Beaded Beads with Etched Melon Beads

When I first started working with these etched melon beads, I knew that I wanted to feature them in some kind of round beaded bead. I chose the structure of an octahedron to give a medium-sized beaded bead of less than 1" in diameter, however I spent a bunch of time experimenting with possible embellishments on this design. Several of my prototypes featured several layers of seed beads, which, while very pretty, detracted from the textures and colors of the etched melon beads.

I eventually settled on using two-hole triangles to embellish these beaded beads. I didn't expect to use two-hole triangles in this project, but I liked how the angular arrangement of these beads set off the textured, round shape of the etched melon beads. Only a handful of size 11° and 15° seed beads are needed to complete each beaded bead, and other 6 mm round beads can work in place of the etched melon beads.

Etched Melon Beads with Antique Cut Beads

I strung these beaded beads on necklaces along with two different sizes of antique cut beads. I like how the angles formed by the two-hole triangle beads complement the antique cut beads.

This version features silver etched melon beads and blue antique cut beads for a very wintery colorway.

The beading pattern for this design describes how to make the beaded beads and how to string them together with antique cut beads to create a necklace. The pattern is in the PDF format, and clocks in at 13 pages of step-by-step instructions with 42 full-color illustrations and photographs.

In this pattern, I describe a different method for weaving an octahedron beaded bead than I have in past patterns. I've found this method a little clearer to illustrate (especially taking into account the two different holes of the two-hole triangles), and it's my hope that anyone who follows this pattern will find it clearer to understand as well.

Three Limited Edition Kit Colorways

Kits for this design are available in the three colorways shown, and include all the beads and findings needed to make a necklace up to 21" in length containing five Melon Ball beaded beads. Unfortunately I'm not able to refill these kits once they are sold out, so these are limited edition kits - once they're gone, they're gone!

On that note, the last day to order kits for delivery before the new year is December 21: beading patterns can still be purchased and downloaded from the Bead Origami website, however all kits ordered during this time will ship after January 2.

Have a very warm and Happy Holiday Season!  

New Pattern and Kits: Fairy Triangles Set

My newest beading pattern, the Fairy Triangles Set, is now available at beadorigami.com.

Triangle Components from Triangle Beads

Last week I blogged about making little beaded triangles out of triangle-shaped beads, and how they can be connected together to make bracelets or a large beaded bead. Here are several of the triangles that went into the large beaded bead above:

I liked making this beaded bead so much that I also made two smaller versions. Here's the medium-sized beaded bead, alongside a matching Fairy Triangles component:

This version also uses Tri-beads instead of O beads, just because I wanted to add extra triangles ;).

All three beaded beads are based on the geometries of the deltahedra; the group of 3D shapes made up entirely of equilateral triangles. The pattern for this design includes guidelines on how to join these components together to make all three of the above beaded beads, and these guidelines can be applied to the rest of the deltahedra as well.

An interesting note about this design is that it uses a different strategy than the one I usually use to make a geometric beaded bead; most of my beaded bead designs take an edge-skeleton and face-embellishment approach, as I discussed in my beaded bead webinar. The Fairy Triangles beaded beads, on the other hand, take a face-component and corner-join approach that's a little easier to tackle than my usual methods.

Petite, Quick Earrings

In addition to beaded beads and bracelets, these components also make a quick and easy pair of earrings:

A Solo Pendant

The large beaded bead can also be strung on a silk ribbon for a stunning solo pendant:

Beading kits for this design are available in four colorways, and include all the beads needed to make and connect 30 components together. Many different jewelry combinations can be made from this kit; it makes enough components for one large and one medium beaded bead, or three medium and one small beaded bead, or seven small beaded beads, and many other combinations are possible too. Additionally, you can combine these kits with your own findings to make earrings, bracelets, and necklaces.

New Pattern and Kit Pricing

Last month I made some big changes to the Bead Origami kits page: Bead Origami kits are now "unbundled" from their patterns. The kits are now "à la carte" and still include the listed materials and all shipping costs, but the pattern must be purchased separately (all kit prices have been lowered accordingly, and some of my pattern prices are also slightly lower). 

Under this new pricing method, you can now purchase the pattern and then sort through the beads that you already have before purchasing a kit. Plus you can purchase kits for a specific design in two or more colorways without paying for the same pattern twice. If you wish to order both the pattern and the kit at the same time, simply add both items to your shopping cart before completing your purchase. Finally, if you already have a copy of one of my designs that has been published elsewhere (such as in a magazine) and you want to purchase a kit for that design, you can now do so without purchasing another copy of the pattern.

It's my hope that this method will offer additional purchasing flexibility to my customers, while making the logistics a little easier on my end. I'd be very interested to hear your feedback about this change!

Thanks for looking!