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Making barnacles on a bracelet


I decided that I wanted a lot of texture on the cuff bracelet that I made for my March piece in the Bead Journal Project.  The inspiration was the seaside in late winter and early spring...the colors are more subdued and the forms you find are more stark, but it's still beautiful in that rugged New England sort of way.



 

Making the barnacle form is really easy, but it looks complex on a completed piece.  I used barnacles on Ocean Depths, shown above, too.  Let me walk you through it and show you how easy they are to stitch.

 

1. Stitch on a 10 or 12 mm bead for the center.  Don't worry about the thread showing at the sides since it will be covered when you're done.

2. Stitch stacks of beads around the outside of the center bead.  I find that by using a size 6/0 bead as the base, I can fit about 10 stacks comfortably around the outside.  For each of the stacks, I stitched up to the top of the fabric, added 1 size 6/0, 3 size 8/0s, and 1 size 11/0 bead.  Skipping the top bead, stitch back down through the stack and through the fabric.  Add the next stack. 


3. When you've come back around to the beginning, take your needle back up through the first stack.  Run your needle and thread through each of the top size 11/0 beads around the circle.  Go through the first couple of beads again, and run your needle back down through the stack.  Pull snug and knot on the back.   

Copyright 2010 Cyndi Lavin. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distributed electronically provided that entire file, including this notice, remains intact.

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Comments

You're right, the barnacle looks like it would be difficult. I wouldn't have a clue how to do that. Thank you for the clear directions and photos. It's very pretty.
Cyndi L said…
Quick, tell everybody! They're super easy ;-)
Terry Pugh said…
Really cool, Cyndi..tx for sharing.:)

Blessings,


Terry
Cheri said…
Love the bracelet, very creative and nice instructions! Thank you!
Cyndi L said…
Thanks for stopping by, Terry!
Very pretty bracelet, thank you for the directions!!!!
Cyndi L said…
Thank you both!
I love the look! I am going to have to give these a go on another project I'm considering!
Linette said…
You make everything look so easy! Every time I stop by here I'm inspired. I really need to do more beading.
Cyndi L said…
June, that's great! I hope they work out for your project.

Linette, they *are* easy once you break them down into component parts and steps :-)
admin said…
Hi..
This really cool.. I will try it asap..
Thanks for sharing

Bicone Beads
Lydia said…
this really motivate me to do more beadings thanks.
Cyndi L said…
Lydia, my main goal in life is to be a bad influence ;-)
Anonymous said…
I just cant wrap my head around this. Am I going around the 10mm bead or do I take the stack up and down. On the pic they look like up and down but the direction say your goin around the bead. I feel really dumb here.
Cyndi L said…
Each stack goes up and down, just like you thought. But you arrange them so that they are right next to each other, and they form a circle around the center 10mm bead. Please don't feel dumb...I hope this makes it clearer!