Beading with 'Shaped Beadwork'

I have an apology to make to all my readers. I have not been very well recently, nothing to do with my visitors, just a cold type thing I could not seem to shake . However I am feeling much better now. There seems to be a lot of this sort of bug at this time of year. (The change from high summer to a little cooler autumn). There is so many people going around with this infection you would think we would be prepared for it. But no we are all caught out every year..




Now I will show you just what I have been doing. I had another trip through Diane Fitzgerald book 'Shaped Beadwork' I do love this book. I said some time ago on the blog that I hated Peyote, well since buying this lovely book I have changed my mind. I have tried quite a few of the pieces, I need to tell you all ' I love Peyote '

Beading Books

At the beginning of this month I turned 70 and on my birthday I decided to buy myself Diane Fitzgerald's book 'Shaped Beadwork'. One of the things that decided me to buy this book was the fact I could not get the hang of the Peyote Stitch and on looking at many web sites and beading blogs this book came up time after time when I found articles on the pesky Peyote.
I have loved working through the book. Her instructions and descriptions of the wonderful items she has made and shows in the book are amazing..
However there was another book I was very interested in and that was Horace R. Goodhue's 'Indian Bead-weaving Patterns' . I have always have been interested in the beadwork of the American Indians. Again while surfing the net I kept coming across this book. However there were as many against as there was for.. some people thought the drawings left a lot to be desired.. and on the other hand there were people that thought his explanations and stories on the subject of the American Indian beading refreshing. I am one of those people. Since receiving the book from Amazon.co.uk (wonderful web site, wonderful service) on Monday I have read it from front to back and loved every word and diagram.
As you can imagine I am working my way through this book too. Wish me luck..

Beading with 'Shaped Beadwork'

I am sure you can imagine the excitement here when I opened the package yesterday. This is a lovely book. A joy to read and to follow the illustrations. I have pottered through all the basics in chapter one. Well I have never been able to get the hang of peyote stitch but Diane Fitzgerald's book has shown me I can do this stitch. Maybe I am not proficient just yet but I am getting there.
In the recent past I tried the chevron stitch then I found out it was one of Diane's. She has a knack of breaking down the instructions to make things simple. Thank you Diane

The photos in the book of her work leave me gasping for air. I have always liked the thought of being able to make simple 3D jewelery but, come on, in peyote stitch.. no way, well here I am attempting to do just that. I dont sell the things I make I just love the challenge.
I will keep you posted how I get on with THE BOOK

At last I have got the BOOK

I received a book I had sent away for this morning. What a book! The title is Shaped Beadwork by Diane Fitzgerald. The book is all about peyote stitch. I never did get the art of this stitch . The illustrations are lovely and the photos of her work WELL Now! will I ever be able to make items like these?..
The book is like a continuous lesson it takes you from the simplest to what, to me, looks a lot more difficult. I have already started the triangle. I am going to try and make it 3D however we shall see.
As you can see I whipped up two sides of my tri-angle I will show you the finished article.Of course I have delved right in.