Tutorial: Button Clasp (two hole button with holes between 1.5mm and 2mm

 

This method is exactly the same as the previous button tutorial with holes smaller than 1.5mm but there are different considerations. The between beads can still be size 11 beads as they are still too large to go through the holes in the button.  When covering the thread though, the size 15's will fit into the button holes and this needs to be considered at that stage.  If you have read the other tutorial, skip to the end for the covering of the thread with 15's!

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Complete the bracelet so that it is the required length of the completed bracelet, minus about 5mm.  Weave any loose ends into the beadwork and finish as you normally would for your choice of thread.  Remove all loose threads.

I like to place a bead between each button hole and the beadwork.  These stalks mean that the button sits flatter when the loop is round it and the loop is in contact with the beads, not rubbing against the bare thread that secures the button to the beadwork.  

The beads have to be larger than the holes in the button.  In this case, the holes are too small for size 11s to fit through and either size 11's or 8's would be perfect.  I will refer to this bead as the between bead.

Take the button and place it over the beadwork and decide on a suitable placement.  It should not be right at the edge of the beadwork.  I like to position it so that some rows of beads are visible between the end of the button and the end of the beadwork.

Rotate the button a little.  While it is good to have the holes situated parallel to the end of the beadwork so the loop rests on them equally, this would mean that the button is attached to one row of the bracelet. I prefer to rotate the button so the holes are off vertical as shown in the diagram below. 

Refine the position of the button so that the holes are better situated over individual beads within the beadwork.  In this instance, I moved the button up slightly.

The holes are now situated over the peyote beads marked red and blue.  

Add in a new thread in your usual way and stitch to and then through the red bead.

Stitch up through the between bead and the hole of the button.

Then stitch through the other button hole, down through the second between bead, then through the blue bead.

Stitch away from the blue bead then back round to the other side of the blue bead and then through.  This anchors the button to the beadwork as a whole, rather than to just one bead.

Stitch up through the between bead and the button hole.

Stitch back down through the other button hole, then through the other between bead then through the red bead.

Stitch away from the red bead, then back towards the red bead.  This time though, you want to pass through the red bead from the other direction.

Take the thread back up through the between bead and the button hole.

You can take the thread through the button as many times as you want.  The beadwork can get quite tight so there is a limit to how many times you can take the thread through the red and blue beads.  I use 6lb fireline which is pretty tough so the button will be strongly attached with very few passes of the thread.

Bear in mind that in order to pull evenly on the red and blue beads, you want the thread to exit the bead and go through the between bead from both sides.  This will help the between bead sit over either the red or blue bead.

Also there are four beads adjacent to both the red and the blue bead that the thread passes from, vary the thread path so the button is anchored via each of theses beads.

On the last pass of the thread through the button, use some size 15 seed beads to cover the visible thread.  Bring the thread up through the between bead and then the button hole and then pick up the size 15 beads before bringing the thread through the other button hole and the other between bead.

Size 15 crystal beads work well for covering the button thread.  Matching the peyote beadwork is another option or you can match the button to make the 15s less visible.  The grey button in the photo at the top has crystal beads but the pearl button has silver lined beads which match some of those used in the bracelet.

The number of 15s to use depends on the gap between the two button holes.  You do not want to use too many as this will make the thread loose over the top. It's better to use one less than have the thread loose.  The holes are also large enough for a bead to sit in the holes so include two extra beads and ensure that one sits in each button hole.  

In the photo at the beginning of the the grey button has a size 15 sat in each button hole but only one bead between the holes as there is not much distance between the holes.  The pearl button has a size 15 in each hole but three between the holes.

Once finished, thread through the beadwork and finish the thread in your normal way.

The clasp requires a loop to be complete and as there are different styles of loop and these can be used for a number of different clasps, they are covered in separate tutorials.  

These currently include:

Wide Simple Loop

Inspiration: Yellow Brick Road

Growing up, The Wizard of Oz was one of those films that was repeatedly on TV and we would often watch it.  There was very limited numbers of TV channels and no dedicated childrens channels so any opportunity to watch something that was not geared towards adults was eagerly taken.  It was iconic and much loved.

The original book was written by L. Frank Baum and released in 1900 with the name The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.  It was adapted into a Broadway musical in 1902 and the iconic film was made in 1939, although three silent films were made before this.  The copyright has lapsed and the story has been taken and used to inspire many other stories, including Wicked by Gregory Maguire.  In Wicked, the story of Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West, is given resulting in a very different viewpoint of the original story.  The beautiful song 'Defying Gravity' comes from the very successful musical.  Both the original Wizard of Oz and Wicked have spawned cultural references.

Many people have looked for deeper meanings within the story, political, religious, and it's true, authors often used fantasies to provide a cover for criticism.  The story stands on it's own in my view and it's appeal to children has nothing to do with any allegory.  It's success is due to the masterful story telling and incredible imagery.

So many iconic phrases have come from the story, such as 'there is no place like home' and follow the yellow brick road'.  The yellow brick road has become an important cultural feature.  In the books, the yellow brick road leads to the Emerald City and Dorothy's way home.  As long as she sticks to this path, she will get where she is going.  It has become a representation of the light at the end of the tunnel but it's use is not necessarily optimistic, it can be pessimistic or sarcastic.  

I think Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road sums up much of the feeling of the yellow brick road.  It's a journey from innocence and safety.  The path takes us away from our childhood life seeking for something, more.  The things we seek do not always seem worth it, it's hard to judge a journey until it's finished and when does the road leading us to seek ever truly end?  It's easy to become disillusioned.  The wizard after all was not infallible and Dorothy became a pawn in the plans of others.  In the very end though, she did make it home and her friends did get the things they sought.  I think your belief in what the yellow brick road represents depends on what your outlook on life is.  I guess I am an optimist but that said, I don't believe things are always easy, there are troubles and pitfalls waiting for us all.  Does anyone sail through life without any trouble?

The iconic images and characters from the film have inspired so much, from lego minifigures and a film to barbie dolls.  Banksy produced a piece of art called Stop and Search showing a policeman in riot gear wearing blue gloves searching Dorothy's basket.  Harrods produced replica ruby shoes and numerous pairs made for the film have been sold with the most expensive going for $666,000 in the year 2000.  Other memorabilia from the film has sold for astonishing amounts with Dorothy's dress selling for over a million dollars and the lion's costume for over $800,000.  There have been many editions of the books since it was initially published and most of these featured different artwork.

The Wicked Witch of the West was played by Margaret Hamilton and she was so good at being scary that many of her scenes were cut because they were too scary.  Many years later she visited Sesame Street and reprised the role in 1976 but the episode received a lot of complaints for being too scary and was never aired again.  I find it interesting that she became the central character of Wicked, which showed her as wronged and misunderstood.  

The film that cemented the story into the lives of millions of children was not without controversy.  Stories of abuse and debauchery abound and many of the effects were achieved in very dangerous ways.  The lion's costume was made from original lion hair and he sweated so much it had to be industrially dried each night as the set was frequently over 100 degrees.  The aluminium in the tin man's costume made him so sick it hospitalised the original actor who was replaced when he was too sick to immediately continue.  The snow used in the film was asbestos.  The wicked witch caught fire and took six weeks to recover and could not wear the hand makeup following this due to nerve damage.  The wicked witch's double later did another fire scene and also caught fire spending eleven days in hospital.

Some of my favourite images actually come from the Land of Oz theme park which was abandoned in 1975 following a fire.   It lay derelict for some time but portions were restored and it occasionally opens.  My favourite photos are the ones showing the yellow brick road.  There is something about it wending it's way through the trees, particularly when it looks a little unkempt.

Just stay on the yellow brick road and you will get where you are going.  Adventure will be yours, through dark and light.  Take one step and then another.  Hope will keep your feet moving.

That's definitely the theme of this bracelet for me, hope, finding your path.  Covid gave me the push I needed to leave the rat race and pursue creativity as a career.  It was the first of my designs that went beyond simple geometry.

Want to look at the images which inspired me on pinterest?

Tutorial: Toggle Clasp #4

 

This toggle clasp uses little peyote stalks to attach and hide parts of the clasp.  I used a basic toggle clasp with a ring about 1.5cm (0.59 inches).  The attachment loops were flat to the clasp.  This design may not work as it is for different size clasps and the width of the stalks may need to be wider in order to cover the loops.  Changing the width of the stalks might affect the flexibility and make it harder to fasten the clasp in order to wear it.  It won't work if the attachment loops are at right angles to the clasp.

I like the way it looks though, with the raised attachment points on the main beadwork and it looping round the clasp.  The toggle is a little less flexible so make sure you give it a longer attachment so it will still be able to go through the ring of the clasp.

Weave any loose ends into the beadwork and finish as you normally would for your choice of thread.  Do not remove the final working thread from the beadwork at this point, in case you need to adjust the bracelet length.

Begin with a new thread, leaving half the length as a tail and make a piece of peyote beadwork 44 rows long and two columns deep.

Lay your working end on top of the main piece of beadwork, at the end with no working thread.  The pale yellow beads show the approximate overlapping area.  

The peyote stalk needs to be central in the beadwork and eight rows in.  You will probably find that instead of sitting on top of the main beadwork, the beads of the stalk slip into the gap where the beads of the main beadwork meet and that's fine.

The diagrams show the two pieces of beadwork separately in order to show the bead path used to attach the two.  You should pull the thread tight so the two pieces of beadwork actually fit snuggly.  Stitch through the two beads highlighted in green on the bracelet as shown in the diagram below.  

Stitch through the two beads highlighted in blue on the stalk.  This creates a loop attaching the stalk to the main bracelet.

Repeat this loop, stitching through the two green beads firstly, then the two blue beads as before.

Now stitch through the two beads highlighted green on the main bracelet, then the two beads highlighted blue in the diagram below.  Note that the direction has changed slightly for the green beads.

Continue stitching the end of the peyote stalk to the bracelet, moving on to the next pair of green and blue beads as shown below.

Move along again to the next pairs of green and blue beads.

Repeat again, stitching through first the green beads then the blue beads in the diagram below, but note that the direction has altered slightly for this last connecting loop.

Turn the beadwork over, so the raised connection is on the underside.  Thread the peyote stalk through the main ring of clasp.  Position the attachment ring of this section of the clasp on top of peyote stalk.  

Move the clasp so that the middle of the entire length of the peyote stalk will sit on top the connecting part of the clasp between the attachment ring and main ring.  The free end of the peyote stalk will be folded over and the other end attached to the bracelet in the same way as the other end.  The diagram below gives an indication of the placement but the majority of the clasp has been cut away with just the brown circles showing sections of it.

Having worked out where the attachment ring will sit on the beadwork, you now need to stitch it to the peyote stalk.  Thread through to the correct point.

With the thread in the centre stitch into the inner hole of another bead to form a loop over the attachment ring.  In the picture below the thread comes out of the peach bead, goes over the attachment loop and into the green bead.

Repeat this using different beads so that there are a minimum of two loops holding this side of the peyote stalk to the attachment ring.  Stitch along the beadwork to the corresponding point and make a further minimum of two loops to hold that side of the stalk to the attachment loop.  The attachment loops should now be held firmly in the peyote stalk and should be largely obscured. The thread anchoring it to one side is dark pink and anchoring it to the other side it is light pink.

Stitch through to the free end of the peyote stalk and attach it in exactly the same way as you did the first end, but on the opposite side of the bracelet.  Take this thread and weave it away and finish it in your normal way.

I like to make sure loops like this are well anchored.  The tail thread can either be finished at this stage by weaving it into the main bracelet and away or you can use it to reinforce the points where the stalk connects to the bracelet.  You may also want to stitch all the way along the length of the folded stalk again.  

Do not stitch the two sides of the stalk together, they should only join at each end of the fold, where they are both stitched to the bracelet and where the attachment ring is anchored.  If you stitch them together, the stalk will lose it's flexibility.  This is especially important with the stalk for the bar section of the clasp as you need to be able to bed it through the main ring.

The stalk for the bar section is exactly the same, except for it's length.  Mine was 74 rows long.  

Tutorial: Side Release Metal Buckle

 

I like to experiment with different ways to finish beadwork.  There are a wide variety of closures from different applications and it's fun to use some of these to give a different look.  This time, I am using a silver 20mm / 0.75" side release metal buckle.  I think this sort of buckle is often used for belts.  The buckle is relatively heavy and bulky but it gives a very different look to a bracelet.  If you wear your bracelets loose, then this probably is not a good choice.  This is a very secure closure though, it really is unlikely to come undone by accident.  Be careful not to pinch your skin when putting it on!  I brought mine from Amazon.

These clasps are similar  to slide bar loop clasps in the way you loop the beadwork over.  I like that there is no exposed thread to rub.  The difference is that the clasp requires a longer loop and I also like to join the loop to the beadwork twice to help ensure it is strong and secure, as this clasp is so much heavier. 

I like to finish the existing thread and begin a new thread for the clasp.  This means that if the clasp thread should wear through, the beadwork will remain intact.  Weave any loose ends into the beadwork and finish as you normally would for your choice of thread.  Do not remove the final working thread from the beadwork at this point, in case you need to adjust the bracelet length. 

Pull the beadwork and thread through the clasp.  From this point, the thread is only shown from where it exits the bead as shown by the pink circle.  The bar of this clasp is bulky and mine is more square than round.  Make the loop loose so it is not too tight on the corners of the bar.  Also allow enough beadwork so that you can stitch the beadwork together at two different points.

The picture below shows the attachment points.  The blue beads are sewn together first, then the red beads are sewn together, forming a large loop.  There are 25 rows between the two rows of blue beads and this makes a big loop.  You may need to alter this, depending on the exact dimensions of the clasp.

Working at the end marked start in the diagram above, add a new thread and exit the turquoise bead highlighted in the blue row of beads near the end of the beadwork in the close up below. To do this, exit the bead below the turquoise bead on the outside of the beadwork then thread through the turquoise bead from the outside of the beadwork, inwards.

Then thread the beadwork through the hole in one end of the clasp.  Make sure you have the short end on the under side of the clasp so that when you create the loop, the joins and any interruption to the pattern are on the under side of the finished bracelet where they will be less visible.

From the turquoise bead, bring the thread over the top of the bar of the clasp and through the bead highlighted green, going from the inside to the outside.  Pulling it tight will fold the beadwork over the bar.  You want to pull your thread tight as you go, but for ease of producing pictures, I don't show the beadwork as folded while zipping the blue beads together.

Thread back through the turquoise bead, from the edge of the beadwork, inwards.

From the turquoise bead, which is the first bead of the upper blue row, thread through the bead highlighted green in the picture below, which is the first bead of the lower blue row.

Then take the thread back up through the turquoise bead in the diagram below, which is the second bead of the upper blue row.  Bring the thread down and through the green bead, which is the second bead in the lower blue row.

Continue zipping up, alternating between the next bead of the upper blue row and the next bead of the lower blue row.

Finish off zipping up the blue row, ensuring you have pulled the thread tight so the beadwork is folded.  Thread through the purple bead from the edge of the beadwork.  You need to make sure the thread exits on the outside of the loop, not in the middle of the beads in the zipped up area.

From this point, the beadwork is shown as being folded.  We are looking down on to the join, so this will be the side closest to your wrist and any discontinuity of the pattern will not be on view.  I have not matched them exactly, so that you can see all of the beads previously highlighted red.  The upper piece of beadwork that has folded down is showing as a light cream or peach colour.  The lower red row is now orange to make it easier to differentiate.

Thread through to the other side of the beadwork, between the blue and red rows.  Exit from the edge of the beadwork and stitch into the first bead of the red row, highlighted dark red.

Thread through the bead under the dark red bead, you might be able to see it in the diagram below, just peaking out towards the edge of the beadwork.  Then go back through the dark red bead.

Do this again!  This is because this will be the most exposed part of the join.  This means, pass through the bead under the dark red bead then the dark red bead again.  

Now start zipping the orange and red beads together.  Thread through the bead highlighted yellow below.

Next go through the bead highlighted dark red, then the bead highlighted yellow in the diagram below.

Continue zipping up the beadwork, alternating between the next red bead and the next orange bead until you reach the edge of the beadwork.  Finish by passing through the bead highlighted purple, from the edge of the beadwork inwards.

Loop back through the yellow bead and through the purple bead, then the yellow bead again.

Then weave away your thread and finish in your normal way.

Having done one end, put the two parts of the clasp together.  Check the length of the bracelet by placing it around your wrist and then thread the other end of the beadwork through the other side of the clasp.  If you need to add more rows to form a loop the same as at the other end of the clasp, this is the time to add more rows!  Finish off the working thread once you are happy with the length.

Add a new thread as you did at the other end of the beadwork and create a loop attaching the other end of the beadwork to the second bar of the clasp.  Make sure the second join is on the same side of the beadwork as the first and will be on the underside of the bracelet.  The photo below shows the under side of the clasp, where the joins are. 

Then you are finished!

Inspiration: Radioactive

The radiation symbol was originally developed at the University of California in 1946 with a blue symbol on a magenta background.  The symbol is now internationally recognised as being black on a yellow background.  The symbol is actually specific to ionizing radiation and there is a different symbol for non-ionizing radiation.  This symbol has a red background with a skull and crossbones and a person running away both sat below a radiation symbol.

For something to radiate, it means it emits something, either waves or particles.  So things emitting light radiate.  Ionising radiation is the category that includes all high energy  waves and particles, such as X rays, gamma rays, some ultraviolet light as well as alpha and beta particles and any other sub-atomic particles.  Non-ionising radiation includes visible light, infra red, lasers, microwaves and radio waves.  So things that are radioactive radiate and are classed as ionising radiation.  

Radioactivity is something that happens at the atomic level.  Some atoms are just so big and ungainly, that they are unstable.  They fall apart.  Different substances have different numbers of protons, neutrons and electrons. When an atom is unstable, it loses bits until it become more stable.  It can lose pure energy, which is gamma rays; an alpha particle which is two protons and two neutrons or a beta particle which is a single electron (or if it has a positive charge, a positron).

I think radioactivity is a very scary thing and one of the things that makes it so scary is that it is invisible and the scale of the disasters caused by it.  One atom decaying is not to much of an issue but there are a lot of atoms in a tiny amount of material.  When a particularly unstable radioactive material is concentrated and allowed to be in contact, as each atom decays or falls apart, it causes the atoms next to it to also decay.  Imagine a bunch of jenga towers next to each other, one falls and it knocks two of the others, each of which knock two more and so on, until most of them fall.  This is what happens when there is a radioactive explosion.  The bombs used in Japan, the disasters of Chernobyl, Three Mile Island and Fukushima...  all runaway radioactive decay.  Uranium and Plutonium are the most dangerous of elements.

Uranium occurs naturally and is present in the granite where I live.  When I was at college we took a geiger counter out one time and found some very radioactive rocks.  A cave on a beach created when they used to mine and this mine produced Uranium amongst other metals.  A stone in a wall by a busy path, at the perfect height to sit on.  Down near St Just, children are told not to play with the black rocks.  The Uranium is spread out so it isn't going to cause a runaway event leading to an explosion.

It isn't actually the Uranium that is the most dangerous though, one of the things it decays into is a radioactive gas called Radon.  Radon is able to travel upwards, out of the ground and into peoples homes.  Some homes in Cornwall have very high levels of Radon and have to have alterations made to ventilate the gas away.  Basements are also particularly susceptible.  People breathe the gas in and it is one of the biggest causes of Lung Cancer along with Asbestos following Smoking.  One particular issue is that people that smoke and also live with high levels of Radon are at even higher risk because the Radon atoms tend to be attracted to the smoke particles which remain in the lungs.

Radioactivity is not all bad.  When managed extremely carefully it is very useful.  It is the cleanest source of electricity after renewable sources.  It is also used in medicine to treat people with Cancer and for sterilizing things to ensure they are completely clean and not contaminated with any microbes.  That's not to say it's nice, even when used in these ways....  It's a harsh treatment.

When I was growing up, they wanted to bury radioactive waste nearby at Elstow.  I remember seeing protests on the local news and I remember a family friend being amongst those protesting.  It was such an important story locally that a monument was built, although it had to be relocated and repaired a few years back.  The site that would have been used for nuclear waste has been redeveloped for housing and what was a quiet backwater in the 80s is now a vital part of the local road network and part of huge redevelopment.  I don't think any of that would have been possible if they had used it for nuclear waste.

Nuclear has laid waste to land, made it unsafe to inhabit...  Fukushima and Chernobyl have both resulted in ghost towns with haunting photos of what happens when people just leave.  The fear of this happening haunted us all during the Cold War.  Nowhere would have been safe.  I don't think people realise the scale of nuclear preparations.  I know of several basement nuclear bunkers now used as storage and often full of files.  The irony is now the ventilation has been turned off, in Cornwall at least, these rooms are sometimes more radioactive than those above ground, full of Radon gas.

You can see my pinterest board for Radiation here!