Treasures in Textiles and Beads

There is nothing more thrilling to a beadweaver than for someone to think you can bead their wishes!

This all started when Susan, one of my valued return customers, purchased one of these beautiful shawls for each of her two daughters-in-law. She then wished that she had coordinating earrings and necklaces for the two of them as well. Susan sent me the photo above and asked if I could do it.

Always up for a challenge, I agreed to try.

Susan wanted to be sure that the colors were just right so she insisted on purchasing the beads herself. She placed the bead order and had the beads shipped directly to me.

Trial and Error

Once I received the beads, I studied the shawl pattern and waded right in. The photo above was the first effort.

I was unhappy with the design and quickly determined that another try was needed to be satisfactory to both Susan and me. I wish things always worked out on the first pass, but such is not usually the case! "Trial and Error" are frequent companions on my Trail of Treasures!

Back To The Beading Board
With the photo at my beading station and all the beads laid out, I began my second effort. I shared it with Susan and after getting her approval, I started on the earrings and two pendants for the necklaces.


The tops of all six pieces are now completed!


The fringe has been added to all six.



Necklaces
Now for the necklaces. Delica beads were used in this project. For those of you who aren't familar with beads, Delicas are very small cylindrical beads as opposed to regular seed beads which are round. Simply stringing them did not provide enough substance to the design in my opinion so I did the necklaces in peyote stitch. This is more time consuming but the result was far better than just simple strings of beads.

Finale

The last step was to photograph the two pairs of earrings and two necklaces with the original inspirational piece.

Translating textile patterns into beads can be fun and challenging. I thank Susan for her confidence and trust in my ability to create these for her.

I hope I have made her wishes into a reality that pleases her.

But more importantly, I hope her Daughters-In-Law enjoy them and will be reminded how lucky they are to have a Mother-In-Law like Susan each time they wear their textile and bead ensembles!

Mvto and Wa-do (Thank you in Creek and Cherokee) Susan for choosing me to do this! I am deeply honored.

Apache Seasons

• Sacred Sites......The Four Directions
  
  Painting by friend, Donel Keeler, Dakota Artist

As evidence that winter is upon us, my trees and grass are covered with a light dusting of snow. Now mind you, winter is not historically my favorite season. However, I may find this one a little easier to bear thanks to my friend and fellow beadweaver, Judy Citta.

• Judy and I belong to the Omaha Beady Bunch. This is an organization of men and woman who enjoy beading, meet once a month, and do a beading project. The projects are usually instructed by a member. At our November meeting, Judy not only presented the class but shared the following Apache story with us. I hope you will enjoy it.


• There was an Indian Chief who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.


• The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest in the fall.


• When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.


• The first son, who went in winter, said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.


• The second son, who went in spring, said no..it was covered with green buds and full of promise.


• The third son, who went in summer, said he disagreed. It was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful. In fact, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.


• The last son, who went in the fall, disagreed with all of them. He said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.


• The Chief then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen only one season in the life of a tree.


• He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end...when all of the seasons are up.


• If you give up when it is winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, and the fulfillment of your fall.

In summary:

• Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all of the rest.


• Don't judge life by one difficult season.


• Live simply


• Love generously


• Care deeply


• Speak kindly


• Leave the rest to God


• Happiness keeps you sweet


• Trials keep you strong


• Sorrows keep you human


• Failures keep you humble


• Success keeps you glowing


• But only God keeps you going.

Maybe my winter won't be so bad this year and I have great hopes for yours as well!