Snippets from a Starving Junior Engineer

Shifting Gears

2010-10-08T20:24:00.000-07:00

After much careful consideration (okay, more like five minutes spent eating Funyuns and contemplating my toenails), I've decided to start a separate blog for my knitting- and crochet-related blogging. This blog shall shortly be changed to being solely about jewelry (a hobby that I dropped like a molten potato once I rediscovered the joys of the fiber arts) as I delete the knitting- and crochet-related posts before being relegated to the back burner until such time as I get back into making jewelry. The new blog can be read at mnemosynestar.blogspot.com.

Rebranded!

2010-02-06T19:31:00.000-08:00

I'm no longer a starving jewelry engineer but a starving junior engineer. Less restrictive, I think. :D

Long Absences

2009-08-06T13:58:00.000-07:00

If I vanish for long periods of time (like I just did...), it's because I'm swamped with schoolwork and trying to get into nursing school, not because I've quit doing anything jewelry-related. That said, off I go again! [scampers awaaaaaaaaay]

Alive!

2009-03-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

Just popping by to mention that I'm not dead. :D

RevEng'eer: Embellished RAW Diamond Bangle

2009-02-11T10:47:00.000-08:00

RevEng'eer: (n.) An object that has been partly or fully reverse-engineered (and is therefore of dubious morality) from a photo seen online.

I saw this topic on the Beading Daily forums and thought, "I could figure out a pattern for that bracelet..."

Photo from johnny_genus' eBay store.

So I did. XD

Techniques

Two-needle right-angle weave (RAW)

Materials

2 size 12 beading needles
Beading thread, such as Fireline, Nymo, or Silamide
1 two-strand clasp - use any style you want
Approximately 3 grams of 11/0 seed beads
150 to 200 6 mm Swarovski bicones in one or more colors, depending on the width of your clasp and the length of your bracelet (there are 168 in johnny_genus' bracelets) - there are four rows of crystals, so plan the colors accordingly

Diagram Notes:

The red and blue arrows indicate the paths of the two needles.
The ovals are seed beads.
The hexagons are bicones.
The yellow beads are the beads that are added in that step.
The dashed green lines are the clasp when it's being attached to the bracelet.
The white beads are previously added beads.
The short black lines indicate where the finished stitches lie.
The dashed gray lines are the clasp when it's already been attached to the bracelet.
The dashed black ovals are the seed bead when they're hidden behind the embellishments.

Instruction Notes:
I'm assuming that you know how to tie half-hitch knots and how to add thread; if not, leave a comment and I'll add that in. :D

Instructions:

Row 1

Step 1: Thread one needle onto each end of a wingspan of beading thread.

Pass one needle through one of the attachment points on the clasp.

Pick up four seed beads on each needle.

Pass one needle through the last seed bead on the other needle to make a loop.

Step 2: Pick up nine seed beads on each needle.

Pick up one more seed bead on one needle.

Pass the other needle through the same seed bead in the opposite direction of the first needle to make a diamond.

Step 3: Repeat Step 2 until the bracelet is the length you want.

Step 4: Pick up three seed beads on each needle.

Pass one needle through the attachment point on the clasp directly opposite the one you started on.

Pick up one seed bead on one needle.

Pass the other needle through the same seed bead in the opposite direction of the first needle to make a loop.

Step 5: Pass both needles back through the loop to where it attaches to the bracelet.

Step 6: Select the needle that is coming out on the side of the loop away from the unattached attachment points on the clasp.

Pass that needle through three sides of the last diamond, coming out after a corner bead.

Pass the other needle through one side of the last diamond, coming out the other side of the corner bead from the first needle.

Row 2

Step 7: Select the needle coming out of the corner bead away from the clasp.

Pick up 15 seed beads on that needle.

Pick up four seed beads on the other needle.

Pass the other needle through the last seed bead on the first needle.

Step 8: Make a loop through the empty attachment point on the clasp that is on the same side of the clasp as the attachment point in Step 4.

Step 9: Pass both needles back through the loop to where it attaches to the bracelet.

Step 10: Pass both needles back through the first diamond of the second row.

Step 10: Select the needle coming out of the corner bead towards the first row.

Pick up four seed beads on that needle.

Pass the needle through the nearest corner bead on the first row.

Pick up five seed beads on the needle.

Pick up nine seed beads on the other needle.

Pass the other needle through the last seed bead on the first needle.

Step 11: Repeat Step 10 until the second row of RAW diamonds is the same length as the first row of RAW diamonds.

Step 12: Make a loop through the attachment point on the clasp opposite from the attachment point in Step 8.

Embellishment

Step 13: Pass both needles back through the loop to where it attaches to the bracelet.

Step 14: Pick up one bicone on each needle.

Pass each needle through the next corner bead on its side of the diamond.

Pick up one bicone on each needle.

Pass both needles through the last corner bead on the diamond on the side closest to its corner bead.

Step 15: Repeat Step 14 until all but the last diamond in the second row of the bracelet is embellished.

Step 16: Pick up one bicone on each needle.

Pass each needle through the next corner bead on its side of the diamond.

Select the needle coming out on the opposite side of the first row of the bracelet.

Pick up one bicone on the needle.

Pass the needle through the next corner bead on the diamond.

Pick up one bicone on the needle.

Pass the needle through the next corner bead on the diamond.

Step 17: Pick up one bicone on each needle.

Pass each needle through the next corner bead on its side of the diamond.

Select the needle coming out of the corner bead that is attached to a clasp loop.

Pick up one bicone on the needle.

Pass the needle through the next corner bead on the diamond.

Pick up one bicone on the needle.

Pass the needle through the next corner bead on the diamond.

Step 18: Repeat Step 14 until the first row of the bracelet is embellished.

Step 19: Pass the needles through the clasp loop.

Pass the needles back through the bracelet, tying at least three half-hitch knots throughout the piece with each thread before clipping the thread.

And there you go!

Photography Skills... or Lack Thereof

2009-02-02T11:32:00.000-08:00

It occurred to me last night that I should get a light tent.

Shortly afterwards, it occurred to me that I could probably MAKE my own light tent.

Then I remembered that I didn't know how to use half of the functions on my digital camera (a Canon PowerShot that's officially three years old this year), or even where they ARE.

I guess I'm spending today learning how to use the thing before I start cutting up large swaths of cloth and mutilating coathangers...

Looming with Wire?

2009-01-13T22:26:00.000-08:00

I already emailed this to myself out of paranoia that I'd forget later, but for the benefit of Blogland...

Here's an idea for a 'new' jewelry technique (Although, honestly, what's completely new these days? Not much, that's for sure... sometimes I wonder if humans have hit the wall as far as true innovation in the arts goes, but that's a rant of its own): Looming wire - that is, making a loom with wire as the warp threads and weaving the wire through the warp threads. Not wire weaving using braiding techniques or basketry techniques, but actually looming with wire. Dunno if it'll work, but it's worth a shot (probably in the morning, when I can actually go find a piece of wood and nails for a makeshift loom). And yes, I'm aware that there are factories that loom wire together to make wire mesh screens for doors and such, but that's not my aim. :P

Welcome to My Jewelry Blog!

2009-01-09T22:48:00.000-08:00

... which is still very much under construction. [snickers]

For now, you can take a look at my work over at my deviantART gallery. Feel free to bookmark this page and come back to it later!