Friday 12 October 2012

Circle Starburst


I'll be moving house soon so I thought I'd have a bit of a sort through of all my patterns and my beading stash.  I'm off work at the moment with an ear infection (not so much fun when you're deaf!) so now is the perfect time to have a root through and see what I've got.

A long time ago I bought the pattern for the Circle Starburst by the amazing Cindy Holsclaw.  I bought some 6mm Swarovski pendants to make it and then promptly forgot all about it, filing the pattern and stashing the crystals! 

I thought I'd pick up a needle and thread and start making it.  The pattern is pretty simple and if you've made a beaded bead using the Bead Infinitum's Infinity Weave then you're on to a winner!  However, if you're not used to following 3D patterns presented on a 2D plane then get something a lot simpler!  This isn't really a pattern for a beginner.

Here is the beaded bead with wide open spaces.  Quite honestly, I wish I'd had a black support bead because I think this looks lovely!

This is the beaded bead from the triple crystal view:

 All finished, from the five crystal view:

Admittedly, I did simplify the pattern.  In the actual pattern the seed beads come up in small volcano type shapes in between the pendants but I felt that they hid the beautiful Swarovski crystal too much for my taste.  I took off all the volcanoes and adapted the pattern so that the pendants really stick out of the seed bead base.  It makes it look a lot more spiky and a bit more vicious, but that's what I like in jewellery anyways!

To hang it on the silver neck wire, I simply popped an eye pin through the beaded bead, trimmed and turned a loop.

Close up of the beaded bead on the neck wire:

In all, it's quite a nifty little beaded bead that could be used as a base for lots of different variations.  Make sure you have lots of finer needles to hand though - I got through three needles because you have to get into some quite tight spaces!  I think the price is a little steep for what you get - $36 which equates to roughly £22...   But it is pretty.

Hope you like it!

2 comments:

  1. Kate sent me....:-)
    LOVE beaded beads, and that is just gorgeous, but yeah....I've looked at the patterns on that site, and while I appreciate the artistry and all....$50 for a .pdf pattern?? I don't think so.
    I'll just admire yours. :-)

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    Replies
    1. Hurrah for Kate! :)
      I agree completely with you that the prices are a bit steep - if you order direct from Cindy you get a .pdf file but if you order from Bead Infinitum they send you a paper copy.
      As British and US paper sizes are so different I then had to scan the pages into my computer to make sure that I still had the pattern if the original pages got completely raggedy in my patterns binder. No .pdf file, just paper.
      Gorgeous but I can't often justify buying the patterns and ask for them as presents at birthday or Christmas instead!

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