A New Tutorial - Carol's Bracelet

I have a new tutorial out there in my Etsy shop!  I'm excited, because this really just flowed for me, and the last one was a bit of a slog.  I really like it, and best of all, the friend I named this for likes it, too!  Introducing Carol's Bracelet, a pretty and dainty piece which is really wearable:

I haven't taken my Montana/Egyptian blue one off since I made it.  ;)  I am addicted to them, and have been working on another one; gold this time, I think.  I love using the 6mm chatons, they add just the right amount of sparkle, and I like the 2mm pearls because they're fun to work with.  The 2mm crystals in the bezels are optional, and easily replaced with a size 11 seed bead.  If you'd like a copy of this tutorial, it is available HERE.

A few people have asked if it was possible to use a 39SS 8mm chaton in place of the little 29SS 6mm ones, and so I had to have a try this morning and see how it worked.  I thought I would share the results in case anyone else would like to try it that way, too.  BOY it is shiny!!!!

Here's what changes in the pattern; You will need to start your bezel with 8 Bs instead of the called for 6 As.  From there, use all Bs for Steps 2&3, and of course there will be more repeats around your base circle.  In Step 7 you use the same beads called for with the 6mm, again with more repeats.  Your crystal round will consist of 8 2mms rather than 6, and you will have a total of 8 picots around.  Make the connections as directed, the only change is that you will have three 'free' picots top and bottom rather than two.  :)

Because of the change in chaton sizes, you will most likely need to leave off the extra embellished diamond before your clasp.  I used Light Bronze #457L, Aqua Shimmer chatons, aqua AB 2mm and 4mm crystals and white pearls for my sample.

Before I go, I just want to remind everyone that my Annual Sale will still be happening this next weekend, as well - you can read more about that in my last blog post HERE.  Thanks for reading!

NEDbeads Annual Shop Sale

Hey everyone, here's to hoping you had a fabulous Thanksgiving (if you're in the US) and that you're having a stress free (ha!!) time of it with your holiday preparations.

I am encouraging everyone to please consider giving PDF tutorials as gifts for beady friends this year in the hopes of helping out some of the designers all around Planet Bead who may have to close down the digital download features in their shops due to the VAT changes being made.  Please consider buying for a friend, as these tutorials may not be available come the new year.  I know I'm hoping to be able to have a bit of a splurge myself on some tutorials out there!

Every year I have a sale in my Etsy shop and it works like this:  If you buy a pattern in my shop, you get a free pattern to send to a beady friend for Christmas.  Just leave your friend's name and email address (and any message you'd like included with their PDF) in the Notes to Seller section at checkout, and I will email them the pattern of your choice, either the day of purchase or on Christmas Eve, whichever you prefer.  My sale runs each weekend (Friday through Sunday) throughout the month of December.  Money is always tight this time of year, and a tutorial makes a great gift (especially when shipping is so high nowadays)!   Hint - shopping around in your friends' Favorites on Etsy always works.  ;)

Please note that this is not a regular Buy One Get One sale - I won't send you a free tutorial if you purchase, but will only send one to a friend as a gift.

(If you aren't already aware and horrified by the VAT business, and want info on it, just Google VATMOSS or VATMESS and you'll be deluged.)