Spiral purse

Brick stitch different size beads for dramatic sculptural effects

by Stephanie Trice nspired by Deb Samuels Cellini spiral necklace in B&B #39, I wanted to achieve similar sculptural results in an amulet bag. The Cellini spiral tubular peyote stitch technique developed by Virginia Blakelock uses a variety of bead sizes to make a dramatic spiral rope. Using brick stitch in the larger format of a cylindrical bag, I was able to create a deeply waved diagonal stripe by varying the size and color of the beads that wrap around the bag.

Bead & Button October 2003

brick stitch
Figure 1: A ladder of seed or bugle beads is most often used to begin brick stitch: Pick up 2 beads. Leave a 3-4-in. (8-10cm) tail and go through both beads again in the same direction. Pull the top bead down so the beads are side by side. The thread exits the bottom of bead #2. String bead #3 and go back through #2 from top to bottom. Come back up #3. Figure 2: String bead #4. Go through #3 from bottom to top and #4 from top to bottom. Add odd-numbered beads like #3 and evennumbered beads like #4. Figure 3: Begin each row so no thread shows on the edge: String 2 beads. Go under the thread between the 2nd and 3rd beads on the ladder from back to front. Pull tight. Go up the 2nd bead added, then down the first. Come back up the second bead. Figure 4: For the remaining stitches on each row, pick up 1 bead. Pass the needle under the next loop on the row below from back to front. Go back up the new bead.

figure 1

figure 2

figure 3

figure 4
c

stepbystep
Thread a needle with 2 yd. (1.8m) of Nymo or Fireline. Stitch a ladder (see Brick stitch, figures 1-2) with 8 repeats of the following pattern: one 60 seed bead, one 80 , 1 cylinder bead, two 110s, 1 cylinder bead, and one 80. Make sure the ladder of beads is not twisted and sew through the first bead and the last bead to create a circle (photo a). Stitch back through the first and last beads again to reinforce the join. Your needle is exiting the final 80. To add the second row of brick stitch, pick up an 80 and a cylinder bead and sew under the thread between the cylinder bead and the 110. Begin brick stitch as in figure 3. Continue adding 1 bead at a time (figure 4), following the pattern so that the beads in subsequent

rows stack up in angled columns (photo b). At the end of each row, join the last bead to the first by sewing down the first bead and back up the last bead. To finish a thread, sew through the bead rows, changing direction several times and crossing the thread over itself to secure it before trimming the tail. Start a new thread the same way, exiting where you left off. Continue adding rows until there are 24 rows counting the ladder. After completing the final row, stitch back through the beads to exit an 110 seed bead on the ladder. Fold the bag flat so that a pair of 110s is at each corner. Position the needle to exit an 110 in one of the corners. Zigzag between matching beads on each side of the seam (photo c). Tighten the seam

materials
20g Size 60 seed beads 20g Size 80 seed beads 10g Japanese cylinder beads 15g Size 110 seed beads Nymo D beading thread or Fireline fishing line, 6-lb. test Beading needles #12

and end the thread as in step 4. String a single or multi-strand strap and attach it to the upper corners of the bag. Mine is 24 in. (61cm) long. Reinforce the join between the strap and the bag at each corner by sewing through the beads several times. w
Contact Stephanie at ladymojo99@yahoo.com.

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