I love monochromatic designs. I get lost in the different hues and gradations of one color. I decided right away to join in the fun. My first instinct told me to choose orange and that's what I did. Over the next few weeks, I started to wonder what my instinct was thinking.
Then I found these in my stash. Who knew these orange pearls from Fusion Beads were lurking around?
Absolutely gorgeous!
The beads definitely spoke to me. Unfortunately, they only said, "buy me." Those sneaky beads had no intention of telling me how to use them.
The agate beads were challenging because they are larger than the beads I normally use. The irregular shape also gave me pause.
I decided to bead a thick rope that might flow into the agate beads. I looked through my stack of patterns and found "A Different Kind of Spiral" by Marcia Balonis. You can find that pattern and many others here. Marcia's patterns are just gorgeous. If you have a few minutes, please check them out.
Marcia's spiral rope was perfect for what I had in mind.
The topaz crystals take a bit of an orange cast when mixed with the pearls and the dark orange seed beads.
The necklace is pretty simple: a few beaded spirals and the agate beads. I couldn't leave well enough alone, though, and added these cute little laced barrel beads, the design for which I found at Bluebear Beads.
I ended up hid a magnetic clasp inside the rope and love the finished look. The two sections of rope just seem to meld into each other.
The end result is close to what I had in mind.
Sally, thank you for such a wonderful challenge. I had a blast working on this necklace.
If you want to see more beady goodness in one color designs, check out the rest of the hop:
Hosted by:
Red
Therese Frank http://theresestreasures59.
Rochelle Brisson http://acreativechelle.
Lisa Lodge http://pineridgetreasures.
Malin de Koning http://beadingbymalindekoning.
Orange
Linda Landig http://LindasBeadBlog.com
Cherrie Fick http://designsinthelight.com
Beth McLarnan http://threetrees-art.
Cece Cormier http://thebeadingyogini.com
Renetha Stanziano http://lamplightcrafts.
Tanya Goodwin http://pixiloo.blogspot.com - you are here
Jean Welles http://jeanawells.blogspot.com
Amy Severino http://amybeads.blogspot.com
Rebekah Payne http://treewingsstudio.com
Lola Surwillo http://.beadlolabead.blogspot.
Yellow
Jennifer Justman http://soulsfiredesigns.
Rose Brisson http://ahteesblog.blogspot.com
Kim Bender http://www.kimmykats.com/
Heather Powers http://humblebeads.blogspot.
Blue
Cherie Reed http://creativedesignsbycheri.
Rebecca Anderson http://songbeads.blogspot.com
Hope Smitherman http://craftyhope.blogspot.com
Patti Vanderbloemen http://
Michelle Buettner http://MiShelDesigns.blogspot.
Alicia Marinache http://allprettythings.ca
Charissa Sloper http://blog.obsidiansoda.com
Sonya Stille http://dreaminofbeads.
Maria Grimes http://mariagrimes.blogspot.
Nancy Saccoccio http://risingdesigns.blogspot.
Sandi Volpe http://sandivolpe.com
Joanne Tinley http://
Green
Mary Harding http://
Karin Gilman http://www.qaygee.
Jayne Capps http://mamasgottodoodle.
Lorelei Eurto http://lorelei1141.blogspot.
Melissa Meman http://melissameman.blogspot.
Alice Peterson http://alice-dreaming.
Jenny Davies Reazor http://www.jdaviesreazor.com
Cynthia Machata http://antiquitytravelers.
Melissa Essenburg http://chinookdesigns.
Regina Santerre http://reginaswritings.
Lauren Streets http://ornthoughts.wordpress.
Purple
Tracy Mok http://bumblebeadsdesigns.
Jennifer Judd Velasquez http://jenjuddrocks.blogspot.
Marti Conrad http://marticsclay.blogspot.
Lori Anderson http://prettythingsblog.com
Donna Bradley http://strandedbeads.blogspot.
Courtney Breul http://beadsbybreul.blogspot.
Linda Younkman http://lindysdesigns.blogspot.
Susan Kennedy http://www.suebeads.blogspot.
Lisa Liddy http://Lisaliddy.wordpress.com
Tracy Stillman http://www.
Brown
Diana Ptaszynski http://suburbangirlstudio.com
Shannon Chomanczuk http://formysweetdaughter.
Janice Everett http://JLynnJewels.blogspot.
Black
Kashmira Patel http://sadafulee.blogspot.com
Heidi Post http://expostfactojewelry.
Birgitta Lejonklou http://lejonklou.blogspot.com/
Holly Westfall http://silverrosedesigns.
Karin Slaton http://backstorybeads.
That's one cool necklace for certain! How much time, effort and work you have put into this - it's beautiful!
ReplyDeleteTanya, you make orange beautiful! I know it is one color I have always avoided...maybe because of my bright red hair as a child. The beadwork fascinates me as always. This is such a lovely piece! Wonderful!!
ReplyDeleteThat is lovely. Who knew orange could be mellow and elegant? I didn't. Amazing beadwork Tanya.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous! I love how you tucked the beautiful agates into the beadweaving! A stunning piece!
ReplyDeleteTanya, WOW!! Your necklace blew me away!! I can't say it any better then Alice, ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!! You made orange so elegant!! (I love how you hid the magnetic clasp in the spiral, very clever!)
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you were able to participate in the Crayon Challenge!!
Oh wow. . .that necklace really does seem to just flow together. As you showed us each step you made, I still couldn't figure out what it was you had envisioned. But your completed necklace speaks for itself. It says, "Look at me, I'm orange and I'm fabulous!!"
ReplyDeleteLovely work!
Your necklace is beautiful. I love those agate beads too. You did a fantastic job putting it all together and it is obvious that you enjoyed the journey as much as the destination. Great job!
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous necklace, and some seriously lovely bead work! Have gone to Marcia's Etsy site and agree - I'm in love with her bead patterns!
ReplyDeleteTanya, that is just gorgeous!!!! I love your finished product! WOW girl, you're a beadweaving queen! Have a fantastic weekend!
ReplyDelete{Hugs}
Oh my Tanya, your beading ability blows me away, I am at a loss for words to describe the beauty of your necklace. I love it it is so very gorgeous. Don't you just love it when beads plead with you to take them home!
ReplyDeleteTherese
Oh, wow, Tanya - absolutly stunning... the combination of the beaded rope, and those small 'rings' that separate the agate: they give your design a fluidity and delicay that might have been lost on the big nuggets! It is a gorgeous necklace!
ReplyDeleteThat's amazing. Usually when I buy beads I know pretty much what I'm going to do with them, but I'm like you on this strand sometimes -- I see something and just can't pass it up and hope for the muse later! You rocked the muse.
ReplyDeleteWow - love what you did with the beads and thank goodness for listening to your gut! Absolutely amazing necklace!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, goodness....this is an amazing piece. It flows, has such amazing texture, and the colors meld so lusciously!
ReplyDeleteWow! You outdid yourself on this one! What an amazing design and sense of color!
ReplyDeleteVery elegant!! Nice transitions.
ReplyDeleteThat's gorgeous! Such amazing beadwork! I love how you hid the clasp!
ReplyDeleteOh WOW! I am always in awe of beadweavers, creating something so beautiful and big out of something so tiny! Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteOMG! This is just breathtakingly beautiful! I always admire your photographs, too - everything on this page shines!
ReplyDeleteSeriously Tanya - this is out of this world gorgeous! A great use of orange!
ReplyDeleteThe idea of using orange scared me to death, but you did such a beautiful job! The shades you chose are lovely and understated, and the weaving is terrific. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteThanks for telling how your design came to be. As a beginner in the bead weaving world I am looking for beautiful work like yours and hope to be as good one day!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! Put together beautifully!
ReplyDeleteA beautiful design and lovely beadweaving.
ReplyDeleteThis necklace is stunning! I love the mix of seed beads and the (talking) agate! =)
ReplyDeleteI love this necklace! Orange is one of my favorite colors and the spiral rope is one of my favorite stitches. I'm going to check out Marcia's site! Beautiful necklace!
ReplyDeletePretty!
ReplyDeletenow I write here again...
Deleteseems that box just vanish when Im going to write comments??
GORGEOUS !!! and I wish I could do some bead work like that :)
Love the way you combined some unusual tones of orange. Your necklace is a feast for the senses - would just look fabulous with a simple black dress.
ReplyDeleteAs I gazed upon your necklace, all I kept saying was WOW over and over. That is so cool how you hid the magnetic clasp. Just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThat Madagascar agate is really interesting. I like how you worked it into your piece, and especially like the more assymetrical look. :)
ReplyDeleteI love how you worked the large gemstones into your delicate bead weaving. Great job, lovely necklace.
ReplyDeleteWow! Thats a stunning necklace!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful selection of beads and varigated colors - love all your beautiful beadwork - it's a real stunner!
ReplyDelete~JLynn
So very pretty! LOVE!
ReplyDeletexo
The beadwork is amazing, and the colors make such a pretty necklace.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh-this past week I made my first spiral in 3 years! And seeing yours made my eyes dance with delight! What a gorgeous piece you made! I just love it!
ReplyDeleteI love love love your necklace! Bead weaving is one of my favorite techniques and your necklace is stunning!
ReplyDeleteSonya
Faaaaablulous!
ReplyDeleteVery pretty! I'm amazed by your beadwork!
ReplyDeleteThats great! THe contrast of the natural large stone color to the detail and texture of the seed beads is very appealing!
ReplyDelete