Monday, June 17, 2013

Embroidery with Sherry Serafini

On Monday night, I met a beading idol, Sherry Serafini.  I have been in awe of Sherry's work for some time and it was her work and her book, Sensational Bead Embroirdery, that made me try bead embroidery for the first time.

If you haven't seen Sherry's work, take a look at her gallery.  You'll be in beaded heaven.

Sherry teamed up with Marcia DeCoster this year for the Bead Dreams competition.  Marcia created gorgeous components for Sherry to play with.  The result is a gorgeous necklace.

So, I was really looking forward to Shery's "Rebel Cuff" class.

Three stones bezeled in peyote stitch make up the focal of the cuff.  Several ladies in the class had never done peyote and Sherry was right there walking them through the stitch and the step up, which is confusing the first few times you try peyote in the round.  I think, by the end of class, everyone was comfortable with the stitch.

I was pleased to have *almost* completed the focal during class.


The bracelet strap is made by whip stitching a piece of leather to a piece of suede.


(The focal looks a bit off center because I allowed a bit of space for the overlap on the snap.  It now occurs to me that I didn't have to do that.  At least you can't tell when I'm wearing it.)

I always think that an embroidered piece needs to be completely covered in beads.  This bracelet made me rethink that assumption.

I love how the focal takes center stage and the leather itself is gorgeous and feels awesome against my skin.

I also love the feel of the chain dangles.


I'm in love with the bracelet and so happy I took Sherry's class.

I'm ready to try more embroidery.  It's almost like painting on a canvas and the results can be amazing.

7 comments:

  1. So beautiful!!! Thanks so much for sharing this class with us.

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  2. Tanya~this is Gorgeous! I love the style and the look and that you didn't fill the entire cuff. I have never bead embroidered, mainly because it always looks like too much to me. Yours doesn't have that cluttered look in the least. There is the focal and that is enough. Beautiful beautiful piece! And I really like the unexpected chain :-)

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  3. I think you had a very big learning week! So glad you had such wonderful results. I have enjoyed all of your posts. You always do such beautiful work.

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  4. Really beautiful! I'd love to take a class with Sherry and am so glad you got to and shared it with us. I too like the balance of beadwork to leather. It makes it wearable every day instead of just for special events.

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  5. Tanya, it looks great! I haven't found the time to finish mine yet but am looking forward to it. You make a great point about not having to cover the entire piece with beads, I too had never thought about this possibility before Sherry's class.

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  6. The coolest part about your recent Blog Posts concerning your classes taken at Bead and Button is that I have heard of every single teacher and wanted to attend the same classes! This cuff is just stunning - I can imagine the attitude I would acquire by donning this beauty on my arm! Beautiful!

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  7. I have admired Sherry's work as well, lucky you to have attended her class. Your bracelet is gorgeous!

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