Bead Weaving, Uncategorized
Changing Seasons Wire and Bead Woven Bracelet
When you move to Seattle they make you sign a contract where you agree that you’ll tell everyone that the weather here is terrible. “Rains all the time!” you have to say, because of the contract. And it’s a good thing they make you do that, because it’s one of the fastest growing cities in America right now and I’m not sure how much more growth we could handle! But I’ll let you in on a little secret… the weather isn’t so bad. Yeah, winter is kinda grey and there’s this point in the springtime when you’re ready to move to Hawaii just for a glimpse of the sun… but summers are heavenly and it never really gets too cold in winter and autumn is usually pretty darn nice. Today, October 1st, is sunny and in the 60s, and that’s pretty nice.
But I digress. My point was going to be that in fall, I always miss New England. The colors, the smells, the crisp air… it all feels to quintessentially “autumn”.
This bracelet was meant to capture that time in New England when the trees are just starting to turn and the landscape slowly turns from green to orange.
It is made with crystals, beads, C-Lon thread, a glass button and SoftFlex wire and is made using the No Warp-Ends Kit!
I love using the SoftFlex here because it allows the bracelet to hang like a bangle. I also love how you
can see through the beads and crystals to the wire warp. I also used a green thread for the beads that you peeps through.
This bracelet is so fun to wear and so easy to make!
Now… what to do… Free Ebook? Projects+? Weave-Along? Kit?
What do you guys think?Let me know in the comments!
Update 10/10/2014: You can get the Projects+ ebook for this bracelet in our online store. Free for a limited time!
Projects
Bead Weaving with SoftFlex Wire
Recently I found a roll of orange SoftFlex wire in my stash. Maybe it’s the hint of autumn in the air, but I was really in the mood for orange. I warped up my loom using the No Warp-Ends Kit with the SoftFlex as warp.
I had some pretty orange crystals that I wove up with green beads in between for five rows and then I switched to green crystals and orange beads. I will keep alternating in this pattern.
Because of the thickness of the warp and the size of the beads, you can still see the orange SoftFlex between the beads, which I really love. The green C-Lon D I used to string up the beads also peeks through if you look really closely. It gives the piece an almost deconstructed look which I really love.
The reason the No Warp-Ends Kit is so great for weaving with wire is because you don’t have many warp-ends to finish (yay!). That said, there are still two knots at the bottom of this piece that will need to be taken care of. I got some end crimps and a cute little pair of crimping pliers from SoftFlex to secure those ends without having bulky wire knots.
I’ll update you all on the finishing process soon! I have a beautiful blown glass button I plan to use as a clasp and will weave the buttonhole into the piece.
What beading projects are you working on this fall? Answer in the comments!
Want to weave wire, too? Our No Warp-Ends Kit will make it so easy!
Uncategorized
SoftFlex Company” Social Market for a Mirrix 2014 June Share-Sponsor
SoftFlex Company has long been one of our favorites in the art/craft industry. They make high quality beading wire that can be used for many things -including weaving on a Mirrix Loom! We asked Sara from SoftFlex a few questions about the company and their products as part of their June share-sponsorship of Social Market for a Mirrix 2014!
Read on!
In a few sentences, tell us a little about Soft Flex as a company as well as about your products:
Soft Flex Company is a beading wire and craft wire manufacturer. We also distribute high-quality beads, findings and tools for making jewelry. Soft Flex Beading Wire is known worldwide for being both strong and flexible. It is the first stainless steel wire that can be knotted and comes in a huge array of colors.
Mike Sherman Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rculHbLK-JQ
How did Soft Flex get started and how has it developed?
Founding co-owner Mike Sherman discovered a need for a beading wire that was both flexible and strong. At that time, there were only 3 or 7 stranded beading wires available. Initially, co-owners Mike Sherman and Scott Clark created a 49 stranded version in a .024 diameter.
Mike Sherman Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFUTdfUF8rE
Why is Soft Flex wire superior to other beading wires on the market?
Soft Flex Beading Wire is superior for a few reasons. First, the materials used in the wire are important. The core of Soft Flex Beading Wire is a European grade stainless steel. We coat our wire with a soft and flexible nylon coating that does not fade or peel. Second, Soft Flex Beading Wire has been tested for a test strength both knotted and unknotted. In all tests, the knot will not work harden and break before any other part of the wire. This is key for understanding the true flexibility of the product. Third, this wire is hand-tested for quality. Every inch of wire is checked as it is spooled. By keeping a person involved in the process, we are able to detect even the smallest discrepancies in the nylon coating. In conclusion, we deeply care about creating quality products. 
In fact, the quality assurance at HSN likes our product so much that they require designers to use our beading wire over all others. As of April 1, 2010, strung designs that use flexible beading wire created for HSN are strung on Soft Flex Beading Wire. I think that this speaks volumes about our product in that after careful analysis, their quality assurance department saw the benefit of asking their vendors to exclusively use our beading wire over all others because they have less returns on product.
Tell us a little about your experience using Soft Flex on a Mirrix Loom:
I have only scratched the surface with using Soft Flex Beading wire on a Mirrix Loom. I recently had a bracelet design published in Beadwork Magazine (June/July issue) showing this fun and unusual technique. Our wire is so flexible that it can almost do everything that a thread can do.
You can learn a little more about what Sara has done with SoftFlex on a Mirrix here:
What campaigns or programs do you have going on right now? Will you be at any upcoming shows or events?
We are busily preparing for the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee, WI. It is the largest bead show under one roof.
Bead and Button Show
June 5 – 8, 2014
Wisconsin Center
400 West Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53203
Hours:
Thursday 10:00am – 8:00pm (preview night)
Friday 10:00am – 8:00pm
Saturday 10:00am – 6:00pm
Sunday 10:00am – 4:00pm
This year will be very special because we are sponsoring an exhibit from Beads of Courage. 10 glass beads were created based on drawings by 10 children in the Beads of Courage program. 10 jewelry designers chosen by Soft Flex Company were challenged to incorporate the beads into finished necklace designs that will be on display and for sale with the proceeds benefiting Beads of Courage at the Bead and Button Show in the lobby. The Beads of Courage Mission: We are growing every day, providing innovative, arts-in-medicine supportive care programs for children coping with serious illness, their families and the health care providers who care for them.
Learn more about SoftFlex here:
Website: www.SoftFlexCompany.com
E-News: www.softflexcompany.com/WSWrapper.jsp?mypage=CustomerService_EmailList.html
Blog: www.softflexgirl.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Soft-Flex-Company/12258770919
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SoftFlexCompany
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/softflexcompany/