New Pattern!

First up, I did publish a new pattern and then got so busy that I forgot to post here about it… This one actually features two patterns for two different types of Tulips – Standard and Peony Tulips (aka Double Tulips). The patterns were so similar that I figured it would be easier and less redundant to just bundle them together.

You can buy a copy of the PDF Pattern here.

Custom Orders

After my last post I opened up to Custom Orders, but had to close back again a couple days later as my schedule filled really quickly. I don’t have many slots this year as I’m working on a large pattern packet for Christmas so a lot of my effort will be spent on that.

My first custom order was for a crystal rose made in a light peachy pink. Here she is pictured with the red one I made myself earlier this year. In the same order there was also a strawberry plant made from a pattern in the Beaded Berry Collection.

I’ve also been working on flowers for a fundraiser to benefit my nephew’s preschool. I was able to make for them one of my new Peonies. Several of my readers have asked me to publish this pattern, but I’m not sure that I can in it’s current format. Firstly, it uses a size of bead that is not very common, especially overseas, and is becoming harder and harder to find in the US as well, so I’d have to alter it to suit a more accessible bead size. Secondly, I have a few tweaks to make to the design And Lastly, I use free-form scalloping for the petals so no two are alike and I’m not sure how that would play out for others trying to follow the pattern. I will see what I can do, but it would be a more advanced pattern, and it wouldn’t be for a while as my schedule is super full.

I was also able to produce a brand new design for Asiatic Lilies. While designing this piece I broke my record for the number of failed petals. There were 14 trial petals that I had to recycle before I was happy with them. This piece was also donated to the fundraiser. I will be publishing the pattern for these Lilies later this summer.

It was while I was working on the Peony and Lilies that I discovered that I have Carpal Tunnel. I started having a lot of pain in my wrists along with weakness and numbness in my fingers, which I’d had before but didn’t associate it with Carpal Tunnel. That is the price of repetitive crafts. Luckily I can still work, but it has been slowing me down quite a bit. I had to alter my schedule for the custom orders I had already booked.

This brings me to my current custom order, which is a big one. For my customer I am making a wreath and vine combination to decorate the top of a dome shaped shelf. I made a little sketch as you can see below. The design will feature my miniature roses made in three different colors – red, cream, and black. I need about 165 of these itty bitty roses, and around 200 itty bitty leaves, along with little fern sprigs. It’s a lot of beadowork, but I am almost finished, so I should have pictures of the completed piece sometime next week.