A Jaunt in the Crochet World

Julie's Class Project
Bead Crochet with D&E Nylon #18 Taupe, Various Beads and Tassels

After starting the online supply store with thread for my students, I got a lot of questions regarding bead crochet for which I didn't have any ready answer. I got a few books, played around with a few concepts such as crochet beaded ropes, but never finished a piece as most required a lot stringing ahead of time and when I experiment I often just try a few inches. So when one of my friend, Julie Goodenough, who teaches crochet came to pick up some spools of D&E for her class, I signed up.

Julie's project consisted of stringing beads one strand at a time, single bead crochet, joining the strands in a single bead crochet cording and ending the thread with a few beads. She shepherded us, her students, effortlessly through the project, spending extra time with the ones just learning to crochet for the first time. Her instructions were nice and clear. Most of us finished the neckpiece, sometimes with the help of a another student. I had extra time, so I added tassels for individualization.

Later in my studio, I decided to continue with the individualization of the process I had learned in Julie's class. I added other techniques I am more familiar with such as cordmaking and knotting, and made several pieces with turquoise chunks I had in my drawers. I found that I preferred C-Lon Bead Cord for this process over the softer D&E. The heavier bond of the C-Lon adds a bit of body to the single chain crochet, so you see, brand preference is individual. Julie said she will give C-Lon another try. My final decision is always all about color.

'Turquoise Crochet Neckpiece I'
Turquoise Nuggets, Turquoise Donut and Jade Toggle and Loops, C-Lon Bead Cord Bronze & Olive. Techniques used: Single Bead Crochet, Cordmaking, Knotting.
Neckpiece can be worn short, without the extender, or at adjustable length.

The "Turquoise Crochet Neckpiece III' (shown above on the right) has the same description as the piece above with Black Onyx instead of Jade and C-Lon Bead Cord Experimental Color #12, a possible future color, we will see... I sold the 'Turquoise Crochet Neckpiece II' at my last show before it was photographed, but 'Turquoise Crochet Neckpiece IV' is being work on as we speak.

If you are around the San Francisco Bay Area, take a class with Julie and visit her at one of her shows to see some of her beautiful pieces. Her classes are worthwhile and fun. Her jewelry pieces have very unusual combination of beads creating exotic and fresh compositions. In addition she also make purses, scarves and hats. Her motto is after all: 'Only the best is Goodenough...' So visit her website: http://www.juliegoodenough.com/index.html