A while back I wove a crystal and bead bracelet on a Lani Loom not using the shedding device. I loved the resulting piece but I have to admit I did not enjoy weaving it. Which was a problem because in theory I wanted to weave a lot of them. In practice, not so much. Why? You might ask. And by gosh, I am going to answer.
The crystals I was using were 2 mm. The beads were 11/0 Delicas. I alternated the beads with one row being: bead, crystal, bead, etc. and the next starting with a crystal, bead, crystal, etc. The holes for the crystals and beads were at a different level so when I strung up a crystal, a bead, a crystal, etc. and put it behind and in between the warp in order to sew through the beads on top, the sewing through part was not much fun. The needle is straight and the holes for the crystals and beads are not straight. So it was this battle to push the needle through the beads and crystals.
Then the light bulb! And this is what it said: Use the shedding device (click here if you’re not sure what that is). So I did. And weaving was heavenly and I can and will make a ton more!
Here she is on the loom. That section took me minutes to weave. The part that takes time is stringing the beads. Weaving is as easy as can be. Just line the row of beads behind and in between the raised warps and pull it down until it’s snug agains the row below. Then change the shed right away so you are ready to go with your next row.
Here is a little close up of my piece. You will note that the piece is 12 beads across (13 warps) using the 18 dent coil. I will be finishing it with one of our gorgeous Elegant Element clasps (the one inch version) just in case you want to weave this piece, which I am certain you will want to do!
There she off the loom, wearing her clasp and with one row of picot beading started on the side
The picot edging happens when you exit through a side bead, pick up three (in this case 15/0 seed beads) and then sew through the next bead up. It makes a very nice edging and pulls the whole piece together.
And there she is in all her finished glory. The whole thing from setting up to finishing took a little North of two and a half hours. The moral of the story is: some things are just done woven best with a shedding device. And since most bead looms do not have any kind of shedding device, you are just going to have to use a Mirrix Loom to weave this one! Or ten of them.
Need a Mirrix Loom to make a bracelet like this? Click here to get a free loom recommendation!
