Pattern Play Bangle from our Florida Road Trip

On my drive down and back to Florida with my husband in September I got to do the beading while he drove.  I'm sure there was something else I was supposed to be working on, but it seems that vacation can be the best time for me to focus my creative juices on something that I have been thinking about, but haven't gotten around to.  The last time this was really successful was when we were riding trains around Europe with my "Leaves Between Bangle."

So here are a few shots of how I bead in the car, my little tray/box thing rides on my lap:

 

(yes, those are old containers that Mary Kay eyeshadow came in)

 

 

I am constantly thinking about how I can use the stitches that I know in new ways.  This particular idea sprouted from a combination of the Netting Bangle, the Black Lattice Bangle and just having used the St. Petersburg Chain stitch on the newer Lavender, White and Grey combination Bangle.  I wanted to use narrower bangles with simple designs connected with smaller 15/0 beads in my netting stitch and St. Petersburg Chain Stitch.  I had packed a Green, Blue and Neutral combination of beads for this trip. Luckily, when I was at a point on this bangle that I needed even more variation in bead finishes and sizes I found The Bead Boutique in Naples, FL.

 

I had to graph out a few of the bangle designs, but most of this bangle was stitched on the fly.  I am ecstatic the way that it turned out.  I cannot wait to submit it to juried opportunities, I hope others enjoy it as much as I do.  It also looks really great on.  It can be worn alone, but when I showed my mom, she slipped it over her dark brown sweater sleeve and it was extremely dressy over the sleeve of her basic top.

 

 

I look forward to doing similar pieces in other colors.