I am very excited! The June issue of Bead & Button is now available – as a subscriber, my issue actually arrived yesterday in the mail…
Normally, I am completely stoked to receive my Bead & Button anyway. I sit down and go through it front to back, looking at all the projects and drooling over all the pretty things in it.
But this issue is special – because the first project I ever submitted to Bead & Button was accepted for publication, and is on page 78 of this issue!
It’s an extremely lush bracelet project with 5 swarovski rivolis encased in “pillows” of peyote stitch. The “pillowing” technique is one that I invented, to the very best of my knowledge, becaue in 20 years of beading, I have never seen anything quite like it 
It took 85 hours of work to complete, including design and rework time – but with completed instructions an intermediate to advanced beadwe can probably finish the project in 30-40 hours.
A pillow around the rivoli helps to give it dimension, to make it stand out more on project than just a traditional bezel does. In terms of this particular project, the added dimension gives depth, and gives the impression that the stone has dropped into water and created a ripple around it. And the fringe in between each stone gives the feel of a “splash” in the water.
The inspiration for this project was the colors of the rivoli stones themselves… the deep blues of the heliotrope and bermuda colored stones reminded me of “deuterium” – heavy water pools at the bottom of the ocean whose properties defy that of water’s conventional physics, soaked and enriched with extra hydrogen molecules.
The thought of the depth got me thinking… “how can I give a look of depth in this piece?” And that’s how a new technique was born!
I hope you get a chance to check it out – and, keep on the lookout for more work from me along this line. I have since designing this project also designed another new technique that will allow a beader to build a “double” pillow of peyote as well – which makes for a beautiful beaded mandala project!
If you would like a purchase the pattern from me or have any questions on completing the Bead & Button project, please comment here or email me at mdgdesigns@yahoo.com!
Happy Beading!
michelle
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