I recently revisited my Heart-to-Heart bracelet pattern, since Valentine's Day is coming up soon. I thought I would see if I could re-arrange the two hearts to make a necklace. 

Here is the original bracelet.

Heart-to-Heart Bracelet designed by Janet Palumbo

The pattern was published in BEADWORK magazine, Aug/Sept 2013 and it was the first of our patterns to be published, so it holds a special place in my heart!

The pattern, with more photos and updated instructions, is available for purchase from our Etsy shop at this link if you would like to make your own.

For the necklace, which is for sale at the Red Tulip Gallery in New Hope, PA and from the gallery's online store, I thought I would make the hearts two different colors and intertwine them, since I was going for a Valentine's Day sale! I used luminous raspberry Czech farfalle beads for one heart and white Japanese peanut beads for the other. Both hearts have Swarovski crystal pearls in Rosaline for the embellishments. I finished the necklace with a heart-and-arrow shaped toggle clasp in pewter.

Heart-to-Heart Necklace by Janet Palumbo

  

 

While I was working on this necklace, I got the ideas for two more necklaces--a bead embroidered heart that can be worn as a pin or as a pendant on your favorite chain, and a delicate little necklace made with tiny faceted crystal flowers with a red and pink color scheme that worked out beautifully. Both necklaces are also for sale at Red Tulip Gallery and online.

Bead embroidered heart pin/pendant
by Janet Palumbo

The back, showing the pin with a bail.

Tiny Crystal Flowers Necklace,
by Janet Palumbo

Tiny Crystal Flowers Necklace, detail

Saucerful of Crystals Bracelet

Saucerful of Crystals Bracelet by Reem Iversen and Janet Palumbo

Designed by Reem Iversen and Janet Palumbo, the Saucerful of Crystals bracelet is a lot of sparkle for your arm!

Our pattern for this bracelet was published in Perlen Poesie Magazine, Issue no. 26 (Sept. 2015). This beautifully produced and exquisitely printed magazine is the European leader in bead weaving and jewelry design. We are thrilled to be included in this high-end publication!

The e-pattern is now also available from our Etsy shop (instant download for instant gratification). The e-pattern contains our detailed step-by-step instructions, with full-color diagrams for each step. Reem recently taught this pattern at the Bead Boutique in Naples, FL and the students told her these were the best instructions they ever used! (We hear that all the time from our students!) Visit our Facebook page to see photos of the great color palettes chosen by the students.

This pattern uses 176 Swarovski bicone crystals (like we said, a lot of sparkle for your arm!), 2-hole piggy beads, and high quality Japanese seed beads in 3 sizes.

Free pattern "Let's Twist"

"Let's Twist" in Denim Blues by Two Beads Are Better Than One

Reem and I are getting ready to teach our bead weaving workshops at Bead Fest Philadelphia this weekend. We will also be launching our Etsy store, where we will be selling patterns (tutorials) and kits for our original designs. We want to offer a free pattern so beaders can see how great our instructions, diagrams, photos, and tips are! We work very hard on our instructions to make them as clear and complete as possible, so that even a beginner can use them successfully. 

"Let's Twist" in Bronze and Purple

Our first free pattern / tutorial is a great pattern for beginners or beaders of all skill levels. We have used it in our classes with students who have no beading experience and they all wear a beautiful bracelet home. The only stitch used is Spiral Rope, which is a very versatile stitch. We call this spiral rope bracelet pattern "Let's Twist" and it is a great way to start bead weaving. 

"Let's Twist" in Pink and Aqua

Use the "Let's Twist" pattern to make a necklace!

The clasp is attached using a method that I came up with and that we haven't seen used anywhere else. At the end of the beadwork, a size 8º seed bead is attached so that it sits perpendicular to the beadwork. A 6mm jump ring is inserted through the 8º bead on one end and another 6mm jump ring is inserted through the loop of a lobster clasp and through the 8º bead on the other end. The look is clean, neat, and finished and the connection is very secure but doesn't put stress on the beadwork itself. We use this connection method in many of our patterns.

You'll want to make more than one!

We hope you enjoy making your own "Let's Twist" bracelet.

Click HERE to download the PDF instructions for Let's Twist.