The Happy Luceteer, Part 2

I've been playing with the lucet again. There's a technique of adding beads to form loops along one side of the braid - I showed an example in my first post about luceting. I began to wonder what would happen if I passed the frogging line (with the beads on) through the braid in different ways.

This technique involved passing the frogging line in through one side of the braid, and out through the other. It's slightly different from the previous techniques because it keeps going in the same direction all the time. The other techniques usually go in one direction and then back again.

This one was fiddly, but I like the way it looks as if the beads are wrapping around the braid. I made it into a necklace that sits just at the collar-bone, and I think this shows off the delicate bead details. It's a subtle and delicate design when made with seed-beads. I'll be interested to try it with larger beads to see how it changes the impact. I'm just not sure if I'll be able to manage it without tying myself in knots!

H.x

This piece is for sale in my Etsy shop.

The Happy Luceteer

I bought a lucet from a Craft show ages ago. I dabbled with it and enjoyed it, but didn't really get into it because I couldn't work out what to do with my creations. For the uninitiated, a lucet is a two-pronged fork that is used to make decorative (and extremely strong) cord. Anything can be used to do this, but since I have an extensive collection of embroidery silks (courtesy of my late paternal grandmother), I principally use these.

Then, having more time off work, and less money to buy Christmas presents, I picked it up again. I started to look at some of the more advanced techniques incorporating beads, and my imagination was fired with lots of possibilities for jewelery.

The first piece I created was this bracelet for my sister-in-law. It was relatively simple, and I was pleased enough with the result to feel confident to try other ideas.






Then, horror of horrors, I broke my lucet! They are very sturdy little tools generally and, had I not stuffed it quite so hard into my overfilled craft draw, I am sure it would have carried on for years. But right at that point I was extremely frustrated. There's not a lot you can do with a one-armed lucet!
I quickly got in touch with Ziggy at www.thelucet.co.uk and ordered a new lucet. They're inexpensive, and are always supplied with great instructions. And, joy of joys, the delivery service was fantastic and I received my new lucet within two days. Hurrah! I was back in action.

My next project was a necklace with a beaded "daisy" pattern. I like the look, but felt I could glamorise it further by attaching beaded drops using eye-pins and matching beads. I like this look. The photograph here was the prototype, but I extended the idea and experimented further - more to come on that at a later date. Each time it is becoming a little less "sweet". It remains delicate, but is moving in interesting new directions!

Incidentally, the title of this post comes from the way I described myself in an email to Ziggy thanking him for the prompt delivery of my new lucet. His response was "Happy Luceteer? Is there any other kind?!" I think not, Ziggy, I think not.
H.x