Playing with Oglala

Ever since I first came across the instructions for the Oglala technique in Mastering Beadwork, I've been hooked. It's such an easy stitch to master (well, I thought so anyway), and it produces beautiful results. The stitch itself is a type of netting, and because more beads are added to each row it winds up being very frilly and ruffly.

A lovely repeat customer (Barbara) requested that I create an Oglala necklace for her using a mixture of copper- and bronze- colored beads and freshwater pearls. There was some discussion about whether to create the ruffly part of the necklace using a different color for each row, but ultimately Barbara decided she'd like just a random mixture. I haven't quite completed the necklace (still have to add the pearls), but I think mixing the beads (four different colors) was a good choice!

Not that I needed to practice, but I decided to make a bracelet using the Oglala technique before I began the necklace. Did I mention how much fun these are???

I recently purchased some really primitive looking brown and clear glass beads at a show in Milwaukee with the intent of using them to make a different type of Oglala bracelet than I've previously done. All my other versions have been very symmetrical, using the same size and type of focals, but I'm really happy with this one with all its different sizes and shapes. It's hard to tell from the photos, but there are some that look like root beer barrels (you know, those hard candies you like so much), one with a twisted pattern in the glass, one that has slight facets, and some plain round ones. All the clear beads have a white core, where they were removed from their mandrels, so they look neat.

The whitish colored beads used for the ruffly part are vintage Japanese beads - clear glass lined with white. This one had me thinking about that half gallon of ice cream stashed in the freezer, paired with some of my favorite Point root beer. So this one is called Root Beer Float. hehe.

I've just been sent a tip that is going to allow me to spend more of my time beadweaving... Feel free to use this yourself! You'll be amazed at how much more time you have. :-)

Always keep several Get Well cards displayed on your mantel...
so if unexpected guests arrive, they'll think you've been ill and unable to clean!