Class Description: Students will make a beaded braid lariat that starts and ends with fobs. That’s right, no clasp. My lariat is 44 inches long, however, the kit has enough supplies for you to make yours as long as you want (within reason, ha ha). During class we will have fun discovering multiple ways to tie your lariat. This is a basic 8-strand Kongoh drop bead braid, however, you will learn how to use supplemental warps to securely braid in pearls on beading wire. Class instructions include different bead layout templates along with a necklace planning guide so students can design their lariat based on their desired length and/or choice of knotted closure. I expect most students to finish the project in class.
Skill Level: Intermediate
Prerequisite: Experience braiding and setting up an 8-strand beaded braid on the marudai.
Student kit: $175
Kit contents: Includes CLon braiding cord, beading wire, core material, Toho seed beads, several different sizes and shapes of Czech glass beads, genuine keshi pearls, and faceted crystals to add a little bit of bling.
Student supplies: Scissors, bead mat, blue tape, spring stopper, and measuring tape.
Optional supplies: Task light (with extension cord if electric), and magnifiers.
I will bring these supplies to share, or you can bring your own: Black beading thread, cord zapper, mighty crimping pliers, super glue, weighted plastic bobbins (2 per student), and Fray Check.
Equipment to bring: Marudai, 8 weighted tama, 25% counter weight, chopstick, and something to suspend the core above the marudai (either a core stand or a tripod). To make Mo Perry’s brilliant and inexpensive, light weight core stand, you will need: Camera tripod (lightweight is best for travel), 2 velcro cable tie wraps (8 in. each), 16 1/2 inch piece of 1/2 inch PVC pipe, and 2 end caps to fit the 1/2 inch PVC pipe. Come a half hour early on Friday so that we can put your core stand ‘hack’ together.
Lunch: It is best to bring a lunch and beverage so that we can take a short lunch break. These are close by or on the way: Fresh Market, Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. The classroom has a refrigerator.
No perfume please, some of us have allergies.
