Epiphany: Vine Pendant Wire-Wrapping Class with Judy Feskun...

Dontcha just love ah-hah moments?

For the past six or eight months, I've been seeing examples online incorporating all kinds of beads surrounding and offsetting a central/off-centre bead or cabochon, along with different styles and patterns of bead-weaving, the swooping, looping, layered complexity of which has basically been blowing my mind. I had resolved this year to shake up my hyper-symmetrical, balanced, linear mindset and was considering finally taking a class in something, anything, as my second step to New Stuff -- the question was where and when (my first step was watching and learning from my pal Nancy with her beautiful asymmetrical stringing). I do have several bead-weaving books, but I'm what they call an "experiential learner": I need to learn new things in person. I'm a dolt when it comes to following written directions.

To this end, I signed up to make a "Vine Pendant" at last night's Grand River Bead Society meeting in Guelph. I chose a sodalite pendant from the many offered, and copper wire was supplied in the kit. This is how mine turned out:

Front view:

Back view:

Side view:

Once you have the pendant wire-wrapped, the actual twining and vining is done with your fingers -- not with tools. I really did believe that all that random looping was done using round-nose pliers. Silly bobo. Temporary taping of wire(s) is also required. That was another duh moment for me.

Judy is the resident wire-wrapping instructor at Robert Hall Originals in St. George where for years I have been admiring the wire-wrapping examples on the class board. Unfortunately, I work at the times the classes are usually offered or I forget to sign up. For those of us into instant gratification, whose schedule prevents taking classes and/or who live several time zones away Judy sells tutorials from her website, but you can also find out about and sign up for upcoming classes held at Robert Hall Originals.

Okay, off to make more of these!

...oops, spoke too soon. I just got some typing in. Well, later, then.

Thanks for looking!