Bead an amulet purse with a new slant on right-angle weave

Tri<strong>an</strong>gle-Weave<strong>Bead</strong> <strong>an</strong> <strong>amulet</strong> <strong>purse</strong> <strong>with</strong> a <strong>new</strong> sl<strong>an</strong>t on right-<strong>an</strong>gle weavePouchby Tina Czuba42 <strong>Bead</strong> &Button • June 1999

Photos by Jim ForbesWhen I learned single-needleright-<strong>an</strong>gle weave, I fell inlove <strong>with</strong> the technique. Imade lots of grids <strong>an</strong>dsquares, weaving embellishing beadsinto the spaces <strong>an</strong>d creating m<strong>an</strong>y kindsof jewelry.However, I beg<strong>an</strong> to think thesquares were a little blocky, <strong>an</strong>d my eyewas craving some <strong>new</strong> <strong>an</strong>gle. Trying tosleep one night, all I could think of wastri<strong>an</strong>gles. As a veter<strong>an</strong> quiltmaker, I’dhad m<strong>an</strong>y hours of enjoyment piecingtri<strong>an</strong>gles into beautiful patterns. Buthow to tr<strong>an</strong>slate them into beadwork?Then the image came to me – buglebeads. I could use three bugle beads tobuild <strong>an</strong> equilateral tri<strong>an</strong>gle. Equilateraltri<strong>an</strong>gles, <strong>with</strong> their 60° <strong>an</strong>gles, wouldfit together nicely to create a smoothfabric. I lay in the dark, working out thethread path until I just couldn’t st<strong>an</strong>d it<strong>an</strong>y more. At 2:00 a.m., I went downstairs<strong>an</strong>d worked it up.The tri<strong>an</strong>gles chained nicely into astraight even row. Knowing I could dothis <strong>new</strong> technique, I almost went backto bed. “Well,” I thought, “I’ll just startthe second row so I c<strong>an</strong> see how it willlook.” Wow! That’s when the hexagonsappeared. Like right-<strong>an</strong>gle weave, thisstitch c<strong>an</strong> be worked flat or tubular.Also, because tri<strong>an</strong>gles are strong, thepossibility of working this stitch intothree-dimensional forms is exciting.stepbystepThe pouch’s body is worked in tubulartri<strong>an</strong>gle weave, <strong>an</strong>d the flap in flat tri<strong>an</strong>gleweave. I used size 150 seed beads <strong>an</strong>dsize 2 bugles. If you use size 110 seedbeads, reinforce each tri<strong>an</strong>gle by goingthrough it again. This helps keep thetension even, something that c<strong>an</strong> be difficult<strong>with</strong> tri<strong>an</strong>gle weave. The <strong>purse</strong> willbe slightly larger <strong>an</strong>d less flexible <strong>with</strong>size 110 seed beads (photo, top right).pouch bodyThread a needle <strong>with</strong> 3 yd. (2.7m) ofNymo B. String 1 seed bead, 1 bugle, 2seed beads, 1 bugle, 2 seeds, 1 bugle, <strong>an</strong>d1 seed, leaving a 4-in. (10cm) tail. Gothrough all the beads again to form atri<strong>an</strong>gle. Go through one side (1 seed, 1bugle, 1 seed) of the tri<strong>an</strong>gle (figure 1).String 1 seed, 1 bugle, 2 seeds, 1bugle, <strong>an</strong>d 1 seed. Go through the sideof the previous tri<strong>an</strong>gle to form the nexttri<strong>an</strong>gle. Go through the first side of the<strong>new</strong> tri<strong>an</strong>gle (figure 2).Repeat step 2 21 more times for atotal of 23 tri<strong>an</strong>gles.Go through the first side of tri<strong>an</strong>gle1. String 1 seed, 1 bugle, <strong>an</strong>d 1 seed (figure3). Go through one side of tri<strong>an</strong>gle23, forming the 24th tri<strong>an</strong>gle. Gothrough all three sides of tri<strong>an</strong>gle 1again (figure 4).String 1 seed, 1 bugle, 2 seeds, 1bugle, <strong>an</strong>d 1 seed <strong>an</strong>d go through theside of the tri<strong>an</strong>gle the thread is comingout of to form the first tri<strong>an</strong>gle of thenext row (figure 5).Go through one side of the <strong>new</strong> tri<strong>an</strong>gle.String 1 seed, 1 bugle, 2 seeds, 1bugle, <strong>an</strong>d 1 seed <strong>an</strong>d go all the wayaround the <strong>new</strong> tri<strong>an</strong>gle again. Then gothrough the top side of the next tri<strong>an</strong>glein the row below (#23) (figure 6).String 1 seed, 1 bugle, <strong>an</strong>d 1 seed.Go through the adjacent side of the lasttri<strong>an</strong>gle formed in the current row <strong>an</strong>dthe top side of the tri<strong>an</strong>gle in the rowbelow. Go through the <strong>new</strong> side of thelast tri<strong>an</strong>gle formed (figure 7).String 1 seed, 1 bugle, 2 seeds, 1bugle, <strong>an</strong>d 1 seed <strong>an</strong>d go through thefirst side again from the same direction.Go through the two <strong>new</strong> sides of the<strong>new</strong> tri<strong>an</strong>gle <strong>an</strong>d the top side of the tri<strong>an</strong>glein the row below (figure 8).Repeat steps 7 <strong>an</strong>d 8 around thetube. String 1 seed, 1 bugle, <strong>an</strong>d 1 seed<strong>an</strong>d go through all the sides of the lasttri<strong>an</strong>gle in the <strong>new</strong> row to finish it.Repeat steps 5-9 for for 6 more rowsfor a total of 8 rows. Weave through thebeadwork several times to secure, trim.pouch flapDetermine where the sides of thebag will be. The side top tri<strong>an</strong>gle oneach side should point down <strong>an</strong>d will<strong>an</strong>gle out. With 3 ft. (.9m) of <strong>new</strong>thread, come out the tri<strong>an</strong>gle just afterthe side. The thread exits the seed beadclosest to the side tri<strong>an</strong>gle (figure 9).To start the flap in flat tri<strong>an</strong>gleweave, string 1 seed, 1 bugle, 2 seeds, 1bugle, <strong>an</strong>d 1 seed <strong>an</strong>d go through theside of the tri<strong>an</strong>gle from which youbeg<strong>an</strong> in the same direction. You haveFigure 1 Figure 2Figure 3Figure 4Figure 5Figure 6<strong>Bead</strong> &Button • June 1999 43

made tri<strong>an</strong>gle 2 in the first flap row. Tomake tri<strong>an</strong>gle 1, go through one moreside of the <strong>new</strong> tri<strong>an</strong>gle. String 1 seed, 1bugle, 2 seeds, 1 bugle, <strong>an</strong>d 1 seed. Gothrough the adjacent side of tri<strong>an</strong>gle 2(figure 10).Go through the next side of tri<strong>an</strong>gle2. Add 1 seed, 1 bugle, 2 seeds, 1 bugle,<strong>an</strong>d 1 seed. Go through the side of tri<strong>an</strong>gle2 where you started to make tri<strong>an</strong>gle3. Go through the next side of tri<strong>an</strong>gle 3(figure 11). The thread path is reversedfrom tubular tri<strong>an</strong>gle weave.Tri<strong>an</strong>gle 4 already has 2 sides, sojust add 1 seed, 1 bugle, 1 seed <strong>an</strong>d gothrough the top side of the tri<strong>an</strong>glebelow <strong>an</strong>d the third side of tri<strong>an</strong>gle 3.Make 7 more tri<strong>an</strong>gles for a total of 11.Go through the top side of tri<strong>an</strong>gle11 <strong>an</strong>d complete the first tri<strong>an</strong>gle forrow two. The thread path goes in theopposite direction from row 1 (figure12). Make 10 more tri<strong>an</strong>gles for a totalof 11. Repeat steps 12 through 15 once.On row 5, count the first tri<strong>an</strong>glemade as tri<strong>an</strong>gle number 1. Do notwork backward to add <strong>an</strong> earlier tri<strong>an</strong>gleas in step 12. This decreases thenumber of tri<strong>an</strong>gles in the row to a totalof 9. Weave the ends into the beadwork.Figure 7Figure 8Figure 9Figure 11Figure 12Figure 13Illustrations by Kellie Jaegerpouch bottomNotice that the tri<strong>an</strong>gles at the bottomform a long rect<strong>an</strong>gular shape.Keeping in line <strong>with</strong> the flap, weave 3 ft.of thread into the beadwork at the bottomof the bag, coming out the top sideof the first back tri<strong>an</strong>gle going awayfrom the side (figure 13). String 1 seed,1 bugle, <strong>an</strong>d 1 seed. Go through the sidedirectly opposite the side you just wentthrough. Go through the bottom of theside tri<strong>an</strong>gle, the side in which you started,<strong>an</strong>d the side added (figure 14). Note:this will form a square.Go through the next side to beginthe second square on the bottom. Add 1seed, 1 bugle, <strong>an</strong>d 1 seed. Continuearound to finish the square. Repeatacross the bottom. Weave into the beadworksecurely. Trim.Attach a split ring to each side of the<strong>purse</strong>. Attach one end of a ball chain toeach split ring. wContact Tina at 110 S. Walkup Ave., CrystalLake, IL 60014.Figure 10materials• 1 H<strong>an</strong>k bugle beads, size 1 or 2• 1 H<strong>an</strong>k round seed beads, 110 or smaller(I like using 150s)• Nymo thread, size B• #13 <strong>Bead</strong>ing needle• 2 5-6mm Split rings• 2.5mm Ball chainFigure 1444 <strong>Bead</strong> &Button • June 1999

Create Fashionable Jewelry <strong>with</strong><strong>Bead</strong>&Button Magazine!With every issue of <strong>Bead</strong>&Buttonmagazine, you’ll get 20+ beadingprojects, complete <strong>with</strong> step-bystepillustrated instructions.You’llalso get shortcuts, solutions, tips,techniques, <strong>an</strong>d inspiration foryour work.IT’S FUN! Make jewelry like a proCreative Ideas for the Art of <strong>Bead</strong>s <strong>an</strong>d JewelryMake fashionable jewelryStylish designs fornecklaces,bracelets,<strong>an</strong>d earringswww.bead<strong>an</strong>dbutton.comSubscribeToday!Createstunning gifts20+projectsin everyissueProjects for all levelsfrombeginner to adv<strong>an</strong>cedOrder online atwww.bead<strong>an</strong>dbutton.com/promoEnter code I3D2or call 800-533-6644Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm Central Time. Outside the U.S. <strong>an</strong>d C<strong>an</strong>ada, call 262-796-8776.