Baby Spikes, Vanbeads-Style

So, I've had these baby spikes for a few weeks now, and I've just been dying to figure out what to do with them. I found a little bit of inspiration the other day when I dug out some lengths of my favorite plastic tubing and started playing with them for another beaded necklace design idea.

I also had a baggie of brass toggle clasps that were in my goody bag from Bead Fest Philly last month, so I pulled out some of my favorite creamy pink luster seed beads, some tiny little size 15/0 brass seed beads, and set to stitchin'.

I worked right-angle weave around the tubing, and then finished the ends using peyote stitch. After I added the clasp, I twisted the right-angle weave around the tubing to make sure that one row was evenly on the top of the bracelet. Then I went back and added a spike in every other open "window" of right-angle weave.

After all the spikes were nestled in place, I went back and added a little ring of seed beads around each one to just hold them in place. They are slippery little buggers, that's for sure!

When I tried it on, I realized that this pattern would also make a killer bangle without a clasp, something that just slips on over your wrist. Next up on my beading tray is that version of my baby spike bracelet, but this time I'll take photos and do it as a tutorial. I'll probably offer it for free on Beading Daily, since my tutorials don't seem to sell very well. (Or maybe I just need to do more of them!)

A clear, cold, beautiful autumn day today, just ripe for writing and beading. Had some wonderful thoughts about art today as I was sitting here perusing Facebook and checking in on my Artist's Way for Beaders group, so I'll get to those in a bit...