|
|
|
Although I’ve enjoyed knitting and crocheting since I was a child, I
didn’t discover beads until 1997 when friends took me to
General Bead in San Francisco. I left the store with two packets of
seed beads and a
pattern for a Christmas ornament, and was immediately
addicted. In
my quest to combine my new passion for beads with my love
of knitting and crochet I soon discovered bead crochet as
well as both bead and beaded knitting, all techniques used
to produce the antique beaded bags of the 18th, 19th
and early 20th centuries.
In 1999 I started my business
Arhyonel Beadwork and
Antiques to promote the preservation and restoration of
beaded purses and antiques, as well as the methods and
patterns used to make them.
In 2005 I started taking jewelry
classes in an attempt to improve the metalworking
techniques that I need to repair antique purse frames. I found that I
enjoy making jewelry so much that I
have continued to learn new techniques that go far beyond
metalworking. My
jewelry incorporates a little of all of these, including
precious metal clay, wire wrapping, chain maille, fused
glass, beadweaving, and my two newest passions:
lampworking and enamel. |
|
|
