The response has been fantastic and we are so pleased you are enjoying the LOVE.
To see a gallery of some of the O's we've seen posted, click here.
If you did an L you are familiar with two things....I like double waxed fireline and how to create two cubes side by side. If not you might want to visit that post and see what I have to say.
Notes: What's a little different with the V is that on the interior wall of the beginning of each arm there are 2 beads to a side on the front and the back. This forces the arms of the V into the slight slant that is necessary to create the V.
Supplies: You'll need small amounts of a main color in size 11º and an even smaller amount for the serif. Some size 15ºs will come in handy for adding the embellishments. Make a nice collection of some O beads, 3 and 4 mm crystals, pearls, or fire polish, a few crystal sequins if you have them and whatever else strikes your fancy.
CRAW: Pickup 4 size 11 beads and tie in a circle. These are the floor beads. Pick up 3 beads (side, ceiling and side beads) and pass through the floor bead you are exiting from the opposite side (this forms the first wall) and the next floor bead. Pick up 2 11ºs and pass through the side bead from the first wall, the floor bead and the next floor bead (this forms the second wall). Repeat for the third wall, adding 2 beads. Pass through the last floor bead and the side bead from the first wall. Pick up 1 bead and pass through the side bead of the third wall, the floor bead, the side bead of the first wall and the ceiling bead of the first wall.
Bottom of the V: Make 3 additional CRAW cubes for a total of 4.
Turn the 4 cubes horizontally and weave to exit the ceiling bead of the last cube on the right. (This was previously a side bead, when the work is turned it becomes a ceiling bead of that cube and a floor bead of the cube about to be built.)
Build the first arm: You will be working two cubes side by side on top of the left two cubes. When weaving cubes side by side you will be weaving 7 walls. The interior wall between the two cubes is a shared wall. Begin by picking up 3 seed beads and passing through the ceiling you are exiting.
Use the illustration below to determine the order in which you will be building the walls.
Note: Very important, On the fifth and sixth walls you build, the sides will have 2 size 11º seed beads. This will create a slight angle in the remaining rows that you weave. You will only do this on the first set of cubes. All other cubes are done with 1 bead for each floor, side, and ceiling.
Note: The cube from the 4 cube start counts as row 1. The cubes just built with the 2 side beads on the interior wall count as row 2.
Complete the first arm: Bead an additional 11 2 cube rows as follows for a total of 13 cubes.
Wall 1: 3 beads
Wall 2: 2 beads (side is shared with Wall 1)
Wall 3: 2 beads (side bead is shared with Wall 2)
Wall 4: 1 bead (Pass through the shared floor bead and up through the first bead of wall one. Pick up the one ceiling bead and pass through the side bead of wall 3, the shared floor bead again and then through the floor bead for wall 5)
Wall 5: 2 beads (side is shared with Wall 1)
Wall 6: 2 beads (side is shared with Wall 5)
Wall 7: 1 bead (Pass through the floor bead of 7 and the shared side bead from Wall 3. Pick up the one ceiling beading pass through the shared side bead from wall 6, the floor bead from wall 7 and up through shared side bead from Wall 3 and 7, shown as arrow 8 in the illustration)
Build the second arm: Weave to exit the ceiling bead on the front face of the first horizontal row of cubes as shown. You will be weaving rows one cube wide for the second arm.
Note: As on the first arm, the first cube will have 2 beads as the side wall on the front and back interior edges.
Build an additional 11 cubes with 1 bead per floor, side and ceiling for a total of 13 cubes.
Note: For simplicity sake I illustrate adding the serif embellishment all at once. If it suits you, you may add them when your working thread is near to the correct placement before carrying on with the next step.
Embellishments: Make yourself a pretty little pile of coordinated accent beads and choose a location on your letter to apply them. Use the working thread or weave in a new thread if necessary. Exiting a seed bead on the base of the letter, pick up an accent bead, a size 11º or 15º turning bead and pass back through the accent bead and an adjacent bead on the base. Repeat until you have a pleasing assortment of beads arranged on your letter.
Note: Since there is not much structure to the one cube arm, you may want to re-enforce that side of the V as much as possible. You may also see that I added a little fire polish bead between the two base cubes to keep them together while still slanted. Your results may vary, but be creative and re-enforce as necessary to get your V to behave.
Next week we'll complete the LOVE letters with an E! What will you do with your LOVE letters? Once we are done I will have a few ideas for you and don't forget, we have much more to look forward to with an entire schedule of other artists who will be contributing during the following weeks!
Blogpost written by Marcia DeCoster
For a printable version click here.
