African Trade beads-part 4

This is a series of African trade bead primary patterns, this is part 4,


you can see part 1 here,
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/03/african-trade-beads-part-1.html

you can see part 2 here,
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/03/african-trade-beads-part-2.html

you can see part 3 here,
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/03/african-trade-beads-part-3.html

My back is still kind of iffy. I have a hard time sitting at the computer or even using my daughters laptop on the couch. I was starting to feel better over the weekend and I think I did more than I should have and I am back at the beginning again.
We had a storm like crazy yesterday and the day before, waterfalls of water, yesterday morning it hailed, it is cold, sun peeks out once in a while, the wind is gusting, it is wicked weather.
So how about that for the first day of spring.
Happy Spring all of you! No matter what it looks like outside.


This is large tube bead made from the canes we have done so far and the new one coming up.
A little sneak peek.
You will need:
Black Cernit clay
2 or more canes- 5" sections rolled down to 3/8" in diameter
Clay Slicing blade
Bamboo skewer
Instructions for tube bead here http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2010/11/marie-tangle-beads.html

You will need to condition some black clay and make a tube bead of plain black Cernit clay.


Slice little sections of the canes, the slices are really 1/16" maybe smaller than that.
 
The cane on the left is the next in the series.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Apply the cane slices one at a time down the tube bead in a row.
That is the next cane in the series, this is one of my favorites.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Apply the next cane slices in to the dip between the last cane slices.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Apply the next cane slice and the repeat the design if you only have three canes to slice.
if you have a lot of cane you need never repeat the rows.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hold the bead and release the skewer from the clay and then roll gently again.
Once you have all the canes in place, roll the tube and the canes on your work surface to smooth the surface. I do not roll so much that the canes blend edges together. You can if you wish.
I love the way this looks though with the edges defined.
Now roll the bead and skewer forward while holding the blade straight and move it forward too. This does take practice. You will trim off the edge to make it straight. Trim the other side too.

Pick the side of the bead that appeals to you the most and hold the bead ends with your thumb and forefinger and bend both ends up into a curve.
Bake on a tray with box cardboard lining it.
Curved tube bead.


Next African cane pattern coming soon!
Part 5
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/03/african-trade-beads-part-5.html