Tri Links Choker Class This Saturday August 18

Tri Links In Gold Hammertone from last season's palette

We have brought back this class by request of many of our regular beaders and off loom weaving passionistas.  In addition, as friends are moving to new adventures and experiences, we thought this would be a great  way to get everyone for a gathering before Eid and to bid some of our dear friends a good journey and move while we learn to create and make. 

This Saturday in our regular class series, a new lighter and more delicate design will pave the way for sunny days and fall evenings.  This idea came to me, as I imagined what kind of jewelry one would one wear on an island in the Mediterranean and this is what came to fruition.  

Combining two ancient off loom weaving techniques and allowing the links to become the focal points with the Native American Peyote stitch and the Spiral Stitch of the Zulus coming together in a new interpretation of the past with our Tierracast Hammertone Black and Brass Oxide as the focal points.  Accenting the circularity of the links, the closure is a  subtle contrast.  The design has yet again been modified whereby, we will be exploring the beauty of the Spiral Stitch employing our collection of wonderful hues in the Miyuki Bugle Beads range.

Participants are also going to experiment with how threads can change and alter the colorways of a piece and how to enhance this feature along with experimenting of color blending of beads to create a subtle but rich palette. 

Date:  August 18, Saturday

Time:  11:00 AM- 3:00 PM

Technique:  Peyote / Zulu Spiral Stitch

Level:  Advanced Beginners (Comfortable with peyote and spiral stitch)

Kits will be available for reservation and advance registration at the shop this Tuesday evening after Iftar time.  For more information you can contact the shop from 4pm-Midnight daily for the remaining portion of Ramadan at 2261-0686 or send us an email at info@lbojzazz.com.  For class description, fees and materials list you can also go to http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=960aae156d11fbb85189284e3&id=e391e70e21e c

This class will be led by Lubna with the technical and creative support of Bettina.

June 21 Class | Explorations In Peyote: Petals and Leaves

Small yet intricate shapes evoking Petals and Leaves

The ancient stitch of Peyote yields many rewards as it can mimic and evoke shapes from nature.  Whether it is playing with odd or even count stitches, simple techniques can allow for more embellishing and fringing elements.  These techniques were perfected and inspired by the master bead weaver and teacher Laura McCabe and can be modified with practice.

Participants will learn how to properly set up and hold the bead work along with quickly building up these foundational design elements using cylinder and seed beads. You will also see finished pieces that incorporate these elements to trigger new articulations for future objects of adornment. These pieces can be added to other projects, however, you will also be able to incorporate these elements in a future class. 

Date:  Tuesday  June 21
Time:  6:00 PM- 8:30 PM
Level: Beginners / Foundational
Technique: Peyote
Venue:  Jabriya Block 9 Street 6 House 13 (Side Basement Entrance)


For more information on class materials, kit information, class costs and any other details please email us at info@lbojzazz.com. 

This class is designed and led by Lubna Saif Abbas and supported by Bettina Al Bakhit.

Amal's Jasper Pendant

A few weeks back was my very dear friend Amal's birthday and we were planning to meet and celebrate this special time with her and her amazingly beautiful and talented family.  So, I decided to make her a pendant and then she could decide as to whether it would be part of a lariat, choker, bracelet or pin.  Setting the semiprecious stones ranging from fossils,Jaspers, Agates, Chrysoprase and Labrodorites to name a few on the work table and waiting for one of the stones to emerge from the group and say "pick me!"  Well, this beautiful stone seemed to shine amidst all the other stones that I have such a reverence for.

Beginning at 11 in the morning, the stone was prepared and lovingly embraced with small Delicas to encase and envelope this luscious Jasper stone.  By the late afternoon the piece was completed and ready to take with us.  Upon photographing the piece, the colors emerged in a very rich and subtle palette due to the special rings of the Jasper.  Amal decided that she wanted it to become a brooch.

At this point in time, it has become very hard to go and buy something for those dear friends and loved ones.  The caring attention to selecting, creating and finishing a piece has rewards that become magnified from the fulfillment of the creator and the satisfaction that the recipient gets when knowing that someone took the time, to stitch and create something for them with a few basic elements and items.  

Class: Spring Blossom Earrings- this Saturday May 8th

This class combines the delicacy of spiral stitch with the formation of spring petals in peyote.  You will be able to perfect the spiral stitch incorporating our new shape of seed beads; the Japanese triangle bead in a new sequence.  The Czech drops end the piece and are then enveloped in a Peyote based petal to create a unique take on the elegance of drop earrings.  Lubna has designed this project and will be leading the session. 

Venue:  Jabriya Block 9 Street 6 House 13- side basement entrance
Date:  Saturday May 8th
Time:  9AM-1PM
Level:  Intermediate Beginners

For more information regarding materials and tools list, class description and fees please email us at info@lbojzazz or contact us at 5555-7745. 

Dancing Crystals Choker- Class Saturday March 13

Part of Lubna's Signature Series, the Dancing Choker came about during a two week bed ridden bout with the flu back in 2005. I've always been fascinated by insects, cobwebs and cocoons and how these insects and their structures drape and yet are resilient and withstand a lot. So, when I began to play with the Soft Flex Beading Wire, structures that felt like sprouting tentacles and cobwebs that had a cascading effect emerged.
This is a modification and elaboration of the original design and is a show stopper. It is definitely a dramatic piece to be worn with a strapless dress or a square cut as the draping of the crystals dancing takes place all the way around the neck and in the back. Beaders will be introduced to the luscious and verdant colors series from Soft Flex called Trios and will be creating a rich patterning with our Bohemian crystals in sizes ranging from 3mm-6mm bicones. The draping pattern will be suspended from a peyote base of bugle beads.

The class will begin this Saturday March 13 at 9:00 AM and end at 1:30 PM and will be at our location in Jabriya. For more information on materials, tools and cost fees send us an email at info@lbojzazz.com or call us at 5555-7745 or 6676-7608. The class will be lead by Lubna and supported by Bettina; the dynamic beading duo at your service.

Tri Link Choker Class Saturday February 20

This Saturday in our regular class series, a new lighter and more delicate design will pave the way for sunny days and spring evenings.  This idea came to me, as I imagined what kind of jewelry would one wear on an island in the Mediterranean and this is what came to fruition.  
Combining two ancient off loom weaving techniques and allowing the links to become the focal points with the Native American Peyote stitch and the Spiral Stitch of the Zulus coming together in a new interpretation of the past with hammertone gold as the focal points.  Accenting the circularity of the links, the closure is a contrast in a square deco style.

Participants are also going to experiment with how threads can change and alter the colorways of a piece and how to enhance this feature along with experimenting of color blending of beads to create a subtle but rich palette. 


We have one seat remaining for this class.  
For more information on the class details you can contact either Bettina or myself or via email at info@lbojzazz.com

The "How Ya Doin?" Ring

Created by Lubna Saif Abbas

After the kick off the New Year and season with last week’s Kashmiri Dreams Cuff that Bettina had developed and concocted, Lubna was intent to continue with the benchmark raised. This class continues to celebrate the Peyote Stitch adding the new technique of bead embroidery and creating a beaded bezel with Circular Peyote Stitch.

This class will focus on embellishing, some more embellishing, and then some! Special Vintage German Cabochons have been selected for this ring. We will be using our sought after special Japanese Cylinder beads, to create a captivating bezel and the ring strap. More embellishing will be introduced with Czech seed beads and special Precious Metal coated charlottes. Our Czech crystals will create the showcase. This ring is a definite eye catcher and conversation piece.

Once you master this technique it can be modified as a pin, a pendant or the main focal point for a bracelet. The kits will come in a range of opal blues and turquoise in celebration of all things blue.

Six seats will be available for this class that will be introducing a whole new technique.

Workshop registration will be taken until Thursday January 28th. You may either leave a comment here or email us: info@lbojzazz.com

Kashmiri Dreams Cuff Workshop (Rescheduled)

The long-awaited beading workshops are finally in the pipeline. Our 1st workshop/class for year 2010 will be focusing on the very therapeutic stitching technique called Peyote. And to make it even more interesting slight twists here and there have been added to embellish and enhance the learning experience and give you a more celebratory piece.

In this workshop the basic Peyote stitch we will be teaching is called the Two- drop. Almost identical to the regular Peyote stitch in technique but the end product comes out more vivid in its pattern. My design and color palette inspirations have been the very joyful, and uplifting Kashmiri art culture with all its vibrant energy and ever-enduring beauty.

I look forward to teaching this workshop along with my beading partner Lubna:

NEW TIMING

Date: Saturday January 23, 2010

Time: 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Only a few more seats remain. If anyone is interested in experiencing something different and walking out with a similar piece as what is seen in these photos, and made by "YOU", or just getting more information, you can visit us at our shop, or contact us via email at info@lbojzazz.com.

Bezeled Island Jasper Completed

Here is the piece that was bezeled in peyote stitch upon completion.  This project triggered a flurry of off- loom weaving branching out into at least four new projects underway. The idea was to keep the focus on the actual properties of the color ways and shape of the stone.

  
The clasp is the bronze finishing hammertone clasp by Tierracast.  It created an interesting contrast to the piece. Japanese seed beeds were used in the strap in the Spiral Stitch Technique It is now in a private collection.

Off Loom Weaving: Introduction To Peyote Stitch

There are several techniques that have proven to be favorite by artisans and craftsmen generation to generation. An ancient technique, Peyote Stitch perfected and expressed among native Americans is still employed today. This stitch is created using an "off-loom" method and initially was created to hold the hallucinogenic dream creating drug Peyote in a special pouch styled pendant. From a creative standpoint, this is by far one of the most rewarding and versatile techniques in "off-loom" weaving.

We will be offering an introduction class, on Saturday September 12 introducing the technique and some variations and applications. Participants will be able to make and complete a Peyote Cuff in addition to acquiring new embellishing and finishing techniques that can also be creatively employed in other objects of adornment.

Limited Seating Availability

For more information contact Lubna 5555-7745 or at lubna@lbojzazz.com