Who doesn't love donuts!?

Before I ever thought of myself as a beader, much less a jewelry maker/designer, I was a donut lover.  It wasn't a very healthy or rewarding love, but it did have lasting effects...on my scale.

When I discovered beads, I discovered a new kind of donut to love:  those made of glass, clay, gemstones, wood. Oh my!  

The absolute simplest thing is to use a lark's head knot to attach the donut to a chord or ribbon. It's simple. It's effective. It's quick.

But that doesn't let me play with seed beads . . . The easiest way I know to create a beaded bail is simple strip of beading (in peyote or right angle weave or square stitch or brick stitch or herringbone) that goes through the donut hole and then gets sewn up.  The example below is in peyote because peyote happens to be my go-to stitch.

It does the job, simply and effectively.  Here's an example in square stitch from my early days at Sand Fibers, in a strung piece.  (Back when my scanner served as my camera...shhhhh! Don't tell anyone!)

One way to give that simple bead woven bail a bit more "design" quality is to attach it to a beaded tube (like the ones I showed you how to make last month).

But you can take that idea one step further and have that same simple bail go OVER the beaded tube for some great added texture.

(Now imagine the two beadwoven elements in different colors.)

I really really love working with donuts and seed beads and have been known to go on a binge or two over the years.  I hope these will inspire you to play a little on your own:

Be well and get going!
Carol Dean