Beadweaving Challenge #1 - Fly Away Butterfly

My first bead weaving challenge, Fly Away Butterfly, was created for the January 2014 Etsy Beadweavers Team challenge on the theme "Rising Star." Since I am new to the team, I wanted the piece to have the illusion of "rising" - thus a butterfly rising in flight!

Bracelet features a butterfly design in the center accented with burgundy potato pearls, Czech and Japanese seed beads and fire polished crystals.

The colors I used were burgundy, purple iris, olive green, light olive and purple violet.  Lovely pale green gemstone beads are surrounded by starburst patterns.

The ultra suede backing is a deep olive green, edged with tiny purple teardrop beads with a vintage olive green button for the clasp. Width of the bracelet is 2-3/4 inches and length is 9 inches. This is listed on my Etsy jewelry design store, www.SouthpassbeadsDesign.etsy.com!

Please visit our team blog, http://www.etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com between January 9th and 15th and vote for your favorite entry.

Seed Beads 101

I tackled the St. Petersburg stitch, experimenting with adding to different color-ways to each side.

I used size 8/0 seed beads for this and some green glass pearls. The white beads are size 10/0 Czech white pearl beads. This will be a necklace, hopefully with a pretty glass focal to be determined.  This was just a bit difficult especially side 2 of the weave, but reading patterns is sometimes confusing. All part of the learning process.

Have any of you working with this pattern before? Write me and tell me about it and feel free to share your designs.