Designing for Efficiency - Dream Keeper

I suppose we always mean to be efficient, but sometimes it takes some extra thought.  Most projects I make from 3 to 5 samples and improve things as I go.

Dream Keeper however has kept me fascinated far longer, and I'm approaching about 20, many of which I've gifted to good friends.  They are the perfect place to tuck a little message.  I often take a photo of the message before I close it inside and give it along with the gift. The message is drawn by you on a piece of shrink plastic so you'll be able to personalize each ring you make.  It also adds a nice structure to the ring.

Casey

Christine

Pat

This week I spent lots and lots of time getting together everything I've learned into a neat little package of directions and beads so you can share in the fun. If you are as enamored as I am you can find them here or click on the link beneath your favorite.

Now usually I would never urge you to use thread longer then a wingspan, however.....in this case I wanted to try hard to make the entire ring with one length of thread.  So I have sorted out the exact amount which will accomplish this with a minimum of angst.  After the thread is doubled the first stitch is taken 2 feet from the tail and the two tail threads are then reserved for closing the bottom of the ring and creating the band.

The rest of the thread makes the ring which is woven in ERAW (embellished right angle weave).  ERAW has the advantage of using less thread, another efficiency I wanted to build in.

I changed up the legend so that it is listed row by row, first for the ERAW bead and second for the embellishment bead, then the top, then the bottom, then the band, and then the band embellishments.  I hope this will make it easier and faster to bead as well.

I'm also beading with a size 13 needle to insure I don't have a bead I can't get through which of course slows the whole process down.

I'm not always about speed but in the case of this ring I have so many more color ideas and so many people in need of a ring I want to make them as fast as I can.  I've built in a lot of efficiency, but it is still beadwork with little tiny beads!