Let's Hubble

Let's Hubble, the name of Melanie de Miguel's book, released last year.  Like the title says it's 'A journey into the brand new beadwork stitch'

Melanie describes how she came to create the stitch and how it became named Hubble.

The books been out a while now and I've seen beaders begin to embrace the stitch.  I picked up a copy very early on and was quickly enamored with the laciness of the stitch.  The fabric created has a suppleness similar to right angle weave, but because of the way the beads are connected without sharing a side bead there is more openness in the stitch.

After making a couple of small fabric samples with the stitch I immediately looked for embellishment ideas that would create structure in the piece as well as texture.  I also wanted to work a tubular design so I decided on a vessel.  I was working on the piece on an airplane and the male flight attendant became interested in what I was doing.  I described to him the inner chamber meant to hold a secret message.  His reply?  'Oh, that is so DaVinci code'  I love having a name handed to me like that, so it became Cryptex.

This is a study in Hubble stitch using double hubble and what I am calling layered hubble, with two or more hubble stitches off one point bead.  That together with embellishment gives this vessel structure to stand on it's own, but also leaves an open lacy bit in between the structural embellishments so you can peak through to the inner chamber.

The photo shows the vessel and inner chamber separately, but imagine the chamber fitting into the hubble stitch vessel next to it.

Also notice that on the top of the inner chamber I've used a bronze finding from Anna Bronze.    I first discovered her work in Milwaukee last year and again in Tucson this year.  I love all the wonderful finding she has designed.  They are high quality, and truly unique.  There are holes and all kinds of attachment points built in, making them great for the seed beader to incorporate into woven work.

The Cryptex will be taught at this years Beading by the Bay.  It's A LOT of beading.  I've created three samples, so I am clear on just how much beading is involved.  I usually bead a simpler piece for a retreat, but this piece designed itself, and it just worked out to be quite a bit of beading.  In the end however I think it's a really whimsical vessel and showcases some of the qualities of hubble stitch.

What about you, have you hubbled?