instructions for austrian crystal and seed bead toggle clasp

People are emailing me off group and on for the instructions for the crystal
toggle. So.I decided to go ahead and post them for everyone to have. If
you want to see the toggle, look he



http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/peggyg...&.dnm=3072.jpg



NOTE: This is not the same toggle that's in Sharon Bateman's book-the bead
size and count is different. If you would like to make Sharon's toggle,
here's the link to the book on Amazon:



http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846



You'll also find instructions for several other woven toggles in Sharon's
book. There's one woven toggle in particular that's a lot simpler than this
one that you might like to try before tackling the crystal toggle, which is
somewhat challenging.



Here are my instructions to make a toggle clasp using size 11 seed beads and
4mm Austrian crystal beads:



CIRCLE PORTION OF CLASP



1. String 22 size 11 seed beads, and knot them to form a circle. This
circle will become the center of your clasp.



2. Square stitch 2 beads at time around the circle. When you get to the
end of the circle, stitch the first and last squares together so that you've
formed a wheel.

NOTE: At this point, your thread should be exiting a seed bead that is at
the corner of a square on the outside of the wheel. If it's not but your
wheel is secure, just run your needle around the closest square until you
are in the correct location.



3. String 8 beads and pass your need back through the 2 beads on the
outside of the wheel. These two beads will become the base for a square
stitch "cube," and the 8 beads will become the side of the cube.



4. Square stitch around the 8 bead circle 2 beads at a time until you have
joined it to the wheel.



NOTE: Step 4 is the trickiest step and the one I had to rip out the first
time I did it. When you've finished Step 4 correctly, your wheel will have
a little square stitch box attached to it.



5. Run your needle back through the same 2 beads that you used in Step 3,
and string a size 4mm Austrian crystal.



6. Run your need through the seed bead at the top of the square diagonally
opposite the seed bead that you just exited. (This stitch causes the
crystal to sit diagonally inside the "square," which will now no longer be
square. You have just created the first "seed" in the pomegranate.)



7. Repeat steps 3 through 6 ten more times, until you have stitched all of
the beads on the wheel, and then join the last two pomegranate seeds
together.



8. Run your needle through the center of the circle to reinforce the clasp.
Then cut the thread and weave the ends back through your work. The toggle
is complete.



TOGGLE PORTION OF CLASP



1. Stitch a row of 4 pomegranate seeds together following the same method
that you used for the circle, but use 10 seed beads instead of 8 seed beads,
such that each pomegranate "seed" has 3 seed beads at the top and bottom and
2 seed beads on each side.



2. Run your needle back around the outside edge of the row of pomegranate
seeds, adding an additional seed bead between each pomegranate side. (This
squares and strengthens the toggle.)



3. Run your needle back around the outside each of the finished toggle one
more time for extra durability, ending with your need at the center of the
toggle.



NOTE: At this point you are ready to attach the toggle to your bracelet
strap. You can either attach it from the side, or you can run your need
through to the center of the toggle and bring it out the back so that the
toggle bar will lie flat across the circle when the clasp is closed. (I
prefer this latter method.)

Hi Peggy
I can't seem to get into yahoo without my computer
giving me an error message (I get the same message when I try to access
any about.com site). Is there any other way to find the instructions?
I have been muddling through this toggle but an not sure if I'm doing it
right. It seems very awkward....thanks....Sharon

Peggy wrote:

People are emailing me off group and on for the instructions for the crystal
toggle. So.I decided to go ahead and post them for everyone to have. If
you want to see the toggle, look he

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/peggyg...&.dnm=3072.jpg

NOTE: This is not the same toggle that's in Sharon Bateman's book-the bead
size and count is different. If you would like to make Sharon's toggle,
here's the link to the book on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846

You'll also find instructions for several other woven toggles in Sharon's
book. There's one woven toggle in particular that's a lot simpler than this
one that you might like to try before tackling the crystal toggle, which is
somewhat challenging.

Here are my instructions to make a toggle clasp using size 11 seed beads and
4mm Austrian crystal beads:

CIRCLE PORTION OF CLASP

1. String 22 size 11 seed beads, and knot them to form a circle. This
circle will become the center of your clasp.

2. Square stitch 2 beads at time around the circle. When you get to the
end of the circle, stitch the first and last squares together so that you've
formed a wheel.

NOTE: At this point, your thread should be exiting a seed bead that is at
the corner of a square on the outside of the wheel. If it's not but your
wheel is secure, just run your needle around the closest square until you
are in the correct location.

3. String 8 beads and pass your need back through the 2 beads on the
outside of the wheel. These two beads will become the base for a square
stitch "cube," and the 8 beads will become the side of the cube.

4. Square stitch around the 8 bead circle 2 beads at a time until you have
joined it to the wheel.

NOTE: Step 4 is the trickiest step and the one I had to rip out the first
time I did it. When you've finished Step 4 correctly, your wheel will have
a little square stitch box attached to it.

5. Run your needle back through the same 2 beads that you used in Step 3,
and string a size 4mm Austrian crystal.

6. Run your need through the seed bead at the top of the square diagonally
opposite the seed bead that you just exited. (This stitch causes the
crystal to sit diagonally inside the "square," which will now no longer be
square. You have just created the first "seed" in the pomegranate.)

7. Repeat steps 3 through 6 ten more times, until you have stitched all of
the beads on the wheel, and then join the last two pomegranate seeds
together.

8. Run your needle through the center of the circle to reinforce the clasp.
Then cut the thread and weave the ends back through your work. The toggle
is complete.

TOGGLE PORTION OF CLASP

1. Stitch a row of 4 pomegranate seeds together following the same method
that you used for the circle, but use 10 seed beads instead of 8 seed beads,
such that each pomegranate "seed" has 3 seed beads at the top and bottom and
2 seed beads on each side.

2. Run your needle back around the outside edge of the row of pomegranate
seeds, adding an additional seed bead between each pomegranate side. (This
squares and strengthens the toggle.)

3. Run your needle back around the outside each of the finished toggle one
more time for extra durability, ending with your need at the center of the
toggle.

NOTE: At this point you are ready to attach the toggle to your bracelet
strap. You can either attach it from the side, or you can run your need
through to the center of the toggle and bring it out the back so that the
toggle bar will lie flat across the circle when the clasp is closed. (I
prefer this latter method.)

Hmmm...I don't use Yahoo to access the newsgroup. I use Outlook Express and
connect to my ISP's news server. Perhaps you could try that?


"biig" wrote in message ...
Hi Peggy
I can't seem to get into yahoo without my computer
giving me an error message (I get the same message when I try to access
any about.com site). Is there any other way to find the instructions?
I have been muddling through this toggle but an not sure if I'm doing it
right. It seems very awkward....thanks....Sharon

Peggy wrote:

People are emailing me off group and on for the instructions for the
crystal
toggle. So.I decided to go ahead and post them for everyone to have.
If
you want to see the toggle, look he

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/peggyg...&.dnm=3072.jpg

NOTE: This is not the same toggle that's in Sharon Bateman's book-the
bead
size and count is different. If you would like to make Sharon's toggle,
here's the link to the book on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846

You'll also find instructions for several other woven toggles in Sharon's
book. There's one woven toggle in particular that's a lot simpler than
this
one that you might like to try before tackling the crystal toggle, which
is
somewhat challenging.

Here are my instructions to make a toggle clasp using size 11 seed beads
and
4mm Austrian crystal beads:

CIRCLE PORTION OF CLASP

1. String 22 size 11 seed beads, and knot them to form a circle. This
circle will become the center of your clasp.

2. Square stitch 2 beads at time around the circle. When you get to the
end of the circle, stitch the first and last squares together so that
you've
formed a wheel.

NOTE: At this point, your thread should be exiting a seed bead that is
at
the corner of a square on the outside of the wheel. If it's not but your
wheel is secure, just run your needle around the closest square until you
are in the correct location.

3. String 8 beads and pass your need back through the 2 beads on the
outside of the wheel. These two beads will become the base for a square
stitch "cube," and the 8 beads will become the side of the cube.

4. Square stitch around the 8 bead circle 2 beads at a time until you
have
joined it to the wheel.

NOTE: Step 4 is the trickiest step and the one I had to rip out the
first
time I did it. When you've finished Step 4 correctly, your wheel will
have
a little square stitch box attached to it.

5. Run your needle back through the same 2 beads that you used in Step
3,
and string a size 4mm Austrian crystal.

6. Run your need through the seed bead at the top of the square
diagonally
opposite the seed bead that you just exited. (This stitch causes the
crystal to sit diagonally inside the "square," which will now no longer
be
square. You have just created the first "seed" in the pomegranate.)

7. Repeat steps 3 through 6 ten more times, until you have stitched all
of
the beads on the wheel, and then join the last two pomegranate seeds
together.

8. Run your needle through the center of the circle to reinforce the
clasp.
Then cut the thread and weave the ends back through your work. The
toggle
is complete.

TOGGLE PORTION OF CLASP

1. Stitch a row of 4 pomegranate seeds together following the same
method
that you used for the circle, but use 10 seed beads instead of 8 seed
beads,
such that each pomegranate "seed" has 3 seed beads at the top and bottom
and
2 seed beads on each side.

2. Run your needle back around the outside edge of the row of
pomegranate
seeds, adding an additional seed bead between each pomegranate side.
(This
squares and strengthens the toggle.)

3. Run your needle back around the outside each of the finished toggle
one
more time for extra durability, ending with your need at the center of
the
toggle.

NOTE: At this point you are ready to attach the toggle to your bracelet
strap. You can either attach it from the side, or you can run your need
through to the center of the toggle and bring it out the back so that the
toggle bar will lie flat across the circle when the clasp is closed. (I
prefer this latter method.)

I Googled to see whether I could find a free tutorial on pomegranate stitch,
but I came up empty. If you don't know that stitch, the instructions will
probably be pretty confusing.

Sharon teaches that stitch in her book--complete with step-by-step
illustrations. It's basically a 3D square stitch. The last time I checked,
there were used copies of the book available on Amazon for about $6.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846



"biig" wrote in message ...
Hi Peggy
I can't seem to get into yahoo without my computer
giving me an error message (I get the same message when I try to access
any about.com site). Is there any other way to find the instructions?
I have been muddling through this toggle but an not sure if I'm doing it
right. It seems very awkward....thanks....Sharon

Peggy wrote:

People are emailing me off group and on for the instructions for the
crystal
toggle. So.I decided to go ahead and post them for everyone to have.
If
you want to see the toggle, look he

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/peggyg...&.dnm=3072.jpg

NOTE: This is not the same toggle that's in Sharon Bateman's book-the
bead
size and count is different. If you would like to make Sharon's toggle,
here's the link to the book on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846

You'll also find instructions for several other woven toggles in Sharon's
book. There's one woven toggle in particular that's a lot simpler than
this
one that you might like to try before tackling the crystal toggle, which
is
somewhat challenging.

Here are my instructions to make a toggle clasp using size 11 seed beads
and
4mm Austrian crystal beads:

CIRCLE PORTION OF CLASP

1. String 22 size 11 seed beads, and knot them to form a circle. This
circle will become the center of your clasp.

2. Square stitch 2 beads at time around the circle. When you get to the
end of the circle, stitch the first and last squares together so that
you've
formed a wheel.

NOTE: At this point, your thread should be exiting a seed bead that is
at
the corner of a square on the outside of the wheel. If it's not but your
wheel is secure, just run your needle around the closest square until you
are in the correct location.

3. String 8 beads and pass your need back through the 2 beads on the
outside of the wheel. These two beads will become the base for a square
stitch "cube," and the 8 beads will become the side of the cube.

4. Square stitch around the 8 bead circle 2 beads at a time until you
have
joined it to the wheel.

NOTE: Step 4 is the trickiest step and the one I had to rip out the
first
time I did it. When you've finished Step 4 correctly, your wheel will
have
a little square stitch box attached to it.

5. Run your needle back through the same 2 beads that you used in Step
3,
and string a size 4mm Austrian crystal.

6. Run your need through the seed bead at the top of the square
diagonally
opposite the seed bead that you just exited. (This stitch causes the
crystal to sit diagonally inside the "square," which will now no longer
be
square. You have just created the first "seed" in the pomegranate.)

7. Repeat steps 3 through 6 ten more times, until you have stitched all
of
the beads on the wheel, and then join the last two pomegranate seeds
together.

8. Run your needle through the center of the circle to reinforce the
clasp.
Then cut the thread and weave the ends back through your work. The
toggle
is complete.

TOGGLE PORTION OF CLASP

1. Stitch a row of 4 pomegranate seeds together following the same
method
that you used for the circle, but use 10 seed beads instead of 8 seed
beads,
such that each pomegranate "seed" has 3 seed beads at the top and bottom
and
2 seed beads on each side.

2. Run your needle back around the outside edge of the row of
pomegranate
seeds, adding an additional seed bead between each pomegranate side.
(This
squares and strengthens the toggle.)

3. Run your needle back around the outside each of the finished toggle
one
more time for extra durability, ending with your need at the center of
the
toggle.

NOTE: At this point you are ready to attach the toggle to your bracelet
strap. You can either attach it from the side, or you can run your need
through to the center of the toggle and bring it out the back so that the
toggle bar will lie flat across the circle when the clasp is closed. (I
prefer this latter method.)