Above is the finished Challenge Ornament with a fringe of beads at the tip. I want this to look as Art Deco as possible as it's a Christmas present for an admirer of that style. Beaded frineg like this is very easy to do.
First, you need beads and a beading needle. Regular needles have eyes too big to go through beads unless the beads are really large. John James makes short beading needles if the 3 inch long ones are too long for you. Watch out for the sharp tips! We needlepointers aren't used to anything except tapestry needles which have blunt tips so watch yourself. I chose three colors of beads: the black Magnifica beads from Mill Hill that I used on the front of the ornament, a Magnifica metallic bead that is a mix of silver, gold and copper (I didn't use any copper ones), and a larger regular Mill Hill bead that is a teal green. The larger green bead is used only at the tip, the metal and black ones were just used as I felt like it in a mix of colors. For example, the longest length of the beaded fringe is eleven black beads, three metallic ones, six black beads and the single green bead at the tip.
I used black silk in my needle and came up underneath the twisted cord trim at the tip of the ornament, then threaded some black and metal beads on the needle until I had a nice long line. Once I thought the length was right, I added a slightly larger green bead to the needle. Then I took my beading needle back through all the beads EXCEPT the green one. That makes the green one a stopper bead at the tip of the fringe. What happens essentially is you do a U turn and go back through the bead holes again except for the green bead at the end.
Then I did a shorter length on either side of the original fringe and then two more still shorter lengths on the other side, making five lengths of fringe in all.
There are a lot of ways to add something to the tip of your Challenge ornament if you plan to hang it set in a diamond shape. Tassels look great, beaded tassels will be spectacular, and a large glass or stone bead will look great. So suit your own taste. Hope all this was enlightening for anyone who wants to try finishing their Challenge Ornament themselves and that it helps explain why finishers are expensive.
And to all the finishers out there, I salute you! I hate finishing personally and I don't have the magic fingers that pick out beautiful fabrics, trims, buttons, beads and charms that really make a piece fabulous. But you do, and I admire you greatly.
Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow
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