Susan Mandel: Beadwork Gallery > Bracelet Samplers
-
24kt Gold Lined Versailles Bracelet
This bracelet uses a beautiful netting stitch that my friend Nicholas Kap and myself first published in Beadwork magazine under the name of Pondo stitch. We gave the stitch this name after much study, finding the most examples amongst the mPondo of South Africa. It has since been called African Circle Stitch by Stephanie Hornblow and Vera Grey and Square Netting Stitch (a simple variant of Pondo) by Diane Fitzgerald. Its origins have been attributed to the Zulu however we have found evidence of its use from the mid-19th century in peoples other than Zulu. I like the names Pondo and African Circle Stitch - it's a bit like Herringbone and Ndebele!
-
-
Fuschia Navy Bracelet
This design was modelled after an antique piece of Xhosa beadwork that I have in my collection. Deciphering stitches from old beadwork can be a challenge, especially where sinew has been used.
-
Bella Donna Bracelet
I created this in 2008 when I started to experiment with three dimensional right angle weave.