Water Horse

I've completed my January piece for the Bead Journal Project, an interpretation of filet crochet in beads or "Filet Bead".

Crochet began as an imitation of various kinds of bobbin and needle laces, using fine cotton and a hook. Look at vintage patterns, and it becomes obvious that many words used to describe different kinds of crochet are the same as those used for types of lace.

Filet is the French word for net, and gives a strong clue to the overall look of filet crochet pieces.
“Filet crochet” is a term from the mid-19th century, when crochet began to copy lace patterns. Filet crochet was once the most prolific form of crochet, as it copied filet lace easily and did not require complicated patterns.

Any crochet that is worked in relatively fine yarn or thread, and uses a stitch that produces an open fabric is often referred to as lace crochet. Filet crochet is popular because it can easily be charted on graph paper using a cross for a block and leaving the square blank for a space. This makes it relatively simple to create geometric designs and text.

I developed this technique of creating an open grid pattern of beads, some of which are filled to create the intended design a number of years ago, but really haven't used it much, as it's very time intensive.

This design is based on an early 1900's pattern entitled "Long-Tailed Dragon". I removed the long tail and added a few additional wave forms, resulting in my "Water Horse". When you live on an island, water is a fact of daily life and horses too, when your island doesn't allow cars.

The grid is formed of size 15/0 silver seed beads and the design is filled with milky grey bugles. It gives a very iridescent effect, very changeable in the light.

My plan for my journal pieces is to create a fantasy dressmaker's swatchbook of various dress trimmings interpreted in beadwork - so how might my fantasy dressmaker use this particular piece? I can see it used as the central filling of an Edwardian bodice or a series of them used as medallions on the skirt of a late Victorian ballgown. What do you see?