The first birthday present I made for Frieda Bates, bead diva and buddy, was a necklace with images of her dogs forming a totem pole. This year I learned that Frieda also loves turtles and has 18 of them for pets! So I decided to make her a turtle necklace. How do you bead something for someone who can bead anything she wants better than you can? A different technique. I picked out a cab I did not particularly like and, using a modification on a technique I learned in Paula Marie Walters' cab class, completely beaded over it in round peyote, decreasing my stitches as I got to the center of the shell. It closed nicely but it looked bare and plain so I added the little turtle bead that was an inspiration for the hwole project. With stick pearl legs, a leaf tail, and a brick stitched head with little black eyes, beaded the same on both sides so it folds over and lets the turtle carry his strap in his beak, the main turtle was done. I used some green stone chips, more green turtle beads, and two Chinese astrology turtle beads for the strap. I thought about adding fringe, but decided not to because turtles don't really have fringe. Not healthy turtles anyway. Later Frieda told me about a turtle she had that was fringed with moss but it killed him. So no fringe on this turtle. However, Frieda also told a story about washing her car and breaking the fringe on one of her own magnificent necklaces. So I told her this could be the necklace she wears from now on to--are you ready?--turtle wax her car.

All images and patterns © copyright 2004 Elizabeth Ann Scarborough. All rights reserved.