"Fit for a Duchess"

"Fit for a Duchess" 

... is the the name I've given to my latest bead embroidered cuff bracelet.

The base is a gorgeous Shibori Silk Ribbon hand-dyed by Deborah Weaver, showcasing a glorious array of colors that range from soft aqua to greenish-turquoise, bright periwinkle blue to cobalt blue, and a rich ultramarine blue on into a deep purple.  A bit of lavender and hot pink round out the mix.  

Truly fit for royalty.

I pulled out all of my turquoise and purple beads, and had so much fun choosing colors for this riot of a cuff bracelet.  The only difficulty in working with Shibori Silk Ribbon is the reluctance to cover up any of the inherent beauty in the dyed silk.

The photo above shows the ends of the cuff bracelet with lavender flowers, as well as the beaded edge which is made up of iridescent Japanese glass seed beads.

Above photo shows just a peek at the inside of the cuff, which is covered with a deep purple Ultra Suede for softness against the skin.  Also on the inside is a line of the same iridescent Japanese glass seed beads to cover the edges and for continuity.  The main cabochons are Jasper with shades of turquoise and lavender. 

As always, I have used Nicole Campanella's NBB (Nicole's Bead Backing) as my foundation for this bracelet.  This is the only bead embroidery backing I will use, and it makes every project turn out beautifully.