Tomato Soup with Butter and Black Pepper Jewelry Set

This set was both fun and satisfying to create and a huge pain! I found these seed beads at a local gem show; they were unmarked and came on a hank. They seem to be amber or topaz luster with a red or garnet-lined inside hole. These beads turned out to be an odd size, probably 13/0 and have small holes but are pretty consistent in size between each bead.

This set came together gradually as later I found the carnelian cabochon and the carnelian faceted drops (which began as earrings) and various carnelian beads which went so perfectly with these seed beads. I tried a few times to start on this bracelet but I could NOT get my regular needles and thread through these seed beads easily and I was breaking SO many beads. I thought I would try to replace the beads with a more standard size. I attempted to find a color match but I was not successful – I found both 373 Dk Rose Lined Lt Topaz Luster and also 363 Dark Pink Lined Amber. While those beads are nice colors, they were not a color match.

So then, I knew I had to approach this from the opposite angle. I switched to Wildfire .004in/.010mm and found collapsible eye needles – but these needles were SUCH a pain to work with. They could get through the beads fine but the wire on the needles is not strong and it bends and crumples. I can straighten it to a point but trying to weave with these needles is like trying to push a wet spaghetti noodle uphill – it was so extremely frustrating!

When I was ready to make the necklace, I found size 15 beading needles that are very fine and much easier to work with – but they are easy to break! I broke 2 of those needles while making that necklace. They both broke in the eye and it was while trying to pull through a bead with multiple threads already in it.

I think these beads are just a pain to work with - which is a shame because they are so beautiful and because I could not find a good color match to replace them with. I still have some of them so I do plan to use them up :-)

Stitched with unknown seed beads (maybe size 13/0 with small holes), size 15/0 Miyuki seed beads (gold and black), various sizes carnelian agate beads. Cabochon is agate, could be carnelian or something local called CBA (Columbia Basin Agate).

Patterns used:

Bracelet: “Lyra” Bracelet from Modern Beaded Lace by Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Earrings: Jeweled Earrings from AroundtheBeadingTable.com

Necklace: No pattern, russian snake chain stitch.

Bracelet finished December 2024. Necklace and Earrings finished June 2025.

Sadly, my Tomato Soup bracelet was stolen while being displayed at a local art show in April 2025.