Hello, everyone!

So, a few weeks ago, I received a delightful surprise in the mail!

Potomac Bead Company was kind enough to send me some of their new AVA beads! They should be available in October or November and they’ve been teasing us with previews and photos in their facebook group for awhile now.

Isn’t the name so clever? 

Basically, AVA beads are V-shaped beads with three holes. One goes through the tip of the V and the other two go through the two “wings”.

Since I had a day off last Sunday (which rarely happens), I decided to get up early, grab my coffee, and try designing with these fun new beads. My bead room is a mess, but the sunlight was SO pretty and bright. It was a perfect morning for beading.

Bridget, of course, settled down in one of her favorite boxes to supervise.

When I laid the AVA beads out on my Bead on it Board, I decided to go ahead and just arrange them in the first shapes and configurations that came to mind. My first thought was, “Duh, Chevrons”, but it actually looks like you could do a lot with these funky beads! I was surprised by how big they are, but with the sides of the “V” already being so delicate, I doubt you could make them any smaller.

My first instinct, whenever I get a new shaped bead to play with, is to try outlining it with seed beads. (You’ll notice that as the base design for my Tracery Trinket, Backsplash, and Two Years Cuff designs). I tried that with these guys, but quickly ripped it apart. Not a very sexy look, I must say.

But then I started messing around with other beads and came up with a few configurations. I stopped for a bowl of Fruity Crisp Rice and to photograph my lovely cat and then kept right on beading!

The bottom design is a bit frilly for my taste, but I might revisit it in different colors at a later time. I like the dagger design in the top corner, but I need to get some coordinating chain and wire thin enough to go the the AVA bead to make earrings.

Eventually, I did get around to trying my chevron idea, which I do like. I might revisit this one as well. Again, I think I need to change the colors around before I decide.

Silky beads are a bit too wide to fit in between AVAs, but DiamonDuos are a match made in heaven. (I actually think Gianna Zimmerman is working on a design with DiamonDuos and AVA beads – hold onto your hats, because I’ve seen preview photos and it is going to be STUNNING). I still want to play around more with Dagger beads and AVAs as well.

I have an idea or two swirling around in my brain for patterns, but so far they have already provided me with a delightful day of sitting in the sun, sipping coffee, and beading to my little hearts content. I love all the new imaginative beads coming out and can’t wait to see what people make of these silly little V’s.