BEADWORK PROJECTS
Dentalium Shell Fringe
Looking for an interesting and attractive fringe component? Dentalium shells are ideal for use with beadwork because they're lightweight and easy to work with, if you're willing to sort and file them. I love the subtle white color -- it combines beautifully with just about any color scheme, especially satin beads. I also enjoy the soft tinkling sound the fringe makes. These shells don't shout, they sing.
You can purchase dentalium shells in many varieties, but the most common ones around today are the small, white, cone-shaped, ridged shells that come from the Phillipines. They are generally available at shell shops, pow-wows, trading posts, and many bead stores.
MATERIALS
- Several dentalium shells
- Small, clear seed beads to use as stopper beads inside the shells (I use 14°s)
- A pair of tweezers -- regular or jewelers
- A small metal jewelers file
- Beading supplies: needle, thread, seed beads, etc.
- Optional: large beads to use as end stoppers
Pick out a few more than you think you'll need -- they sometimes break. You can choose shells of the same size, or you can choose graduated lengths. When choosing the right size, remember that you'll pinch off the pointy end.
Although each shell comes with a natural hole at the top, break off a small part of the pointy end so it will hang more evenly. Simply take your tweezers and pinch off the curved end to enlarge the hole. Then, take plenty of time to file the end smooth so it will hang straight, without cutting through the thread. File it at a right angle to the length of the shell.
Duh. I know. Well, I didn't want to leave anything out. :-) This project isn't about how to do the beadwork...but I just happened to have a little diagram here for the brick stitch earring pictured above, if you're not already inspired to do your own project.
Here we go. This is so easy! Add the fringe as you normally would -- by coming out of your beadwork base. At the end of the fringe, pick up a shell, going through the skinny end first (A). Then pick up a small stopper bead. Come back up through the shell, through the fringe beads again, and back into the beadwork base. If you want to split the top part of the fringe into two strands, that's fine. Just make sure you come through at least one bead above the dentalium shell. If you're using large beads as end stoppers (B), don't pull the fringe too tight or the shell will pull sideways.
A
B
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This page was first posted on 6/1/98, ©1998 Mary J. Tafoya.
All copy, illustrations and images ©1998 Mary J. Tafoya.
Single copies may be downloaded for personal, non-commercial use only.
