The "Lard 'Tunderin Jesus" Bead

I just received my copy of the latest Beadweaving Master Class series from Lark Publishing, Maggie Meister's Classical Elegance. This is a terriric book with many useful techniques and projects.  I was fortunate to have been able to take a class with Maggie and she is a real inspiration for beaders looking for a both new ideas and challenges.  I chose the "kilim" beaded bead for the first project to make out of the book.  

So why is this post titled as it is?  There is a well known cartoon in Canada where I live in which a canoe is....well, see the cartoon. The caption is usually "Lard 'Tunderin Jesus!", an oft heard expression in the maritimes from which I hale.

This bead has a very intricate construction, with a framework built first and brick stitch panels added into the structure.  The framework went fairly easily, although I admit having had the class with Maggie it helped that I understood some of her construction methods.  The first two panels went in easily once I reviewed brick stitch, a stitch which I like but don't use as often as others.  The third panel was getting a touch more difficult due to the overall space between the ribs.  When I finished the first half after a few ripouts I sat back to admire my progress when I noticed that there was a rib behind that I had missed. 

So I ripped out again, attached the panel to the right rib, and eventually finished the bead.  This was a terrific project, and this is a must have book for serious beaders.I apologize for the strings remaining, but as usual with beaded beads I love making them but they often sit in my beaded bead jar for admiration before they get made into something useful!

Anyway, I hope this gives all you beaders something to chuckle about today!