I downloaded a free pattern from The Beaded Butterly website:
http://beadingbutterfly.com/.
I found the pattern under her 'tips and freebies' section labeled as 'herringbone'
This stitch is very different from what we have done previously and I have to wonder how the Ndebele ladies developed it. I did a little research and found that their art work is heavily geometric which, apparently, applied to their beadwork as well!
Here is my completed first attempt - it went pretty quickly after I finally figured out the pattern but my join left a lot to be desired. Next time I will use a clasp to join it. And probably the use of size 11 delicas was not the best choice for my first attempt. Size 8 seed beads or size 10 delicas would have been a much better choice.
I have to admit I was not able to reproduce the 'invisible join'. I tried really hard, ripped it out many times and then settled on joining it as I saw fit but never accomplished the smooth join. Darn it!
Maybe Bonani can figure it out! We are planning to work together on a flat variation of Ndebele and we hope to teach it at the Beady Eyed Bunch celebration if anyone is interested. I really really wanted to get that invisible join together - what a pretty necklace that would make if I could join it into a 24" loop!
