This Thursday, November 14th, the American Craft Council Library Salon is going to be hosting Fulton Brewing Company and Foci Minnesota Center for Glass Arts in “An Evening of Craft Brewing and Glassmaking.” Members of Fulton will be telling their craft beer story, and what goes into making an excellent craft beer and the future of the industry. Artists from Foci will talk about the history of glass drinkware production, and will also be making some extraordinary examples of classic drinking glasses for the evening.

I work for the American Craft Council Library, which is in the Grain Belt Brewery building, where Grain Belt beer was brewed into the 1970s (it’s now brewed by August Schell). This was the perfect occasion to break out my Grain Belt bottlecap bead, and make a beer necklace!

The wirework is all made with 18 gauge brass wire, probably considered at least half hard. In other words, I worked to make these links. The seed bead work is done with 15s and charlottes in brick stitch. Worn, it is a lightly messy tiered collection of necklaces, capped off by the Grain Belt bottlecap bead.

If you’re coming to the Salon, you will be able to vote on your favorite Foci glass, and drink a sample of Fulton’s beer. I’ll be wearing this necklace, so please introduce yourself!