CRAW STITCH MASTERED!

I have struggled with the CRAW stitch, but "by George, I think I may have got it" - FINALLY!  It clicked while making these gorgeous earrings, from a  Jacqui Higgins pattern, which was featured on the cover of the February 2018 issue of Bead & Button magazine.  My first pair was stitched pretty darn tight for the first round of CRAW (it's true, I am a tight beader... imagine!) and fitting the beads in on each subsequent pass became a challenge.  So, note to self, this is one pattern to lighten up a tad.  I did feel a good challenge calling me onward, as I knew I could do better with my tension, so I tried again using a multi colored 11.0.  This second pair below was stitched looser, and the subsequent rounds of beads fit together better.  Yeah!  I also didn't have the spiky buttons called for in the first pair so I substituted small drops.  In the second pair I had ordered and received the spiky buttons (Fusion Beads).  They do give a different, more elegant look at the top.  Also, the pear bead choice makes or breaks the overall look.  A very fun pattern indeed.  I love both my color choices for these beauties.  Whadyathink? :)