Beads and Their Friends

My new-found craft love is beads.  Not to make jewelry, no interest in that.  I like  the idea however, to put beads on quilts.

I was just looking at some things that beading people use and came across some things you probably didn't even know existed!  I didn't.  But they are certainly brilliant!





Bead Spinner?  Yes, beads just want to have fun too!  The bead spinner is ingenious.  It spins beads so you can easily get them on your needle.  It looks like something in which you would clean your dentures.  I will admit, it is tedious to get enough beads on your needle so that you can bead a 72 x 84 quilt.  When I get that quilt completely beaded I will show it to you.  If you are still alive.






Bottles.  Lots and lots of little bottles in which to keep your lots and lots of  little beads.  Don't you  just love these bottles?  I must have a thing for bottles too that I didn't know  about.  See how perfect beading is for me?  Knitting just wasn't like this at all.  I want these bottles just because of the way they look.  Don't you?  Look at that shapely curve, that cork, the way they look good even on their sides! 




Then there are the needles. A whole new set of  needles.  These needles are totally different from sewing needles.  Sewing needles are nice and sturdy.  But beading needles are thing and longer.  the thread you use is different.  So that requires a totally new set of accoutrements and accessories.  Nice!   I was running out of fabric to buy.












Here is something else you could use your seed beads for.  These guys are similar to seed beads in an adhesive like a bandaid.  It attaches to acupressure points and when you have pain you push on them.  They relieve pain using pressure points.  These go on your ear and relieve all kinds of things. 


When I was going to Ching she would put these on my ear.  Believe it or not, it actually helped my migraines.

You may want to try it.  But don't walk around with beads taped all over your body.  I will laugh at you.

Look, Ma! No Hands!

That is exactly what I feel like!  Look at what I have done!  Tracy just sort of looks at me out of the corner of her eye and chuckles.  But I know she is loving it just as much as I am.

You can tell when she is ready to get down to work.  She whips out that scrunchie, ties back her hair and pours out her beads.  There are several in the class who are already expert beaders, but most of us are just learning.  And what we are doing is awesome.

I was not sure I would be liking this bead thing, but once I saw the tools, I was hooked.   My pliers have spring action cushioned handles.  And the tweezers are fine tipped and true.  But the best of all tools is the scoop.  I LOVE that scoop!  I knew this was mmy craft if it had scoops.

Tracy just likes it for the colors of the beads.  And I have some new ideas for my quilts, some cool effects and awesome dimension. 

So here is Thom Atkins.  gHis work is heavily beaded and at least 4 to 6 feet long. Not small pieces at any stretch.




















Here is me:

Here is his:

Here is mine:


Quite a bit of difference.  But he has many years and many beads on us.  We have one more day, a critique and work day.  I think I can add a new dimension to my art now.

So stay tuned and see what the new beading experiences bring.

glen