Stringing beads is a fun way to reduce stress and explore your creative side. Put a colorful necklace together or create a beautiful matching set with a bracelet and a pair of earrings. Wear your creations, sell them, or wrap them in tissue paper and give them to your friends.
Basic beading is easy, fun, and relatively inexpensive. You will find beading supplies at most craft shops, art supply stores, and discount stores, in addition to the beading boutiques that often specialize in more expensive beads.
Here is a checklist of the basic tools and supplies you will need to begin working on your new hobby:
Beads
You will find an abundance of different sizes, shapes and styles to choose from. Start off with a few favorite colors using plastic beads so you can become familiar with color coordination and putting on the finishing touches. This way, mistakes will not be so costly. Work your way toward the finer glass, semiprecious, handpainted, wood and cloisonne beads.
Clasps
There is a wide variety of clamps, closures and clasps, also called findings. Again, do not be seduced into purchasing the best and the brightest in the beginning. Most products will have the instructions included on the front or back of the package, but if you run into a problem, consult a beading magazine or catalog, which you can find either online or at craft shops.
Containers
Depending on your budget and preference, you can use either the standard, flat containers or go up a notch to the drawer compartments that many people use in their workshops for nuts, bolts and screws. Any containers will do, but, while working, you will want your beads to be easily accessible. Storing beads in dark, confined areas makes them more difficult to work with and to color coordinate.
Crimping Beads
These are an important element in bead making. They are simply beads constructed of a flexible metal, which help keep the clasp attached to the necklace. Crimping beads come in gold and silver and in several different sizes.
Round Tipped Pliers
Invest in a good pair of round tipped pliers. You will need to use them often not only for picking up beads but also to hold the components while working with them. Flat nosed pliers also come in handy. Remember to select a pair that will allow you to crimp.
Trays or Boards
Using a beading tray is not mandatory but it makes it easier to preselect and measure your beads. Most trays are made of plastic and incorporate a measuring device either in inches, millimeters, or both.
Wire, Line or String
Again, depending on budget and preference, there is a wide variety of wire, line and string to choose from. Before purchasing, be sure that it is the correct size to fit the beads you have selected, or vice versa. Some beads have large holes to accommodate thick string while others, such as seed beads, have tiny holes that only thread or wire will fit through. You could even use fishing line to practice on, but beading wire is better it does not have a tendency to curl, shrink and distort the way plastic lines do. You could also use string, rawhide or thread. When beading with string or thread, use a special big eye or curved needle.
Children can also take part in stringing beads. Look for childrens beading supplies at most craft stores, generally alongside the adult supplies. Beading is a great way to teach children coordination skills, and to keep them happy and occupied while you are working on your beading projects. Keep in mind that many of these items should be kept away from babies and small toddlers.
Bead supply warehouses will often send color catalogs by request, listing hundreds of different products, along with accompanying images. Or you may want to subscribe to a beading magazine where you will learn different techniques and methods used by professionals.
Check online or at your local craft store for lots of great, free beading patterns and beading ideas. Once you have mastered the art of beading, you will be making attractive jewelry, and you will naturally gravitate to other beading projects. You may even start to decorate your handbags, create charming wall art, and make lovely bookmarks, sun catchers, key chains or plant holders. There are so many amazing things you can do with beads, you will wonder what ever took you so long to discover them.
Showing posts with label craft tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label craft tips. Show all posts
Friday, May 8, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
How To Clean Your Cross Stitch Pictures
After you spend many hours creating a beautiful cross stitch picture, the last thing you want to do is damage it during cleaning. Many experts suggest you always clean your projects when you finish to remove the oils left behind when you touched the cloth. These oils can attract a surprisingly large amount of dirt over time.
The two methods of cleaning involve either washing your project or having it dry cleaned. You cannot dry clean a project if you've added beads, so consider this before adding embellishments.
To decide if your cross stitch picture can be washed, consider both the fabric and the floss. Many cross stitch fabrics can be washed by hand, and they say this on their labels. Some labels even specify a brand of detergent to use.
When if comes to floss, some are washable, other are not. Consult the information from the manufacturer. Even if the manufacturer says the floss is run-resistant, still test it.
To test your floss, choose a few strands of each color. Dip the strands in lukewarm water. Next, place them on a clean, white towel or cloth and pat dry. See if the dye on the floss runs. You may notice that darker colors tend to run more than lighter colors.
If your fabric can be washed, place the entire project into a clean container filled with lukewarm or tepid water and a very mild soap, such as Ivory. The soap or detergent you use must not contain bleach, fragrances, softeners, or "laundry brightners."
Some stitchers recommend you clean needlework with Orvus, a horse soap made by Proctor and Gamble. Orvus removes dirt without leaving behind the sort of residue soap leaves. Some craft stores sell variations of Orvus for use with needlework projects. If you do use Orvus, handle it with care. Orvus can irritate your skin, so wear gloves and follow the manufacturer's guidelines.
After you place your project in the soapy water, let it soak for a few minutes. Then, empty the container and fill with it clean, cold water. Submerge your cross stitch project and swirl it in the water to remove the soap residue. Remove the project, empty the water, refill the container, and then rinse your project again.
Regardless of the type of soap or detergent you use, you need to rinse your project several times. Continue rinsing your cross stitch until all the soap suds are gone and the water is clear.
Remove your project and place it flat on a clean, white cloth or towel. Cover your work with either part of the same towel or with another clean, white cloth or towel. Blot the project dry.
You also can roll the cross stitch project in the clean towel to squeeze out excess water. If you use this method, unroll your cross stitch and smooth it flat after you've removed the water.
Iron your project by placing it face down on a clean towel. Make certain your iron also is clean before you start. Set the temperature on the iron low. Most cross stitch fabrics don't require a great deal of heat to smooth the wrinkles. If this low temperature isn't enough, you can increase the temperature a little bit at a time until the wrinkles disappear.
Do not iron over beadwork, metallic floss, or blended floss. Instead, just iron the fabric and avoid the areas with embellishments.
Here are some additional tips to remember when cleaning cross stitch projects:
* Consult a professional if you have an heirloom cross stitch project you want to clean. Older fabrics and flosses need to be cleaned by a professional.
* Use tweezers to remove pet fur from your projects before washing.
* Store your projects in plastic bags to keep dirt away. Roll the canvas, don't fold it, and then place it inside the bag and seal.
* Wash your hands before you start to stitch to avoid soiling your project.
When it comes to cleaning your cross stitch projects, the best approach is to use caution. You've spent so much time creating a masterpiece that you need to make certain you don't hurt your creation. After all, you want your project to be around for years to come.
The two methods of cleaning involve either washing your project or having it dry cleaned. You cannot dry clean a project if you've added beads, so consider this before adding embellishments.
To decide if your cross stitch picture can be washed, consider both the fabric and the floss. Many cross stitch fabrics can be washed by hand, and they say this on their labels. Some labels even specify a brand of detergent to use.
When if comes to floss, some are washable, other are not. Consult the information from the manufacturer. Even if the manufacturer says the floss is run-resistant, still test it.
To test your floss, choose a few strands of each color. Dip the strands in lukewarm water. Next, place them on a clean, white towel or cloth and pat dry. See if the dye on the floss runs. You may notice that darker colors tend to run more than lighter colors.
If your fabric can be washed, place the entire project into a clean container filled with lukewarm or tepid water and a very mild soap, such as Ivory. The soap or detergent you use must not contain bleach, fragrances, softeners, or "laundry brightners."
Some stitchers recommend you clean needlework with Orvus, a horse soap made by Proctor and Gamble. Orvus removes dirt without leaving behind the sort of residue soap leaves. Some craft stores sell variations of Orvus for use with needlework projects. If you do use Orvus, handle it with care. Orvus can irritate your skin, so wear gloves and follow the manufacturer's guidelines.
After you place your project in the soapy water, let it soak for a few minutes. Then, empty the container and fill with it clean, cold water. Submerge your cross stitch project and swirl it in the water to remove the soap residue. Remove the project, empty the water, refill the container, and then rinse your project again.
Regardless of the type of soap or detergent you use, you need to rinse your project several times. Continue rinsing your cross stitch until all the soap suds are gone and the water is clear.
Remove your project and place it flat on a clean, white cloth or towel. Cover your work with either part of the same towel or with another clean, white cloth or towel. Blot the project dry.
You also can roll the cross stitch project in the clean towel to squeeze out excess water. If you use this method, unroll your cross stitch and smooth it flat after you've removed the water.
Iron your project by placing it face down on a clean towel. Make certain your iron also is clean before you start. Set the temperature on the iron low. Most cross stitch fabrics don't require a great deal of heat to smooth the wrinkles. If this low temperature isn't enough, you can increase the temperature a little bit at a time until the wrinkles disappear.
Do not iron over beadwork, metallic floss, or blended floss. Instead, just iron the fabric and avoid the areas with embellishments.
Here are some additional tips to remember when cleaning cross stitch projects:
* Consult a professional if you have an heirloom cross stitch project you want to clean. Older fabrics and flosses need to be cleaned by a professional.
* Use tweezers to remove pet fur from your projects before washing.
* Store your projects in plastic bags to keep dirt away. Roll the canvas, don't fold it, and then place it inside the bag and seal.
* Wash your hands before you start to stitch to avoid soiling your project.
When it comes to cleaning your cross stitch projects, the best approach is to use caution. You've spent so much time creating a masterpiece that you need to make certain you don't hurt your creation. After all, you want your project to be around for years to come.
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