Maybe I put the wrong topic on this? About beads, really!

Ok, I can live with that. I just feel so invisible most of the time. Really need to get another scanner (cheap p.o.s. digicam has NO options and I can't figure it out but what can you expect for $30?) Just been having a few bad days and needed something positive (can't wait for a new med the dr tried to get out of DH's system so he's back to 1/2 way normal but lets not go there) Kinda cranky and sleep deprived but other than that, I'm doing OK (really I am) (am I trying to convince you or me?) Want to bead but really need to get more sleep. Ah, sleep deprivation inspired beadwork looks SO lovely when you come to! (ACK! I can't believe I put THOSE colors together! What was I thinking!?) But, with everyone else's trials and tribulations, my problems are relatively minor so I can't complain TOO much.

Later,

Helen C

I see ya, Helen!! Sorry I haven't really been posting much lately, but typing with this busted shoulder is kinda a bitch!!

Carol in SLC

COMPLETELY understandable. And I realize it's all some can do to even read all the messages. Heal Quickly and Cleanly (and Completely) Don't get well soon, feel better now!

Later,

Helen C

Helen, have you seen the beaded fringes with long bugles meant for trimming lamps/whatever that are now for sale in the fabric and hobby shops? Some of them are really rather lovely, but all are so inexpensive...I keep seeing some poor beaders sitting far away and doing all that for ten cents a day, or thereabouts--the cost barely covers the beads themselves sometimes! I mean, less than five bucks for two feet of beaded fringe? I can't understand how... Sarajane

Sarajane's Polymer Clay Gallery

Don't get out much so I haven't seen them. Met a lady that was making a victorian-style dress and she had quite a few yards of different ones. Pretty but not my style. I like the look of the ones you can sometimes see in antique stores (as long as it's not that dusty rose color-just not something I like) I mainly like the fringe. There's probably a machine to help make the fringe. I wouldn't even want to imagine someone doing all those yards and yards by hand. Definately a labor of love.

Later,

Helen C

Do you use 2-drop peyote? And do you have patterns or do you make up your own?

Carol in SLC

Well, first off, I find an old dead bic lighter, rip all the guts out, tape a piece of paper around it and fill it with wax. That way I don't have to worry about anyone "borrowing" by lighter and the thread doesn't catch. Big plus! I recomend bic's because they're the same size top to bottem (vs the cheapie lighters that are very slightly tapered)

Now, you could do a freeform design, solid color, stripes or whatever but if you want a pattern I recomend the 40x40 graph that's on bead-pattern.com in the free section (peyote of course) (it's the one that comes with 5 graphs) The graph is a little long but the wrap is right. If you need further explanation, ask.

Now, I do peyote top to bottom so I drop down instead of stepping up. Either way, it works.

Get your threaded needle, put a slipknot in the end and put this on the lighter so you don't have to worry about that end. Now put your first row on (should be 20 bead or 40 if you do the first two rows) Bead. Take the slipknot out after about the third row and tug gentle to "set" the rows. You need to do enough to cover all the plastic. This will vary depending on the behavior of the beads (they SAY they're 11/o's but there are variations) You'll also need 2 or 3 rows past the bottom. This should be where you end (unless you need to add some more to the top) Take the bottom row of bead and run your thread through twice for added security. Cinch TIGHT (but be careful not to break the thread - not a good place to do it) and weave the end back in through the body of the lighter. Some beads will tighten better than others. Pull the case off the waxed core and put it on a working lighter and you have a beaded lighter case!!!!!

Later,

Helen C

I use the japanese seed beads for mine. Czech can end up being too small (narrower bead) and haven't really worked with Delica's. Different sized beads will add texture as long as it's even otherwise it could bulge unattractively (don't say a word) Experiment if you feel like it. This is just a guideline from the hundreds of them I've made.

I've done all over patterns (diamonds, stripes, look for things the repeat in patterns of 2, 4, 5, 10), made up a few to see how thing work, taken ideas from embroidery, used some free patterns (with a little modification of course) and of course tried to come up with graphs of things people have requested (always so much fun when you're limited by the size of the medium you're working with) Names, sports teams (names and/or colors) or I can just ask someone for a few colors (and hope I have them!) and go from there after I get home and attempt to put colors together.

Not invisible. I haven't gotten any bead catalogs to drool over yet- I think I'm trying to avoid them so I don't go broke or get a severe case of bead-lust:)

Best of luck on your projects and try to get some sleep!!

Kathy K

My goal(s):

To be independantly wealthy instead of too broke to pay attention.

Never run out of anything.

Always have enough free time to do what I want instead of what I HAVE to.

It's only gonna take me (roughly) 20 years to do this. Need to wait for the rugrats to grow up and (hopefully) move out (or I could just attempt to have them wait on me hand and foot. HAW!)

Later,

Helen C

I thought I might get some kind of comment about losing my marbles. Really I did.

That's a good plan. I'll add it to my own notes. I've never make a lighter cover. But wouldn't it be easier to just do a tubular peyote?

Tina (the voice of inexperience)

I just put in an order with Rio. One of those that's not cheap, but not fun. I have "made up" several things. But I didn't have the right length head pin, so put earrings on steel head pins. And haven't like the way my crimp were acting so I got a diiferent sized. Got ear wires in ss and gf, which I've just begun to make for sale (as part of sets). Velvet bags, earring cards, and some cool tissue in tan with dragon flies. The only beads I got were a few 4mm ss and gf beads.

$200 and even the paper has no pretty colors!

But I also made a necklace with my silver dicho pale aqua flutter from Karen. I put it with lt Azor Swarovski and green fluorite.

I need to work with Pete on the photography. I've just never had a knack for it.

Tina

Ahhhh...I was going to ask if we could see your work, Tina. I use my scanner because I don't have a camera that is good for jewelry.

I like your goals ;)

Hmm - maybe since a lot of us here have lost our marbles we didn't see anything unusual about it :)

Kathy (who once asked if anyone knew where her sunglasses were- while she was wearing them!) K

Oh no. That's just the norm around here.

Tina

"Helen C" wrote

Sorry, I forgot tht little detail. You're doing this in tubular peyote. That's why your going AROUND a lighter and not making it flat.

Later,

Helen C

So what odd colors did you put together?

I put a necklace together under tungsten light (regular light bulbs) and it didn't work in sunlight.

And often I use analogous colors that blend together to act almost like a single color. I need to work away from that.

Another things I'm finding is that I have some beads that are a lot like a blushing color, but translucent. The necklace looks great, until it's on the neck. Then it like like a faint but lovely rash. Haven't redone that one yet.

Tina

----- Original Message ----- From: "Helen C" Newsgroups: rec.crafts.beads Sent: Friday, October 17, 2003 9:56 AM Subject: Re: Maybe I put the wrong topic on this? About beads, really!

Naw... we're all too busy looking for the ones WE'VE lost... Kaytee "Simplexities" on

Honestly, I don't have that much energy. Don't do a lot. House is messy but not "dirty" if that makes any sense. There's never usually more than a days worth of dishes in the sink (do you realize how many dishes 7 people can generate?) Almost always doing laundry but it may take a while to get it put away (kids clothes just get thrown in seperate drawers and folded when I get that wild hair) Kids rooms are disaster areas (but isn't that normal?) My room is where everything ends up. I see other people's houses and I just can't relate. How in the world can people have nice things that match? And a carpet that's only one color? Spotless kitchen floor? HAW! As long as no one's sticking to it, I'm ok with it (and an honorary member of the blackfoot tribe!) Got the basics covered. Nothing fancy. There's so many thing running around my head that I'd LIKE to get done but can't afford the materials (shelves/cubby's for the kids rooms & the rest of the house, rigging up the cribs {putting wood in place of the springs under the mattress}, figuring out what to put over the windows in place of the screens that were destroyed, things like that)

We shall muddle through! Just keep plugging away.

Thank you for letting my know I'm not neglected. Helps.

Later,

Helen C

Or be killed by you.

Tina

"Dr. Sooz" wrote