vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from Deirdre S. :
]If I get them launched in -learning- what works well, and what doesn't ]from the results themselves, I will be satisfied that I have done what ]I am being paid for.
very good! [and sneaky, too!]
----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)
Have a blast Deirdre, teaching is so rewarding.
So hurry up and get home and post how it went. Wanna know.
Tina
I am a subversive, not a revolutionary...
Deirdre
vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from Deirdre S. :
]I am a subversive, not a revolutionary...
LOL! POINT!
----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)
vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from Deirdre S. :
]I am following the desires of my students (all of whom wanted to come ]back for the next project)
COOL! that means you did a good job!
----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)
Are you going to use brass wire? It looks good, and is closest in feel to working ss wire, which would be the next step up. You might check to see if Michael's carries it, and to have them get some in if they can, in 22, 20, and 18ga
Tina
Why don't you do a little shopping for yourself there-- pretend that that was all that was available and you had an important "date" coming up that you needed to make whatever for.... Look outside the bead aisle. There are some neat "flat marbles" in the floral dept, as well as "silk" flowers that can be combined with beads in various projects-- I've sold the flat marbles done up as beaded cabs both as pins and pendants, and even a couple that were practice wire-wrapping projects done with the craft wire from Michaels. In the cross-stitch and yarn isles, there are some neato fibers and cords that can be combined with beads, neato little wooden boxes and shapes in the unfinished wood isle on which to apply beads or beaded shapes, glass vases and Christmas ornament balls..... Then you can get them strted on bead weaving-- tell them to get pony beads and yarn to learn the stitches... ditto for bead crochet.... Kaytee "Simplexities" on
Yes, brass wire is a good thing to use, IMO. And readily available.
I plan to bring some of the large quantities of copper wire I already have ... and Michaels does stock plain copper, as well as color-coated Craft Wire. It is useful to practice at first on wire that is inexpensive enough so you aren't afraid to fail and have to start over. Gives you a freedom to try until you have a bit of confidence in your control.
What I will advise steering clear of is the nickel plated 'silver alternative', since so many people are sensitive to nickel, and would be genuinely -injured- by wearing it.
So ... the plan is to practice with craft wire, and then turn people on to sources of better stuff, like Monsterslayer and Hagstoz.
Deirdre
Yup. I've already been doing this. And I've used the flat glass pebbles as cabs in myh own work before, too. And covering a box or frame using Terrifically Tacky Tape and Beadz is something that already occurred to me, too .
There are lots of perfectly decent things available at Michaels. Unfortunately, the actual *beads* they sell are 10 to 1 by volume the icky stuff rather then the good stuff. Mainly because the profit-margin has got to be huge when the gap between what they probably pay, and what they can get away with charging is so big.
I can try to educate my students about quality so they recognize it when they see it, but I doubt I will convince corporate Michaels that they will make more money if they stock better stuff, and educate their customers about why it is better. Instead, they are more likely to drive customers to their competitors as soon as they gain some knowledge about what works best and last longest in pleasing and functional shape.
Deirdre
A bit hair-raising, and I wore my voice out doing pretty close to constant explanations/encouragement as my students worked on their project.
But I am primed to do it aga>>
Teaching is a fantastic opportunity to learn! Not only do you have to be super-prepared, but if your students are engaged in the topic, whatever it is, they will stretch you by asking questions, and challenge you to find new ways to present your concepts.
Your viewpoint is borne out so far . My students were full of questions and wanted to master a lot in the first session. I felt lucky that everyone had a chance to finish one necklace (and in one case, matching earrings), given how fast I had to talk to keep up with what they wanted to know -- and apparently got -enough- answers and demonstrations to do it successfully. Everybody walked away satisfied with what they learned to do.
Including me.
Deirdre
InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.