What do you need before embarking on beadweaving?
I'm not a very organised beader, my design all started from a vision in my brain. I'll just make changes as I start beading, the needle is my pen. It's always good to have a table with the right lighting. A comfortable chair as you will most properly be spending hours there!
Do not bead in dim area as it's bad for the eyes. I used my Ott-Lite whenever I'm beading, it's a great lamp for beaders and even reading !
I'm not a very organised beader, my design all started from a vision in my brain. I'll just make changes as I start beading, the needle is my pen. It's always good to have a table with the right lighting. A comfortable chair as you will most properly be spending hours there!
Do not bead in dim area as it's bad for the eyes. I used my Ott-Lite whenever I'm beading, it's a great lamp for beaders and even reading !
LIGHT
BEADING MAT
Many surfaces have been chosen to be used, my favourite is the beading mat as the beads doesn't roll about when I'm beading. Beads are easily being picked up.
NEEDLES
There are many choices of beading needles. From size 10 to 15 for most beading projects. I usually uses size 12 for most of my beading projects. For size 10 and 11, for bead embroidery and size 15 for the really tiny 15 beads and charlotte beads.
SCISSORS
Choose a pair of sharp scissors, as we do not want the thread to fray before we even start on beading. I have 2 photos below, the one on tChe left I used it to cut my beading thread. The one on the right, I used it to cut FireLine.
Having problem cutting the thread in tight places, I used my home-made thread burner to "cut" off my finished thread ends. Here's how it look like =D It's battery-operated and produced a tiny melted blob thus preventing the thread from fraying.
BEADING WAX
What do you do when your thread start fraying ? Do you noticed that thread usually fray when you undone your piece of work ? Fred not, just run your thread throught the wax and the thread can be used to finish your whole piece of work. Or you want a tighter tension but can't seem to pull tight, use your wax. My favourite wax is the micro-crystalline wax shown below. It's good, doesn't dry up and can be used for a pretty long time! It was recommened to me by Cynthia Rutledge and Laura McCabe.
Kindly note that the details written in this blog is based on my beading experience. You may have a different preference. Thank you for reading through.
The next round I will be discussing seed beads. Browse back soon!
2 comments:
What an organised beginning to your beading projects - I really like the metaphor of the needle as your pen.
Cheers
Glenda
Thanks Glenda!
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