Beading Serenity

[darkemeralds]

I've spent much of my weekend setting up for Beading Serenity. I dug all my old tools and supplies out from under the bed and fondled them for a while dusted them off. I'd forgotten some of the sheer sensual pleasure of this craft.

1. First I fell back in love with my Perfect Bead Box. This one is made of mahogany and hickory, and is left-handed, as am I. The PBB keeps all the bead colors separate, and holds all the other tools for a project. Each PBB was named and numbered. Mine's number 48, and is named for a wingy grain pattern on the lid.






2. These tweezers are cool. Not only essential for picking up single beads (those little suckers are impossible to manage otherwise), this pair has a handy little scoop at the other end.






3. A bead scoop. I don't actually use this tool very often, but damn, it's cute.






4. Beading thread, and needles approximately the size of hair.






5. Pliers - for pulling reluctant needles through beads and snipping their pointy ends off. (Beads already have holes, see, so you don't actually need a point on your needle.) The white stuff is Thread Heaven, basically thread lube.






6. A pattern. How did I manage before beadwork software? God, I used to draw these things by hand on graph paper.






7. A palette. I've found 11 of the colors for this project. Five are still eluding me. But I'll find 'em. I have a lot of beads.






8. Breakfast. Color-coordinated is nice, but not necessary.






9. A helper. This one's of the most use when he's napping.

Now I'm going to put on one of the great audiobooks wedjateye sent me, thread a nearly-invisible needle, and get started.

Comments

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

This is fascinating and what beautiful picturs. And now, I *must* have a peach!

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

You must! Because what good is summer if we don't use it to eat peaches?

[vampirefan.livejournal.com]

fascinating!

can't wait for more pictures.

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

This is gonna be the Waterloo of my reading-glasses-denial phase. I did two rows today (the first couple are the hardest) and damned if I could even begin to see what I was doing.

Sigh. It's a good thing getting older gives a person patience.

[neroli66.livejournal.com]

Wow! Hard to get a feel for just how small those beads are until you look close at the peach pic, kinda puts them into perspective there. Itty-bitty things aren't they? *is very impressed*

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

They're pretty dang small all right. They seem considerably smaller than I remember, in fact! I miss my eyesight.

[neroli66.livejournal.com]

I look at those pics and hwat comes to mind is strained eyes, cramped fingers and how the hell does she have the patience to do that? LOL

[inalasahl]

Neat! What a pretty box, too.

[str8ontilmornin.livejournal.com]

All Hail the Bead Queen. Something smooth and intoxicating about the order that box instills. How much will you charge to touch and gaze the finished product? I have lots of craft admiration in the bank. :-)

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

Heh heh heh. I'll trade ya a ciabatta loaf for a glimpse.

[str8ontilmornin.livejournal.com]

That'll do, I'll even throw in a shallot rosemary herb butter if ya want.

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

Oh my!