Threads - Gotta Use 'Em

In a previous post, I said I would post what I am learning as I move forward with beading on my loom  I believe I said I would post about thread next.  Ok well, that's what I'll do today.  :)   Again, as a reminder, this is only my opinion on what I've experienced with what I have done and used.  I don't pretend to be an expert nor do I want to be an expert.  I'm just having fun talking about and showing what I have done while beading on my loom.  So, here goes.  

This past week, I have beaded two strands with two different threads just to see how they worked with the beads I use.  So far, since beginning this adventure, I've used 3 types of threads.  Each with it's own merits.  In fact, I liked all three for what they could do.  Here we go.  First off, the needle I use is the Big Eye needle simply because I have major issues threading regular needles of any kind.  lol !  Secondly, I have only used size 8/0's beads in one strand and size 11/0's in the rest of the strands.  The beads are Dyna-Mites and are made by Matsuno of Japan.  They can be more round than cylinder shape but basically they are cylinder shaped - just not as consistent as Delica's.  They are NOT Delica's and I must say I've never tried Delica's.  When I bought the Dyna-Mites, it was what I could afford when I was doing bead embroidery and beaded dolls.  I have LOTS of the Dyna-Mites so that's what I use.  ETA:  Turns out, those Delica's I have ARE size 11/0's.  I bought them years ago to use with my bead spinner and just never got around to using them.  Looked them up online from where I ordered them and sure enough, they're 11's.  :)  So maybe next project I'll use them.  Onto thread..........

I've got and used regular C-lon, Nymo and Silamide threads.  I also have some Fireline but have yet to try that with the loom.  

CORRECTION:  The C-lon "thread" I used is actually a 3 ply beading cord.  Thicker than their size D thread (which is NOT 3 ply) but still able to pass through the Dyna-Mites size 11/0 beads until the end of the needle which is explained below.

The first thread I used was the C-lon.  I figured it was probably stronger than all the rest because of the twist.  It is strong no doubt about it.  It went smoothly through the beads however when trying to get the big eye needle through the other side, it was hard to pull through (where the thread was doubled) the last bead.  I also found it most difficult to sew back thru the beads when the thread ran out and I had to add more thread.  The C-lon was just too thick to do this easily with these particular beads.  The only color I have in the C-lon is white so that's what I used in the first three strands of loomed beads.
  
The second thread I used was the Nymo, size D.  This is a nylon bonded thread according to the label.  I have it in black and white and decided to use the black.  I was going to bead a pattern that had a black outline but once I warped the loom, I changed my mind about what pattern to bead.  lol !  Anyway, the Nymo worked GREAT !  Slipped right through the beads easily.  I did find it was a bit stiff but nonetheless worked perfectly.  I have two huge rolls of this thread so will use it again.

The last thread I used was the Silamide, size A.  I think I like this thread the very best to use with the Dyna-Mites, size 11/0.  This thread is a 2 ply waxed nylon. The first thing I noticed about it was how soft and smooth it is.  So flexible and not stiff at all.  It literally glided right thru the Dyna-Mites easily.  No issues what-so-ever !  Easily went back through beads at the end.  I will use this thread the most I think.  :)  I have this thread in black and white also.  

So there is MY take on the 3 types of threads used.  Oh, I know there are more threads out there but these are what I have on hand.  I will try the Fireline and see how that works and post here about it in the future. 

I must add that I did try to work the loom flat again just to see if I could do it easily.  I found that I hunched over the loom more, my left hand was literally rounded over the end of the loom as I began beading which hurt my wrist after a bit and it was harder for me to see as I progressed up the loom.  So, I propped it up once again with the roll of shelf liner.  The loom in the flat on the table position just does not work FOR ME. 

 This strip is the one I used the black Nymo thread on.  These two strips are not as long as the first 3 I made but still look great I think !  :) 

This is the strip I used white Silamide thread on.  This pattern I used previously in different colors and again this strip is shorter than the first 3.

 This picture shows the loom lying flat as I was working on it.  I was about half way thru the strip before I had to add the roll of shelf liner under the top part.  Also note, I place a dark tan piece of material on the floor of the loom.  It helps with seeing the beads and thread better - FOR ME.  :)
 

    
That's all for this week.  Thanks so much for coming by !  I hope you come back again soon and join me on my beading with a loom journey ! 

Has My Muse Re-emerged ?

I have wondered about that this week since I got going with several projects at once.  It's not my glass muse unfortunately .  Four of the projects were beaded kumihimo bracelets and one is the loom weaving.  So nothing new really.  Well, the loom weaving is pretty new actually.  So here we go..........

Pictured below are 3 of the 4 bracelets I made this past week.  The forth one, I had to take apart even after I was about to put the end caps on !  I found a missed bead and I actually KNEW it when it happened but thought no, it just looks loose so I'll tighten it up.  Yeah, right.  lol !  These are the 3 that did make it.  :)  So happy with all 3.  The red and black one is now in my Etsy shop & the other two will be there sometime over the weekend I think.  I had a lot of fun picking colors to work with.  The silver and gunmetal together is also in a necklace I made also in my Etsy shop.  Beaded Kumihimo is so much fun to do !  I'll ALWAYS enjoy making these little gems.

I used the magnetic clasps on all 3 bracelets simply because they make it soooo much easier to get the bracelet on and off.  They might not look as pretty as some of the other clasps but hey, in my opinion, what's easy is best !  lol !  Especially as we get older right ?  Yep.  :) 

 

The second part of my week began when my brand new BEADING LOOM (pictured below) was delivered !  :))  I FINALLY picked one out and ordered it.  It arrived Wednesday and I've been "playing" ever since.  Since I feel I need to devote a whole post about this loom and what I've done on it, I'll just show the photo's below and in the next post, I'll get into lots of detail.  You won't be sorry if you come back next week to check it out.  Lots to tell and I've only been working on in for a day and a half at this point !  lol !  

 

 

So, has my muse re-emerged - I think in a way it has.  Not for melting glass, it's too hot anyway to be at that torch right now. :(  But for other fun stuff - yep, it's here and I'm glad.  :)  I really needed a distraction this past week. 

Since I have a very early appt. this morning I gotta go for now.  Thanks so much for coming by !  I hope you come back again soon. 

 

Yep, Still Here - Still Kickin' - Creatin' Again

I admit, I'm not the most creative nor the most talented but, I enjoy what I do.  :)  Isn't that the whole idea behind crafting afterall ?  So because I am a crafter, I have tried MANY, MANY arts and crafts over the years.  I have discovered there are some things worth coming back to afterall.  lol !  I thought I had left behind beading on a loom (that was not that long ago either).  Nope.  For whatever reason, I just went for it again.  Only this time, I used a much smaller bead - 11/0's !  Not sure what I was thinking when I did that but that's what's cookin'.  lol !   

I am "in process" now and am still discovering new things with this form of beading.  So I'll start from my beginning this go round. 

No photo for this part but part 1 of course is stringing the loom.  This particular loom lies flat so I have to hold it up in one hand to get the thread on properly.  I did NOT follow the you tube instructions like the last 2 times. I just did it "my" way and was done with it.  lol !  It's probably the wrong way but I didn't think I'd get into it like I am.  lol !  Figures.

Photo #1 - Part 2 -  This is my set up for now.  When I was "playing" with this the last time I said no more until I got a new loom.  HA !  Never got it.  The top part of the loom is leaning on a drawer from my jewelry making supplies set up !  lol !  At least my fingers can fit under there !  lol !  I'm still looking at what loom to buy !  lol !  
  

 

Photo #2 - Part 3 -   I'm making the same pattern I made on the very first attempt at beading with a loom.  Those beads were a huge 6/0 size bead.  These are the 11/0's.  Yeah, quite a difference !  lol !  What was I thinking ??  I guess I'm a glutton for punishment !  sigh.   Colors are  dark copper and cream soda. 

    

 

Photo #3 - Part 4 - This is basically what I work on.  My desk with a beading pad on it then the loom.  Well, it just isn't working that well.  The beading pad has a tendency to slip and slide especially when I have to put the magnifying glass on it !  That's the black oval shaped thing to the right.  Then when the pad slips and slides of course the whole loom slides off the plastic jewelry supplies drawer !  UGH ! Re-set it all - again !  :(  There has to be a better way !  I'll figure it out.  Oh wait - I NEED A NEW LOOM !  LOL ! 

 

 

The bigger picture.  This is my work space.  Yeah, lots of stuff to distract me.  That little guy to the left (my first grandbaby) being held by my oldest is the BIGGEST distraction of all !  lol !  Anyway, I must say the adjustable arm magnifying lens is FANTASTIC and a big help !  I have several projects in view that need to be finished or worked on and they ain't gettin' done !  lol !  When I need a break from looking at those darned tiny beads, I look at my bead porn on top of the drawers in front of me !  lol !       

 

 

Since these photo's are only showing about an hours worth of work, I still have a long way to go.  This one will hopefully be a bracelet.  We'll see how the ends turn out but that's what I'm shootin' for.   I am still learning, still in process.  :)  A few things that need to get better are:  Stringing the loom properly, getting the right tension, using beads that are a little easier to see and work with, working in a spot that is not so distracting !  lol !  

Oh, and I didn't get to that new thing I mentioned in the previous post.  That's coming next week.  :)

 

Thanks so much for coming by !  I hope you come back again soon !     

 

 

 

The Old of it and The New of it

It has been a busy couple of weeks here and I've dabbled in some new and some old crafty/artsy things along with getting a couple made to order orders in the works. 

I wanted to venture into something new and decided to find that cheapy beading loom I bought a long time ago.  As it's known here I have made jewelry using the peyote stitch and made a couple of beaded dolls using bead embroidery.  Figured it was time to give the loom a go.  I really love the look of seed bead embroidery and stitching.  Found the loom and began.  Eye, eye eye !  Warping that darned thing drove me INSANE !  The key word to using that loom is cheapy and it sure made life difficult -  but I pursued !  Used the cheapy beads that came with the kit and wha la, I FINALLY finshed this "piece".  It's nothing in particular, just wanted to give it a go to see if I wanted to continue. 

 The really hard part of using this loom I have is it is too flat.  I had to sit one end of it up on a box of tissue.  lol !  Made life much easier.  Also, I started this piece at the wrong end of the warps !  lol !  When I got to the end of the loom, I had to work backwards to be able to keep going.  lol !  It worked but I wouldn't recommend doing that.  

Once I finished this piece, I decided I have to try one more just to see if I really wanted to continue pursuing this new venture.  I picked out some of my own seed beads this time, found a pattern I wanted to try and got started.  It was still difficult to warp the darned thing but after a fight I finally got it done and began.  The pattern was super easy to follow and I just got on a roll.  The outcome is just below.  I like how it turned out but made it too long to use as a bracelet and too short for a hatband which is what the pattern is for.  lol !  I didn't warp enough thread.  Oh well, such is life.  Maybe one of these days I'll figure out what to do with it.  lol !

 

So the question is:  Do I want to continue with this beading on a loom ?  I'm on the fence about it.  If I do, I will buy another loom before giving it another go.  There are a couple of looms I have in mind.  I have enough seed beads that's for sure.  This shall be continued at a later date.  :)

 

So that's the new of it.  The old of it, I made a couple kumihimo braids !  It was fun !  These are flat braids, no beads in them.  I used my Marudai for both and enjoyed making those movements again.  Might have to make more.  These are in my Etsy shop now.  These would be GREAT for handfasting.  I made them with hand dyed satin cording.  LOVE the colorways of both.  :)  I left the ends unfinished that way the purchaser can finish or decorate the ends as they wish.  These are LONG too measuring 48" and 43" long.

 

 

That's all for now.  Thanks so much for coming by !  I hope you come back again soon. 

 

  

It's Been Too Long - Again and Now With More Kumihimo

Yes well, that's pretty much all I had been able to do in the past couple of months.  lol !  With a broken foot, there's not a lot that one can do or is suppose to be doing.  lol !  The doc said stay off it so I did.  I saw the doc this past Monday and the foot has about another 3 to 4 weeks of healing to go but at least the darned boot is off !  Yay !  That said, he gave me a funky looking shoe to wear until we meet again in a few weeks.  That "shoe" hurts my foot worse than the injury itself.  :(  Onward and Upward as it were. 

First of all, I never did find out what is the actual cause of that previous issue I was having.  The end part being "loose".  It seems to come and go.  Doesn't happen with every necklace.  I made another necklace since and it didn't happen with that one.  Hopefully I'll be able to figure it out in the future.

I did manage to make a few things and finish them up last week.  Photo's are below.   A necklace for my niece in spring colors.  Which I should of mailed this past week and for some reason it's still sitting on my desk.  A bracelet which was fun to make.  I used three sizes of seed beads including 8/0's, 6/0's and magatamas and three colors.  I really like how it turned out.  It kinda reminds me of a dragon's back.  :)  Then the wire wrapped earrings.  I saw some like these on a glass forum, searched the web to find the tutorial (it's a freebie), found it and made these two pair.  Of course they are FAR from perfect but they were kinda fun to make.  One pair is copper and the second pair is made with rose gold color wire.  These are the last kumihimo items I've made.  I'll make more I'm sure.  I have ALOT of seed beads in all shapes and sizes I can use but the magatama's are the ones I like using the best in kumi.  They just make the pieces more dramatic and prettier I think.  

With those pieces done, I took a few days and did nothing as far as jewelry or any crafts are concerned.  Needed a bit of a break.  Then it was time to get back to something.  So I have begun a foray into something new to me - beading on a loom !  lol !  Why not ?  I've tried many things using beads. This is one art/craft I had never tried.  I will write more about this new adventure in an upcoming post. 

Photo's of the last couple of kumi pieces I did and the wired earrings.

 

 

 

 

So until next time, thanks so much for coming by !  I hope you come back again sometime soon.  If you have a couple minutes, check out my Etsy shop.  There may be something in there you like.  :)  Also, I will be posting some new items in the next couple of days.