Beads & Bows A Beadwrangler Workshop |
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Beads & Bows A Beadwrangler Workshop |
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| I was looking through all the holiday catalogs we get in the mail and started thinking about how enjoyable it is to get gifts with pretty bows attached. Of course, the next thing that came into my mind was what about beaded bows? So I sat down with some Delica beads (Copper Coyote) and some tiny drop beads (Bubbles Beads) that are about equivalent to size 8 seed beads or smaller, Silamide beading thread, sharps needles and begin to design. I soon realized you could make beaded bows with any small beads including the larger size 6 and 8 seed beads. So pull out your materials and let’s have some fun. |
| Instructions Cut off approximately 40" of beading thread, thread on a sharps needle and double the thread so 20" is on each side of the needle. String on 1 bead and put it at the end of the thread and make a single knot around it. This is your stopper bead to keep the rest of the beads from falling off. You will take this stopper bead off later and set it aside. String 6 Delicas and push them down near the
stopper bead but leave 3" between them and the stopper bead. Take the needle through
the first Delica you strung on from where the loose thread and stopper bead are sticking
out. Pull the thread taut. You should have 6 beads in a circle. You will start circling
these original 6 beads with loops of Delica beads. Note: If you made the baskets in my circular loop workshops, you will already know the basic techniques. This technique is also known as the square stitch. String on 6 Delicas and take the needle back through the bead the needle and thread is coming from but in the opposite direction and pull the thread taut. String 9 Delicas and make a second loop around the same bead and back out again. Take the needle through the next bead in the original 6, string 6 Delicas and make a loop around the bead the thread and needle is coming from in the opposite direction and then string on 9 Delicas and repeat the process. Continue making a 6 Delica loop and a 9 Delica loop around each original 6 Delicas in a circle. When you are all the way around and have 6 loops of 6 Delicas and 6 loops of 9 Delicas in a circle, take needle through the next Delica of the original 6 and then remove the stopper bead and tie that end and the one with the needle together in a knot. The 6 Delica loop should be on top and the 9 Delica loop on the bottom of your bow.
If you are wondering about that little bag the bows are sitting on, it is a future kit we are developing and will include very easy instructions. Small bead and fiber bag patterns will also be included in my Beadwrangler’s Hands On Loom Weaving with Beads and Fiber to be published in 1999.
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Believe
it or not your bow is finished! Now look at the bow you made. Cute, eh? You can make
several bows and stitch them to a bag like my example. They are great for embellishment.
You can also choose to put a bead finish on the end of the bow threads
this way: After you make a knot, string on 9 Delicas, 1 drop bead, 3 Delicas and take the
needle back through the 4th Delica of the 9 you strung, which leaves a loop on the end of
the thread with the drop bead in the middle. Take the needle into the bow and weave the
thread through a couple of times before cutting off the ends or keep the needle attached
so you can sew the bow onto something. Put the needle on the other thread end and repeat
the process. Now you have a beaded loop on each end of the loose threads. You could attach
some of these on top of gifts that are wrapped; you could sew several of these bows
together to make a pendant or section of a necklace; you could use 1 or more on an earring
finding that has holes to sew into, add one on a tie for an open minded guy, make a
bouquet of them; string a necklace with Delicas and attach them as part of the necklace
and the ideas just keep coming. You can use these bows all year around, green and red bows
for Christmas, red bows for Valentines, green for St. Patrick’s Day, pastels bows for
Easter, and lots more for other holidays you might celebrate. I am sure these bows would
look great as embellishment for candle holders including menorahs. Start brainstorming and
have a great time. Enjoy! Lydia, The Beadwrangler