Friday, January 5, 2018

Tip #3: Stay Tightly Wound

Paper bobbins

You might have to go out and purchase this one, but it's worth it.

For years I struggled with keeping my leftover bits of thread labeled and available for use in future projects. Of course I want to use up everything that is over a foot long, but it got tangled a lot or I forgot what type of thread it was.

I feel kind of dumb for not realizing this storage solution earlier. I'm not much of a seamstress or embroider-ER. I never really owned much actual sewing thread or DMC floss until recently, so completely forgot paper thread bobbins were a thing.

Don't they just do a beautiful job of keeping my beading threads organized?


Wish I had better handwriting though. :-(

I hope this easy tip was useuful. Happy beading!!

Tamara Allison

Viewing recommendation: Go watch the Amazon Prime version of the Tick. Right now. You won't be disappointed (except maybe that Patrick Warburton had a slightly better physique for the part).

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Tip #2: Keep it Sharp (and out of the way).

Pencil lead case: 

This one is pretty straightforward. It's an easy needle storage solution.

That's not lead.

I don't sew much and never had need of a pin cushion. However, I've seen a few patterns that I'd like to make, like this adorable cactus! Side note: the sheer amount of succulent themed art out there makes my little gardening heart happy. <3

Pin cushions aside, students always have lead for mechanical pencils, or at least they do now. And I was a student for the normal amount of time during my earliest crafty years. This little bit of recycling is handy for keeping your needles all in one accessible location, like I do. Or you could even have several on hand if you're the type that's super into labeling and keeping your sizes in different containers.

Supplementary tip: I have a magnetic tool strip on my desk for keeping all my tools. My needle case conveniently is full of magnetic material, so it can easily hang out with the others. See?

Little tools all in a row. And a sleeping Polywag.

Just hammer that strip right into your desk if it happens to be made of solid wood like mine. I need to bang on mine a bit more. It still wobbles a bit.

Edit: I now own some Tulip needles and keep them in the tube they arrived in, which is handy for separating them from the now inferior needles. More on that in a future post, hopefully.

I hope you found this beading hack helpful. Happy beading!

Tamara Allison

Today's listening pleasure is Nabowa: Sunpeko.