Beading: Tools of the Trade
Don’t you just hate starting a project and then having to stop…because you forgot this or that? Been there, done that, many times. To help me when stitching peyote jewelry, I gathered all the TOOLS I thought I would need and placed them within an arm’s reach. Now I can usually start a project and continue working until I need a potty break.
These are my Tools of the Trade.
Most of these items are self-explanatory but I have added a few tidbits to those not quite so obvious.
- alligator clips
- bead design board
- felt mat
- flat nose pliers
- gloves (to save my hands when I am stretching & conditioning the thread)
- glue
- headpins (to keep the beginning rows lined up)
- light source (I use a small Ott-Lite. Excellent for matching up colors.)
- magnetic tool (ok, so I have the dropsies)
- masking tape (to keep the beginning rows lined up)
- matches (to burn a tiny “bead” where thread exits a finished piece)
- needles
- ruler
- scissors
- spoon (to scoop up beads quickly)
- thread
- Thread Heaven (thread conditioner)
- t-pin (to pick out boo-boo’s)
- tweezers (to pull thread through needles or tiny spaces)
So there you have it. What are your favorite craft tools?
