Piano bracelet

Finished! This is the bracelet kit that I was trying to complete. The threading part was really fast but the ending off was a BIG hassle as the needle I had was not thin enough to allow me to go through the hole of the beads a few times. Getting the thick thread through the needle was also tedious. I felt like an old lady threading a needle though the eye wasn't so small. Ending off took as long as I was doing up the beads on the loom!


All that being said, it didn't turn out too bad. Now I'm hooked on trying out more loom work. I have had a few patterns drawn up. The only thing I needed now is to find a few thinner bead embroidery needles and my seed beads. Saw a craft shop on the way back from Tai Chi so the next time round I'll get hubby to make a short stop (hopefully) to check out the place.

Loom beading project

Wasn't in the mood to think of new design for my bracelet and wanted to keep busy with something that is a no-brainer (but this was not a no-brainer I assumed it to be). Opened my cupboard and saw the loom I bought during one of the fair. I have never done this before but as there was a ready-made pattern to follow; that decided all of it.

The first thing to do was to thread the loom. The accompanied instruction leaflet was pretty easy to read but not too easy to understand. Luckily, I borrowed Alexandra Kidd's "Beginner's Guide To Beading On A Loom" from the library for another project and the pictures and tips in the book helped.

The next problem came when I ran out of thread that goes horizontally across. How in the world am I suppose to extend the thread? Kidd came to the rescue again. The final problem was how am I suppose to end off and what to do with the vertical threads? Well, there is Kidd again. Thank goodness for the book!




This is the (almost) completed work. The only thing that is left is to attach the clasp to the bead fabric. It took me about 2 hours to get this stage, which I think is pretty fast (and forgetting relatively easy with the help of the book). I am willing to try another project. I am thinking of making a bracelet for a friend who is feeling low at the moment and giving it to her when she comes over (hopefully soon). Maybe I'll pick one from Kidd's book.

This time round I'll go for Toho beads if I can get my hands onto some of them. The problem with the ones from the kit was that they are irregular in size and length so the beads don't sit as nicely as I would like them to be. Got to go up the net to source out seed beads suppliers here later. I missed my craft suppliers back home!

Yet that being said, the thrill of looking for good suppliers her is still something worth looking forward to. The good thing about moving over here is that I have time to indulge in things I like even after work.

Project done!

Finally got the necklace done! And tied up a couple of loose ends of some other completed work. I'm thinking of the next project already. I'm trying to do a bracelet next but design is still in the drawing board.


But I'm glad to get my hands on the latest issue of Australian Beading. I'm always on a lookout for the bimonthly issue. It takes awhile for the magazine to get to this part of the country and I wonder why...

In any case, I went up some of the sites recommended by the magazine to source for my stones. I'll probably try 1 or 2 of the online shop to test the quality. I hope I'll not be disappointed yet again. Sigh. Must keep hoping for the best.

New Jewellery project

Is there such a thing as creator's block (like as in writer's block)? I'm back at my beading again. Hopefully this time I'll be able to complete my necklace.

I've got the lampwork beads for awhile but just couldn't get any idea as to what to do with them. Then suddenly out of nowhere some flickering light just popped in my mind and I'm hard at work now.

What you see in the picture is work in progress but this one knot just drives me crazy for an hour till some part of me says to use the pins. And, I got it under wraps in less than 3 minutes!

I like to use Chinese knots with lampwork beads as the beads gets showcase very well. I've tried to come up with some patterns using wire but it just doesn't sit right. The gist of the pattern is still there but variations of the basic keeps coming up and I hope it will turn out well as I'm also experimenting.

I like to work with natural stones and crystals especially when I'm using wires. It's just a personal preference. I've made quite a few pieces now and some of them gets pretty good feedback (It's always a nice feeling when people appreciate your work.). I'll put them up later when I get them photographed.

I got started into jewellery making a few years ago when a friend of mine came to work with her creations and I fell in love with the stones. She taught me the basics in a day (after much begging and planning) at her place. Then she help me buy my first set of tools for making my own pair of earrings. The rest as they said is history.

Then I met Aunty Janet who attended a Chinese knot class with me. She introduced me to all the wonderful places to get my stones. She also help refined some of my techniques. She is fabulous with her hands and she has really beautiful handmade jewellery! I hope when I get back to home again I can get more tips from her.

I wonder if I can find courses on jewellery making here...

Beading and Craft Fairs

Craft work is BIG here and I really mean Big. The number of craft fairs here is an indication. Since moving here, I've been to at least 3 big fairs (not taking note of other smaller fairs within the different suburbs) in Perth Convention Centre and Claremont Showground. (I will try and put up a list of bead suppliers and craft fairs later.)

I'm into beading so these fairs not only gives me ideas for my jewellery designs but also the source for my raw materials. It is not easy to get natural stones and sliver and goldfill findings here. There are more bead shops over the eastern states. So, these fairs brings together some of the local and eastern states suppliers. (Hurray!!)

I always believe that you need to feel and look at the stones you are buying and I can spend a whole afternoon looking and touching the stones on display. (I will always end up with some stones to add to my growing collection somehow!!) Finding a good supplier here locally is a challenge (still is) so I thought I should try doing online purchase but a disappointing online purchase just reinforce my belief of touchy feely before buying.

I saw this string of beautiful mix coloured stones (citrine, topaz to name a few) on a online shop and they were on sale. On top of that some of the goldfill findings (hard to find!!) were also on sale. So, I was really overjoyed to be able to get my hands on them. It was a long one and a half week wait for my purchase and when they finally arrived in the mail I was jumping like a jack-in-a-box. On opening the package, the findings were as I had expected and they look really sweet. But, when I took a look at the stones, they did not turn out the way it was shown on the photos... I felt so cheated! Now, I'll only do online buying when I get recommendations from good suppliers I have tried.