Sunday, September 30, 2007

How to attach stones?

Greetings fellow beaders ~ I'm hoping some of you will share a few tips with me about how to attach stones to my pages? I've been noticing on many of your blogs that you use cabachons (sp?), found stones, etc. and I can't figure out how you attach them. I have a couple of small beach stones that I want to include on my pages, but I'm not sure the best way to secure them. I am using a nice, stiff Timtex backing, so I know it will hold them. I've thought about putting seed bead "lassos" around them but I know there must be alternatives to this (which covers up the stone faces quite a bit). Any suggesstions?

Thanks so much,
Christi in WA state

10 comments:

Denise said...

Most people peyote around a cab. Go around the cab with one row of backstitch then do peyote around it using these beads as the base. Depending on the height of the cab, you will have to do two or three rows of peyote. The last row can be a smaller bead to cinch it in tight.
I frequently use either aileenes tacky glue to glue the cab in place or E6000. If you do use E6000, use it in a well ventilated area. I am defintely not opening the E6000 can of worms here - just note that it has generated more opinions that politics!!!
People will also do netting around a cab, but usually still with a first row of backstitch around the cab.
If you need to learn how to do peyote, just holler, there are a few good tutorial sites around!
Cheers, Denise

a2susan said...

Depending on the size of the stone, I'll often use tacky tape, which is tape that is sticky on both sides. After 12-24 hours it becomes like an adhesive and bonds the stone to your backing. But you can bead around the stone at any time. Just don't put the tape up to the very edge if you want to stick your needle there.

Anonymous said...

Hi Christi: Along the line of glues, I have used a waterbase adhesive called Stik'n Seal, found in the "plumbing" section which is smaller tube size and easier for me to control the ooooze of the glue : ) the tacky tape is good but I think a bit expensive and found mostly in scrapbook type stores. A friend of mine uses this cool double sided tape that looks like duct tape but it's white in color and she said it's found where the masking tape(s) are, I have not purchased it yet but plan to : ) I love to peyote around the cab too and it depends on the size cab and/or face you are using as to howing many rows you need. Hope this helps : )
Sandra : )

abeadlady said...

Another good glue is Gem Tac. I get it at Michael's. No odor and dries fairly fast. I give you fair warning, though. Doing cabs is habit forming. Hee Hee. Like the rest of beading isn't.
Arline

Ellen said...

Hi Christi
Here are a couple of links with tutorials for attaching Cabochons

http://beadwork.joust.net/BeadedBezelCabochon.html

http://home.flash.net/~mjtafoya/mycabs/cablinks.htm

They should keep you busy for a while LOL - Oh yeah I just use Aleen's Tacky glue from Joannes for attaching my cabs/stones to the backing as it dries clear & has no real toxic smell to it, also it dries quickly

Creed said...

I often stick cabs down with carpet mending tape. This is probably the same sticky-on-both-sides, white tape and you can get it at most hardware stores. The adhesive seems to last forever - I bought one roll of it about 10 years ago and I'm still using from it!
You can't sew through the tape, though, so be aware where you put it.

Robin said...

Some of you know of my adversion to glues, especially for anything I consider "long-lasting" art. So here's yet another way...

Holding the cab in place, and using a needle threaded with a single thread, sew from one side of the cab across the top to the other side and down into the fabric. Bring the needle up half way between the other stitches, cross over the top and down into the fabric. This makes a cross stitch over the top of the cab. Bring the needle up between any two stitches, cross over the top and down into the fabric. On your next pass over the top of the cab, take a little stitch around the other threads at the top of the cab. Continue in this manner until the cab is secured with a web of threads.

Now build a beaded bezel around the cab using peyote stitch as described in some of the comments above, or use my barnacle method of making stacks and joining the top beads of all the stacks.

When the bezel is complete and snug, snip the threads at the top of the cab where they all cross one another. Pull out the threads. Voila... your cab is attached with no glue or tape or other adhesive that could in time damage your piece!

Karen L. Cohen said...

if you still need more info, I have a document with instructions that I use in classes I give. Just email me directly and I'll email it to you (or anyone else who wants this). get me at karen@kcEnamels.com
... Karen

artandtea said...

I've always used a little bit of a general craft glue to hold the cabochon in place until the beading secured it. After reading Robin's great idea about a web of thread, I am going to try that because I have always felt uncomfortable with using glues, too. And yes, I totally agree that beading around a cabochon is highly addictive! -Karen

Sweetpea said...

THANKS SOOOO MUCH everyone, for taking your time to respond to my query! I'll mull this over a bit and decide which route to go.... I've got no idea how to do a peyote stitch, but perhaps it is something I can teach myself. I'm sort of attracted to Robin's idea about the "barnacle method". I'll check out the website links that you've all provided and Karen C., I'll be emailing you directly. Thanks again to one & all for the many helpful suggestions. This group totally ROCKS (every pun intended :>}}