Greetings to all my fellow beaders ~
A question...what kind of surface do you bead on -- what's on top of your work table, that is? The reason I ask is that I'd like to find a different solution from my current one. I copied what a friend of my does, but it's not working that well for me. Her solution is to use a rectangular piece of felt where she has little piles of beads scattered around. The beads don't roll at all and do tend to stay in one place. As she's working, she just dips her needle in to whatever bead pile she's choosing in the moment. When I do this -- and it must be the way I try to "scoop" them onto my needle -- the needle catches in the felt, sort of snags it, and beads get flung clear across the room!!! Not all the time, but enough to be really annoying now. So could some of you help me out here? What's a good solution for my work surface?
Thanks so much for any tips,
Christi, in WA state
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14 comments:
Christi,
I always use Velux pads. I tried felt and had the same result you did. And...I kept finding little fuzzy things in my beadwork.
The beads lie on top of the Velux, but there are no fibers to catch your needle. You can find it at many LBS's or buy a twin sized blanket when it's on sale. Then you can gift your beady friends with one too.
Arline
I'm with arline 100 percent...I've been beading for almost 20 years and the velux pads are wonderful!
Thanks you two! I know those blankets, but have never owned one -- will definitely look into that option.
Silly question: which C-O-L-O-R Velux do you use? A neutral??
I use whichever color lets my beads stand out. Nothing worse than having to hunt for your beads on the pad.
Arline
Christi - I bought a beige twin size lurex blanket and I cut it up into pieces as I need them. It is much less expensive to buy the blanket than to buy individual pieces in bead stores. I mainly bead on one of those trays that sits on your lap, and I cut the pieces to fit that.
Good luck!
Susan
Christi,
I also use a lap tray most of the time and I use a beige neutral most, but I did buy a couple sheets from a bead store in a medium blue and a dark gray to use when I have light beads. I find the blue works great with both light and dark, but I think it really comes down to your preference and the quality of your light as well.
Trilly
I use really cheap (like a dollar) divided plates sort of like this example I can usually find these kinds of trays at either the dollar store or in a dollar bin at local drug stores.
I don't use any kind of fabric on the tray. I think it's because it feels like fabric slows me down, now that I think about it.
I also use Vellux Pads. Actually, most of my beading is while watching TV or at least on my couch in the living room, listening to a book on tape. I use my Bead Buddy, on my lap, with the Vellux Pad on this and bead away. The Bead Buddy is great for traveling - like to bead in the car while your husband is driving! Great way to pass the time. I've found the least expensive pads, and beads by the way, is at WhimBeads.com. Good luck.
I too use a piece of old Vellux blanket. But I also like to use old Pringle plastic lids as sort of bead trays. Then when you pour the beads back in the bag, all you do is squeeze the plastic lid & pour. Yes, I do make my Mother eat all those Pringles for me!
dot
I glued Velux into some recycled plastic lids. They stack easily and I keep beads on hand for more than one project at a time. Also when I'm beading "on the road" I like to use a watercolor palette dish. That way different types of beads can stay together and it's less fuss getting things repackaged once I need to pack up in a hurry.
I found an old Velux blankie in pale blue at a thrift store - I cut it up into about fifty pads and gave away about half of them - the other half are lining all my little project boxes and bead trays.
years ago I found a set of 10 5x7 inch plastic trays with a bit of a lip...I also found a used velux blanket in a cream color. I cut up part of it for 8 of the trays and am still using the rest of it for fold-up travel mats and smaller trays. For light colored beads, I lined 2 of the trays in a medium lavender.
My goodness, everyone, I wonder if those Velux inventors had any idea how useful their product was going to be?! THANK YOU for all the great responses. I'm going to give Velux a try -- and -- I'm going to get some (or make some) for my friend who uses the felt, as well. I appreciate the suggestions about colors, too. I can see the need for options depending on whether I'm using light or dark beads. Acey, that was a neat idea about gluing Velux into plastic lids & then stacking them..! and everyone's ideas about lining trays, etc. with it....who knew?! Thanks again for helping me with a solution -- I am SO EXCITED about not flinging beads all over the room :>}}
I like the velux but I like colors over beige simply because I don't care for beige much. So consider your personality with color before you choose. I liked the hint above about lining a plastic lid.
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