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Beaded purses


ElgaKoster

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A few years ago I felt like playing with beads and made these 1:12 scale purses on a homemade loom with the smallest beads I could find and invisible nylon thread, the biggest job was working all the thread ends into the beads, it took forever but they were a lot of fun to make.

post-6-0-80300400-1398975785_thumb.jpg

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I love them. As difficult as the beading was, I am sure the charting was easier then what you are used to.

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I didn't chart these Catherine, they are parts from bigger charts, the lady on the horse is from a big hunting scene. What I would really like is to find smaller beads, these are 0/11, I know you get antique glass size 0/14 but they are scarce. I was even wondering the other day if it would be possible to turn tiny beads with a hole on the lathe from the acrylics you get these days.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Great job Elga--I am very inspired by the pastoral scenes on antique beaded bags and have often wanted to try my hand at making one but have not been able to find beads that would lend themselves to the scale.  I did purchase beads from "Beadcats" long ago and I think they had 1/16--not sure if they are still in the biz anymore though.

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Beadcats is still in business... I check their website periodically.  I purchased some wonderful micro beads (with holes) from Ilisha Helman at HetiaHouse at the Chicago Tom Bishop Show. Size 15/0 beads are readily available from the Tom Thumb Crafts store in Evanston, IL.  I can't seem to leave the store without some, and paid $1.55 to $3.50 per clear plastic tube...

 

Tamra/Indiana

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Tamra, you made me second guess myself, I went and checked, the beads I used are actually the 15/0. I just googled and you can find antique 19/0 beads...but they say even the smallest needle wouldn't go through there, here is the link, this place has some 18/0 beads and smaller....wish I had some spare cash lying around.

http://www.barkingrock.com/special.htm

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I picked up some very small antique beads from a dealer at the Good Sam show in San Jose a couple of years ago; I think the smallest was 22/0! I had purchased a couple of miniature beaded flower arrangements using beads that were so tiny I couldn't believe it,

and I've used the beads since then for cat's collars and also for a beaded arrangement I'm still working on, when my eyes allow it :)

 

Beadcat is a good source - they were at the huge Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee (which is unfortunately the same week

as Castine begins).

 

The beads were strung on very fine silk thread.

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You can thread a 22/0 or 24/0 bead, by dipping the end of your silk thread in superglue, and leaving it on foil to dry. It will stiffen the end, and you can thread it through the bead.  You can also pull through with very fine, very fine, filament wire.   I have always saved the end of the wire from electrical bulbs, when I've wired chandeliers, as it has the absolutely finest wire inside, and you can twist this wire over the end of your silk, and pull your silk sewing thread through those tiny holed beads.  Smaller beads are not a problem!

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Sue, a beaded collar for a cat, is purrfect! Sorry unable to resist.  Tamra/Indiana

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