New hobby, and accidental earrings

[ellarien]

I've been feeling for a while that it was time for a new hobby, of the kind that produces something a bit more tangible than pixels on a screen, and after some cogitation over the last week or so I decided to try my hand at beading.

This afternoon, I trotted off to my local Michael's and picked out tools, findings, and a selection of beads. The original plan called for enough beads and etcetera for two necklaces, one purple and one green, but there was mission creep; I fell in love with some leaf-shaped shell pendants, and then I wandered over to Jo-ann Fabrics and found some more purple beads and some red coral chips. So it may be four or five necklaces, in the end.

I came home with my spoils, spread them out on the dining table -- being the only unused horizontal surface in the apartment -- and made my first attempt at crimping, only to discover that I'd forgotten to acquire wire cutters. Aaargh. Also, I think I have the wrong kind of crimp beads. Oh well, I can go back tomorrow, and if I keep myself on a tight leash I don't have to come home with half the store. Just cutters, and crimps, and maybe some storage boxes.

But! I wanted to try my skill at making a loop in the end of a head pin, and that didn't require cutters, just pliers. I found a bead with a small enough hole for a 3/4" pin not to fall through, and made my loop, and attached it to a clip earring back. Earring! I had to scrabble a bit to find another bead similar enough to make the second half of the pair -- it was, literally, a mixed bag -- but I got one in the end.

And now I need groceries.

Comments

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

I have so far resisted the siren call of beading and I just content myself with admiring the items created by my friends. But now I have more time, I would like to do something creative that results in a physical object at the end of it. The most likely candidates are knitting, crochet and sewing though, rather than something new.

[ellarien]

I had my Crochet Period a while back -- 1999 to 2004 or thereabouts. It was great fun, but I ended up with more doilies than a small apartment really needs, even giving away or donating most of them.

The beads are very pretty, and I do have a use for big necklaces to wear with my summer dresses, but I suspect the hours of fun per dollar in the making stage are low compared to fiber work. As I don't particularly want to get into selling, I suspect it will be self-limiting.