One of my recent crafting obsessions has been the creation of beaded bookmarks. I make them out of cotton thread which I crochet in a single chain in the middle so it's thick enough to be sturdy and bead each end or crochet a circle on one end and add beads to the other.If you like this type of bookmark, winners of my contests (one of which is going on right now!) may now find one of these gorgeous, one of a kind bookmarks in with their other assorted items. I have a couple helpful readers testing out some types of beaded bookmark for me so I can get an opinion on how they function in a real-world environment.
In making these bookmarks I learned a few things I hadn't previously known (but possibly could have guessed).
1) I need bifocals. Wah!2) Never engage in a beading project, particularly not one that involves a hard to find beading needle, when a toddler is in the house. While it won't result in damage to the toddler if you're conscientious, you're probably going to be finding beads all over the house for weeks to come and your beading needle -- that 4 inch long sharp piece of dangerous metal -- will disappear entirely. Yeah, uh-oh.
3) Some beads are best thrown into the trash when you realize there's no way you can get anything through their stupid little holes. At least if they're in the trash can you won't have to look at them any more. Especially when they're pretty.
4) My artistic talents are limited, particularly my eye for creative color combinations.5) Plain hemp twine is too thin for bookmarks, but cats absolutely loooooooove to grab it in their mouths and run off with it.
6) If you haven't knotted the end of the twine when the cat happens to run off with it, beads will scatter throughout the house.
7) If you intend to make the bookmark exactly the right size for a mass market paperback, it will be too short for the mass market paperback.
8) If you intend to make the bookmark just long enough for a trade paperback, it will be too long for a world atlas and flop around on either side in a way that is very enticing to cats.
9) If you want the crocheted circles on the ends of the bookmark to be stiff, you can use diluted school glue to starch them. However, as the circle is drying, make sure it's not touching something like paper.10) Or another bookmark.
Have a nice day and happy crafting!
Jody W.
www.jodywallace.com
www.meankitty.com (She certainly helped with the bookmarks.)
3 comments:
Jody, your bookmarks look lovely. But are you sure you didn't create them so your cats will have a new toy to play with?
Those are cool! You are talented in so many ways.
similar beading and crocheting can be used to hold your dimestore reading glasses so you don't have to get bifocals just yet. Although, if you already wear glasses, don't put both pairs on neck cords or you'll get them twisted around and choke yourself.
Also, a cat sleeping peacefully in your lap might suddenly lunge at the dangling cord.
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