Bead Craft - The Most Excellent Tools
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A topic not much discussed in articles concerning bead craft is what I like to all "optional equipment." Reasonably, most articles on beading ideas focus on the beading projects, or the beads themselves and many discussions rotating around patterning, color choosing and so on, but at least a few concentration should be given to the optional items of tools, because they can make your life easier and enhance your enjoyment of bead craft in general.
The items I've in mind are:
Fishing Line
Magnifying Glasses
Cord Knotter
Bead Tray
I'll outline what all of these can do for you as it relates to bead craft described below.
Fishing Line - If you are all out of silk thread and requiring to crank out a bead craft project, simple fishing line can be subbed in for the good stuff. Or, if you're only making a temporary piece and wish to save your silk thread for permanent creations, yet again, fishing line to the rescue! No bead craft toolkit should be without it!
Magnifying Glasses - This useful item will save you both time (reducing the time spent turning your beading ideas into truth), and prevent eyestrain by bringing those tiny, little pieces-parts into better focus. What's not to like about that! If you only get one piece of optional bead craft equipment, get it!
Cord Knotter - At around ten usd , this useful little item is the most expensive of the "optional bead craft equipment," but well worth the money, particularly if you do any work at all with pearls. It helps with knot tying, and helps you get the knots right up against the beads, where you wish them to be (this could be an annoying process when trying to get it right by hand). It might take a lttle bit to get the hang of using it, but once you do, you will wonder how you & your bead craft projects got along without it!
Bead Tray - Funny how anything as simple as a tray can make this type of large difference to your bead craft projects, but it really can! The chief benefit of a bead tray is that it is included with grooves for holding beads and the grooves are of typical shapes and sizes! So, while you're making a necklace, just play with your pattern on the bead tray, get it exactly how you want it, and then all your beads are already laid out in the exact pattern. Just pick 'em up and string!
Again, while none of the items mentioned here are absolutely necessary, you will probably find that you enjoy bead craft a good deal more with these time saving tools, and you can pick up the full set for approximately $25. A little investment really for what they can do to improve your bead craft experience, and the ways in which they can assist you execute against your beading ideas!
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