Like most of you yesterday in the Mid-west and the East Coast, we had a snow day.
Jack got his wish and a day off from exams and Jim came home from work around Noon.
While the snow blew around outside, Jim and I spent the afternoon binge-watching Breaking Bad on Netflix and I did something that's needed doing in a looooong time...
I numerically sorted all my delica beads.
I know. Not only did we have Polar Vortex II but perhaps hell froze over as well.
For years I've used the old plastic-baggie full of plastic-tubes method of storage...
And yesterday I migrated to this new, space-saving, stackable method recommended by Erin Simonetti (I posted about Erin before here and here)...
I was lucky to find these stackable containers online at Joann.com and on sale. Check it out here. Erin has also had success ordering them from Walmart.
As I work through many of Erin's loomed designs, we have been using small numbers of beads with many colors. Though a kit is provided through the Bead-Soup store, I was wasting a lot of time and money by not using what I already had. The only problem was I didn't know what I had.
Now I do. Erin places the containers on the inside of the loom as she's working.
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| Picture courtesy of Erin Simonetti's blog heading |
I am all set and ready to go for our Mystery Class in February. I needed to order a couple of beads to make the scarf for my snowmen so I'm waiting for them to come in.
Another snow day for us here and I am working on Japanese embroidery today.
Happy delica day!
P.S. A few of you asked about the looms we were using in yesterday's post. These are looms that Erin's husband makes and, as yet, they are not commercially available. I know that Kathy Fritz at Bead Soup is looking for a supplier to make the looms so when ordering information becomes available, I'll let you know.
19 comments:
I also keep my beads in clear containers although they are not the stacking kind. I of course get mine at Jo Ann's I try to get them when I have the 50% coupons..lol. I am loving your new project. How I wish I could take these wonderful classes. My local bead shop does not bring in teachers. Does your designer ever sell her patterns?
A BIG job but well worth the effort! Don't they look beautiful all organized....
Thank you for the bead storage idea. I bought a loom years ago at an Indian pow-wow. It kind of got put on the back burner though because I couldn't justify buying a whole bunch of beads on top of all my other sewing stash stuff. I will keep this post in mind when I eventually pull my loom back out.
I too am watching Breaking Bad and lovin' it.
Great system for the beads.
Glad Jack got his wish!
What a great idea to store beads! I too have a bunch of tubes of beads and honestly don't know what I have. Will have to give this a try!! Thanks for sharing!
I have to get some more of those jars. I have enough for a start, but not enough for all of my beads.
On a different topic, how is Mrs. Rose? I haven't seen anything of her recently, and was wondering if she took off for Florida in the cold weather. Couldn't blame her if she did.
Joan
How wonderful to read this post. Back in the mid 70's I began purchasing these "stacks" of plastic containers for my beads and other sewing notions from a supplier of things for fly fishermen. I have always put together a stack with a project so that as I want to use a particular bead it is handy and I need not search about. I have stacks for hooks and eyes that are a larger diameter than the ones I use for beads. I love these stacks that can be changed up for each and everything I want to make that has beads, buttons or other collected bits in them. I believe these are the genius containers for all of us who play with needles.
How on earth can you watch TV and reorganise beads at the same time? If I take my eyes off beads, they tend to end up on the floor!
Sounds like a satisfying day. I'm still at the collection of tubes stage. I'm trying to figure out what storage is going to work best for my bead collection - it just seems to keep growing!
You, my friend, are *work, work, working!* Fun to see your posts. Good job on the New Year's Resolution! :D
Super idea.... I think I need those.
P.S. Here in Western MASS we got only a dusting.
Fabulous idea. Now you can see all the colours right away. Very smart :)
No snow for us today but bitterly cold.
Hi, it is wonderful when we can get a good way to organize our beads that works for us. I used this type of stacking containers for a couple of years but found I was always opening them upside down and spilling the beads all over, I don't know if that is just me or what, but be careful! I have been sorting my bead room and have lots of things to get organized but love doing it, as I find goodies I forgot I had!
Reprieve from exams is very worth the snow day. We are still in extreme drought. Love your beads and storage. Great sorting day...
No snow on the end of the map, but it has been quite foggy. Sounds like you really did get organized! Want to come here and help me? Those bead containers look very handy!
your beads look delicious in their stacks, a job well done.
I can picture those containers on a shelf in my art room filled with my totes of beads....what eye candy!(but I just can't afford that many tubes!)
Hmmm, after years of not using my beading loom, I donated it to the local Salvation Army store........
Wat a great way to organize all of your beads!
I used the craft-mates storage for my bigger and shaped beads for a long time but have been frustrated with it ~ especially yesterday when I dropped one on the stairs and it hit the latch and the bead from multiple compartments went rolling down the stairs! I"m definitely going to look into these as I'm tired of all the mismatched tubes and baggies of beads and never being able to find what I want, and having to move them from the container before working.
Looking forward to seeing your bracelet when it's finished!
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