Beading Outside of the (Jewelry) Box

Have you ever considered the subject of bead art? Do you incorporate beads into other fiber and media? Are you and your home covered in beads? No? Well, perhaps it's time to start thinking about beading outside the box - the jewelry box, that is! I love adornment. I love beaded rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, hair goodies and even bead embellished clothes. But, occasionally I look around my home and think "that pillow would look so good with a little trim of beads or "that lamp is too lovely to not have beads dangling from the shade."

Meanwhile, I occasionally get a bit stuck when looking for new ways to make jewelry with beads. Most of the beaded jewelry I see is, really, just incredible. There are so many gorgeous things that I, for one, and know this to be true for others, simply cannot wear. And this is not for aesthetic reason; not at all. I'd probably out-Liberace The Man Himself, if I could wear the weight of an extra-heavy jewelled necklace. But I cannot, nor can many others people, even as much as we would love to.

And speaking for myself, I want to enjoy beads, whether I can wear them or not. So, what that means, is that I must add more beads to my environment, rather than struggle to wear more beads, especially since I work from home. I get odd looks from the neighbors when I walk out to the mailbox dressed in stretch-shorts or sweat pants, a ragged T-shirt and a fabulous handmade Tibetan collar that covers my shoulders and falls to my hip bone. And yes, by the way, I do work in rags, since I have a habit of using my shirt as as body cover, apron, hand wipe, glue catcher, glue wiper, and stone cleaner. So the only solution is to add more beads to my environment, as opposed to what I'd like to do, which is to heap them upon my person. That's where mixed media beading and beading outside the (jewelry) box comes in. I'd like to share with you some of my ideas for using beads in applications other than in jewelry.

Weaving with beads and fiber on the loom is a great way to learn more about both loom weaving beads and loom weaving fibers. The Mirrix Loom would be the perfect tool for this type of weaving, as its inventor, Claudia Chase, was a fiber weaver before she ever began weaving beads. Once the bead bug bit her, she engineered looms to work with either beads or with fibers, and the result is probably the finest loom we have to work with.

Beads and knitting are another huge favorite of mine. In fact, I' had a plan to knit a scarf using a lightweight yarn, then bead-knitting an edging for the scarf, so I can have a bead knitted trim. I've also thought of crocheting or loom weaving a scarf, then loom weaving a strip to add to the edge, then making Twisted Fringe attached to the loom-woven beads. But, if you want to try this yourself, Claudia tells me that the Mirrix is not the ideal loom for weaving a scarf, as it was designed to be a tapestry and bead loom, not a loom for weaving fabric. Big difference, as the tapestry weaving is a solidly-packed weaving and a scarf woven in that style would make a better floor rug or table runner and would use a ton of yarn. But, then, what a fantastic idea for a small runner or some placements! See, the ideas just keep coming on!

A while back I purchased some gorgeous silk yarn with a strand of randomly-placed beads on a separate thread spun into it. Unfortunately, the beads are galvanized and are already losing color, so I have to figure out how to remove them, then I'm going to do something (maybe re-twist the yarn or add beads separately) so that I can use that silk with beads, as is was meant to be used!

And that's where we get off the track and into the all new skills and hobbies. Having that beaded yarn makes me want to buy a spindle and learn to spin, do that I can eventually make my own beaded yarn. And, while I'm looking at roving to spin, I get inspired to learn to make felt, beads, like the ones sold by Ornamentea, where I go to go right off into their other excellent mixed-media products. It's endless.

Another project using beads in decorating your home is the beaded tapestry. This is not the type of tapestry beaded with fiber, but a bead woven piece of wall art, a larger work than one would wear. Margie Deeb is one of the most talented by far in this design, and her designs aren't just limited to loom weaving. each of her patterns are available in brick, Peyote and in loom woven format. Right now, I have two that are competing for "top spot" on my priority list: This one, Seasons, is a beautiful representation of a tree (I think it's an oak) as it looks in each of the four seasons. The other, this mystical Lotus Blossom is so beautiful I can't wait to get it finished and hung on the wall where I can see it from my desk. It will be like having a vase with a fresh flower each day.

Beads and the table do mix, and mix beautifully. A very popular item are these Beaded Wine Glass Charms. You can even take these a little further with a larger size Memory Wire and make beaded Napkin Rings. Unfortunately, these as a do-it-yourself project have gone out of style since the introduction of millions of pre-made rings available everywhere from the local wine shop to the very big-ticket designer showrooms in France, Italy and New York. But I say hey - let's get back to making our own! There's a new shade of green (new to me, but absolutely gorgeous) available from Katie Gee Designs that would make absolutely beautiful summery wine glass charms.

For some beaders, transitioning back to working with larger beads after having learned so many of the bead stitches and having created work using those stitches seems like a step back, but it is in no way like that. Going back through your stash of larger beads and picking a fun, quicky project, using beads plus other supplies, even those from other hobbies is a great way to flex your creative muscles a bit.