There are very few crafty things I'm any good at. About the only things I can successfully make are beaded baubles and I'm never quite sure if that even counts. All you do is follow the instructions. It's satisfying alright but not particularly creative.
Pretty though! Lots of beads to play with!
You chug along quite nicely, merrily counting 1A, 1B, 1A, 1B, 1C, 3A and loop-the-looping back on yourself like billy-oh.
It all comes together very nicely.
Except it's not quite as simple as it looks: this part goes on forever. I usually end up hunched on the sofa looking somewhat like this:
But on we must plod and eventually the loops stop and you can start doing tassels for a change:
This particular design (Anatolia from Spellbound Beads) goes through a stage where it looks like an alien monster:
Then a stage where it just looks like a massive mess:
Much patience has to be employed by moi. Not my strongest skill, I must admit, so it's usually accompanied by much FFS-ing. Knots have to be untangled, beads picked up from the carpet, tangles smoothed out...
And then it looks BEAUTIFUL when it's finished:
Quite tempted to wear it as a massimo earring tbh.
If you want to give baubling a go then I wouldn't recommend starting with this one. Fabulous as it is, it's quite faffy and I think a beginner may give up in a huff. The Net & Tassel design is lots easier and quicker to do and Swags & Tails is very straightforward (lots of repetition) and looks absolutely stunning.
I've also been making these pretty little snowflakes which look simple and hassle-free, yes? NO. You have to use wire to make these and beading wire is even more annoying than beading thread. It's worth persevering though cos I do love them when they're finished.
When people ask me if I ever sell them, I tend to go, "HA! NO!"
This is the problem with most crafty stuff, isn't it? I always think this about knitted stuff and those amazing crochet blankets that some of my bloggy pals are so brilliant at making. If you charged an actual hourly rate plus materials, they'd cost about a bajillion times more than they're worth.
£60 for a bauble, anyone? No? Thought as much.
Rest assured chaps, if you're ever given one of these as a present then I really like you.
Pretty though! Lots of beads to play with!
You chug along quite nicely, merrily counting 1A, 1B, 1A, 1B, 1C, 3A and loop-the-looping back on yourself like billy-oh.
It all comes together very nicely.
Except it's not quite as simple as it looks: this part goes on forever. I usually end up hunched on the sofa looking somewhat like this:
But on we must plod and eventually the loops stop and you can start doing tassels for a change:
This particular design (Anatolia from Spellbound Beads) goes through a stage where it looks like an alien monster:
Then a stage where it just looks like a massive mess:
Much patience has to be employed by moi. Not my strongest skill, I must admit, so it's usually accompanied by much FFS-ing. Knots have to be untangled, beads picked up from the carpet, tangles smoothed out...
And then it looks BEAUTIFUL when it's finished:
Quite tempted to wear it as a massimo earring tbh.
If you want to give baubling a go then I wouldn't recommend starting with this one. Fabulous as it is, it's quite faffy and I think a beginner may give up in a huff. The Net & Tassel design is lots easier and quicker to do and Swags & Tails is very straightforward (lots of repetition) and looks absolutely stunning.
I've also been making these pretty little snowflakes which look simple and hassle-free, yes? NO. You have to use wire to make these and beading wire is even more annoying than beading thread. It's worth persevering though cos I do love them when they're finished.
When people ask me if I ever sell them, I tend to go, "HA! NO!"
This is the problem with most crafty stuff, isn't it? I always think this about knitted stuff and those amazing crochet blankets that some of my bloggy pals are so brilliant at making. If you charged an actual hourly rate plus materials, they'd cost about a bajillion times more than they're worth.
£60 for a bauble, anyone? No? Thought as much.
Rest assured chaps, if you're ever given one of these as a present then I really like you.
They look jolly good but you forgot to mention that part where you get all sweary!
ReplyDeleteThey're beautiful. Going to bookmark them for next year (I can't be arsed to do them now!) x
ReplyDeleteAh yes, they do work out kinda expensive if you work out how much they cost in labour, yikes!
ReplyDeleteSo pretty though and well worth persevering with. My craft skills do not amount to anything sadly!
I love the snowflake - a perfect tree decoration.
ReplyDeleteLizzie's Daily Blog
Awww, they are beautiful!! You are a clever girl (and I must say, go well with your wallpaper!!) WHERE is it from?!?!?! You didn't answer me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????x
ReplyDeleteLove the colours and the bauble, beautiful- I know exactly what you mean on all counts though. Crochet isn't especially creative the way I do it, because goodness knows things are stressful enough without trying to right one of those stupid patterns and the scarves I've been making would probably retail around £10 in a high street shop, but yeah, to make by hand, I don't think people want to pay £40-50 a shot somehow. Nice little outlet though, and makes me feel less guilty for binge watching The Killing all evening on the sofa, look at me all productive whilst just watching something obsessively!
ReplyDelete