Sunday 12 May 2013

Beadsmith Macrame board.... new toy review!!!




Ok, you might think  "I would never use this - I don't make jewellery..."
BUT if you want to do any type of weaving work I highly recommend this item.
Its made from a really sturdy memory foam with notches all round the edges.
It might seem a very basic tool, but its perfect for the job it does!!!

I tried to do the pearl bead weaving I have on my board on a small bead loom, it was incredibly difficult and nowhere near as neat as it has turned out on the macrame board.

I also made this bracelet from lace and fabric scraps on my beadloom - it would have been sooooo much easier on this board, believe me!!!
Bead weaving is really easy and could be used with some awesome items in your mixed media work, nice fibres, beads, buttons, lace, fabric scraps spring to mind for me...and they don't have to be uniform!!

I wanted to make a thick choker necklace with my pearls and was quite disappointed with how it turned out, so when my macrame board came I took it apart and have remade it - quick and easy!!

To bead weave you start with an extra downward thread (lazy thread) to the amount of beads you are using - I have used 5 beads wide, so have 6 lazy threads.
To make the beading easier I put my bobbin from my original bead loom under the threads near the bottom so that the beads had room to move under my lazy threads. You could use anything really, even a marker pen - just something to lift them from the board.

I attached my beading thread to the outer lazy thread and passed my needle underneath all of the lazy threads. I then threaded my 5 beads on, and spaced them in between the lazy threads.




I took my beading thread around the outer lazy thread, then passed the needle back through the beads over the top of the lazy threads.

Then repeat the whole weaving process.

I love the board because of the notches, you can take all your excess threads and secure them on the sides, and even keep your thread secure if you need to leave your work.

Because it is memory form you can safely stick pins in to it, or your needles.  

I got mine from the Jewellery Maker shopping channel but I'm sure you will be able to pick them up in beading shops too.

My beading is nice and straight because I have used beads all the same size but can you imagine the texture you can create with random items and threads - paper beads, shells, bakers twine....
Hope this is helpful to you all,
Let your imagination run riot!!!

Hugs'n'snogs,

Julie xx

edited to add... This is not difficult at all - incredibly easy, and incredibly quick if you use large beads like I did :D

5 comments:

  1. ohh that looks very difficult. Look forward to seeing what you make Julie. x

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  2. Carol, it's incredibly easy and incredibly fast!!! I did that piece in no more than an hour!!!

    J xx

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  3. That looks interesting Julie - I have a Bead Smith Kumihimo disk made from the same foam and it is so much easier than using the cardboard disk that I made myself.

    Look forward to seeing the finished item.

    Toni xx

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  4. Just got one. Has a very strong chemical odor. What's up with that?

    ReplyDelete
  5. The smell goes after a while...memory foam pillows etc are the same...just needs some fresh air ;-)

    ReplyDelete

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