This easy beaded bookmark is the craft idea for this week. The supplies you'll need are:
kitchen towel
large paper clip
embroidery floss
beads (your choice of style, make sure the hole is large enough for the floss)
scissors
Working on a kitchen towel is the best way that I've found to work with beads. If they fall from your fingers, which they will do, they won't roll away. You'll see in this picture I have all the beads in a bead tray, and if you already have one then feel free to use it, but don't run out and buy one just for this project. You can easily sort the beads into small cups or directly onto the towel.
After assembling all the beads you are using, arrange them in the design you want to have on your bookmark. Keep playing around with them until you have them in a pleasing design.
For this design, I cut off about a two foot length of floss, folded in half and looped it around the single wired end of the paper clip. Pull tight to secure. Begin putting the beads onto one side of the floss until that side is complete, then tie several knots to keep the beads from sliding off. Do the same with the other side. I found that it helps to lick the end of the floss in order to get it through the holes in the beads, and sometimes I would twirl it between my fingers after wetting it to give it an even more pointed end.
You now have your finished beaded bookmark. I used letter beads for this one, but I've made these using several bead types and they all look very nice. You'll be very pleased with whatever design you come up with!
To use your new bookmark, merely hook it to some pages in your book and you'll be able to easily find your place the next time you need it.
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Thursday, May 15, 2008 - Cute Idea!