Make this wood and copper storage to show off your washi tape collection!
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tutorial
Seed Bead Earrings DIY
These simple earrings are perfect for using up seed beads leftover from another project!
Seed beads are usually sold by weight, meaning you often end up getting more than you need. But then you only have a few left over, so what do you do with them? Make these simple bead and jump ring earrings! This is also a great beginner project which is great for practicing using pliers and jump rings. Read more
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Natural Rope Basket DIY
I don’t know about you, but I can never have enough storage. After coveting the many basket-weaving DIYs and inspiration over on Pinterest, I wanted to create something out of cotton rope, that was purely knotted and woven. Its perfect for storing everything from jewellery, washi tape to erm, tea!
Basketry is an ancient craft; archaeologists have found examples in Egypt dating from 12000 years ago! Here in the UK, examples of woven fences and vessels have been found at an Iron Age site near Glastonbury. Update this age-old technique with cotton rope from the DIY store. And because the rope is cotton, you can even dye it different colours! Read more
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Statement Summer Necklace DIY
Get ready for summer with this beaded necklace, using colourful wood and thread.
We have been having some very lovely early spring weather here in the UK, which has made me want to make some bright, summery jewellery! I came across these turquoise colour wooden beads and knew I had to have them! And paired with this coral thread, it just screams summer! Read more
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Needle Felt Bunny Rabbit
Perfect for springtime, make this cute bunny rabbit using needle felting!
I love needle felting! That you can take fluffy, unspun wool, stab it with a needle and end up with a cute little 3D object still amazes me! Read more
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How to Needle Felt
What is Needle Felting? Its the technique of taking fluffy wool roving and stabbing it with a special barbed needle to create felted objects. It is similar to traditional wet felting were you felt wool using hot water and soap. Both methods tangle the loose wool fibres to make a solid felt fabric. Needle felting allows you create 3d shapes a lot easier and because there is no water involved, doesn’t need time to dry.
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How to Open and Close Jump Rings
Learning to make jewellery is really fun, but it can be a bit confusing to know how to use all those little bits of metal that connect your jewellery together. These metal components are called findings. Jump rings are findings that look like little circles of wire, and they attach things together, clasps to chain for example. If you don’t correctly open or close them it can not only look untidy, but can mean your jewellery can come apart. But, its really simple to use them effectively! Read more
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Tutorial–Shrink Plastic Buttons
Make your own unique buttons using shrink plastic and permanent ink!
Its not like I don’t have enough buttons already, but sometimes you just need something special. These shrink plastic buttons are perfect for all kinds of craft projects, and as they use permanent inks can even be used on clothing*. Read more
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French Beaded Flower Brooch Tutorial
It is fast approaching spring here in the UK and it’s also nearly Mothers Day (or Mothering Sunday) so I am celebrating the two events in this tutorial to make a floral brooch, a perfect gift for your Mum!
This brooch uses a technique called French Beading, which despite the name, is thought to have originated in Venice in the 16th Century. The method uses fine wire strung with tiny glass seed beads to form 3d flowers. It became especially popular in Victorian England, but fell out of favour due the technique being associated with the creation of funeral wreaths! Now French beading is often used in making bouquets and favours for weddings, as well as for all year round floral arrangements. I mean, flowers you don’t need to water? Sounds good to me! Read more
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Tutorial – Beaded Diamond Bracelet
This sweet and simple beaded bracelet use just a few seed beads and some thread and is finished with a sliding knot.
You will need:
-1.5m of S-Lon Thread
-16x Size 6 or 7 seed beads
-Scissors
-Ruler
-Superglue
-Tape
How to:
1. Cut two 50cm lengths of S-Lon and knot them together, approx 15cm from one end.
2. Stick the shorter ends down to your work surface with some tape. Cut the longer ends at an angle, to make threading the beads onto the thread easier.
3. Take one bead and using the longer ends of thread, take one through the bead left to right and the other right to left.
4. Pull the ends tight until the bead sits up near the knot.
5. Now with two beads at the same time, take one thread left to right and the other right to left
6. Pull tight so these beads sit up against the first
7. Repeat the process with three beads and then four beads
8. Then go back to three, then two and one. Tie another knot just after the last bead.
9. Knot the ends to match the other side. Cross the ends together ready to tie the sliding knot.
10. Take another 50cm length of S-Lon and tie a series of square knots around the two main threads. A step by step of how to tie a square sliding knot is available here.
11. Trim off any excess thread and finish with a tiny dab of superglue. Seed beads come in so many amazing colours and the S-Lon has a gorgeous selection too, so why not make an wrist-full!
If you make your own version of this diamond beaded bracelet or have any questions feel free to comment below or message me on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook!! Happy Making!
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