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Firstly, welcome everyone to 2018! I hope the hang-overs have finally eased off and that the confetti and food has been swept out of the house because we are now beginning January with a new look and a fresh step forward.
So, inspired by New Year Resolutions, for some a resolution it can be something small from giving up certain foods, trying new experiences or something that will inevitably change their life with from going to the gym and losing weight, to finding that special someone or even giving up smoking! Being a firm believer in them inspired this Blog and though we should look into resolutions but more from a creative one such as something as simple as learning a new stitch or finding something new to expand your creative knowledge.
So in the spirit of New Year resolutions and to help get your creative juices flowing lets look into some new weaves, craft techniques and even tutorials that might help you inspire your next project!
So the Kumihimo is a traditional Japanese technique of braiding long woven strands of silks or other materials to create a tight and intricate woven cord. Most Kumihimos threads are brightly coloured or have additional shiney threads added for a more eye-catching and visually pleasing effect. Modern Kumihimos can also be made of a few or many strands, depending on your desired colour or patterned effect. Once woven together they can create some striking spiral or weave patterns, made by your own fair hands! – additional tools are also used for securing and embellishing the finished weave, which will be further explained later.
Kumihimos are popular for the creation of Bracelets and necklaces, making them perfect presents for people of any age – you can create specific colour combinations and designs for loved ones to give each Gift a unique and special touch. Your not limited in the construction of them either - the threads you can use aren't just limited to the silken threads traditionally used for the weave, but you can use Cotton, Hemp, Rattail or Polyester cords as well, with each having their own strengths and colours to create different and bespoke designs.
(Why not even try some thin leather cord and create a more masculine and darker design for that man in your life – or even making a leather braid to incorporate into hair pieces, clothing or even fashion design!)
So going back to what I said earlier, you may need some tools to start and also finish your Kumihimo design but luckily they are relatively inexpensive and with many of you coming from other variations of crafting and beading, you may already own most of them! To start, you need to invest in a square or circular plate – because if you try using your Gran's crockery you may end up with a walking stick to the shins! – to allow you to secure the separate cords into place for thread counting and preventing them from getting twisted with others. Plates beginners at it gives a supple and strong base to work from, but also allows you to put the work down for breaks – compared to securing them tables etc.
For ease for the beaders we have a complete Starter Set for the interested which comes with a circular disk (with comes with additional instructions and project ideas), some no tangle thread bobbins for ease of moving the threads around when weaving, ZAP jewellery gel for smooth application and weaving and a number of additional Findings and rattail threads in various colours. We would highly recommend this for a base point to further explore into Kumihimo weaving, as the plates, gel and extras will definitely assist with your later projects. For a further look into the kit, check out our review of the item here, where we go through all the pieces for those who prefer unboxing videos!
Soutache is another form of weaving, using more narrowed, flat cordings which are stitched and weaved around beads and other fixings to create some additional adornments, trimmings and even pendants or charms for clothing, necklaces, bracelets etc. They can also be used to conceal holes and seams in clothing for those dressmakers out there! Soutache is perfect for beaders and crafters looking to add some extra dimension, Shapes and textures to their designs due to the raised cord creating a 3D effect creating a sort of winding and serpentine style for some designs.
Soutache threads come in a huge range of various sizes, colours and designs in order to create some intricate and personal designs. They can be molded and woven around beads and gemstones for that added luxurious look to create some expensive and impressive designs – maybe even weaving in the birthstone colours of the giftee would be extra brownie points from you!
Getting into Soutache is easy, as there are specific threads and cords created for them in mind, which you can find our range here, to give you the tight shapes and curves that are needed when molding around beads for example, to give you smooth, clean lines to your designs. The finished designs will look and feel similar to a cameo broach – the lines around the outside of the beads will give a clean and raised bordering for a visually appealing look, with the simple coloured beads adoring the curves and the borders,
Although you don't need any specific tools in order to get into Soutache, I would recommend purchasing a number of needles and threads to allow you the freedom of trying larger scale and smaller scale projects. For example, a range of larger and smaller BeadSmith needles (in various sized packs of 4) would be a great start, as they have a range of eye sizes, and created from strengthened metal and easy to thread and handle.
Tutorials recommend that for the securement of beads with thread, that the coloured thread would match one of the soutache cords used – as many prefer to see the thread loops hidden from view, but you can also juxtapose your design with other colours for a brighter and more complimentary design. For threads, we would recommend Nymo, Nozue Sonoko and Superlon cords as you want less flexible and non-elasticated cord to ensure that the sewn cords stay tightly together – other cords like cotton etc are too thick and would deter from the main image, and elasticated cord won't give you a close-fitting and tense appearance.
There is an amazing tutorial found on YouTube to create some stunning and vibrant ethnic inspired earrings, which you can find the link under the photo below, for those who want a visual and informative tutorial on all the basics of Soutache!
Becoming the huge and popular trend in early 2013, Loom bands are still one of the most popular and easiest weaving creation to get into for any beader – regardless of age! Loom bands are smaller elasticated loops which comes in huge variation and assortments of colour – from pastel pinks and baby blues to bright neon greens and yellows – to ensure you can create some bright and imaginative pieces
We are lucky here to have some loom bands in character colour packs for the younger beaders based on some of their favourite cartoon characters and films – From the Minions pack with bright blues and neon yellows to the for feminine Hello Kitty brand of pinks, purples and magentas. Loom bands are EXTREMELY easy to weave and you can use a multitude of tools to assist you the weaving process – from the larger plastic looms to help you create larger pieces or, for those who want to try out yourself, my sister recommends using a fork for practise! The metal spikes of the forks are perfectly spaced and easy to manoeuvre around to create some tight weaves and tactile bracelets!
We have some additional findings and materials to make your looming even easier, with some extra “S” clips for securing, fastening and attaching multiple woven pieces together, which comes in various bright blues, pinks etc as well as some Clear ones for those looking to hide the seem. We even have a book on how to create the more elaborate patterns such as fishtails, diamonds and even creating your own chain mail styles! The creative flow is all available and will get you into the basics of learning weaving!
Knitting is no longer seen as the stereotypical thing to see your Nan doing in a rocking chair – it's becoming extremely popular with younger generations for it's flexibility and the added ease of creating and designing your own clothes! Knitting is another variant of weaving where yarn is formed and twisted inside of its self to create a full woven fabric with the use of loops and stitches. It can be created by your own fair hands with traditional knitting needles and darning hooks or, for those who might want to fully immerse yourself in it, there are special looms and machines who's sole purpose to create huge pieces with assorted stitches and materials.
For the hand knitters, you can embellish your knitting with various findings, beads and extras to add that extra flair to your creation. For example, if your knitting perhaps a woollen scarf for someone, why not knit in some TOHO beads for that added texture and shine? Beads have been used in knitting for years to for the creation of patterns and various designs for small detail work – such as the festive christmas jumpers with their tiny snowflakes and small beaded eyes on snowmen and reindeers – to ensure your design is crisp and perfect. Basically any beads with a large threading hole is the one to go for as it allows the thicker (and warmer) yarn material through without compromising the finished product.
Once the basics of knitting have been mastered you can use these skills and branch out into other branches of knitting – crocheting, lace knitting and other knitted appliqués. Why not look into making some delicate lace work and adding some additional sparkle with some Swarovski Crystals or even some pearls for the vintage and chic look to your work? For the more perhaps outrageous designs, you could look into a bright coloured hat or scarf, with some bright coloured tassels and pompoms (maybe either adorned with beads also) for that funky different look in the colder months?
Lastly, why not create some of your own materials? If you have some plain coloured wool, why not jazz it up a little with some embellishment cords! One of my favorites is the neutral fiber cords with this wispy flowery design in browns and whites, which when matched to a cold white colour would create a wintery and elegant scarf – perfect presents for the snow expected January!
So I hope that gives a good start to 2018, and I hope that you who perhaps this year haven't thought of a resolution might be inspired by this blog and try something new. This year, myself, I am looking into creating some amazing pieces with foam, wood and cordings to create some bespoke clothing and items for presents but also for my own personal arsenal!
So if you have any designs that you've created that will help inspire others we always want to see them. Head over to our Facebook page and send us a photos that we can share with the community and show off your amazing craftsmen (or craftswoman!)-ship for everyone. Or if you more of a Twitter owl, head over to our page, @BeadsJar, or use the hashtag #BeadsJar to link us into your designs also. We will be creating a new Instagram account soon to show off some tidbits of others and the behind the scenes of Beads Jar for those interesting in seeing the work behind the curtain!
We currently still have a rolling offer at the moment with 15% off your purchases with the code TODAY15 which you can use at the end of your purchases (NOTE: We have noticed some issues with some customers when placing an order and trying to use the codes. The code only applies to Customer accounts and not GUEST ones so please be aware!)
Thank you for reading once again and I hope your 2018 gets off to a spectacular start!
- Phill :D
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