Has anyone tried making paper beads? I ask because I've made some recently and need new ideas!!! Many thanks!
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Jesse
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Posted: 03 May 2006 05:15 pm Post subject:
My mum used to make paper beads out of coloured magazine pages. you cut a very long thin isosceles triangle from paper, and dab it with glue at the thin and the thick end. The you roll it up from the thick to the thin around a knitting needle. Instant multicoloured completely unique, uncopiable bead.
Is this how you do it Plocket?
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Plocket
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Posted: 04 May 2006 11:01 am Post subject:
They are incredibly easy to make - I used to make them when I was little!
The length of paper depends on how thick the paper is, and how big you want the bead to be. The top three in my photo (the unthreaded ones) are made from plant catalogue pages so I used about the equivalent of 5 lengths of the page (not quite A4). The other beads were slightly thicker paper so I only used 3 A4 lengths. The black beads were made of plain black paper that I stuck metalic tape to, and the last three bluish ones were plain white paper that I just scribbled on with various coloured pencils.
Basically once you've got your paper you need to rule up the strips. For example if you want a 1cm bead, you have to start at 1cm wide. At the other end of the page mark another 1cm then narrow it by say 1mm either side. The next part of your strip will start at 8mm and you then narrow it again by 1mm each side to get 6mm at the other end. And so on. You can obviously decrease quicker for slimmer beads, and slower for really fat beads. Thinner magazine paper is best because you get less ridges. Carefully roll the widest part of your paper strip around a cocktail stick, and then smear the inside of your strip with a thin layer of glue - I use PVA. Don't worry if the PVA squishes out but try not to get glue on the cocktail stick otherwise you will glue it to the inside of the bead! Slowly roll up the strip of paper on the cocktail stick forming either equal sides, or more to one end for a pear-shaped bead, and when you get to the end of your strip just add the next one until you have rolled all the way to the end of your massively long triangle. Ensure that the bead can be removed from the cocktail stick then smear with PVA to varnish and protect it. Don't get glue in the hole otherwise it won't be a bead any more!
I hope those instructions make sense!
I'm still after more ideas for different shapes and stuff so if anyone has any suggestions I'd be most grateful!
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Plocket
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Posted: 04 May 2006 12:44 pm Post subject:
They are just coated with PVA glue Cabbagepatch, and they don't take too long to make. Patience is more the thing! It's the measuring and cutting that takes time, and it's best not to have too many distractions because I get rather covered in glue when I'm doing it!!! If you are intending to make quite a few from the same paper I number my strips so they are all ready. I cut them all out then I start with a No1 strip, then grab one of the No2 strips and so on. That way you can measure and cut, then save the pieces for later if you want. The numbering also is useful because sometimes it's difficult to see which end of a strip to start with!
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Aqui
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Posted: 04 May 2006 12:58 pm Post subject:
here's another thing I'm going to have a go at. May very well save it for a winter project (or rainy day - like it's supposed to be this weekend). Mr Aqui can help too - he loves doing colourful abstract pictures!
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Plocket
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Posted: 04 May 2006 01:49 pm Post subject:
Back to the time thing Cabbagepatch (and don't let it put you off!) it's just taken me about 45 minutes to make 3 beads. But that means the measuring, careful rolling and coating in glue afterwards. They are now drying which of course takes time, but the main thing is they are FREE!
I wish my OH would join in projects Aqui.... then again perhaps I don't coz I'd have to clear up after him as well as me!!!
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Many years agoI used to make and sell dried flower arrangements and could spend hours fiddling about with miniature baskets. Better than an evening wasted watching televison in my opinion.
I agree with Aqui, another project for the winter evenings
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Jesse
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Posted: 04 May 2006 03:32 pm Post subject:
wow, just read this thread, they are lovely plocket and something I will definately be trying!
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Plocket
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Posted: 04 May 2006 05:32 pm Post subject:
What have I started??!!!!!!! I'll try to remember to photograph some more I've done tomorrow if you want!
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V pretty! Afraid I'm with the "Don't start me on anything else!" brigade here too... Oh for the time to do everything you want to do! And a nice big garden to do it all in
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We've been forecast rain for saturday and I've found some blue wrapping paper with silver squiggles on it. Guess what I'll be doing?
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My attempt. A bit time consuming, and I had to shut the cat out, he thought the nice long streamer of paper was a good thing to attack...
Edit:
Oh my, why is that so huge?...
Re-edit:
That's better... It was giant! Made the imperfections even more obvious
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Pretty holographic wrapping paper. When I was at high school, I had no source of income, so could never buy people expensive Christmas presents. I made up for it by trying to always get really pretty wrapping paper
Mind you, I think I bought that roll especially for the iris cards I did for my sister's wedding invitations: I needed 3 distinctly different types of "silver".
I'm gettin a guilotine before I try this again, because the sides of my strip were all wibbly.
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Fantastic! I'm going to have to get some holographic paper and give those a go now! Well done! Oooh and let the cat have the offcuts!!!
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Ok, this other paper just sat there and tempted me, so I made another. Don't know where it actually came from. Damaged the end a little trying to get it off the matchstick though. Next time, I'll hunt through the packet and try to find one that's at least approximately square!
How do you get yours to be so neat, Plocket?!
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Square cocktail sticks??? I use round ones! I like the square end on the round bead though - very arty!
As for being neat - mine are as neat as yours! It just takes a bit of practice and lots of concentration, as you are finding!!! A final coating all over of PVA glue finishes the bead off nicely and helps stop it wearing if being used.
Well done Haize - keep at it!
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Ah, that explains the sheen on your pics. I'm actually using an "UHU" glue pen with no sponge that we found in our new house (?!), so I might wait until I can get some PVA before I try again - I think I'd have difficulty coating the outside thinly, as when you rub it across a smooth surface, it just turns into a little ball! Works ok on the papery side though.
We don't have any cocktail sticks, so I used matches. I suppose the square hole through the centre is quite good! What might be best for this would be a rod of something metal, maybe, as it would be smoother for sliding the bead off? Might not grip enough for winding, though.
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When we did them as kids we used metal knitting needles but I haven't got any fine enough for the holes I want. Perhaps I might have to invest in some, or crochet hooks perhaps - they can be really small.
I think if you use PVA you might find the beads easier but the UHU seems to have worked fine. It's mucky but PVA rubs off your hands so easily it isn't a problem. And you need such a tiny amount.
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Aqui
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Posted: 18 May 2006 09:21 am Post subject:
When I was a kid, I used to love peeling PVA glue off my hands - it was like peeling off a layer of skin! very gruesome. still fun when I did it at the weekend
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Plocket
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Posted: 18 May 2006 01:08 pm Post subject:
HAHAHA!!! I hate having dirty hands and PVA is a great way of getting ground in dirt off!!!
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alison
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Posted: 18 May 2006 08:12 pm Post subject:
Making things with modelling plaster is great for getting the dirt off... And your fingerprints!
Seriously, people who work with it a lot have no fingerprints, and yet you never hear of people using it for that purpose before commiting crimes. Not even on CSI, I don't think. Must be a trade secret, and they don't get caught
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Status of our house: No heating, no bathroom, no kitchen. Washing machine, fridge, and boiler sitting around in boxes. No door on room with toilet!
The same happens to some hairdressers, OH's cousin refuses to wear disposable gloves when using the hair dyes (silly girl!) and as a result over the years of doing this as a job she now has no fingerprints, all been chemically burnt off!
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alison
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Posted: 19 May 2006 08:02 pm Post subject:
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