Tiny Boxes to Organize Tiny Things

I finally got organized with these little boxes. They fold up really quickly, and I include the template below. I love these cuz I can move them around for different projects, and to put the beads away at the end of the season all I have to do is just tip them into a baggie.

You can print the template larger or smaller to make different sizes of boxes, and as well print it *just slightly larger* to make box tops. You can also redraw everything but the center fatter to make a taller box.

Directions: Once you've folded along all the lines, cut as directed to create two longer flaps and two shorter ones. Fold over one longer flap as you see here to create a box side wall, allowing the next crease to fold under so the triangle lies on the floor of the box. Repeat on other long side. Fold in long bits on the sides to create inner side walls of the other two sides. These will not stay put until you fold over the two short sides over them. When you are done the box will have all four points in the middle of the bottom. Enjoy! This photo is from Etsian saguirl, from a video that's no longer on the site.

Passover!

Here is a Star of David for Passover. You like? Buy it from my Etsy shop! Only $18.00.

Backyard Beads ~ Look at These!

Check it out! Doreen of Backyard Beads has opened her Etsy shop ~ finally! ~ her friends just bugged her to death to make these fabulous Polymer clay beads available for their designs and she finally gave in. To celebrate, she's doing a GIVEAWAY of these lovely beads. No, she can't give them away to anyone but ME!!! Go see her Etsy shop and visit her blog and maybe you can snatch them from my grasp.

How to Make Beadwoven Stars of David

As you may see from previous posts, for the last 3 months I have been working on variations of beadwoven Stars of David, all based on Gwen Fisher's "Archimedes Star Bracelet" from the Fall Beadwork.

What I'm going to demonstrate for you today is an easy version that makes the GREATEST earrings. Here's a pair I have in my Etsy shop, "Prophecy." Start making some and let me know what you come up with!


Okay, so here are the supplies:
2 tubes of Size 11 Miyuki or Toho seed beads, a base color (A) and an accent color (B)
1 Nymo Size B beading spool of thread in a corresponding color
1 pack of beading needles
1 piece of wax
scissors

NOTE: Miyuki and Toho are the best for these, because they are uniform and have large holes, perfect for multiple thread passes. You can use normal Size 11s, as I have in this demo, but you may have trouble fitting the thread through more than once and a bead may break if the hole is too small. "Prophecy" is made with Miyuki, while the demo below is made with plain ole Size 11s.


Thread the needle, wax well and thread on 18 beads in base color A.


Insert your needle at the beginning again and pull through a second time, making a circle with your thread.


Tie a square knot (left over right, right over left) securely.


Go through a couple of beads and pull just a little - you want the knot to go into a bead and disappear, but not so tightly that you can't get through the bead again.


Pick up 5 beads, 2 in accent color B, 1 in base color A, 2 more in accent color B. Skip 2 beads in the circle, and sew through the 3rd circle bead, making a loop.


Repeat all around the circle, making a total of 6 loops.


Make a second knot, and go through a couple more beads, tug tight.


Go through the first loop again, but only go through the accent color Bs, skipping the base color A one altogether. Continue around following your previous path, skipping the A beads in the loops, tug and see your loops go from roundish to pointy. Repeat with the other 6 loops.


Knot the threads again, go thru a couple more beads, tug tight, and trim.


You can then open a jump ring and put it in the top bead, to hang onto earwires, chain, leather or a beaded strand. It's up to you!

Try this with different kinds of beads or crystals, vary the colors, use tubes instead of the B accent beads, let me see what you make! You can also join the stars together for bracelets, kippahs, necklace assemblies, pendants. I would think the sky is the limit!

I Created an Etsy Treasury

It is full of the amazing handmade items from my brothers and sisters at Team EtsyChai. There's so much energy in the New Year!

Diane Fitzgerald Triangles

Okay, guys ~ This fall I seem mesmerized by seed bead Stars of David. This will be my third pattern, from a wonderful book by Diane Fitzgerald entitled "Shaped Beadwork." She insists you start with simple 2D shapes, and so I have followed directions to do her first project, a simple triangle. I got ambitious after that and linked them together to make these.

The Finished Kipoh and Some Other Iterations!

So, this is how it came out. I also have done them in white/gold, teal/brown, and light pink/hot pink. Cool, huh? I sew in a plastic comb that pretty much disappears into the hair and keeps the kipoh on.

I wondered, could I make some other things too? Like, for example, star earrings? I did both six and five point stars.





And this last, a different stitch for a necklace for my friend's daughter who just started 8th Grade at Jewish Day School.