A while ago I answered an advert for some seed beads, the photo showed several neat little tubs of assorted beads and I went off to collect them. I expected those little plastic tubs about 3 to 4 inches across, there would be more than enough for me to play about with.
The lady opened her door to me, looking relieved to see me. Without wasting any time, she passed a couple of big plastic storage boxes to me, they were heavy! I questioned that these were the beads I had come for, and not someone else's purchases and she opened the door to show a stack of more craft boxes and bags taking up valuable room in her small hallway.
We brought the car nearer and opened up the boot, so much for the bag I had fetched for the little boxes, I had completely got the sizes wrong.
When she finished passing all the boxes, she asked if I wanted some lace and trim stuff too.
'Why not?" I said, and filled the other half of the boot with bags and bags full of all sorts of trim, lace, rikrak and appliques.
"Embroidery threads any use to you?" she asked, and before I could answer, another stuffed bag was passed out of the doorway.
I gave her more than she had asked for but suspect she was more thankful for the space she had recovered than the money. The door was quickly closed, as if she was fearful that I was going to give it all back!
My husband was bemused to say the least, wondering what on earth I needed with so much stuff. I assured him that I had no idea there was going to be so much.
The haul weighed in at 1.2kg of embroidery thread, of which I took what I wanted and passed the rest on. The lace etc. weighed in at over 7kg, again, I took what I wanted and passed most on to others.
The seed beads weighed in at over 18kg! This kept me busy for a while, sorting and rebagging into more useful, smaller sized amounts. A school took all the bigger glittery, cute, and child friendly beads and pendants, leaving me to squeeze as many as I could into my craft space.
I advertised the boxes of mixed up seed beads, (noone has that amount of time on their hands to sort that many out) and found it hilarious that the lady who collected them was as surprised as I had been at the size and weight of what she had also thought were smaller boxes.
I figured out that this had all come from someone who must have held classes in beaded jewellery, and her neighbour had kindly offered to help rehome it all, not realising how much there was of it.
I am making as much use of it as I can, but a teeny packet of seed beads goes an awful long way (especially when you spill one on the floor!).
Adding the seed beads in different ways to bobbin lace is fun, I may try to add some into my embroidery and my quilting, basically anything I can use them on will be beaded!
I nearly forgot, there were sequins too...
Video for adding the beads to Rose Ground in Bobbin Lace.
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| Seed Beads in Rose Ground |
