posted
You mentioned in the Dear Secret Santa thread that you really like the screw-post type earrings. Is this the type you're talking about? If so, they're still available, though as you can see they are a bit expensive since they apparently only come in gold-filled and sterling.
It would be very simple to convert almost any dangly-type pierced earrings to earrings using these screw-posts. If you have any you want done, I'd be happy to make the change for you if you want them bad enough to buy the posts (or reimburse me). (NOTE: I'd have to see the originals to be sure. It mostly depends on how the originals are constructed.
Alternatively, earrings could obviously be made from scratch using these posts. Email me if you'd like to commission a pair or two sometime.
Posts: 6394 | Registered: Dec 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
I know I'm not breyerchic, but I might commission a (regular) pair or two from you sometime! The ones you made Anna are lovely!
Posts: 7877 | Registered: Feb 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Oooh thanks for the link, and I might order some, but actually my mom does tons of beading and I think could do it, we just haven't found any that looked like that, and it's my fave kind. We'll look into it.
and my finals sound more like gajdjsjs tdfkagsd kldgea!
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
It's too bad they don't have any gold-plate, or surgical steel screw-posts. Those should be cheaper. (Then again, maybe not. That screw probably take a lot more craftsmanship - and thus price - than hook, or clips) Oh well. I'll let you know if I find any cheaper.
Posts: 6394 | Registered: Dec 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thanks. I'm pretty sure the screw post ones were pretty expensive when they were common as jewelry too, at least not dimestore type stuff.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
KarlEd - link to the picture here, please! I don't know where to find the picture of the ones you made Anna and I want to see.
My daughter made some bookmarks last week, and we're going to try some book thongs this weekend. I bought waxed linen cord, is that a good material?
One thing Natalie really wants to do (but will wait until she's a bit older, I think) is learn to do glasswork and make her own beads. Have you ever thought of trying that?
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I used waxed linen cord when I made book thongs, I like them, some people fussed that they felt waxy.
I've never done glasswork to make beads, though the high school across town from me has that as a class. I have made plenty of sculpey beads and that's fun, they look great if you use metalic and non metalic clays, one of my favorites was jelly rolls, where you lay down three thin sheets, roll them up, then cut them and put a needle through the side.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Belle: KarlEd - link to the picture here, please! I don't know where to find the picture of the ones you made Anna and I want to see.
They're linked in the Dear Secret Santa thread, but I'll link again here two pair. other two pair.
quote:My daughter made some bookmarks last week, and we're going to try some book thongs this weekend. I bought waxed linen cord, is that a good material?
As long as it goes into the beads you want to use, I'm sure it's great. I actually used plain size 10 crochet thread, which is relatively strong yet thin enough. I kinda wish I had tried waxing it first, though, or maybe even lightly rubbing it with jewelry glue. I'm a little afraid mine might fray over time, but then again, it's not like they are going to be used as shoe laces
quote:One thing Natalie really wants to do (but will wait until she's a bit older, I think) is learn to do glasswork and make her own beads. Have you ever thought of trying that?
I so want to learn that. It's called "lampwork". Lampworked beads are like beautiful sculptures or paintings in glass. I've seen people make beads that look like exquisite vases, or natural stones, or ancient pitted sculptures. The variety is endless.
I want to learn, but I'm a bit wary of doing it in my house. I might wait until I can put a shed in the back yard. Then if I burn anything down, at least I'll still have a place to sleep. Posts: 6394 | Registered: Dec 1999
| IP: Logged |
I made a book thong last night. Once I got the waxed linen cord out I also didn't really like the way it felt. So instead I used embroidery thread. At first I used three strands, but the beads kept sliding off the knots, so I used all six strands and it worked.
Having the six strands helped for attaching charms to the end - I knotted the end, secured that with some fray-check so it wouldn't unravel later, and then opened a jump ring. I separated the strands just above the knot and slid the jump ring between, then attached the charm and closed it.
Worked perfectly, and I loved the end result. Also, the embroidery thread comes in so many colors and is so inexpensive ($.28 a skein) that it is a really great material to use.
One thing I did also was add knots evenly spaced along the strand, gave it some more texture and dimension and the book opened more easily to the page. No doubt they are addictive, I plan to make at least three more today and once I got my technique down I feel pretty sure I can blow right through them and make a bunch.
Thanks, KarlEd, for the information and especially for the inspiration! You're a treasure.
I'll post pics of my book thongs later, you can critique me. Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Fray Check is a liquid that can be used in sewing to keep the edges from fraying, it's also used quite a bit with embroidry floss in different things. You buy it at the craft store. There's also one that's a paste, I like to work with it better, forget it's brand name.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Just made three more. I kept track of how much I spent on beads and charms and findings and I'm averaging way less than $3.00 per book thong. The most expensive items were the charms, I paid anywhere from $.80 to $1.99 for pewter charms for each of my nieces - the music lover got a treble clef, the writer got a book, the horse lover a horse, etc. If I were to buy beads in bulk instead of at the craft store I bet I could get that cost down.
I love them so much I'm making one for myself. Pictures will be up later tonight or tomorrow - my Mom has the digital camera with her at work.
Fray check is great if you have it on hand a do a lot of projects but in a pinch clear nail polish works well for this type of application, too.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
When I made them a few years ago, I made some super long, which has been great for huge non fiction books.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Fray check is lovely wonderful stuff!!! I have a bottle in my desk drawer for runs in stockings and popped seams or buttons (I'm constantly reattaching buttons for the boss and I dab a bit of FC on the backside when I'm done, I haven't had to re-replace a button yet!), one my desk at home for easy access when starting new projects, one in my traveling stitching kit, and one in storage waiting for me to finish off any of the open three.
One of the best things about Fray Check is that it doesn't seem to stiffen the fabric as much as clear nail polish does, and is spreads very easily because of how "thin" it is (just a little more viscous than plain water).
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Pictures are forthcoming, promise. Mom still has the camera in her car and she went shopping. Grr.
I made a total of 12!
One other tip I found out about an hour into my marathon book-thong making session. It's tough to get six strands of embroidery floss through really small beads. So, before I started, I dipped the end of the floss strand into fingernail polish. When it dried, all six strands were stuck together and the fingernail polish stiffened the thread, so it went through beads much easier. Since that end of the thread was always cut off and discarded, it made no difference in the final product but made it much easier to thread the beads.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
That's a good tip. I found the same sort of thing, but I used jewelry glue instead of fingernail polish. I wet about half inch to an inch of the thread with the glue and let it dry. I was like having a needle on the end when I went to thread. And since all I leave is a tiny knot (and I dip that in glue to keep it from unraveling) it also made no negative difference to the finished product. Actually, since the glue is supposed to dry water-proof, I've been toying with the idea of wetting the whole thread one time and seeing what that makes the finished product feel like. It will take some testing though because I'd really hate to give someone a bookmark that ended up gluing their book shut. Posts: 6394 | Registered: Dec 1999
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
The ones you made Anna are lovely!
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
