business advice - Craft Focus Magazine

eautiful beading
FLOWER
POWER
“The only tools required by a beginner is a
basic tool kit containing a selection of pliers
along with beading needles”
BEADWORK
Beadwork is beautiful because it is so easy and so glamorous. It also
enables beading to be used in a different area of crafting – stitching.
“You can stitch each bead on with a simple half cross stitch, so the
technique is a breeze,” explained expert bead worker Eliza McClelland.
“The fun comes in that you can use so many different shades and get
huge depth of colour and it is still quick – as all the beads are stitched
on with one thread instead of all that starting up, fi nishing off, counting
or leaving gaps that happens when working with yarns. Or you can
pile lots of beads on and get fab, scrunchy textures – all with the one
stitch,” she added.
In spring and summer,
fl owers are always
popular. La Fourmi
therefore fi nd that
anything with a fl oral
base is popular at this
time of year and even
more so this year.
“We refl ect the natural
fl owers about us, drop
our winter gear and look
for fresh fl ower designs.
Each year the fl owers
change and may be stylised,
or components mixed
with other beads, wires and
materials,” they explained.
As metal is particularly popular, they have put together a concept of
fl owers and metal fi ligree components. “You simply start with a large
fi ligree, add a medium one, add a fl ower or two and stack them on a
head pin, and it’s done. The compositions are endless and can then be
mounted into jewellery,” said La Fourmi.
The metal fl owers and fi ligrees are now available in pinks, blues,
black, white and silver. “Roses are also in abundance, we have them
in metal but also lovely little resin ones that you can stick on to
anything,” they added. They also have some uneven resin discs that
also stack into fl owers, for a more modern stylised look. Further
details: E:info@cordslafourmi.com, W: www.cordslafourmi.com.
BRIGHT, BOLD COLOURS
New products from Creative Beadcraft include these striped resin beads, available in fi ve shapes and perfect for wearing with this season’s
bright block colours. Prices start from 50p each or £1 for ten 12mm balls. Their range of metal beads and pendants has also been expanded. “The
new big metal fl ower and butterfl y pendants are ideal for summer. Or try the extended range of copper coated beads and pendants. These are
acrylic with a quality metal plating so that they look like metal but without the weight,” explained Creative Beadcraft.
Further info: T: + 44 (0)1494 786 924, E: beads@creativebeadcraft.co.uk, W: www.creativebeadcraft.co.uk.
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