There's A Bead In My Mouse

So. I know that doesn't sound quite upright, but it's true. I've been sitting in front of my computer, watching Dexter reruns, and beading the front fringe for the stripper's dance pants. Using your mouse pad as a bead surface has disadvantages.

Last night, after I put my work away, I hear this rattle every time I use the mouse. It's a bead that found its way inside via a tiny hole on the plate - and I can't get it out. It'll have to stay there and become half of a high-tech set of maracas.

I'm using strands of all of the bead colors we bought online. Anchor your beaded fringe on a substantial twill tape or horsehair braid as I did in the picture. Waxing your thread makes beading easier and adds to the longevity of the strands. I use regular top grade polyester sewing thread so that I can choose the color to match the bead. I double the thread and wax the ends to glide through the eye of the needle.


The trick to threading a tiny beading needle is to find the 'sweet side' - there's one side of the needle that is kerfed like a sewing machine needle with a narrow channel around the hole which helps guide the thread in. Moisten the eye of your needle - not the thread. The moistened needle eye wicks the thread towards the eye making your job faster. I pinch the very tip ends of the thread between my thumb and forefinger and press the needle down over the thread. Works better than a wire threader for me.


Also. If you're making beading fringe, hank beads work faster than loose beads. You can use the temporary hank threads to guide the beads onto your waxed thread.


More bead work tonight and lots of fiesta shaking of my mouse maracas!