I hope 2025 been kind to you so far
As this New Year opens up, I find myself drawn to play with colourful glass beads. Focused soley on the creative process, starting a few new 2025 projects.
Knotting silk thread tight against colourful glass beads proves to be magically mesmerizing and meditative.
It brought me back to childhood when I was taught to pray The Rosary ... and how later, in art school, studying the spiritual significance of spheres in Ancient Civilizations cinched my decision to apply for the Off-Campus Florence Program. Fingers moving over orbs as a method of meditating and raising my soul's heavenly consciousness as it discovered universal truths appealed to me.
The practice of saying the rosary is behind me now. As I recall, it was more an effort of spewing words I'd had to memorize as fast as possible, secretly believing if I went faster than everyone else, God would give me a bike. That bike was a long-time coming though. I think I complained to my parents and an allowance was set up for me. I earned it doing work around the house for Mom, but it was withheld as a way of saving for the bike. I dusted, did dishes, cleaned my room, stripped my bed once a week and helped bake cookies and brownies and sometimes put the cheese on a frozen pizza.
I wasn't loving all of this.
Some of it I did though.
Speaking of love ...
OneSeedWonders is getting ready for Valentine's Day
Celebrating
GALentine's Day & PALentine's Day
AND
I'm knotting beads!
I'm excited. I've just completed my first knotty bead bracelet / half choker!
Now there's a 24-hour wait period before I can cut off those two silk threads. I've dabbed a special glue that dries clear on the end knots at the left of the magnetic clasp and it takes this long it to cure .
Once it sets, I can clip them!
The sets reflect light brilliantly and have been soul grounding.
I made a few Kits, as usual, so you can enjoy the experience of knotting these beads, too; and added Gift Certificates to the shop because bespoke requests require a back-and-forth discussion on custom orders to decide on just the right colours and sizes, etc.
Mine has one larger bead in the centre directly across from the clasp and it's the same size. I like the variation in size and also in materials. It's subtle and not immediately evident, unless you really pay attention.
There are a dizzying number of ways to personalize your own set!
Did you see what I did here?
I took the silk threads and used them to create a heart that I wrapped around the piece!
But I digress
Back to more on how I made it ...
Using the glue's precision tip, I covered the knot at the left end beside the clasp with a drop of glue - just enough to hold the threads; and then another drop on the one thread end sticking out, one bead away (after pulling it through that first bead on the right, next to the clasp). Hopefully, it's easier to see in the picture above.
Only one thread fits back through the bead, but having two glued areas along the strand is much better than just having one, so let's not be too taken aback that both threads don't fit through the hole.
This is the best clasp design attachment method I have seen so far, and I made it up myself (though I won't be surprised if someone's thought of it before. If you discover someone else who has done this, please let me know because I would love to have a chat with them about it and because, I really wish I'd found their instructions before I ran into all the issues I had after following so many other instructions that I felt fell short).
After I glued it,
I waited a day.
fast forward to the next day/ next time I will start with two knots on the right so it's symmetric and most securely finished.
TA- DA
the glue remains flexible and invisible after it's dry
there's a hair of thread on the right as you can see
I will use baby fingernail cutters to clip it even closer than can be done with my sharp scissors
I figured that out on my own, too.
It's all about details - right!
This jewellery glue is designed specially for knotting beads.
It's G-S Hypo Cement, and here's where to get it.
I mention it because I don't plan to include glue in the kits. Everything else can be included, and kits come with instructions and video links guiding you through the process. Here's a quick look at me knotting these beads.
You can always e-mail questions and join One Seed Wonders Skool Community where you can post your work and dialogue with me and others about the project.
For subsequent kits (as I know you may want to add onto the length of your pieces and switch colours in and out), there will be less expensive versions without instructions and free admission to OSW's Skool Membership.
Check out the precision tip on the glue below.
The cap has a very thin pin attached to the inside that must be inserted into the tiny tip tube's nib to keep the air out.
This provides another excellent exercise in mega patience.
So Zen!
And in Other News ...
I have to admit I find drawing and painting meditative, too, and plan to do more of both this year.
I'm clearing space, gathering supplies and setting up a Small Hall Wall & a Tall Hall Wall space to work.
AND back to beading.
I have started a pearl collection, adding black & white silk ribbons to go with the white, clear and frosted glass pearls with black silk knots and black onyx with the white. The coloured glass beads are from The Czech Republic in Jablonec, an area once known as Bohemia, where they were made explicitly for rosaries!
A peek at ribbon colours to go with the sets.
These 18" hand-dyed, hemmed, silk crinkle ribbons from Europe, above, are sold separately.
The ribbons are extra tied on the back of chokers and along necklaces.
They are in the shop now
Purchase them using Gift Certificates.
Let me know exactly what you want!
HERE's the follow up post about them!
Choker & Kits include a piece of frayed silk ribbon.
They make really great silent solo travel companions!
Bring along a Kit to keep you company during the day in a café
or
at night as you sit back and reminisce again
with a beverage of choice!
Design your own!
Chose your favourite colour(s), bead types/sizes, clasp, ribbons, etc.
Buy the pieces outright!
Commission me. We will design yours together!
CONTACT ME
HERE
Get Your Gift Certificates
HERE
Join One Seed Wonders Skool Membership
AND
Ask Questions
HERE
