Sucia

Gigi07,

BEADED PINS

The bead pins are very easy and I think they really put the finishing touch on a pincushion. Start with a corsage pin or one of the smaller headed pins (heart, flower or leaf) in the craft stores now. For bottle cap pincushions, use regular headed pins because they can't support the weight of the larger pins.

Next, get a selection of beads of different sizes and colors. I start with 11/0 seed beads and then buy smaller packages of different colors of larger beads when Jo-Ann's has them on sale. I have a very low income so it's hard for me to keep all the colors in my collection. You can buy really special beads at a beading store.

Finally, I use Gem Tac Glue (Tacky Glue or even plain old Elmer's Glue will work) and a piece of freezer paper as a drying sheet.

The preparation actually takes longer than making the pin, tee hee. Select a headed pin and a few pins that coordinate nicely with your pincushion. Use another corsage pin as a gluing tool to control the amount of glue you use. Put a small amount of glue on the pin at the bottom of the head and slide on your first bead. Put a small amount of glue on that pin and add another pin. Continue until you are satisfed with the looks of your pin, but no longer than about half the length of the pin. Put a small amount of glue at the bottom of the last pin.

Place the pin on the freezer paper to dry for a half hour. Do not let pins touch each other, obviously, or they will stick together. I like a set of three pins. Finally, put your pins in your lovely pincushion and admire them.

Have fun and I hope to see beaded pins on your next pincushion swaps,
Blue cat (Laura), once again swiping her sister's computer to reply