Beaded curtain/suncatcher/windchime in glorious blues

I asked myself why I have so many beads when I don’t do beadwork. “Because they’re pretty” (in a derpy voice) was my self’s reply. Then I asked, so why are they all stored inside a pillbox inside a shoebox inside a cabinet?? …No good answer there, just the protest that “They’re waiting for just the right project, so be patient and keep hoarding!” Mmm, :thinking: nah, they have spent too many years waiting to see the sun.

The beautiful lanyard made by @MistressJennie I got at the Asheville meetup recently broke (entirely my fault; I’m too rambunctious at work to be wearing beads), and the evil-eye beads from it were the perfect focal points amidst all my bluish seed beads. I bought a set of bells off Etsy, made a bead soup out of my stash and tinkered with the seasoning (the hues, finishes, and textures that fit what I was going for), then strung these up this week!




I used ALL my blue beads (except those leaning toward green, the opaque ones, and about a tablespoon of seed beads), and got six strands. Sitting in the winter sun, stringing these up while the light shine through them, was good for the soul!
I don’t know for sure where they’ll live, but I love how they look when held together (more than spreading them across the window – there aren’t enough strands for that), so they’ll probably all hang from a hook. I’m planning more in other color schemes (I have far more seed beads than this in the aqua/turquoise range), but these are the colors that are speaking to me for now, and it felt so much better to craft something for that reason than my usual “I ought to use this up because I have too much of it” mentality. If and when I do other colors, there should be a sufficient rainbow to hang across the window.

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I’m sorry your lanyard broke, but I’m SO glad to see you were able to take the pieces and make something new and wonderful with them! Your bells are truly one-of-a-kind, and I can feel their cheer and good energy even through the screen.

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So beautiful, I love this project :blue_heart:

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How gorgeous and cheery!

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Love this project’s character arc and the finished piece- those blues! You should totally pop a pic in on the “Use the good stuff” thread as this project definitely speaks that language.
Beautiful!

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So pretty! Love that you will now get such enjoyment out of the once-hidden beads.

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Blue! :blue_heart: This is such a great way to show off all the pretties and revel in them.

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That lanyard sustained vigorous, extensive use and abuse over the past couple years! You made them sturdy as all-get-out.

Thanks, all!

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I wore mine at work with a key card on it for ages, until I caught it on a piece of equipment and then stood up. It didn’t break though! Just a wire stretched out of place. I put it into my crystal stringing bead soup for rainbow window catchers, an ongoing project. I love your blues, I have a hard time focusing on just one colour at a time but I really like it.

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These are beautiful and a brilliant way to use up bead soup stash! I’ve done the same with my random odds and ends beads and it totally feeds my scrappy rainbow-loving soul. Great job!

I also love the bells you picked out!

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It looks beautiful in your window! The bells are a great touch. :blue_heart:

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The bells are perfect! I love how these look in the sun.

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What a perfect bright-and-shiny cheerful thing for the middle of winter!

This is so pretty. I’m glad you played with your beads!

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Love this!!! I have been researching making a bead/crystal suncatcher

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So prettty! I love the mix of beads and the bells are wonderful. Its a great way to brighten up our dreary winter skies and find the sun

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:mermaid: YOWZA! Your fantastic craft is one of this week’s Featured Projects! Congratulations! :woman_fairy:

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Thank you kindly! :smiley:

Wow, that’s beautiful!
And my favorite color.
Use the good stuff/beads!

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I don’t do bead work either, yet I seem to have a collection of beads as well. I love what you did with them. Filing this idea in the “I could do this with all those beads” mental file cabinet.

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