literally out of the box

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and functioning as a threader holder! Why didn't I think of this solution ages ago?! Here's the full story ...

Going back a few weeks, Anita showed me a vintage edging she had picked up at a thrift store. A single shuttle trefoil/clover edging with a curious way of joining the rings. It looked so good, too. Thought I'd work a sample but somehow I let my shuttle take over and ended up with this medallion.

Now I wasn't in the mood to use a picot gauge despite having a few handmade folded picot gauges, which is why the bare thread spaces are not perfect.

Nevertheless the highlight of this medallion is the little twist at the base of each ring. 

All I am doing is attempting to make a 1st half-stitch (ie. bringing the thread from Under the previous thread) without actually transferring or flipping it. This leads to all that twisting. One has to be careful with it. As you can see, the stitch is not tensioned and snugged completely since I wanted a loose twist. 

There is ample scope to play around with the effect, adding more half-stitches, etc.

It then reminded me of something that Ninetta had done. Turns out she used a lock join to simulate a twist in this vintage motif here - https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2020/08/locked-in-old-corner.html - from Emmy Liebert's 1916 book.

So coming back to the problem that was awaiting a solution. I whip stitch tail ends using tapestry needles and a threader to thread the needle. The latter is kept in a different box within the larger project box. I wanted a way to have both the needle container and the threader to be together - pick them up in one go. Didn't want to use tape; couldn't use a magnet; couldn't glue it down for obvious reasons. 

This medallion which happened to lie over the circular box struck me as the perfect solution. I glued it down with a spot of glue at 3 points, that's it! 

Being so open and airy, the threader easily slips through any space yet stays put! And no fear of the wire being bent or getting caught anywhere. A safe haven!

Anita called this the Threader Keeper!!! Now she's one to think out of the box and guess it is rubbing off on me, LOL.

Oh, and I am submitting this BTS medallion (my 5th submission) for Natalie Rogers' Picot Bingo 2026 Level 2, crossing out one box -  

• Use Bare Thread Space. 

(Details here - https://www.patreon.com/posts/happy-new-year-147124370)

a simple solution

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 A month back, Ines-Carmen Wischniewski asked for help in a FB group. She wanted to load seed beads on an existing picot but her crochet hook was too large for the small beads. She received answers and finally this is what she came up with.... Sharing with her gracious permission.

1. The Objective - To add seed beads on the long chain picots (in the lace below). 

2. The Dilemma - Size mismatch or tools lacking. Beads are smaller or thread is thicker. 

I use the following methods whichever works for the project in hand --

• My go-to is using a fine crochet hook obviously.
• If possible, I use this threader which I showed here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2017/07/productive-designs.html
•  And when both these fail, I use the finest tapestry needle threaded with sewing thread. After inserting the needle through the picot, I tie the thread in a simple, slim knot. Then needle the beads and pass them over the picot. Then snip off the thread near the knot and reuse. This is very effective, but a bit cumbersome. Hence you can imagine my excitement at seeing this easy threader hack!

3. The Hacked Threader - Ines-Carmen solved her dilemma by cutting the wire threader on one side. In the photo 3 beads are loaded on the wire.

4. The Hook - The cut portion of the wire acts like a crochet hook to snag the picot. The beads are moved over this 'hook' towards the picot.

5. The Transfer - The 3 beads are then transferred on to the picot, leaving the threader 'hook' free to be removed.

6. Continue - The join is made to the beaded picot and tatting continues. Notice the hacked threader lying on the side.

I remember buying a beading wire with some findings a few years back, hoping to use it to thread beads. It turned out to be too thick for the purpose. Threader wires are fine, hence work nicely. 

The Backstory - This is where it all started. A simple insertion which Ines-Carmen thought to convert to 3D. But there were no picots. So she had this idea to sew the edges at intervals and cover the thread with bead(s). Since it worked, she decided to tat a real model but encountered the above dilemma and then found the solution! 

See the transformation into 3D earrings in this mini video - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HmAwUzaskmukA3_gxsYVSAPjplm2NV66/view

There is always a new or different way to do things! You never know what might work or be a better option. I have a couple of projects lined up where I can use this in the near future. Also, it does not necessarily have to be beads on a picot. We can use it to add a free bead wherever required during the work in progress. 

Many many thanks to Ines-Carmen for sharing

I killed it !

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Stabbing. Right through the heart. Multiple times. No regrets.

Can you hear the silence? No groans, no swearing, no eye-strain either. 

That’s me at work happily stringing beads – lots of seed beads. 

Yes, that’s correct “happily” & eagerly.

Besides my recent bead-heavy bangle, I have been working up a lot of little patterns that have seed beads or to which I added some using the same method. I am finally free from the fear of stringing beads! The reason is a simple way to load them.

Grace Tan has always been encouraging me to try it – for years. She uses a needle to load beads out of packed vials. Try as I might, it never worked. Either the thread wouldn’t pass through the beading needle or the beads wouldn’t pass through the doubled up thread or ….

… till I recently tried it with this easily available threader! Voilà – magic happened.

This stabbing may not be ‘new’ but it works for me. And I love to share that excitement. 

I store my beads in little plastic lidded containers.

Stab at the beads in the container with the needle threader.

Inevitably it will pierce at least one bead (sometimes more).

Push this bead(s) behind and stab again. 

The wire eye is broad in the center, holding back the beads easily.

Repeat till you have many beads on the threader.

Then insert the tatting thread through the tip of the wire eye ....

...and transfer the beads.

Easy-peasy.

My previous methods included

• this threader (the blue one in the pic);
• dipping a diagonally sliced thread tip in clear nail enamel to stiffen and use as needle ;
• using sewing thread and slim needle to load beads and transfer to thread.

All required the use of my eyes. Until now …

Stabbing worked on the flat bead box too (in the pic above).

Now I can't wait to show you my new beaded projects, including the butterflies.

What is your go-to method to string/load beads? 

UPDATE : Please check out Grace's detailed explanation in the comments below, and also tips/options by my other readers. More options, more freedom!

productive designs

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I don’t post pics of my buys. There’s always so much else to share ….

But here are 2 things I’ve been very happy to have bought – it is their Product Design that I’d like to talk about.

A handy bead box and a hooked needle threader
Placed alongside a Pony shuttle for size comparison.

Old & New Needle Threaders

I recently saw this needle threader in my old craft shop (it’s been 4 years since I stepped into that shop!). I liked the unusual shape & instantly bought 4 – one in each available colour. A very happy & useful buy in more ways than one !!!

Hooked Needle Threader as Beader

The hook at the end is ideal for size 30 & finer threads. It works for size 20 and 10 too but one has to be careful to hook the thread completely before pulling through.

The shaft is flat. So inserting into the tiniest or thinnest needle hole is pretty easy.

But an additional advantage I realized was that it could act as a beader too !!!! I’ve been using it since to load beads onto a picot, with great results.

The black lace in above pic is Anchor size 20 (almost double the thickness of Lizbeth 20) & this threader was used for the blue & green beads.

The old-style threaders are of no use when it comes to loading beads on a picot (my preferred method - LBP without beads), and crochet hooks may cause a mismatch between thread & bead size.

Bead box with rotating slotted lid

You might remember this bead box from an earlier post. Bought it on Amazon.in . 

It has a rotating lid with a triangular opening that stays on the white part when not in use; thus locking the beads in their respective compartments.

Rotate to the colour one wants and work with the beads. Or tilt to remove those beads on to a tray – the others stay in their place.

Once locked into default position, the box can be upended without fear!

And it is so portable (see 1st pic for size comparison) and reuseable !

This came with size 15/0 seed beads. I like the colours, weight & gloss, but the hole and width is not consistent :-(

Earlier I had bought transparent beads for their elegance. But they don’t photograph well ;-P Hence opted for these opaque ones.

Product design and practicality matters just as much as the pattern design.

Increase the fun & comfort quotient with the right tools !

happy tatting always :-)