BEAD CROCHET: NEW STUFF

I am busy designing an embellished closure for on the Turkish Loops Bracelet class in November, but I took a few minutes to play with some beads that I bought at Bead and Button an some new threads that I ordered.
On the left are some purple matte bugles and some seed beads that look like terra cotta pottery crocheted with C-Lon micro cord in the Turkish Loop pattern. The middle sample is crocheted with pinch beads, seed beads, and the new C-Lon Fine Weight cord. This cord is advertised as being suitable for Swarovski crystals or size 8/0 seed beads and smaller. It was too small to go through the purple bugle beads doubled but the holes on those beads were small. It went through the seed beads fine. The sample on the right is done with the new spiral bugle beads, seed beads, and Tuff-Cord #2, a 3-ply, twisted, bonded cord made from long nylon filaments. The bugles have cuts on their surface that make them very sparkly.



Here is a shot of all 3 threads together for size comparison. Top to bottom: C-Lon fine weight cord, Tuff-Cord #2, and the C-Lon micro cord I have been using. I don't mind the micro cord, but a lot of bead crocheters find it too thin to work with easily. For projects where you need support, I like the Tuff-Cord #2. The C-Lon fine weight cord would also be good for projects that need support but its size might be a problem if you are using seed beads with small holes.

Here is how the Tuff-Cord comes packaged. I
bought both nylon cords from http://www.jewelsinfiber.com/. She is a macrame artist who carries a variety of threads.

My other discovery was courtesy of Janet Rosenberg. She and her husband Robert sell crochet hooks with cherry wood handles made by Robert. Now I have heard repeatedly that the hooks with large handles are easier on wrists, but I hadn't bothered to try any. Since I crochet holding my hook in the "pencil" grip, I figured that hooks with bigger handles would get in my way. Boy was I wrong! It turns out that the wood handle of the size 10 steel hook rests comfortably between my thumb and finger to make bead crocheting less painful and I didn't even have to learn to crochet another way. I am a convert. Robert also makes beautiful cherry wood looms. To see their looms and crochet hook handles, visit http://www.boomerangpro.com/. I have also discovered that the other advantage to having a hook with a large handle is that it doesn't get lost as easily.

Crochet hook with Robert's cherry wood handle.