I thought I'd share some info about this tapestry beading process.
Part of working on the Sea Turtle tapestry is checking and changing colors, doing all the math of rows and columns, making a list of exactly how much I need of each color, etc.
For tapestries, I exclusively use Miyuki Delica Beads. They are cylinder beads, which means they are kind of square. They fit together cleanly giving a beautifully finished piece.
Here's a pic so you can see what I mean.
Now, regular seed beads look like the following picture. These are the ones I started beading with more than 26 years ago. I still use these for certain projects.
So, why have I droned on about this? I wanted to make sure you understand that I use quality beads. I'm not buying beads from a local craft store or Walmart. Not that those beads are worthless. They are great for kid's necklaces. Inexpensive to make, less than $0.10 per necklace. I am able to sell them for $1.00 and the kids love them. But for the purposes of selling handmade creations, I want quality materials.
For purposes of comparison, here is a pick of beads from Walmart. I have circled some of the problem beads that I would not be able to use. This almost never an issue with Miyuki Delicas.
As you can see, it is more cost-effective to buy the Delicas because you rarely have to throw a bead away for bad shape or messed up holes.
Delicas are not cheap.
For my Sea Turtle tapestry, I will order 150 grams or so, I'm still getting minor touches done.
So, while I save up to order the beads needed for the Sea Turtle, I will continue to make things with the beads I already have in my stash.
You may have seen that I posted some rainbow stars I was working on. Those are up for sale and I'll be making more.
Another thing I will be working on is designing some earrings and pendants made with the foreign coins some of my online friends have sent me. I'm really looking forward to trying some different colorways.
Thank you for reading all the way to the end, LOL