Let’s Catch UP

[neely]

This is the Facebook page
Thecatsite.com

I'm not on FB so I was having serious withdrawal. But since the weather was beautiful this week up until today I spent a lot of time outdoors walking and hiking. It was dreary and rained here all day so perfect timing for TCS to be back on track.

 

[Margret]

Hey Margret , you had a question about beading wire?

Actually, about beading thread, but it requires a bit of explanation.

I make temari balls (Google "temari balls" for lots of pretty pictures). Basically, I wrap a Styrofoam ball in lots of thread and then use that thread as a fabric through which I embroider pretty patterns. "But how do you secure the ends of your embroidery thread, since you can't knot it behind your fabric?" I hear you not asking. The answer is that I run it back and forth through the fabric threads (I try to make them deep) until the embroidery thread is locked in place.

About 20 years ago I began a temari ball that I embroidered with rayon embroidery thread. Gorgeous, brilliant colors, but the embroidery thread is extremely slick, and when I began the ball it didn't dawn on me that I needed to secure it with a much larger in-fabric tangle than usual. I've come back to the ball now, ready to finish it off with an "obi" (some sort of sash embroidered around the "equator" of the ball, and I put it in quotes because it isn't a garment, but "obi" is still the correct term), and discovered that the embroidery isn't nearly as taut as it should be. I've used some of the same thread as my fabric thread to properly secure the embroidery, but this is leaving some rather large lumps at the equator. I intend to disguise these with some fire-polished Czech glass beads as part of the obi, but I'm worried that proper beading threads are likely to be slick and I do not want to duplicate my original problem! Nor do I want to just use regular thread, which might be cut through by the edges of the holes in the beads. So my question is whether there's a good beading thread that isn't too slick.

While TCS was down, I found this: TOHO Amiet Beading Thread, Fine White on sale, and it looked like it might have a bit of texture to it, so I ordered two. What do you think? I've never used it before so I'm kind of in the dark.

Margret

 

[MonaLyssa33]

Not much happening with me. I had a job interview on Tuesday that went surprisingly really well. My puppy has started to dig holes in my front yard. Flora also refuses to come inside from the uncovered catio even when it is pouring rain. Stubborn little thing. She'll sit under a chair or under the eave.

 

[susanm9006]

Actually, about beading thread, but it requires a bit of explanation.

I make temari balls (Google "temari balls" for lots of pretty pictures). Basically, I wrap a Styrofoam ball in lots of thread and then use that thread as a fabric through which I embroider pretty patterns. "But how do you secure the ends of your embroidery thread, since you can't knot it behind your fabric?" I hear you not asking. The answer is that I run it back and forth through the fabric threads (I try to make them deep) until the embroidery thread is locked in place.

About 20 years ago I began a temari ball that I embroidered with rayon embroidery thread. Gorgeous, brilliant colors, but the embroidery thread is extremely slick, and when I began the ball it didn't dawn on me that I needed to make a much larger in-fabric tangle to secure it than usual. I've come back to the ball now, ready to finish it off with an "obi" (some sort of sash embroidered around the "equator" of the ball, and I put it in quotes because it isn't a garment, but "obi" is still the correct term), and discovered that the embroidery isn't nearly as taut as it should be. I've used some of the same thread as my fabric thread to properly secure the embroidery, but this is leaving some rather large lumps at the equator. I intend to disguise these with some fire-polished Czech glass beads as part of the obi, but I'm worried that proper beading threads are likely to be slick and I do not want to duplicate my original problem! Nor do I want to just use regular thread, which might be cut through by the edges of the holes in the beads. So my question is whether there's a good beading thread that isn't too slick.

While TCS was down, I found this: TOHO Amiet Beading Thread, Fine White on sale, and it looked like it might have a bit of texture to it, so I ordered two. What do you think? I've never used it before so I'm kind of in the dark.

Margret

I am not sure as I have never done the kind of work you do. I only worked with wire or elastic for beading. Don’t know whether a crimp bead would work for you project. It is soft and can be squeezed to bind two ends.together.

 

[Margret]

Don’t know whether a crimp bead would work for you project.

No, a crimp bead would just make another lump.

Well, I'll find out soon enough; my order has shipped. Hopefully I'll have a pretty picture to post in a few weeks.

Margret

 

[Tobermory]

It took me a day and a half to think of checking FB. I was briefly afraid that I had somehow violated some rule so horribly that my punishment was banishment!

Here’s what I realized these past few days: While I have felt isolated during the pandemic, TCS has made it so much more bearable. I can “talk” to people from all over the world. I can learn from you, perhaps help a bit occasionally, share common interests and ideas, and have fun. I can even whine and complain a bit! Until TCS disappeared for a few days, I had no idea how much I had come to depend on this community not only for the cats’ sake but mine as well. SO glad to be back!

 

[Tik cat's mum]

I don't have Facebook so I didn't know what had happened until I looked this morning. I was beginning to suffer withdrawal. I didn't think I spent so much time on here Nothing new happened for me except I had a big tidy of the house and spent a lot of time annoying my daughter she will be as glad as I am that the catsite is back. I missed you all so much don't ever leave me again.

 

[strider rose]

i dont do much here at home and being online is part of my daily routine lol . Hi everybody

 

[Mia6]

Missed you guys like crazy!!! Mush V verna davies and were emailing back and forth singing the blues.

Hooked on TCS!!!!

 

[Silver Crazy]

I was halfway through a PM when everything froze.
I thought it will be back in a couple of hours, was I wrong. Found out from FB what happened.
Good to be back!!

 

[verna davies]

So glad we are back to normal, missed everyone. The weather here has been warm and sunny so started to paint to outside of my house. It's pouring down today but who cares, we've got the site back, painting can wait.

 

[Winchester]

I read about the fire on FB. Glad TCS is back! I'm thinking that I checked 3 times a day. Once I read about the fire, I figured it would be a while.

 

[strider rose]

i was one of those that checked every once in awhile to see if the site was back up . I am so happy to see my TCS family again

 

[PMousse]

Besides checking frequently to see whether the site was up yet, I continued with my gradual process of decluttering. The pandemic life has reduced the level of tolerance I have for visual clutter, probably because I'm tire of repeating the same house chores over and over again. So I figured, the fewer stuff I have, the less frequently I need to put them away. So I donated some clothes and got rid of a couple of pieces of small furniture in the last week or so.

 

[Whenallhellbreakslose]

Sorry, I posted in the wrong thread.

 

[mani]

Actually, about beading thread, but it requires a bit of explanation.

I make temari balls (Google "temari balls" for lots of pretty pictures). Basically, I wrap a Styrofoam ball in lots of thread and then use that thread as a fabric through which I embroider pretty patterns. "But how do you secure the ends of your embroidery thread, since you can't knot it behind your fabric?" I hear you not asking. The answer is that I run it back and forth through the fabric threads (I try to make them deep) until the embroidery thread is locked in place.

About 20 years ago I began a temari ball that I embroidered with rayon embroidery thread. Gorgeous, brilliant colors, but the embroidery thread is extremely slick, and when I began the ball it didn't dawn on me that I needed to secure it with a much larger in-fabric tangle than usual. I've come back to the ball now, ready to finish it off with an "obi" (some sort of sash embroidered around the "equator" of the ball, and I put it in quotes because it isn't a garment, but "obi" is still the correct term), and discovered that the embroidery isn't nearly as taut as it should be. I've used some of the same thread as my fabric thread to properly secure the embroidery, but this is leaving some rather large lumps at the equator. I intend to disguise these with some fire-polished Czech glass beads as part of the obi, but I'm worried that proper beading threads are likely to be slick and I do not want to duplicate my original problem! Nor do I want to just use regular thread, which might be cut through by the edges of the holes in the beads. So my question is whether there's a good beading thread that isn't too slick.

While TCS was down, I found this: TOHO Amiet Beading Thread, Fine White on sale, and it looked like it might have a bit of texture to it, so I ordered two. What do you think? I've never used it before so I'm kind of in the dark.

Margret

Margret I knot malas and so use the type of beading thread that knots well and creates a little bit of bulk between the beads (as opposed to the silk thread used for knotting pearls etc). It looks very similar to the thread you have pictured.. it is twisted and so it will grip. I'm just concerned it may be too thick for your needs?

 

[mani]

Margret the cotton one (blue) will grip well. The blurry one is silk but twisted and could work. It's width is .7m which is about as thin as I go. The other is probably polyester, but it's all in Chinese.

 

[Margret]

The thread arrived today. It'll be difficult, but it will work.

I can't use a beading needle to embroider the temari; beading needles are too fragile. I need at least a between. By the time I get to a needle with a big enough eye for me to thread it with this thread, the needle is too big to go through the bead. But, it isn't insoluble.

I tried the thread in a Big Eye beading needle, and it turns out the thread itself isn't too large for the beads. So I'll "just" have to do a lot of needle switching. Big Eye beading needle to put a bead on my thread, then switch to a heavier needle to attach it to the temari. Annoying, and labor intensive, but it should work. And since at this point I'm not even trying to embroider with a needle small enough to get through the beads, I can use a tapestry needle, which makes needle threading much easier.

And now I'm putting it aside until I've finished this afghan I'm crocheting for Roger. It's waited this long; a few more weeks won't hurt it.

Margret

 

[di and bob]

I'm so glad everyone is back on, I missed the site terribly!!! This is the ONLY site I go to and post on, I have only like 5 friends on Facebook, and that is the way I want to keep it. To post SO much they must not have another thing to do all day, I can't imagine posting a hundred times a day. I am busier than that, especially with the nice weather coming on. I have to scroll through a lot of nothing to get to something interesting. I LOVE this site, now THIS is interesting, though my husband rolls his eyes!

 

[susanm9006]

Margret , you are going to have to post a picture of your project when it is done. It sounds very interesting and I would love to see it.