Adding Beads to Netting

Several years ago someone asked me if there was a way to attach beads to netting.  I had no idea.  Grandmother's instructions had not included beads.  The little information I found did not describe the process other than possibly sewing the beads onto the netting when all was finished.  So I started experimenting.

I discovered that I could slip the bead onto the loop. The bead was not firmly fastened to the loop, so it slid up and down on the loop.

In the case of this ornament, the knot was small enough that the bead slipped over the knot also.  The bead still slid up and down the loops, but was caught inside the larger diamond.

Then I figured out how to attach the beads along the sides of the diamonds.  They still moved, but only the length of the side of the diamond.

Eventually I figured out how to place beads at the bottom of the diamond so it stayed in place.

Christmas Poem 2011

 

 

Peace on Earth

There’s a face missing at the old table tonight.

There’s a smile missing from ‘round the tree.

There’s a spot in my heart that is empty right now

Due to life’s mortality.

At this time of the year I can dwell on the fact

That I’m missing a loved one who’s dear.

I can weep, wail or curse (making everything worse),

And I’ll find no Christmas cheer.

Or instead I can ponder the story again

Of the angels the night of Christ’s birth

Who sang praises to God and who promised to men

Peace to all who dwelt on earth.

Oh, the peace that I need in my heart at this time

Is the peace that can heal my own heart.

And this peace he has given to all who will ask,

For our Savior did his part.

He has opened the doors of the grave and of hell.

He has let all the captives go free.

Through his great sacrifice all my loved ones and I

Can enjoy eternity.

So this Christmas, ev’n though a dear loved one is gone,

I will focus on what is to be

And the gifts that our Father and Savior have given.

There is peace and joy for me.

 

Each year since we've been married, my husband and I have created a Christmas poem. Often the events of that year influenced the poem. Though this poem was written after the death of my mother on December 7th, we decided to use it this year since we are not the only ones who have found peace through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 

May you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

 

Handles for Square-mesh Net Bags

Last week I showed you some of the new rectangular, square-mesh, net bags I was working on.  Now to show you a couple of the new handles I designed for those bags.  Rather than use a 1/2" mesh stick for the entire handle I used a much wider mesh for most of the handle.  I used wrapped loops to get the bigger meshes.  Only at the ends do I go back to the smaller mesh stick.  The smaller meshes make it easier to tie the two handle sections together.






This handle, from the small gift bag, uses half the number of square meshes across the width of the rectangle.















This handle, from the medium size net bag, begins with two knots in each of the square meshes along the width.  The third row of the handle decreases the number of loops.   An overhand knot sits on top of the fuller section of the handle.











 Here is a closeup of the lower part of the handle.












I was hoping to finish the large shopping-bag size, but I finished the last video (Creating Wrapped Loops) for the Square-Mesh Netting class instead.  Now I just need to finish the transcripts and patterns and that class will be ready.

Rectangular Net Bag - Square-mesh Style

Last week's Rectangular Net Bag (made with square-mesh netting) was just an experiment to see it I could do it.  This week I have worked on two different bags - a medium size one, and a small one.  I think they turned out much better than the first one.





























The small size is perfect as a baby-shower gift bag.  It's big enough to hold the bibs I make and to hold bibs, toys, or whatever the new mother wants to put in it.















The medium one is a bit bigger.  I needed a bag to take my books back to the library, I only had a few, so I piled them in and it worked great going there.  The only problem was that while there I checked out more than a few books and some of those over-sized, so it did not hold everything on the way home.

I kind of like the look of the square meshes on the bottom of the bag.










This week I've also finished the videos devoted to making a rectangle of square-mesh netting.  I was all excited, thinking the class was almost ready.  Then, in the process of making the bags, I created a couple of different handles, one for each bag.  As I made the first one I realized that there was one, maybe two, more videos I needed to make for the Square-mesh Netting class.  I've listed it on the syllabus page for the Square-mesh Netting class.