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Spectacular Fabric Beads Creating Upcycled Jewelry

Fabric Beads

Remember that jacket you wore to the threadbare, patching the elbows and hemming the edges when the threads came loose? You wore it for dressing up or down, going shopping and around town? When you thought you would wear it for the last time, you tried to find something similar. You searched the summer fairs, festivals, and bazaars for that similar color, even if you could not find your jacket again. Remember the frustration? 

 

Well, what if you could take that jacket or dress or whatever it was that filled you with joy every time you wore it, and repurposed it? In the tale of Joseph’s favorite overcoat, his mother makes it a jacket, which then becomes a vest, which then becomes a scarf, a tie, and then a toy. But what if we could go from that jacket or dress to beads and jewelry? 

 

In a sense, we would create one-of-a-kind jewelry of your beloved pieces of clothing. You could practice first on learning the jewelry making techniques with the fabrics I have for the class. Once you learn to incorporate fabric paint, maybe in a color of the season, or your favorite color, then you can go to the next step. Add crystals to make the jewelry sparkle and shine and to compliment the fabrics. Then adding the wire for your necklace, earrings, or bracelets. 

 

You will have your jacket back again as a new piece, to wear whenever you want. By learning these techniques, you can create the jewelry over and over again, a never-ending recycling of your favorite clothing. 

 

The class for making beaded jewelry, July 19 from 11 am to 4 pm. Space is limited, sign up now to learn unique ways to design your special beads. 

 

Materials included: Fabric, bead base, all bead making supplies, jewelry tools, glues, fabric paints, stencils, rubberstamps, heat guns, beads and findings.