How To Make a Delica Color Sample Book

Finally finished all my Delica color cards and bound them together into a book. I wanted my book to be small enough to fit in my purse or carry around when shopping at a bead show, so I chose to make it 1/4 of the size of a sheet of paper. It was really easy to do. The binding is reinforced so that the pages won't rip out from use. The book itself is just an old photo album I had lying around. I should have typed in all the Delica numbers but I couldn't wait to play with the beads, so I wrote the numbers in as I went instead. Since I do not have all the Delica colors, I just used the ones I do have. Now I have a Delica Sample Book I can refer to when creating patterns. I can also take it with me to bead shows to help me know if I already have the irresistible color I'm about to buy. Instructions are below the picture.

Supplies:

• Paper
• Spreadsheet software (or substitute graph paper for above paper)
• Scissors
• Glue
• Delica beads
• Thread
• Beading needle
• Small photo album or day planner with rings you can open to insert your pages.

Step By Step Instructions:

1. Create a grid using a spreadsheet program like Excel. If you don't have one you can download open office for free. Or, use a piece of graph paper and mark out your lines using the grid on the paper. Email me if you want me to send you a copy of my template. RECYCLING TIP: you can use paper that has already been used on one side. Print your grid on the other side. The backside will not be seen when the book is finished.
2. Fold your paper in half from top to bottom (hamburger fold). Cut along that fold.
3. Stitch your beads onto each paper. The knots and thread can be all over the back side of the paper, it won't be seen later.
4. Fold your paper in half again, keeping the beads on the outside. The side with the thread and knots will end up inside and not seen. You now have a Delica Color Card.
5. To make a stronger edge where the binding goes cut strips of tag board. Make the strips twice as wide as you want the finished edge to be. Fold the strip in half lengthwise (hot dog fold) with the writing on the inside. RECYCLING TIP: Use food packaging boxes (like cereal boxes or pasta boxes). You can even use the existing folds in the box as your folds.
6. Glue these onto each of your Delica Color Cards. Hold them on with paper clips while they dry.
7. If the tag board edge is longer than your Delica Color Card trim it down to size.
8. Measure the distance between each ring of your photo album/day planner.
9. Use a hole punch to make the holes for each ring based on your measurements. TIP: use a piece of leftover tag board to make a template. Cut the tag board to the length of your book. Mark where the holes should go and punch them. Use this piece as a stencil to mark your Delica Color Cards, that way the holes will always be in the same place on each card, but you only have to measure once.
10. Put your Delica Color Cards into your little binder and you have your very own Delica Sample Book!

Update On My Beading Endeavors

Just a quick update on what I've been up to lately with my beads.

1. I've just completed a peyote stitched pattern I was testing for a designer and sent that off, so I'm back to working on the Mini Mona Lisa.
2. I played with BeadTool for an evening and realized once again that I'd really like to have a Delica sample book with me when I do that. Since I cannot afford to purchase that right now I've designed and printed some cards and I'm busy stitching on the beads that I have in my stash. I'll show you all the final results once all my beads are on and the pages are stitched together.
3. Plans are in the works for creating some beads from recycled materials. I'll be posting pics and instructions once I've completed that project.
4. My niece has been bead shopping and I'm told picked out some really nice ones. I'll be getting together with her soon to show her what she can do with them. I haven't yet seen what she has, so I have no idea what kind of a project this will be. I'm guessing it will be stringing; but since she's a very creative girl, she might surprise me. Of course there will be pics coming from this as well.

If you feel so inspired, go ahead and comment here on the projects you are working on. Links welcome :)

Learn to Bead

I get asked a lot to teach people how to bead, unfortunately we don't always live near enough for it to be possible. So, I'm recommending this book: Teach Yourself VISUALLY Jewelry Making & Beading

I chose to recommend this book over others because it has both beginning techniques as well as more intermediate ones. I like that it combines bead stringing, bead weaving, macrame and wire work all in one resource. It also includes a very nice index that makes it easy to refer back to and quickly find what you need.

The pictures are clear, the directions are easy to read and there are many ideas for beginner through advanced beaders. Thorough charts detail everything from the common lengths for various styles of necklaces (both men's and women's), bracelets, and anklets to common finishing methods for different materials. Photos clearly display techniques for knotting strings, creating eyepins, headpins and clasps, and even making your own Byzantine chain from jump rings. Wire gauge is demonstrated visually, with gauge's thickness and examples of what each gauge is used for. Teach Yourself VISUALLY Jewelry Making & Beading is a wonderful teaching AND refrence book for jewlery makers of all skill levels. Clicking on any of the links or the photo in this post will take you to Amazon where you can read more reviews and see some of the pages within the book.

10 Beading Patterns

Paula Morgan has her top 10 free beading patterns listed on her About.com beading blog today. If you're into creating your own beadwork from patterns you'll want to check this out - there's some really nice ones in there. Many different techniques and skill levels are represented in this pattern list. All are free.