Beaded Bag Charm

Charmed

Beaded Bag charm

Ingredients:

Cotton perlé thread

Beads and sequins

Friendly Plastic in 3 or 4 colours

Charm clip

2 jump rings

Pliers

Method:

1. Knot the end of the cotton perlé thread and trim close to the knot.

2. Soften a small piece of Friendly Plastic in hot water kept at 60 -65°c.

3. Remove from the water using a needle tool and wrap around the knot, shaping the plastic with your fingers until you create the shape you want, then plunge it into cold water to harden. (You can reshape by reheating the bead)

4. Add one or two bought beads and sequins.

5. Cut a narrow strip of Friendly Plastic and soften in hot water, then wrap this around the thread to form a fat narrow bead.

6. Cool in cold water and slip down the thread.

7. Continue adding bought beads and sequins and making friendly plastic beads for about 6cm (2.5”), then add a jump ring and bring the thread back down through one or two beads before carrying on adding more hand made and bought beads.

8. When the string reaches about 10-12cm (4”), tie a knot, trim the end and add some plastic as before to form a bead on the end.

9. Repeat this process for a second string, varying the position of the jump ring.

10. Using pliers open a jump ring by twisting it side to side (take care not to let the thread loop fall off) and attach the ring to the charm clip. Close the jump ring by bringing the ends back together again with a gentle squeeze to make sure it is closed securely. Repeat for the second string.

Variations:

·	Wrap triangles of plastic around the thread to create a spiral bead

·	Heat two or three strips side by side and wrap together around the thread.

·	Attach small feathers by wrapping their ends in Friendly Plastic before incorporating the end in a bead on the thread