Storing Supplies | Sorting Beads | Making Beaded Ribbons | Checking Colorfastness

Photographic film canisters make great storage containers and checking colorfastness is as easy as filling a bowl with water.

1 smart storage
Store tiny essentials such as crimp beads and jump rings in 35mm-film canisters. With a permanent marker, label each canister with its contents. To make findings more accessible, arrange the canisters you use most in the front of a tray or box.- Veronica Miller, Pittsburgh, PA

2 sorting beads
To sort beads of various sizes, position a colander over a large bowl and pour the beads into it. The smallest beads will fall through the colander's holes. This method works especially well to separate seed beads from larger beads.
- Judy Danielson, Marble Falls, TX

3 easy embellishment
Beaded ribbons make easy, pretty decorations on gift boxes or bags. Thread a few leftover beads on a piece of organza or satin ribbon and tie a knot at each end. When wrapping a large box, tie a ribbon around it first, then thread beads, knot the ends, and trim the excess ribbon.
- L. D. Fisher, Oakland, CA

4 beading tray
A metal cookie sheet or large baking pan can double as a portable tray to hold your projects and tools. Simply line the pan with a dish towel, and your loose beads and findings will stay put. When you're done with a project, shake out the towel over a trash can to prevent wire clippings and broken beads from becoming embedded in your work space. - Jane Posten-Buckley, New York, NY

5 checking colorfastness
To determine if gemstone beads have been dyed, dip them in warm water. If the water changes color, the beads have been dyed. You also can clean gemstones with warm water. Just add a little mild dishwashing liquid and rinse. - N. Hunter, via e-mail

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November 2004