Organizing Beads

Safety pins, tie racks and Tic-Tac boxes can keep your beads and projects in perfect order.

1 safety pin security
I often misplace my crimp beads or mistakenly use them instead of small metal beads. To identify them more easily, I thread them onto a safety pin. I can always find the safety pin.
- Kasey Ford, West Hills, CA

2 tie-rack tip
Do you have an old tie rack lying around that you're not using? Turn it into a space-saving display for your necklaces. The pictured tie rack is available from Linens 'n Things, lnt.com. You can also buy one at a discount store. It rotates, has 30 hooks, and easily mounts on the wall.
- Denise Kalanj, via e-mail

3 tiny storage
Breath-mint boxes make wonderful storage containers for seed beads, findings, or special small beads. The lid snaps tightly into place, so there's no threat of the beads spilling out. Put a white sticky label on the front to identify its contents.
- Linda Siegel, Chalfont, PA

4 terra-cotta saucers
Terra-cotta pottery saucers work great for holding beads. The heavy base makes them less likely to be knocked over, and you can see your beads at a glance.
- Ryann Anderson, via e-mail

5 stop beads from slipping
It never fails, just as I'm checking the fit of a necklace, I accidentally let go of one end and the beads spill off. So now I use a metal key ring on each end of the beading wire to prevent beads from coming off. The rings are practical and inexpensive.
- Mollie Chen, Bloomington, IN

Related Issues

March 2007