So many beads, So Little Time!

Sunday I spent with two friends sorting beads. I had been given a huge bag of Victorian jet beads, with a few others included, but many of them were still attached to bits of fabric, as they were originally parts of clothing. Between two of us we spent 14 hours de-constructing and sorting the beads. ( The whole bag had been looked over by a museum curator before I got it, so we weren't destroying any artifact of value) Many of them had been sewn to netting that was rotting. It was really hard to de-construct this and some of it will be left. We'll just cut out those beads to use as we need them. Some of the best beads were pastel, square cut beads we found on a fabric belt/girdle from the early 20th century. They are gorgeous!! The other thing we found was a multitude of tiny( really tiny!)sequins, that will be very useful in more contemporary beading projects.

And then yesterday, I re-visited the local bead store that is selling off their stock at 50% off everything. I picked up a few pieces for an African-inspired piece I have in mind, as well as a couple of grab bags. A lot of the grab bag beads, along with a few larger, less useful beads from the Victorian collection well be quite usefull for entertaining my DGD's when they visit.

The rest of my studio time has been spent trying to clear up the half-made projects that have been littering the place. I'm preparing the place for a full-out work session getting ready for the November sales. The bad news is that my sewing machine needs attention. I called the service centre, to negotiate taking it in and they told me that they are working on a 10 day turn around time right now. Say What!!? You've got to be kidding!! So today, I'm putting aside the less important projects and working on needle-felted collages, which all require a small amount of FMQ'g--something I can still do with the machine. I had been going to delay this task until I've been down to the States to pick up a bunch of cheap matts for the collages, but I need to have them finished and matted before the end of the month, and I can't afford to take any chances. Then the machine goes in late tomorrow, and the trip down south will be over the weekend and early part of next week.

I feel bereft even thinking of being without my machine, but I'm realizing that this is maybe a wake-up call for me. The machine is 6 years old and has had some hard use. I need to be thinking about replacing it.