The pattern for the delightful little basket is available to download, or you can request a printed copy. It has full instructions with diagrams and photographs for all the techniques you will use. Experience of peyote stitch and herringbone weave is recommended. This 16-page pattern is £8.95 and includes the Miyuki numbers for the beads I used in the 2 samples shown.

It is now also available as a full kit in a choice of 2 colours for £19.95.

If you already have the pattern, and want to make more baskets, then a bead pack is also available. Bead packs for the same 2 colours as the kit are £12.00, and include needles, thread and the wire, as well as the beads.

The basket is the perfect size for those creamy eggs with the purple wrapper!

I can make up the kits/bead packs in any colours you like, so if you want something a bit different, just drop me an email – kathryn@halfpenney.co.uk.

I’m pleased to say that we have now managed to re-stock the 30mm Twisted Bugles in Black and Silver Lined Crystal.

As with the other colours, they are available in packs of 10g. If you are wanting them for a fringe for one of our A Muse Ink patterns, then yes, there are enough bugles in 1 x 10g pack.

I have also got some extra shapes for fringing, but it will take me a little while longer to get these on line. I’ll keep you posted.

Following a specific customer request, I got to work on doing the fringes that I have been promising myself I would do for quite a while now. So, the first 4 fringe bead packs are now available. I have used the original design as a guide and re-created them as closely as possible with beads that we have available. I will let you now when other designs become available.

Prices vary depending on which beads are required. Patterns and Delica Bead Packs are still available separately for all designs that we stock.

The first 4 are:

If you are new to peyote panels and our A Muse Ink range, there are now 4 Helping Hand Guides available. They are free to download, or you can request a printed copy for just £1.50 each to cover the cost of printing.

Guide No 1 – Helps you to understand the colour chart and gives you some tips to identify the colours and make beading easier.

Guide No 2 – Helps you start beading and explains how to work the chart and decrease to a point. You should be familiar with odd count or even count peyote first though, and I have a separate guide for this.

Guide No 3 – This is for help making a bag and, rather than working in tubular peyote, you worked the front and back separately.

Guide No 4 – This guide suggests useful beads for making a fringe, and explains how to go about it once you have your beads.

Obviously these guides are not just for A Muse Ink patterns – they will be equally usefully for any peyote panel.

We’ve been busy weighing beads for the last few days and I’m pleased to say that all of our Delica Bead Packs for this fabulous range are now back in stock.

Prompted by a customer request, I am now working on a full range of Fringe Packs – more on this soon.

This beautiful brooch design by Marlene O’Reilly is now available.

Pattern as printed copy or download £15.00

Bead pack (excludes pattern) in 2 colours £15.00

Full kit (includes pattern and materials) in 2 colours £27.50

If you would like to make your orchid in different colours, then email me with the bead numbers from our range that you would like and I can make up a pack up especially for you. (Price for your pack may be different, depending on bead prices.)

Previously only available for collection, I’m pleased to say that these fabulous boxes are now online too!

I have a number of A4 Slim Boxes in my craft cupboard with paper and card inside and have used them for years. A couple of years ago I started using them for beading and have a nice little stack on the shelf with all my part-way-through projects in.

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As they are A4, my patterns fit neatly inside and the Slim ones are still deep enough for all the flip top boxes full of beads and tools I need. Nymo and Fireline fit beautifully. Standard bead mats are cut to fit which also means it’s a complete project in a box to go anywhere, anytime (when we can that is). If you are making tassels, they are deep enough for Gutermann reels and Clover Tassel Makers.

You can bead in the box, but if the edges get in your way, then it’s simple to take your bead mat out and put the box on one side until you’re ready to put it all away again.

They are a dream for organisation.

Each A4 Slim Tuff Box by Tiger Stationery contains: Bead Mat – hand-cut to size (colours vary), Set of Alphabet Letter Beads (bead and tassel colours vary), Pack of 2 Beading Needles (By John James – Short 10), Pair of scissors 10cm (4″) (our code SC-10)

ADDED BONUS: You will receive a single-use discount code to receive 10% off your next order with us.

Project Box features: Light and portable. Transparent for viewing contents when closed. Opens out flat. Snap-lock fastenings. Strong polypropylene hinges.

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Just call me optimistic! I have just published 2 special bundles for you to make your own sets of wine glass charms. Even if we can’t party as we would like, they make great gifts. Here’s an idea – send completed charms to your friends and then toast each other over the internet on the big day.

Kits are available to buy individually for £5.95, and include materials to make 3 charms. The special bundle price is £29.75, saving you £5.95, and you get the pre-formed wires and closed jump rings in place of the usual hanging straps.

For the stash-busters amongst you, there are a couple of options.

If you are new to brick stitch, then you can buy the printed instructions for £15 (saving you £2.50). Either bundle will be a great introduction as they cover basic brick stitch and all the shaping you need. If you are experienced with brick stitch, then you can buy just the printed charts for £5 (saving you £1). Either way, you are getting 6 designs for the price of 5, AND each bundle comes with a free set of 6 pre-formed wires and 6 closed jump rings.

As I have not worked out a way to offer the wires and jump rings as downloads, these special bundles are only available for the printed copies!

These are the new Treasure Mats and Treasure Mat Trays by The BeadSmith.

These beading mats are 31.75 x 23.5 cm (12.5 x 9.25″) and have a non-slip natural rubber base. They have laser printed measurements for bead size and length.

The Treasure Mat Tray has the same working area and has a flocked surface so it can be used on its own. It has a clear cover and easily transported. Trays are stackable for convenient storage.

The mats and trays are available individually, or as a bundle.

As we enter the new lockdown today we will have plenty to do as our latest delivery of beads arrived yesterday.

Everything that we received is now back in stock online but sadly some beads were still out of stock with our supplier. We will be watching stock levels at our suppliers very closely and will get everything else back in stock as soon as we can.

The good news is that we managed to get 2 new Delica colours and 1 of the size 11 seed beads that we wanted, and they are now available online.