I have been playing with the new bangle weaver tool created by Kleshna for Beadalon

I have been playing with the new Bangle Weaver Tool and have had so much fun. I simply love it and my mind is bursting with ideas.

To create your design you need:

·         Something strong/stiff for the warp (to hold shape)

·         Something to weave

·         Something to further embellish (optional)

The instructions included are very easy to follow. There are 3 positions for setting up the warp pegs, allowing 3 sizes of bangle to be created. The tool is so versatile and can be used to weave so many different types of materials:

·         Beading cable (e.g. 7 Strand beading wire)or monofilament (e.g. Supplemax)

·         Recycled sari silk yarns or ribbons

·         Shamballa (e.g. waxed nylon cord), cotton (e.g. waxed cotton) or rattail cords (e.g. satin)

·         Leather (e.g. round cord) or suede cords (e.g. flat cord)

 Weaving is very quick and easy. Beads can be incorporated into the weave by adding them to your cable or cord length before weaving. I find that Kumihimo bobbins are invaluable for keeping cords or ribbons manageable, or Spool Tamers  if you are using beading wires. Bead stoppers are also handy for temporarily holding beaded cables or ribbons in place.

Replacing the warp can be a bit fiddly and takes longer than you might think. You will need blunt ended needles with a large eye to pull the warp through. The bodkin set recommended by Kleshna is very good. However, when warping ribbon or fabric strip weaves I found that an extra-long bodkin (e.g. elastic threader available from haberdashery stores) was much easier to use.

Beads can also be added to the warp. They can be placed between sections of weave or on the outer edges to create pretty beaded borders. Finally you can further embellish your bangle with beads, charms, silk flowers etc. There are just so many possibilities.

The warp pegs are quite sharp so I would not recommend the tool for young children, and do protect you table top from scratches by using with a mat.

I just love this tool. It can be used to create so many different styles of bangle, from structured wire weaves to Boho and ethnic styles using textiles. Why not try recycling old T shirts, bedding or carrier bags. The possibilities are endless.

I am currently weaving with silk ribbons and embellishing with beads. I will be sharing some of my designs with you all very soon. I hope that you will love this tool as much as I do.

Happy beading, Anne x.