Beaded Hair Barrette

jen_lee34 · 04-12-2006, 05:53 PM

Hi,
I am new to PowWows.com. I am an amature beader. I love making earrings. My daughter is a fancy shawl dancer. I have made her earrings. But now I want to make the hair barrette for the back of her head. And would like to know if anyone could tell me how to get started. Do I bead each bead on the fabric one by one ect. Also am making rosettes for her braids. What do I use to make them stay one the hair, barrettes or pieces of leather. Well any help would be greatly appreciated.

OLChemist · 04-12-2006, 11:18 PM

Personally, I'd start out using thin buckskin or ultrasuede (backed with manilia folder if doing appilque) instead of fabric. Whether you sew each bead on seperately is governed by your choice of beading technique. The vast majority of barrettes used by dancers are two-needle or return stitch applique. These techniques are described in various threads on this board. There are also good videos showing these techniques which can be purchased in the powwows.com shop.

I prefer return stitch for rosettes. It gives the very precise bead placement needed for rosettes.

I've never seen a back barette made after the 70's that had any clasp other than barrettes. Some folks use the thin metal barrettes you can get in the drug store. Others use the larger spring loaded barrettes you can get form most beading or powwow supply stores. (I've heard this called French barrattes. Anyone know what they are called?)

BlackBear has a nice thread at the top of this forum. It discusses backing and assembling barrettes. Please, pick her brain; she is one of the masters available on this forum :)

Now, I have seen rosettes with buckskin ties. These are fairly simple. Just punch two slots in the backing material and thread the tong through. I use a stitch through the backing to add an extra measure of security. (You haven't had fun until you've tried to reattach a tie in the dark while a child is jumping up and down next to you going: "I'm next!")

Blackbear · 04-13-2006, 05:43 AM

What I like to use for barrettes now is either baby rubber crib sheeting. It's that stuff that's rubber but it's got the soft fuzzy flannel coating on it for keeping the crib dry or burping babies... OR I like to use ezfelt, that stiff felt you can get at Michael's or Joanne's Fabrics. Draw your design on the stuff and either use the two needle technique or the bead embroidery stitch. Once you have it beaded, trim it up and then go to one way to back a barrette thread. You can also stick a middle layer between your beadwork and backing of cardstock, or better yet, thin plastic from like a butter tub lid, or milk jug. This adds more support and putting the barrette through it also helps stablize the barrette hardware as well.

Yes OL.. there are some of those spring loaded types that come from France (french barrettes). They are tad smaller, and better made than some of the ones you buy in bulk. When I say a tad smaller I mean like millimeters smaller.. hardley noticeable.

**Eagle Plumes** · 04-13-2006, 08:39 AM

All these tips are great, but I thought id share mine that seems to work for me and others that i know. when doing applique I first draw my design on pelon you can find it in the craft section of wal-mart, there is different weights I use the lighter only because I feal its a bit easier to draw on the thick stuff gets a bit fuzzy but thats my opp just look till you find what works for you, the after I draw my design to the pelon i staple it to a peice of felt I use white felt but thats because i have oodles of it, im not really sure if it matters what color you use? somebody here may have a tip on that one. When my piece is done I carefully trim it out so not to clip a thread ,cut out a piece of leather the size and shape of my beadwork ,I use white buckskin scraps I have on hand but as I said before use what you like and I also as a stiffener use plastic canvas sanwiched in the middle of the bead-work and the leather I have alot of that and want to use it up and for me it seems to work well and friends of mine use the milk cartons like said its all what you have and prefer to use, and for the metal barrett i use the ones you buy on the card not sure what they are called but for me I have not had any luck with the springy ones im sure its just me but i had a barrett made with one and it kept springing open and I was so freaked that my plumes would fall out I swiched it to the other style of barrett, but as I say just work with it and you will have all kinds of beadwork! oh as for rosettes I have some that have ties on them and also the springy type these dont go in my hair they clasp on to the ends of my otters to keep them from unraveling mine are thin enough its not a problem. hope this helps.

Blackbear · 04-13-2006, 03:14 PM

Hey there are no absolute correct methods here...everyone needs to find what works for them right?
All tips are useful even to those of us that have made them competitions and for a living. I will never overlook another person here's tips and tricks because sometimes you guys have some that save me time, effort and money!!! So ALLLLLLLL is appreciated Eagle Plumes!

btw, the one needle applique method I mention, there's a tutorial on how to do that in the beads and crafts archives if you need to know how to do that Jen Lee.

**Eagle Plumes** · 04-13-2006, 04:55 PM

First of all I never said one way was the rite way maybe we need to read a little better before making a comment i always post with respect to all readers and posters not once have i remotly acted like I knew more than any one ,I am greatly offended by you useing my name in your post ,now if i read it wrong on my end then im the ones that sorry.

Blackbear · 04-14-2006, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eagle Plumes

First of all I never said one way was the rite way maybe we need to read a little better before making a comment i always post with respect to all readers and posters not once have i remotly acted like I knew more than any one ,I am greatly offended by you useing my name in your post ,now if i read it wrong on my end then im the ones that sorry.

I was'nt trying to say you were to any of what you just thought I accused you of... I was only trying to tell you how welcome your comments were Eagle Plumes..

Blackbear · 04-14-2006, 07:24 AM

and appreciated... (sorry hit the send button before i was done and didnt feel like editing). Sorry that you took it that way.. it was'nt my intention.

**Eagle Plumes** · 04-14-2006, 08:09 AM

I diddnt think you did mean it in a bad way but just wasnt real sure i always respected your posting style and was just wondering if you were picking at me and why but since we have that all cleared up sorry for my misunderstanding of your post and thank you for your compliment, thats alot comming from a great beader like you.

Blackbear · 04-14-2006, 03:54 PM

That's ok... I re-read the post and can see how it would have been taken that way. My typing has been extremely poor as of late if anyone's noticed, and I seem to be leaving out words I'm thinking I've typed and such LOL! But what it seems I did'nt do with my post was make it clear I was agreeing with you, instead it looked like I was debating against you and not sure exactly how I did that LOL.

**Eagle Plumes** · 04-14-2006, 04:15 PM

Blackbear do you bead threw the baby crib stuff? i couldnt figure out if you beaded threw it or useing it as a filler? I just saw a bunch of the baby crib material at a thrift store and it was a bit stained but was wondering if it would still work?

Blackbear · 04-14-2006, 04:29 PM

I bead right on it... and it's wonderful because the needles goes right through it.. even a size 13 needle. I use plastic lids from like yogurt and margarine for inbetween that and a leather backing.
Being stained should'nt make it unusable, once it's beaded you won't see the stain anyhow. The stuff is great though because it's waterproof, and probably won't break down.. you can draw and color on it and it does'nt raval at all. I use both that and the stiff felt now, but which one I use depends on what the project is.

**Eagle Plumes** · 04-14-2006, 04:36 PM

Ill have to try that out thanks

jen_lee34 · 04-14-2006, 10:22 PM

I just want to thank you all for your ideas, they all seem very good and I am going to try some of them. Blackbear the baby crib pad seems really easy I think I will try that. And I will definately look in the archives for the beading technique. Thanks again everyone.

04-12-2006, 05:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
jen_lee34 Pow Wow Visitor Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 5	Beaded Hair Barrette Hi, I am new to PowWows.com. I am an amature beader. I love making earrings. My daughter is a fancy shawl dancer. I have made her earrings. But now I want to make the hair barrette for the back of her head. And would like to know if anyone could tell me how to get started. Do I bead each bead on the fabric one by one ect. Also am making rosettes for her braids. What do I use to make them stay one the hair, barrettes or pieces of leather. Well any help would be greatly appreciated.

04-13-2006, 05:43 AM	#3 (permalink)
Blackbear Space Cowboy Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Alaska Posts: 9,622	What I like to use for barrettes now is either baby rubber crib sheeting. It's that stuff that's rubber but it's got the soft fuzzy flannel coating on it for keeping the crib dry or burping babies... OR I like to use ezfelt, that stiff felt you can get at Michael's or Joanne's Fabrics. Draw your design on the stuff and either use the two needle technique or the bead embroidery stitch. Once you have it beaded, trim it up and then go to one way to back a barrette thread. You can also stick a middle layer between your beadwork and backing of cardstock, or better yet, thin plastic from like a butter tub lid, or milk jug. This adds more support and putting the barrette through it also helps stablize the barrette hardware as well. Yes OL.. there are some of those spring loaded types that come from France (french barrettes). They are tad smaller, and better made than some of the ones you buy in bulk. When I say a tad smaller I mean like millimeters smaller.. hardley noticeable. __________________ Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song.

04-13-2006, 08:39 AM	#4 (permalink)
Eagle Plumes Just Bead it! Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MId-West Posts: 11,497	What I do is... All these tips are great, but I thought id share mine that seems to work for me and others that i know. when doing applique I first draw my design on pelon you can find it in the craft section of wal-mart, there is different weights I use the lighter only because I feal its a bit easier to draw on the thick stuff gets a bit fuzzy but thats my opp just look till you find what works for you, the after I draw my design to the pelon i staple it to a peice of felt I use white felt but thats because i have oodles of it, im not really sure if it matters what color you use? somebody here may have a tip on that one. When my piece is done I carefully trim it out so not to clip a thread ,cut out a piece of leather the size and shape of my beadwork ,I use white buckskin scraps I have on hand but as I said before use what you like and I also as a stiffener use plastic canvas sanwiched in the middle of the bead-work and the leather I have alot of that and want to use it up and for me it seems to work well and friends of mine use the milk cartons like said its all what you have and prefer to use, and for the metal barrett i use the ones you buy on the card not sure what they are called but for me I have not had any luck with the springy ones im sure its just me but i had a barrett made with one and it kept springing open and I was so freaked that my plumes would fall out I swiched it to the other style of barrett, but as I say just work with it and you will have all kinds of beadwork! oh as for rosettes I have some that have ties on them and also the springy type these dont go in my hair they clasp on to the ends of my otters to keep them from unraveling mine are thin enough its not a problem. hope this helps.

04-13-2006, 03:14 PM	#5 (permalink)
Blackbear Space Cowboy Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Alaska Posts: 9,622	Hey there are no absolute correct methods here...everyone needs to find what works for them right? All tips are useful even to those of us that have made them competitions and for a living. I will never overlook another person here's tips and tricks because sometimes you guys have some that save me time, effort and money!!! So ALLLLLLLL is appreciated Eagle Plumes! btw, the one needle applique method I mention, there's a tutorial on how to do that in the beads and crafts archives if you need to know how to do that Jen Lee. __________________ Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song.

04-13-2006, 04:55 PM	#6 (permalink)
Eagle Plumes Just Bead it! Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MId-West Posts: 11,497	yah I think I kow that First of all I never said one way was the rite way maybe we need to read a little better before making a comment i always post with respect to all readers and posters not once have i remotly acted like I knew more than any one ,I am greatly offended by you useing my name in your post ,now if i read it wrong on my end then im the ones that sorry.

04-12-2006, 11:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
OLChemist Pow Wow Committee Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 744	Personally, I'd start out using thin buckskin or ultrasuede (backed with manilia folder if doing appilque) instead of fabric. Whether you sew each bead on seperately is governed by your choice of beading technique. The vast majority of barrettes used by dancers are two-needle or return stitch applique. These techniques are described in various threads on this board. There are also good videos showing these techniques which can be purchased in the powwows.com shop. I prefer return stitch for rosettes. It gives the very precise bead placement needed for rosettes. I've never seen a back barette made after the 70's that had any clasp other than barrettes. Some folks use the thin metal barrettes you can get in the drug store. Others use the larger spring loaded barrettes you can get form most beading or powwow supply stores. (I've heard this called French barrattes. Anyone know what they are called?) BlackBear has a nice thread at the top of this forum. It discusses backing and assembling barrettes. Please, pick her brain; she is one of the masters available on this forum :) Now, I have seen rosettes with buckskin ties. These are fairly simple. Just punch two slots in the backing material and thread the tong through. I use a stitch through the backing to add an extra measure of security. (You haven't had fun until you've tried to reattach a tie in the dark while a child is jumping up and down next to you going: "I'm next!")

04-14-2006, 07:24 AM	#8 (permalink)
Blackbear Space Cowboy Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Alaska Posts: 9,622	and appreciated... (sorry hit the send button before i was done and didnt feel like editing). Sorry that you took it that way.. it was'nt my intention. __________________ Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song.

04-14-2006, 08:09 AM	#9 (permalink)
Eagle Plumes Just Bead it! Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MId-West Posts: 11,497	Thank-you I diddnt think you did mean it in a bad way but just wasnt real sure i always respected your posting style and was just wondering if you were picking at me and why but since we have that all cleared up sorry for my misunderstanding of your post and thank you for your compliment, thats alot comming from a great beader like you.

04-14-2006, 03:54 PM	#10 (permalink)
Blackbear Space Cowboy Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Alaska Posts: 9,622	That's ok... I re-read the post and can see how it would have been taken that way. My typing has been extremely poor as of late if anyone's noticed, and I seem to be leaving out words I'm thinking I've typed and such LOL! But what it seems I did'nt do with my post was make it clear I was agreeing with you, instead it looked like I was debating against you and not sure exactly how I did that LOL. __________________ Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song.

04-14-2006, 04:15 PM	#11 (permalink)
Eagle Plumes Just Bead it! Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MId-West Posts: 11,497	do you bead threw.. Blackbear do you bead threw the baby crib stuff? i couldnt figure out if you beaded threw it or useing it as a filler? I just saw a bunch of the baby crib material at a thrift store and it was a bit stained but was wondering if it would still work?

04-14-2006, 04:29 PM	#12 (permalink)
Blackbear Space Cowboy Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Alaska Posts: 9,622	I bead right on it... and it's wonderful because the needles goes right through it.. even a size 13 needle. I use plastic lids from like yogurt and margarine for inbetween that and a leather backing. Being stained should'nt make it unusable, once it's beaded you won't see the stain anyhow. The stuff is great though because it's waterproof, and probably won't break down.. you can draw and color on it and it does'nt raval at all. I use both that and the stiff felt now, but which one I use depends on what the project is. __________________ Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song.

04-14-2006, 04:36 PM	#13 (permalink)
Eagle Plumes Just Bead it! Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MId-West Posts: 11,497	kewl Ill have to try that out thanks

04-14-2006, 10:22 PM	#14 (permalink)
jen_lee34 Pow Wow Visitor Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 5	I just want to thank you all for your ideas, they all seem very good and I am going to try some of them. Blackbear the baby crib pad seems really easy I think I will try that. And I will definately look in the archives for the beading technique. Thanks again everyone.