African "Sequins"

Giveaway/giveback is done ..... and the winners are......

#1.- Random selection is Jen, who will be getting a small packet. I hope I get to see if you ever do make them jump-ringed together so their flat side makes a sort of open fabric.

#2.- As for my personal selection, Bad Liz has the most intriguing idea of a bead embroidery project in the shape of a 45rpm record. She reminds me that I need to get back to doing bead embroidery. Liz, send me your physical address and I'll mail off your packet.

Here are a few interesting uses for these disks that I've come up with. Some of these pieces were bought in the $1 booth at the recent gem shows. What intrigues me is the African sequins would make the work fall into the earthy realm rather than the glitzy category.

This is a netted base with a stack of sequins sewed on top of each intersection. The sequins are two different sizes so you see a rim of the bottom color underneath the top sequin.

A loomed bracelet base with a pompom of sequins, each separated with a bead so that the sides show. I think this would be ideal for the striped ones as you would then see the pattern. In deconstructing this piece, I find that the sequins are sewen onto a fabric covered button base.

This is a pair of vintage clip-on earrings that I found years ago with the idea of replicating the sequin/bead fringe. It makes a very fluffy, light weight fringe.

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This is an idea that I'm going to try out just as soon as I hand my paperwork over to the tax man. I'm going to make a 2-drop peyote base. You could loom a base also. Then I'm going to make stacks of beads on top that end with a sequin and a smaller bead. I can just see this forest of overlapping sequins that would subtly move around. .... sort of a beaded shag carpet. This idea came from one of my students last Friday and I think I need to make a third packet and send to her. It's such a fantastic idea and I can just see how it would look. Amy, Thanks for the idea and I'll be in touch for your address.

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Thank you all for playing along and getting the creative juices going full tilt.

I've enjoyed the comments and also the off-line discussion about how these might be used.