Beading Accessories with Kraft-Tex

Most of my art quilts have added beads. Once I discovered how easy it is to add a little bit of sparkle to a piece of work, I haven’t turned back — I just collect more beads! I use my bead mats, but sometimes like little open containers to hold the different beads. I had a metal one I bought somewhere, but it got bent out of shape. Kraft-Tex to the rescue! With its firm shape, these little bead trays are easy to make to keep the different beads separate. To complete the beading accessories set, I made a small container to hold the beads or be a place for threads.

How to make a bead tray

To make a small bead tray, start by drawing a 3″ equilateral triangle on the Kraft-Tex with a removable marker. I like using Frixiron pens, that are heat sensitive and disappear when pressed with a warm iron. Always try it out on a scrap to make sure it does disappear!

Add a 1/2″ around the triangle to form the lip of the small tray.

With a warm iron, press the 1/2″ up on all three sides of the triangle. Note how the pen marks disappeared? Love my Frixiron pens!

Fold the corners together and sew from the fold to the outside edge from where the press marks match.

I sewed them in a chain – one after another – makes this a quick project!

Here are the finished bead trays – with beads for my project!

How to make a Kraft-Tex container

To keep my beading accessories coordinated, I made a quick and easy container for my beads, or to capture those little thread ends from stitching. I made my box a 4″ square.

Start by cutting out five (5) four-inch (4″) squares.

One of the squares will be the bottom, and the other four (4) the sides. Sew opposite sides to the bottom with a 1/4″ seam, starting and ending 1/4″ away from the edge of the bottom of the box. I used a variegated cotton thread to add more visual interest to the container.

Make sure to end 1/4″ from the end of the seam.

Then sew the other two sides, again start and stop 1/4″ from the end. This should make your seams all end at the same point on the bottom piece.

Here is what the container looks like at this stage. The bottom has all four sides sewn to it.

Next sew the sides 1/4″ from the top, down to the bottom. This closes the seam, with all three (3) seams stopping at the same point 1/4″ from the edge.

And, sew right to the 1/4″ from the end, where the other two seams ended.

Here is the finished Kraft-Tex container for beads or other supplies, and small bead trays to keep beads separated.