This project was designed by Ellen Allan and Monica Heeren.
Materials:
Walnut Hollow traditional changing screen 50" x 63" x 3/4" kit
about 2,200 Blue Moon beads and charms
wooden beads & disks, pearls, shells, etc.
5-6 spools of Artistic Wire 28-gauge non-tarnish silver wire
90 No. 216 approximately 1/4 " screw eyes
1/2 pint whitewash wood stain
two 3" foam brushes
6 swivel bearing casters
wood glue
120- and 220-grit sandpaper
tack cloth
drill and 3 /8" drill bit
ruler
pencil
hammer and nails
1-1/2" piece of coat hanger wire bent into a "U"
Philips-head screwdriver
needle-nose pliers and wire cutters
Steps:
1. Put the screen together. Join the top and bottom pieces of each panel to the sides by running wood glue in the slots and inserting the wooden biscuits (figure A).
2. Keep together with the large rubber bands provided in the kit and let dry ( figure B). Be sure to clean any glue off the outside. When glue is dry, if there is still some glue showing, sand it off. Don't worry about the dowels from the kit; for this project you won't need them.
3. Drill holes for casters in the bottom center of the side pieces using a 3/8 -inch drill bit on all three panels.
4. Insert caster heads but NOT the caster yet. (Once the caster is in, it is very difficult to get out which will make the beading more of a chore!)
5. Paint two coats of whitewash using foam brushes.
6. Measure 15 even spaces across the inside top and bottom wooden pieces of the panel. Lightly hammer a nail to make a starter hole on every mark and insert a screw eye into every tick. Use the "U" shaped coat hanger wire piece hooked around the top of the screw eye as your twister (figure C)--otherwise your fingertips will take a beating!
7. Cut off a piece of wire approximately three times the length of the screen opening and pull half way through one of the top screw eyes. With both ends of the wire together , put a bead on and push to the top, stopping about 2 inches from the screw eye. Loop both ends of the wire through the bead again, "locking" the bead and the wire in place (figure D).
8. Continue to bead the wire somewhat randomly every 3 to 4 inches using up to three beads, charms or whatever you want to put on, in any order you like! We found the more jumbled, the better. Every time you put a group of beads on, take one of the wires back through the bottom bead to lock the beads in place.
9. To tie off the strand, put on a bead and pull the end of the wire as tightly as you can through the corresponding bottom screw eye. Bring wire ends up about 1 /2 to 1 inch and tightly wrap ends around the two main wires several times. Bring the lose bead down over the wrap and lock into place. Cut remaining ends off and tuck into the bead.
10. Try to keep beads in a random pattern across the screen. Every so often use a pearl or wooden piece to keep it interesting.
11. Once all 45 strands are completed, put the screen together with hinges following the instructions in the kit. Then insert casters last.
Tips:
- Safety comes first. Use goggles when working with power tools.
- Put all your beads, charms and other objects in a big bowl and use what ever you pull out to keep your design interesting.
Resources changing screen
Walnut Hollow
We apologize the company no longer carries this item.non-tarnish silver wire
Contact Artistic Wire for local retailer.
Artistic Wire (wholesale only)
Website:
www.artisticwire.com
2200 assorted beads and charms, disks, pearls, shells, and trinkets
Elizabeth Ward & Company Inc. / Blue Moon Beads
Kensington, MD
Website:
www.creativityinc.com
Guests Ellen Allan
Artist
Website:
www.ellenallan.biz Also in this Episode
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