Seeing as I still cannot do major sewing, I am forging ahead with other projects....so Last night, I went to Micheal's and bought a selection of clearance beads for my latest project: beaded napkin rings. I think napkin rings are really underutilized nowadays, and I want to show how they can be a lovely addition to a set table. The Cherry Blossom napkin rings are half of a set of four that are Asian-inspired and have a green color scheme. The other two in the set are to have pewter dancing fans as the main charm, incredibly adorable. I hope to have a few different sets with different color schemes completed by the end of the month, and I'll post pictures as I make them.
Even for people who prefer not to use cloth napkins, (I like the idea of cloth napkins at actual dinner parties...at least ones that have a smaller group of people...I mean, the LAUNDRY inherent in using cloth napkins for a dinner of fifty boggles my mind...especially since apartment living currently force me to utilize the local Laundromat, and I prefer not to have to go anymore that I have to.) napkin rings are still an option! You can have regular napkins available, and a "decorative" cloth set laid out on the plates with the pretty rings (the first impression your guests get is the set table!), or, there are even "cloth-like" disposable napkins available that you could put the rings on.
The beauty of hand-beading your own napkin rings is the creative flexibility. Glass beads come in myriad colors and shapes, and there is an endless selection of charms and decorative additions available at any decent crafting store (such as Micheal's Crafts). I bought a few types of beads, two kinds of charms, and a roll of 20 gauge wire (thicker jewelry making wire) that was thin enough to string the beads, but thick enough to hold its shape.
It may take awhile to find a design you like, playing around with the beads an wire. I recommend having a pair of pliers handy for snipping the wire and bending the ends closed, makes a world of difference. I used the round handle of a hammer as the circumference guide for my rings, so they will all be uniform. Find a cylindrical object about the width of a napkin ring to use as a guide...having something the wrap the wire around to see how much I'd need was very helpful.
After a few designs, I found one I loved for the Cherry Blossom rings, and I made two of them. I scrapped a few pieces of wire along the way, finding the design I was most happy with, so don't worry if you have to as well. It is part of the creative process.
I really love the green beads with the silver netting, they are very elegant, and have a lot of color and texture to provide. Smaller crystal and clear glass beads are between them in the design, and small crystal beads were strung through the loop in the charm to keep it in place and facing upward.
I feel inspired enough by the success of these simple, yet lovely Cherry-blossom napkin rings to plunge ahead and create a few more! Keep tuned in for updated pictures once the other half of the set is finished :)
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