Fig. 221. The bead bag described
Unthread your needle and take the next strand; thread two pink, one yellow, then slip your needle through the second yellow bead of the first row, thread one yellow, five pink, one yellow, now slip your needle through the middle yellow bead of the first row or in other words slip your needle through every eighth bead on the first row. The colouring remains the same. I will start the instructions again for the second row which is to be threaded, two pink, one yellow, slip needle through bead on first row, one yellow, five pink, one yellow, slip needle through bead, one yellow, five pink, one yellow, slip needle through, one yellow, five pink, one yellow, slip needle through bead, one yellow, five pink, one yellow, slip needle through bead, three yellow, one pink, three yellow, slip needle through, three yellow, one pink, three yellow, now slip needle through bead, three yellow, one pink, three yellow, slip needle, three yellow, one pink, three yellow, slip needle, one yellow, five pink, one yellow, slip needle, one yellow, five pink, one yellow, slip needle, one yellow, five pink, one yellow, slip needle, one yellow, five pink, one yellow, slip needle, one yellow, six pink, slip needle into last bead of first row and knot the two threads close to the bead. Be sure that the knot is large enough not to slip through the hole of the bead.
Thread your needle with the third strand. Put on two pink, three yellow, two pink, slip needle through third bead of first group of five pink of the second row. (For the rest of the row "slip needle" means slip the needle through the fourth bead below the one slipped through on the second row) two pink, three yellow, two pink, slip needle, two pink, three yellow, two pink, slip needle, two pink, three yellow, two pink, slip needle, two pink, five yellow, slip needle, seven yellow, slip needle, seven yellow, slip needle, seven yellow, slip needle, five yellow, two pink, slip needle, two pink, three yellow, two pink, slip needle, two pink, three yellow, two pink, slip needle, two pink, three yellow, two pink, slip needle, four pink.
The fourth row is the same as the second. Every other row from the third is also worked like the third.
The last row which joins the bag—Two pink, slip needle into fourth bead of next to last row, thread three more beads, slip into centre bead of the group of sevens of the first row. The pattern is diamond-shaped as you will note, therefore after threading your needle with three beads of the shade to correspond with the previous row slip your needle in the centre bead of the groups of seven of the preceding row and the first row. Work first to the right and then to the left.
Every two strands of silk must be knotted together to keep the beads from slipping off. Braid the threads extending beyond the bead work in groups of three. A large bead or slide will be necessary to make the purse a practical money bag. Get two big beads that have openings large enough to pass all the silk threads through. Take a knot on the silk thread after the first large bead is in position. This knot should be two inches at least from the beads. The silk threads may now be cut quite close to the knot or they may be cut one inch from the knot to form a tassel.
If the little purse was left without any further work it would look quite top heavy and unfinished, for that reason a bead tassel is suggested as shown in the illustration of the bead purse.
Thread your needle with a long strand of the buttonhole twist. String about two and a half inches of pink beads. Before commencing to string the beads fasten the thread in the heavy knot at the bottom of the purse. Catch the thread with the beads also in the knot. Make two pink strings this length and two yellow. Then make four strings, two pink and two yellow, that are not more than an inch and a half long. Fasten off the threads securely and the bag is complete.
Three bunches of pink beads and two bunches of yellow will make two purses as have just been described. The beads vary in price from six cents a bunch to twenty-five cents. Sometimes the more expensive kind have only half the number of beads that the cheaper bunches have. Do not get too small a bead or the work will become very tedious. The large beads for the slides are more expensive. They cost four cents apiece or more.