KUMIBEADO beginings

I did it! I did it! I did it! Whoo-hoooooooo!I used the 10# Stealth Spiderwire, with 8o beads from Alice's, and after acouple of false starts, have 1" of nicely beaded rope.Here is what I learned, thanks to my wonderful teacher, Kimber, who managed toput enough clues in my path, during our short tutorial, to make it happen!I could cut 4 pieces, rather than 8, and have a loop at the end that goesthrough the hole. As I used the next-mentioned tip, I could make a small loop-just long enough to go through those cones, and get caught by a headpin, forattaching the clasp.I would rather have a weight pulling on the center, from below, than pull withmy fingers. I tended to pull too hard, and unevenly, pulling the knot andbraided section below the circle, rather than letting it stay even with the top.It will not work if you don't have it laying flat on top, with the braidedsection just below the hole.Luckily, the first thing I grabbed worked great- a 4" tube of bugles. I tiedit to the loop with a short piece of thread, and let it dangle below.IF you screw up the first time(s), like I did, and have to take your work out,do NOT take it off the circle and try to unwind it, unless you have more timeand patience than I did last night! Instead, just work backwords on the foamboard, taking the threads back in opposite of how you put them on.When Kimber said to lock the bead in the threads that were on the left of theones you were moving, I thought she had showed me to put the bead between thetwo. NOT. I almost cried, because I thought it was my beloved Spiderwire beingthe problem.BUT what she meant was to put it under the FIRST thread you come to.I will try to make a clear pic.You have four sets of threads- 2 at 12 o'clock, 2 at 3 o'clock, 2 at 6o'clock, and 2 at 9 o'clock. You ALWAYS begin with the set at 6 o'clock, withthe thread on the left. That one is taken straight up, to the 12 o'clockposition, and put through the slot to the left of both 12 o'clock threads.BEFORE you put it into the slot, you slide up one bead, to the side closest toyou of both 9 o'clock threads, and push it under slightly the first of the 9o'clock threads you come to( the thread closest to the 6 o'clock position). Whenyou lock that same 6 o'clock thread into the 12 o'clock position, it will holdthat bead in place.Now, you take the thread on the right of the 12 o'clock position, and move itstraight down to the 6 o'clock area, but into the slot on the right of thesingle thread there, locking your single bead into the TOP area of the 3 o'clockthreads.Now- move the entire disk in your hands counterclockwise. What was in the 6and 12 o'clock are now the 3 and 9 o'clock positions, and the 3 and 9 o'clockpositions are now the 6 and 12 o'clock positions.Repeat the above steps.If you have to stop, do what Sue in Portland ( I have that right, don't I?)suggested- use a sticky note to mark the spot that is your 6 o'clock place, soyou know where to begin next time. Or stick a pin in it. Or slide a piece ofcolored yarn inside the slot. Just something to mark it.I believe you can make these disks, if you cannot find them, or if you justwant to try without alot of expense. If you are like me and have foam boardleftover from crafts, or you can beg a small piece ( about 5 inches across) fromany framing shop, you can cut your own circle, and slots with center hole, andtry it out. I will give dimensions in a bit, with the pics.It is the foam board about 1/4 inch across, covered with paper on both sides.They sell whole sheets of it in Walmart, for about $1 each.OK, let me get the pics up, and see if you think you like this.Oh, and another thing - use beads that are as close to the same size aspossible. If you have to cull as you string ( which only took me 20 minutes forall 8 ends), do so.