No surprise that I have many of her various shapes and sizes. Last time I counted, I think I had 12 bead rollers (pssst, don’t tell my bank manager).
Yesterday I finally received with the mail the newest shape in her range of her bead rollers. It’s a ribbed donut bead roller (Donna calls it the hickup, but that’s a different story!). Here it is in all it’s glory.
As you can see, there’s a variety of sizes. Notice the long paddle shape, which enables you to create several beads on one mandrel without the roller coming in your way.
I made 3 bead sets yesterday night (yes, I couldn’t stop) and is in fact so easy to use, I believe it is the easiest of all the bead rollers. It pushes the glass nicely into the grooves and shapes smooth, evenly rounded ridges. Plus: it’s nearly impossible to create anything but nicely dimpled ends.
Can you tell that I’m in smitten?
I. Love. It.
And just look at the texture that it creates. On the left you see a set with larger rounds (base of Fire Lotus silver glass) complemented by matching small clear rounds.
I think this texture works especially well with silver glass colors, for example Psyche, Gaia or Black Nebula.
Here is an example with Psyche (not encased, reduced to oilslick shine).
Next I will test her new ribbed bicone bead roller. I made just a few test beads yesterday and found it to be not quite as easy to use as the donut bead roller. But I will do some more testing this weekend – it might just be a matter of ppp (practice practice practice).
PS. I am not in any way affiliated with cgbeads even though it might sound differently LOL
Wow! I was wondering how you made those! I'm a huge fan of Donna's too!!!
Hi Judith, this is really a fantastic tool. I love the beads you made with.Greetings from Germany, Iris
What timing! I have been thinking of picking up a number of Donna's beadrollers and here you are telling me that that is a good decision to make!! As a newbie flameworker I am wondering what the most useful shapes would be? This shape looks like a must-have though! Beautiful work as always!
Thanks guys :)Darryle – difficult to suggest something, because it all depends on what style/shapes/sizes of beads you like to make. I personally couldn't life without the Small Round Spacers, the Disk Pandora Style Plus and the Small Stubby Bicone Spacers. Mainly because I have trouble to make these shapes in a consistent size without the bead rollers.