My little Mirrix bead and tapestry loom is a far cry from the huge floor loom my mom had when I was a kid, but it makes weaving so much fun!

My mom had a floor loom for weaving fibers when I was a kid, and the thing was a monster. I can remember on more than one occasion we had to untangle the unfortunate cat who wandered into the warp threads. These days, I've been doing a little bit of weaving again, but on a much smaller Mirrix loom. Earlier this summer, Mirrix announced their plans for a Weave Along, and I signed right up for it. I had been looking for a project to do on the Mirrix that combined beads and tapestry, and the beaded tapestry cuff bracelet was the perfect project for the Weave Along, especially for a beginner like me!

First of all, I was excited that Mirrix offered a discount on the kit needed to make the cuff. Because I love using beading kits for learning new techniques and new beading projects, I was thrilled to discover that this kit had enough for two tapestry and bead cuff bracelets. The fibers and beads included in the kit were just so vibrant and beautiful, I couldn't help but smile as I unpacked the threads and beads as I prepared my loom.

	My finished bead and tapestry cuff is a total knockout! I love the colors and the textures of the beads mixed with the fibers!

It was great fun to follow along on the Mirrix blog and on their Facebook page, and I was surprised at how quickly this woven tapestry cuff worked up. It took me less than a week to get the actual weaving done, and I loved being able to see the photos on the blog that illustrated all of the different techniques that you could use with the fibers. Weaving the cuff was so soothing, and adding the beads every few rows was a great way to break up the colors and add a different kind of texture to the finished tapestry cuff.

I loved using the Mirrix loom to weave the cuff, and I love my finished cuff. (The second one is going to make a fabulous Christmas gift for someone!)

Are you ready to dive in and make your own tapestry and bead cuff? Check out Claudia Chase's segment on Beads Baubles and Jewels to watch exactly how to create one of these stunning fiber and bead cuff bracelets! You can download the original episode from the Beading Daily shop for great step-by-step directions on how to use the Mirrix loom and make your own bold bead and fiber cuff bracelet! You can also download other individual episodes of Beads Baubles and Jewels from the Beading Daily shop onto your desktop or laptop computer and learn about using cabochons, crystals charms and chain!

Have you ever done any bead or tapestry weaving on a loom? Do you prefer to work on a loom? Have you ever made one of the fabulous projects from the kits offered on the Mirrix Looms website? Leave a comment and share your thoughts and experiences here on the blog!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

P.S. Mirrix has two more great Weave Alongs scheduled for the rest of 2011 - a beaded purse and a colorful fiber tapestry purse. Also make sure to check back here soon to find out the details for the next set of Beading Daily Bead Alongs for the rest of 2011! (Did you know there are also Knit Alongs and Crochet Alongs on Knitting Daily and Crochet Me? Check 'em out!)

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