New Product Update by Shanna Steele
One of the many things I have always loved about working in the bead business is that there is always something new. Whether I am learning a new stitch or technique or playing around with a new material, boredom is definitely not part of my day. Because I have the benefit of working closely with our purchasing manager, I get the heads up on what's new, happening, and fresh... So, today I thought I would pass along a few new trendy products to my fellow beaders.
I will start with the beads that are probably going to change my life, the GemDuos by Matubo. These Czech glass beads are diamond shaped 5mm by 8mm beads with 2 holes. Like the SuperDuos before them (which have also changed everything I ever thought I knew about beading), these beautiful beads work well with seed beads and other beads to create beautiful beaded beads and bezels. They also fit together to create unique shapes and patterns; I am already dreaming up a floral-shaped pattern using GemDuos to incorporate into my next jewelry design!
That brings us to the Nib-Bits, also from Matubo. Kinda funny name, but I assure you this bead is not playing around! Each one of these rounded triangular beads measures 5mm by 6mm and has two holes. As demonstrated in the Safari Bracelet Project, Nib-Bit beads actually work very well with other Matubo beads such as GemDuos and MiniDuos. They can be used to create unique shapes in woven bracelet designs, or you can use them to embellish beads and cabochons as well!
Speaking of embellishing... None of these new Matubo bead collections would be complete without the introduction of the Matubo Rivoli. One of my favorite projects I have seen yet utilizes the Nib-Bits with the Matubo rivoli to create what could be a unique pendant or a pair of stunning earrings. Just like the Swarovski Rivoli, the Matubo rivolis are pointed on the front and back and do not have drilled holes. They are multi-faceted and look like a million bucks when woven into a beaded bezel. The cool part about these rivolis is that the colors and finishes will align so well with other Matubo beads, it will make designing your next focal piece a breeze!
We hope you are enjoying what we have been introducing into our ever-growing product line. We have some more cool things coming and hope you continue to check back. In the meantime, feel free to share your designs with us so we can see what you are working on and what new beads you have incorporated into your repertoire.