Uh-oh - you just dropped your beads!

That moment we all dread - a container of tiny seed beads has just tipped all over the carpet.  What to do?  You can try using masking tape or something similar, which is a good, quick solution.  Don't use tape that's TOO sticky, though, or you'll end up with sticky residue on your beads.

Or, you can try slipping an old piece of stocking across the end of your vacuum cleaner nozzle with a rubber band, leave a little bit of slack in the stocking, then go around and vacuum up your beads.  When you're finished, hold the nozzle over a container and turn off the vacuum.

Shirley sent me this tip for those people who sometimes drop their beads - something I NEVER do of course (haha)!

I have arthritis in my hands and sometimes drop a jar or tray of beads on the hardwood floor in my den.  If I sweep them they roll all over the place.  I bought a small (weighs about 2 lbs) dust buster to use for pick-up of the beads.  It is new, clean, not used for anything else - the beads are collected in the little bag and I can jus open up the machine and pour my beads have been saved and picked up.  It works great and has helped save beads and is easy and fast.
Thanks Shirley!

Beaders seem to spend a lot of time dropping beads - here's another helpful idea from Susanne!

My tip for picking up a small amount of beads is using a torch.  They tend to shine in the torchlight - day or night -  and you can locate them fairly easily - under the desk; in the carpet.  I alway keep one at my desk which is also my computer desk and use the torch also for replugging in cords for my computer.