Chopsticks and Sanding Sticks

Have become my new best friend in the world of tubular bead stitches!

I've been having a lot of fun with the November Etsy Beadweavers challenge, Totally Twisted! However, I realized while creating different bead samples that using the recommended dowel, pencil or whatever you can find around the house would be in my best interest.  I'm just learning these stitches and I've found that they come out much more "perfect" if you use the tool for assistance.

So I had to give in, I looked all around the house and I came up with a few different ideas I thought I would share with you all.

Metal chopsticks are perfect for this. 
My boyfriend picked up this set on his last trip to Korea and they WERE perfect....... for a slightly larger project. 
I love that they are tapered so you could use this one tool for many size projects. 
However, I had to continue my search for the perfect tapered tool...

I tried the paintbrush but it was still to large for the teeny tiny beads I'm working with.

Then I found one of the sanding sticks that was given to me as a gift long ago. 
I occasionally use it to boar my beads a touch. In this case it worked perfectly for the
tubular netting I was working on.  I did not notice that the sanding tool had any
negative effect on the beads (in case you were wondering).

A couple samples of what I've been up to for Novembers Etsy Beadweavers challenge.
I'm keeping the good stuff under wraps. ;)

I hope this helps my fellow beadweaving friends as you all might bee looking around for the perfect dowel, pencil, or whatever you have around the house to create that perfect tubular stitch! 

Happy Friday!