I just couldn’t resist these! Do you know what they are? They are sold as novelty erasers, but if you are a beader, they serve as a beading tool! When I was new to beading, I would tear out rows of beads when I discovered a mistake. Granted, sometimes this is necessary. But if it is simply a matter of having stitched an extra bead or an incorrect color of bead in one’s work, the easy fix is to insert a push-pin into the bead and break it loose. I used to use tiny pliers to crush the bead, which worked fine most of the time. However, crushing glass often severs the beading thread resulting in extensive repair. Breaking the bead with a push-pin pops the bead and the glass breaks outwards instead of against the thread.  So where do these doll-sized portions of Dim Sum fit in? Each color is made of a separate layer, which creates a tiny space that can safely store the sharp end of the push-pin so one doesn’t accidentally jab a finger while rummaging for it. Jean Power and Kate McKinnon turned me on to these handy little tools – in fact, a darling little pastry eraser arrived with my purchase of “Contemporary Geometric Beadwork“. These little goodies have saved me countless hours of repair – plus they are just too cute for words!