Make your own flexi 8 type hairclip! Or modify a flexi!

[TatsuOni]

It looks good paulownia!

[SparrowWings]

Thank you, but I have trouble even with those. I have centrepieces but working out which beads work best and in what size or sequence is just overwhelming. Most of my clothes ... well, I have some more colourful things especially recently, so that could possibly work, even if I have to wait to find a centrepiece that goes.

Other things I do, to trick myself into not overthinking it:
* Restrict myself to two colors and a metal (purple, white, silver; green, brown, gold; whatever fits the centerpiece).
* Always put a metal between colored pieces, even if it's the same color.
* Be symmetrical! It only requires 1/4 as much planning.
* Put the largest beads in the middle of each quarter, and work down to the smallest at the edges (centerpiece and middle of loops)
* Decide what size you want the flexi to be in the end, and stick to it. This is perhaps the most limiting thing for me, because I tend to want to put ALL THE BEADS on it, but I can only fit so many in half a loop while keeping the final size within bounds.
* Set a time limit. At least one needs to be done at the end, or it will be too late to have it ready for XYZ.

Alternatively, things I do to majorly overthink it, which sometimes also helps:
* Think through all the combinations.
* Count how many beads I have of smaller collections, and try to use up a full set with 1-3 flexis.
* Actually string at least a few combinations and hold them tight against the centerpiece, and compare them in multiple lighting conditions and with clothing, sticks, hair, skin, whatever else might be paired up, to see what looks best and matches best.
* Compare all existing flexis to make new one(s) as distinct as possible. This potentially cuts out a lot of combinations and sequences.

But eventually, just pick something and go with it! Or three somethings. They can always be given away or disassembled if you change your mind in the future.

[Alexandrina]

Finished this one today
The bun is lopsided and the flexi looks kinda asymmetric but I was just in a hurry

Oh, very nice! It doesn't look at all asymmetric to me

[Alexandrina]

I've realised I'm terrible at being creative starting from scratch, having to decide on colours and centrepieces myself. I'm much better at having a pattern to follow (e.g. lace, crochet) but I have so many flexi supplies now I really should maybe find some colour scheme generator or something, if that even exists, to start me off.

@MusicalSpoons: Don't create a color scheme. Let the centerpiece do it for you. Pick a random one you like, and match its colors for the loops. Alternatively, pick a piece of clothing you like, and match the colors in it. Then all you have to do is decide on the specific look/sequence. It's the only way I've ever managed to make anything decent; my sense of complementary colors is awful otherwise!

Thank you, but I have trouble even with those. I have centrepieces but working out which beads work best and in what size or sequence is just overwhelming. Most of my clothes ... well, I have some more colourful things especially recently, so that could possibly work, even if I have to wait to find a centrepiece that goes.

Other things I do, to trick myself into not overthinking it:
* Restrict myself to two colors and a metal (purple, white, silver; green, brown, gold; whatever fits the centerpiece).
* Always put a metal between colored pieces, even if it's the same color.
* Be symmetrical! It only requires 1/4 as much planning.
* Put the largest beads in the middle of each quarter, and work down to the smallest at the edges (centerpiece and middle of loops)
* Decide what size you want the flexi to be in the end, and stick to it. This is perhaps the most limiting thing for me, because I tend to want to put ALL THE BEADS on it, but I can only fit so many in half a loop while keeping the final size within bounds.
* Set a time limit. At least one needs to be done at the end, or it will be too late to have it ready for XYZ.

Alternatively, things I do to majorly overthink it, which sometimes also helps:
* Think through all the combinations.
* Count how many beads I have of smaller collections, and try to use up a full set with 1-3 flexis.
* Actually string at least a few combinations and hold them tight against the centerpiece, and compare them in multiple lighting conditions and with clothing, sticks, hair, skin, whatever else might be paired up, to see what looks best and matches best.
* Compare all existing flexis to make new one(s) as distinct as possible. This potentially cuts out a lot of combinations and sequences.

But eventually, just pick something and go with it! Or three somethings. They can always be given away or disassembled if you change your mind in the future.

Lots of good tips! I'm not great at picking combos myself, what helps me is focusing on things I don't have a lot of...
like for example I've recently started beading necklaces, so I went through my jewelry boxes and ruled out colors I had too much of... realized I didn't have a single necklace with red in it, so I decided to make a necklace that was predominately red.

Then went to the store, picked out a strand of red that I liked the shape of, then went up and down the aisle literally holding the beads up to other beads that I thought might match or look nice with it.

[Fornarina]

@SparrowWings,

that instruction manual is, what I follow too. Only two colors. If I have, I prepare some extra beads just in case some will jump off the table.

@paulownia,
very nice idea with that sturdy chord. Is the centerpiece a kind of button? Beautiful and tone-in-tone!

Three years ago I revamped the Flexi8 Krissy XL. I like antique copper very much, and the centerpiece is also very nice, but the rest ... The 8 is a bit larger now, and I skipped the brownish beads and inserted Prehnite beads instead.




I also have made new flexis. The ruby pearls were laying in a box for 5 years, because I just didn't find a right centerpice. Finally I decided to use a centerpiece from a Surprise-Flexi8, which was alltoo colorful to me. Now I have also many silver beads for some more Flexis. The next shock: The ruby beads were in the hole too narrow for my piano-wire which has the size of the Flexi8-wire 0,6mm. I bought 0,55 mm which was going to the brim of the beads' hole. But now it is finished.

I also decided to re-size my lapis flexi, because it was far too large and the stick was placed also in a very uncomfy way - the wire through the small hole of the stick - see here in my previous posting in this thread. That time, I didn't own any original Flexi8, so I had no imagination of the sizes I need actually. I need a size between XXL and XL, that means I have to make every fourth of the wire to be app. 3 1/5 inches, then I get the mid-size between XXL and XL. And I changed the centerpiece. I have some brooches which fit good, because the needle is right through the middle of it. I fastened it additionally with some glue band, which is not seen from the frontside.

The green jade flexi with the John Lauritzen brooch is allowed to stay large as it is - Giga size. Some hair styles with a hair tie ponytail base go with that very good.

Here some pics: