They were popular in the 70's and they're still fun today - beaded curtains for your closet or bedroom doorway. You must thoroughly love stringing beads before taking on this craft, though, because you'll have to string hundreds of them. One way to cut down on the amount of beads you have to string is to select beads which are long, rather than short, round beads. It's also helpful to count out the amount of beads you'll need for each strand so that upon hanging the beaded curtain you don't suddenly realize one strand is shorter than the others. Measure and cut the twine for the amount of strands you will need. Measure the length and the width of the doorway, and then allow a strand for each half inch of space.

Fishing twine ,stainless steel wire or something similar is good for this project since it is strong and won't show through any transparent beads. To secure the beads upon starting a strand, thread one bead, then take the twine back through the first hole and out the second hole. Now carefully fill the inside of the bead with hot glue and insert the tail of the twine back into the second hole, but don't let the tail come out the other side of the bead. This not only keeps secures the top bead, but also gives you a loop to use later for hanging the curtain. Now start at the other end of the twine to begin threading your beads. Choose the same bead or make a pattern of different beads.

After you're finished threading the beads for the first strand, repeat the process of taking the twine back through the first hole of the bead and out through the second hole. This time, don't put the tail back into the hole, but leave it hanging until you have filled the hole with glue and allowed it to dry. Now trim the tail off even with the end of the bead. This will be the bottom part of the strand. Thread and secure the rest of the strands.

To hang the strands, insert nails to the inside of the doorway, then hang each strand on a nail, or use a long, narrow piece of wood for attaching the nails and hanging the beads. The wood should be about 4" longer than the doorway to allow 2" on each side. Measure the two inches from the end, then put in the nails and hang the beads. Now nail or screw the wood piece into the doorway. You can also thread a piece of twine through the loop of each bead strand, then use "C" hooks or other hardware to secure the curtain across the doorway. This method allows you to easily slide the curtains open, scoot them all to one side, or separate them in the middle and use tie-backs to hold them open.

You can make it easy on yourself when it comes to beading the strands by purchasing strung beads from a craft or department store. The selection is usually limited and it's often difficult to find strands that aren't holiday-related. Even some of the holiday ones are suitable, like the white beads on a string. They can be decorated by simply using a small paint brush and putting a swirl on a bead here and there, or by painting several beads on each strand. Spray-on tie-dye or other dyes can also be used, or wrap an occasional bead with foil for a different look altogether