About Tineke

When I was twelve years old my interest in beads began to grow, especially weaving with beads was very popular in that time.

Woven bracelets with images, etc. In 1980 I started knitting and crocheting with beads. When I first started,I knitted the beads in between the stitches because I didn’t know the right technique yet, which didn’t lead to a very nice result. My aunt gave me an antique purse and I studied it until I found out the bead was
supposed to go trough the stitch. After that many purses followed.

Now what I like doing most is repairing old purses. First putting the pattern on paper then unpick the purse, string the beads up again, knitting it over and finish
with the lining, fringes and a frame. I also repair purses with a hole in them or with missing fringes, with antique beads which I inherited.But it is always hard to find the exact same colors because, just like wool, there are many different shades.
With the traditional custumes of the province I live, Zeeland, many women wore a framed beaded purse.

Mostly with a seven pointed star pattern on a blue background. Many regions in Holland have their own attire with their own color and design.

About Rob

When I opened a store, t’ Kraaltje, (the Bead), In the handcraftscentre in Goes, around 1986, Rob helped me a lot.
This is when he started to gain an interest in beadwork himself. At first he began making necklaces, little trees and earrings and after a while he also started stringing beads for the purses, etc. In 1992 we gave up the store and focused at working with the beads at home.
Around 1996 we were contacted by Sabrina Schurenberg from Swabisch Gmund in Germany. She was working on a catalog named Glasperlarbeiten, taschen und beutel. The catalog was published in 1998. She invited us to demonstrate the technique of knitting with beads at an exhibition she organized, where
many beautiful beaded purses were displayed out of museums and private collections.

Since then we have given demonstrations in other German museums as well.

Museum: für Natur und Stadtkultur
Schwäbisch Gmünd
Kreis Museum Zons.
Museumdorf Cloppenburg
Museum Burg zu Hagen
Museumschloß Merseburg
We have also been to numerous Christmas- and other markets in Holland and Germany over the years with our beadwork.
At present time we are still actively working with our beads, designs and restorations.