Materials and Tools
Tigertail and Beadalon
wires are strong, flexible, nylon-covered wires which are used for stringing
bracelets and necklaces. These wires are stiff and do not require a needle
so they hold their shape. Tigertail has a tendency to kink unlike Beadalon and other soft-flex wires. These wires are more
expensive but incorporate more strands into its construction which makes it
more flexible and less prone to kinking.
Crimp
beads
are soft metal beads that are flattened onto the tigertail or soft-flex wire
to finish strands or keep a bead in place. It can be flattened with either
needle nose pliers or crimping pliers.
Crimping pliers
are specialized pliers for squishing crimp beads. First the crimp bead gets
squished into a U-shape and then you squish it again so the U becomes a
little ball.
Bead
boards
can be used for laying out designs. There are a few different types of bead
boards, but most will at least have one long groove around the board where
you set your beads as you prepare to string. On either side of this groove
are markings and numbers. Each long mark represents an inch, and each of
the shorter marks represents a half inch. These markings help you determine
the final length of a piece of beaded jewelry.
Types of
Beads
Swarovski
crystal
beads were originally made in Austria and are often used to
create fine jewelry. These beads are known for their sparkle.
Bail beads
are usually made out of silver or sterling silver. They are often used as
spacers when making jewelry.
Lampwork beads
are made from molten glass. Because of the delicate process that it takes to
create them, lampwork beads can have wonderful colors, stripes and dots.
Gemstone Beads
- From before recorded history, semi precious beads have been used as both
ornament and as currency. Today we present the world’s natural treasures in
beautiful gemstone beads and gem-strands. Discover a myriad of semi precious
beads from the Earth’s palette. Find them in all shapes: round, oval,
rondelle, tubes and stars!
Glass Beads
- Are offered in a vibrant kaleidoscope of colors, shapes, finishes.
Covering the artistic spectrum from elegant to playful, glass beads are an
unbeatable combination of beauty and value.
Planning Your Design
Figure out what your bracelet/necklace will look like. You may want to lay
it out on a bead board or soft cloth first. If you are repeating a pattern
over and over, you can add the clasp first to one end and then string the
beads on and then add the other half of the clasp to the other end. This
way you don’t have to worry about beads falling off because you have already
secured the end.
If
you want your bracelet/necklace to be symmetrical but are not sure how many
beads to use, you will want to string the middle bead first and string
outward on both ends to make sure each side is the same. It will be a
little trickier because you’ll have to watch out for the beads falling off,
especially when you are adding the first half of the clasp but if you use a
bead stop this shouldn’t be a problem. You can also tape the other end of
the wire. You also may want to add another few inches to the length of wire
you cut to be on the safe side.
Putting it Together
Cut the wire.
Cut a piece of wire the length of the finish piece plus five inches.
Add a clasp.
Slide a crimp bead and one part of the clasp onto the wire. Slide the wire
back through the crimp bead, pull it tight, and then flatten the crimp bead
with the flat nose needle pliers so it stays. Trim the excess wire. If
using the crimping pliers, slide a crimp bead and one part of the clasp onto
the wire. Slide the wire back through the crimp bead, pull it tight. Step
1: Place the crimp bead into section 1 of the crimping pliers. How the two
pieces of wire apart while compressing the tool, ensuring the wires are held
within the crimp on opposite sides of the curve. Step 2: Place the curved
crimp into section 2 of the crimping pliers so the concave side of the curve
is facing the handle of the pliers. Gently compress the pliers, curving the
crimp bead into more of a tube shape.
String the beads.
String the beads onto the necklace or bracelet.
Attach the rest of the clasp.
Attach the second half of the clasp. The process is the same as the first
half. You will just have to be careful to pull everything snug so you don’t
have slack in your design.
Top
Quality Beaded Jewelry!
