Beading For Beginners

Being an avid crafting hobbyist I love working with my hands.

I have been sewing for years but I was expecting my second child and wanted to simplify my life.

I needed a kid friendly hobby that didn't take a lot of space and was basically a no-brainer. But this new hobby had to feed my creativity. I really needed simplicity. I wanted to focus on my newborn but still have a bit of 'me' time and sewing was not going to fill that criteria.

Sounded like a real tall order.

While searching I was accidentally introduced to beading. I spotted a beautiful uniquely styled watch that a co-worker was wearing. I thought for sure she had bought it from a high-end store, but when I found out she purchased it from a craft fair I was instantly intrigued and wanted to investigate this further.

Browsing through the beading department of a craft store seemed overwhelming, I didn't know anyone that did beadwork so I had no idea where to begin. But with this spark of interest I was not giving up.

I started with a beading publication, choosing a magazine vs. a book. I felt a magazine would provide a wider option of resources with the ads. I found beading magazines at my local craft store and this particular publication (Bead and Button) happened to be featuring a "how to" article on beaded watches.

Being a crafter meant that I had a lot of projects in process. So a magazine was a safe beginning for me. There was very little investment for the amount of information and resources to be had. This particular publication was not, what I would have considered to be, a basic beginner level and most of the projects were beyond what I was looking for. But I forged ahead. The pages within were a wealth of introduction to suppliers, tools and materials. I proceeded by ordering a supply catalog from Fire Mountain Gems. At the time, they offered one huge main catalog, which has since changed. I figured there would be a lot of information to digest and the FREE price fit my budget.

Now with a supply catalog and another magazine or two on hand I drank over the information for the next several months, learning about the beading materials, tools and terminology.

This process may sound a bit long but it provided, for me, a solid introduction to the components behind jewelry making and laid the ground work for moving into the techniques.

If you are at a beginner's stage and feel overwhelmed by all the selection in the beading department, as I was, I encourage you to start, at the least, with a beading magazine just to get your toes wet.

Listed are a few beading publications to help get you started. I also recommend another publication called BeadStyle which was not in publication when I was a beginner (bummer). Beadstyle is a sister company to 'Bead and Button' and is published every other month. All of the beading projects are targeted to the beginner and there's a useful beaders' glossary in the back of the publication. It's an inspirational resource and full of good content.

When I was ready to learn the techniques, I started looking for classes. Logical start right? But there were no classes at the local craft stores and there were no local bead shops. No one was teaching 'how to bead' in my area. After a thorough search for a local class to no avail, I finally bought an instruction book.

As I read through the beading instructions I couldn't help feel something was missing. It sounded too simple. But I moved forward. My first goal was to make a bracelet. I gathered a few inexpensive tools and materials to get me started. I worked through the directions and finally completed my first piece. Once I was convinced it was not going to fall apart I was overjoyed with the realization that it really was that simple.

It immediately hit me, 'I' could teach this. I couldn't be the only one that wanted to learn this. If it was this easy to learn then it would be just as easy to teach. There was no doubt of the need in my area.

I continued to learn more of the tools and techniques by putting them into practice. After inquiring within the local craft stores, I found the right fit and began a new journey of teaching 'basics of beading' to others in my community unveiling the mysteries one class, one person at a time.

Thanks to Squidoo I now can share with you a simple introduction to help you get your journey started.

Both you and your friends will be impressed with your first piece and they will want you to show them how, too.

In the next few sections you will be introduced to materials used to make professional looking jewelry as well as the tools and techniques used to create them.

Scattered throughout will possibly be new terminology you may not be initially familiar with. But the more you read the more you will learn and become familiar with the jewerly making jargon.

My main goal through this process is not to overwhelm the beginner so I will only focus on the basics for this introduction. Plus I only share from my own experience as I was learning these mysteries. Not everyone learns the same way. If you have been beading for a while you may be interested in another's perspective. I enjoy reading of other's journeys, it validates what I have learned. I welcome your feedback but please be kind, remember this is for the beginner.

The basic beading materials you will need to create a simple piece of jewelry are beads and findings. Let's look at some.

Beads are a composite made of a variety of materials available in a large selection of shapes and sizes that are pierced for stringing or threading. Some of the materials you will find beads made of are precious metal, semi-precious stones, crystal, glass, acrylic, clay, plastic, wood, metal......you get the idea? Bead sizes are measured in millimeters (mm) starting as small as 1mm and up. If a bead's shape is not equal in size of thickness and length then it is listed with both sizes, ex. 4mm x 8mm. The cost of beads varies based on the quality and material of the bead. I would say a good starting budget of $10 will provide you with a great bead mix to play with in the beginning. I encourage you not to overbuy, which is easily done, until you become more familiar with the techniques and have a keener awareness of the vast selection available. Start moderately and you'll be fine.

Findings in jewelry making are a variety of materials used to compliment, accent and finish jewelry projects. Some basic findings good to have on hand will be jump rings, clasp, crimp beads, stringing materials, head and eye pins and ear wires.

-Jump rings are a small round piece of wire in various sizes that have a split so they can be opened and closed and are used to hold items together for a variety of reasons. A quick example would be to hold a charm to a bracelet.

-Clasp sometimes are part of the design of the piece of jewelry. It's what opens and closes the jewelry to put the piece on or take it off. A few varieties of clasp are a lobster claw, spring clasp, toggle (a 2-part clasp that has a loop and bar), magnetic and hook & eye, among others.

-Stringing materials are available in a wide variety of types such as silk, elastic, leather, satin, thread, and soft flexible wire to name a few. These are very flexible stringing materials and have a drape to them. But word of caution based on the quality and strength of the stringing material will depend on how easily it breaks or how soft it drapes. There are also pre-formed stringing materials that can be found in heavy steel wire (memory wire) or hard plastic.

-Crimp beads are pliable beads that are used to hold the stringing material to the clasp by compressing it using pliers.

-Wire is available as a base or precious metal and packaged either as a spool or as pins. Just as beads, wire has its own measurement. Wire is normally measured in gauge most commonly by even numbers (ex. 18, 20, 22) or can also be categorized by its diameter which is also listed in mm. Learning to look for the difference between gauges or diameter is a must and will help eliminate some bad buys. The larger the gauge, the thinner the wire. Pins are available as either head pins or eye pins in a variety of lengths starting from 1/2" up to 4". They have two ends, one end open for stringing the beads and the other end is closed by either a head (head pin) or a loop (eye pin). You must be careful with head pins though, making sure the hole of the bead is not larger than the head of the pin. If it is just add a smaller bead with a smaller hole. It's a common practice and it adds a nice detail to your project. People won't realize it's there for practical purposes but just as part of the design, it will make you look so clever. Wire on a spool is one continues piece of wire of several feet. As you become more familiar with the basic wire techniques you can begin to make your own eye pins and even your own head pins. It's a lot of fun and the creations are limitless. My recommendation for beginners would be to practice with 22 to 24 gauge 2" head pins.

-Ear wires are just that, wires that go on your ears. They are available in a variety of shapes for both pierced and clip on. This is covered further in techniques.

There are so many more findings available. This is just a hint. As you become more familiar with this process you will begin to see the many variations and styles that can be created with the endless selection out there. Moderate priced findings will be a base metal with a coating or a plating covering. The higher end priced findings are made of precious metals such as sterling and gold. I would budget $15-$20 for a nice selection of findings to get your started.

There are a minimum of three jeweler tools that will be needed to construct your project. There are many more tools out there that do the same job but again we are talking basics.

These three tools are the chain nose pliers, round nose pliers and wire or thread cutters.

It is best to use pliers and cutters intended for jewelry making and not the typical household tools. Jewelry making tools are specifically made for the sensitive materials that will be used. You will be able to tell them apart by how smooth the finish is at the nose of the pliers. (Here is a test, if you run your finger over the inside of the nose of the plier and it feels rough, then it will be rough on your materials as well.) The cutters have no effect on the end project but make sure you have the right cutter for the right job. Some of the cutters intended for soft stringing wire are not intended for stronger steel shaped wire.

A moderate cost for a good starting tool will run around $8-$10. Do not settle for the cheaper made tools just to cut corners. They will mare or damage your work and may not operate as smoothly, this may create frustration during the learning process. But I also recommend you not invest in the high end tools either until you are comfortable with your skills and ready to upgrade.

Another tool needed will be a beading mat. You will need something that will absorb and cushion your materials while working on your project to keep them from rolling away from you. Working on a hard surface will not accomplish that. The most economical is using a household towel. But, there are a variety of other beading mats available. Felt and fleece mats are the most common found. Beading boards, like the one pictured above, are also an option and a handy tool to hold your beads and beading projects. Beading mats are all moderately priced and a must have for any project. My best recommendation is to make sure it is big enough to hold a decent amount of items while you are practicing. You don't need the added frustration of loosing your materials.

It's said pictures are worth a thousand words. Then how many words would a video be worth? The majority of people learn visually.

There are two basic techniques that are used to create bracelets, necklaces, earrings, anklets and so much more.

The first technique I like to begin with is the simpliest. It is called the 'crimping' technique. You will need the chain nose pliers and the cutter to accomplish this. Crimping is simply compressing a pliable bead in order to hold the stringing material to the clasp securely in place. There are a few different tools that can be used to accomplish this. I prefer to start with the simpliest introduction to acheive the end product. I start beginners with the chain nose pliers for a flat crimp. Once the concept of crimping is understood then you can practice more using a crimp tool or a magical crimp tool. I, myself, did not have a lot of success in the beginning using the crimping tool but the chain nose plier worked everytime. You can always work your way up and starting with the simpliest builds the confidence to achieve higher results. The 'crimping' technique is used to create bracelets, necklaces, anklets, handbag handles and more.

The second technique will be making a single or 'plain loop' with an head pin. You will need the round nose pliers, chain nose pliers and cutter for this technique. I have added a few videos to demonstrate this technique. I intially found this to be somewhat of an awkward motion to create the loop but with practice it will become easier. It has become my favorite technique. The other loop technique is a wrapped looped. Same materials and tools are used but a few different steps to create this technique. The wrapped loop is a more secure loop for your creations.

I hope these illustrations help.

Beading can cost as little or as much as you want. Starting with a moderate investment until you do become comfortable with your skill level will keep this affordable. It's very easy to want to buy a lot in the beginning, but I encourage you to maintain your willpower and save your money for when you have mastered the techniques and are ready for some serious projects.

I share from my own inexperience. I made some really bad buys in the beginning because I liked how it looked in the packaging. As I became more knowledgeable about beading and the quality of the materials I didn't much care for my initial purchases. On the bright side though I had a preschooler and beading is an excellent technique to develop motor skills with those little fingers. But always use CAUTION, there is also the temptation of putting things in their mouth as well and may create a choking hazard.

All of these items can be found through many suppliers on line or at your local craft and hobby stores. Making your own handcrafted jewelry has become popular enough that most stores offer a nice selection. Should you have questions before making your purchases be sure to ask your sales clerk, they more than likely will know something about the department they are in charge of.

Again remember, with patience and persistence you will be making your own creations before you know it.

Keeping up with the latest fashion trends can be a daunting task especially when there are so many.

To make this task easier, clicking on this picture takes you to a good resource I found that has made it easier to follow the latest trends. She keeps her lens well informed, full of good information and a quick read. I like what she has to say and how she has shared it. Hope you find it as informative as I did.

Enjoy.

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