Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Making Beaded Jewelry

So don't let the idea of making beaded jewelry from when you were like 12 throw you for a loop. It isn't made out of hemp and plastic beads (Do you remember those?). I posted on facebook that I was making jewelry, and my cute friend Jonie @ Just Between Friends commented that she hoped it wasn't like the jewelery we made when we were younger! I thought that I would post a little how to on making beaded necklaces and earrings. Here are a few of the necklaces and earrings that I made during Christmas. I am sorry I do not have a picture of the earrings finished for some reason-so you are going to have to use your imagination! :)

















































To get started you are going to need a few items including a bead board and some beading wire. You will use the bead board to set out the design of the beads that you want to use, so that you can see how things look before you actually string them.

















You are also going to need the appropriate "findings". This includes clasps, earring hooks, the long posts to string the earrings, and little pieces you use to hold the clasps on. You can usually find all of these in a pack. I bought mine at Roberts.












After you have laid out your design, you need to attach one end of the clasp to your wire. You do this by first putting the clasp at the end of your wire and then looping it through your finding. You then secure the finding in place using a crimper.


















Next, you can start threading your beads. After each bead I add "filler" beads. You continue this until you have threaded all of your beads. Then you put the other end of the clasp on just like you did the first one.




















Now for your earrings. These are very easy to make. You just take the long posts and thread your beads as desired. Once finished you slide the earring hook on the post. You use a pair of round nose pliers to bend the post around until you have made a circle, and the earring hook won't fall off.
















The last step you use a pair of cutters to cut off the excess post outside of the circle you have created!
















Congratulations! You have now created your first necklace and earrings! Feel free to let me know if you have any questions! If you attempt this email me your photos and I will post them on my blog!

2 comments:

  1. You know I was totally kidding, right? :) These look beautiful! I would definitely buy something like this.

    ReplyDelete