7 Simple Steps to Making Jewelry at Home

I began beading several years ago at Fred Segal in Santa Monica. They had a really cool bead shop where you could sit down, design and make your piece. It was a bit pricey but worth the finished product and the lack of hassle.

I took this theory and began designing jewelry from my home and selling it to boutiques. Here is a quick and easy way to make a beautiful necklace.

1. FIND A PENDANT

This is usually the most important part of the design as it is going to be the main attraction. It is the largest part of the necklace and is centered to gain the attention of the eye. I look for unusual and unique pendants that are already wire wrapped and/or have a loop to slide onto a chain or bead onto flexwire.

The pendants I use range from stones like amethyst, citrine, turquoise etc to beautiful crosses and cameos. It doesn't matter what the pendant is, just make sure it stays within your budget. You also want to make sure it is made well and will not fall apart after 2 wears.

2. MATCH THE PENDANT TO THE BEADS

Once I chose a pendant, I then advance to the bead section. I always choose something that compliments that pendant in color, texture and size. For example, if I was going to choose a Indian coral and turquoise pendant, most likely I would use a similar stone for the beading that matched in color and size. Maybe a small nugget torquise or round coral bead. Another example would be a black and white cameo pendant. Most likely I would pair it with a round onyx stone that was smaller than the pendant and accented the cameo. You can also be creative and a bit funky and try mixing a black and white cameo with some cool stone as well. It just depends on how traditional you want to be and who you are making the necklace for.

3. ADD SOMETHING THAT SPARKLES

Once I have my pendant and beads chosen, I always like to add a bit of sparkle to the piece. I personally like Swarovski crystals scattered throughout. They add a bit of glimmer and make the piece pop. It also adds value to the piece if your end goal is to sell it.

4. SPACERS TO ADD BLING

In some pieces, I like to add some silver or gold spacers. Even if it is just a plain tiny round one that separates the beads from the crystals. It also adds bling and makes the crystals pop. However if you are going to use silver, be prepared to clean it regularly as it can tarnish.

5. NOW THE TOOLS AND FINDINGS

Now you are ready to actually put the necklace together. If you are beginner, this should take no more than and hour. I can usually make about one piece every 15 minutes. Make sure you have the necessary tools and findings. For a basic necklace you will need the following :

-Wire, Thread or Stretch Cord (I prefer Accuflex wire)

-Crimp beads (2 beads - One for each end)

-Small Jewelry Scissors (or manicure scissors will work)

-Clasp (I prefer a large lobster clasp with matching jump ring)

-Flat Nosed Pliers (I use two pairs when making pieces but you can use just one or substitute tweezers)

6. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Wire:

You start with the piece of wire and measure it to the length you want. You can also use a beading board but I do the easy way of just measuring. Cut the wire to desired length.

Fasten the end:

Place the jumpring and crimp bead on the end of the wire, so the beads won't slip.

String the beads:

Begin stringing the beads along the wire. Use whatever pattern you chose above. For example: 3 beads, 1 silver spacer, 1 crystal, 1 silver spacer, 3 beads....and keep repeating.

Add the pendant:

Once you get to the middle, slide the pendant onto the wire.

Even it out:

Repeat the beading until you get to the end.

Fasten the end:

Add the crimp bead and the lobster clasp.

7. WEAR IT AND TEST IT

I always like to try the piece on and make sure it hangs well and doesn't do anything funny. Sometimes when you use a thicker Accuflex with heavy beads it can become too tight or too loose or hang weird. I like to try it on several times throughout the process to make sure I'm happy with the length etc.

Good luck!

My name is Kameron Kay, marketing expert and jewelry designer. Please visit my newly released "Jewelry Selling Secrets" ebook and audio program at: http://www.kameronkay.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kameron_Kay

Beading Patterns Free Peyote Stitch

The peyote stitch is an easy and enjoyable bead stitch to learn. Beginner beaders to advanced fall in love with the peyote stitch because of its versatility, flexiblity and beauty. The peyote stitch almost feels like fabric and can be use to make chokers, beaded purses... and endless bead designs.

Supplies

40" (60cm) Nylon beading thread

Beading needle

Size 11 seed beads

How To Bead A Peyote Stitch...

Step 1. Thread on a top bead

Step 2. Thread on 7 more beads

Step 3. Thread another bead and then thread your needle through the 3rd bead from the end.
Pull the thread so that the new bead sits on top of the 8th bead of the first row.

Step 4. Thread another bead and then thread your needle through the 4th bead from the end of the first row.

Step 5. Repeat Step 4, 2 more times, weaving the thread through every other bead on the first row.
You will end the second row with the thread going through the stop bead. (your first bead).
You should have added 4 new beads.

Step 6. Now, lets continue with a third row...
Thread another bead and then thread your needle through the first bead on the second row.
Pull the thread so that the new bead sits on top of the stop bead

Step 7. Thread another bead and then thread your needle through the next bead on the second row.

Step 8. Continue like this until you have 4 new beads threaded for the third row.

Keep going! The peyote stitch takes a bit of practice at first. The trick is to keep the thread tension tight, and still allow the weave to lay flat. Practice with larger seed beads at first to get the hang of the stitch. Once you learn the peyote stitch, you will be hooked! Bead long strips of seed beads to make a choker!

Happy Beading!

Jennifer Thoden

Discover free bead patterns, beading instructions and an online bead store directory. Visit http://www.beadpatternsonline.com to enjoy free designer bead patterns, detailed step by step bead instructions, dozens of beading related articles and a growing online bead store directory to help you find the beading supplies you need.

http://www.beadpatternsonline.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Thoden

Bracelet Bead Pattern - Pearls, Crystal and Silver

Have fun with this 3 strand bracelet made with crystal pearl, crystal bicones and silver beads. It sparkles, it shines... fancy enough to wear out on the town... yet you can wear it with any color sweater or t-shirt and look great! And best of all, this bracelet is easy to make!

Skills required:

Crimping
Stringing Beads

Beading Supplies

* Crimping pliers
* Needlenose pliers
* Flat nose pliers
* (24") .014mm Stringing Wire
* (6) 2mm Crimp Tubes Sterling Silver
* (6) Crimp Covers Silver
* (1) 16mm Toggle Clasp Sterling Silver
* (48) 3mm Silver Bead Sterling Silver
* (31) 6mm Glass Pearl White
* (20) 4mm Spacer Bead Antique Silver Plated
* (18) 4mm Cystal Bicone Clear
* (77) Size 11 Seed Beads

Stringing the first strand of beads

Step 1. Cut off 8" of stringing wire.

Step 2. String one end through a crimp tube, through the hole of of one side of the clasp, back through the same crimp tube.

Step 3. Crimp the crimp tube with crimping pliers.

Step 4. Cover the crimp tube with a crimp cover using your flat-nose pliers.

Step 5. String beads on in the following order:

Vist http://www.beadpatternsonline.com to see this bead pattern and to read the rest of this article with detailed photos and diagrams.

Happy Beading!

Jennifer Thoden

Discover free bead patterns, beading instructions and an online bead store directory. Visit http://www.beadpatternsonline.com to enjoy free designer bead patterns, detailed step by step bead instructions, dozens of beading related articles and a growing online bead store directory to help you find the beading supplies you need.

http://www.beadpatternsonline.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Thoden

Bracelet Bead Pattern - Pearls and Sea Foam Seed Beads

This 3 strand beaded bracelet is elegant with it's cool, translucent sea foam strands... and dangles of glass pearls... sparkling with silver beads and spacers. Wear this bracelet with an elegant white blouse or dress up your casual t-shirts... or wear it with a green sweater to pull out the green. Beautiful!

Skills required:

Crimping
Stringing Beads
Wire Working

Beading Supplies

* Crimping pliers
* Needlenose pliers
* Flat nose pliers
* (24") .014mm Stringing Wire
* (14) Silver Plated 2" Head Pins
* (6) 2mm Crimp Tubes Sterling Silver
* (6) Crimp Covers Silver
* (1) 24mm 3 Strand Hook and Eye Clasp Sterling Silver
* (257) Size 11 Seed Beads Transparent -Sea Foam
* (20) 6mm Glass Pearl White
* (26) 4mm Spacer Bead Antique Silver Plated
* (12) 3mm Silver Bead Sterling Silver
* (7) 4mm Jump Rings Silver

Creating the dangles

Step 1. String onto a head pin, 1 pearl, 1 spacer bead.

Step 2. Form a wrapped loop close to the spacer bead. Trim off excess wire.

Step 3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for a total of 14 pearl dangles.

Step 4. Hook 2 pearl dangles together with a jump ring... create 7 sets.

Vist http://www.beadpatternsonline.com to read the rest of this article with detailed photos and diagrams.

Happy Beading!

Jennifer Thoden

Discover free bead patterns, beading instructions and an online bead store directory. Visit http://www.beadpatternsonline.com to enjoy free designer bead patterns, detailed step by step bead instructions, dozens of beading related articles and a growing online bead store directory to help you find the beading supplies you need.

http://www.beadpatternsonline.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Thoden

Beading Crimping Instructions

Crimping is the process of securing your wire to a clasp or creating a stop for a bead on wire. When beading jewelry you will use the crimping skill all the time. The best part about this beading skill is that it is very easy to learn.

You will need:

Crimp tube

Stringing wire

Crimping Pliers

Step 1. Thread the wire through the crimp tube, through the ring on the clasp

Step 2. Thread the wire back through the crimp tube

Step 3. Lay the crimp tube on the back portion of the crimping pliers

Step 4. Close the crimping pliers to squeeze the crimp tube flat

Step 5. Lay the flattened crimp tube on its side in the front space of the pliers

Step 6. Close the crimping pliers again to squeeze the crimp tube in half again

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Visit http://www.beadpatternsonline.com to read this article with easy to follow diagrams.
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You can cover a crimped bead with a crimp cover. This gives the illusion of another bead instead of seeing flattened metal. You can also find crimp beads that have a loop already on them. So instead of looping the wire through the clasp, you would crimp you wire, and cover the crimp bead with the crimp cover. Use a jump ring to hook the crimp cover and clasp together.

Happy Beading!

Jennifer Thoden

Discover free bead patterns, beading instructions and an online bead store directory. Visit http://www.beadpatternsonline.com to enjoy free designer bead patterns, detailed step by step bead instructions, dozens of beading related articles and a growing online bead store directory to help you find the beading supplies you need.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Thoden

How To Make A Wrapped Wire Loop

For many of your bead patterns, you will need to know how to make a wrapped wire loop.

A wrapped wire loop is medium thick wire wrapped to form an enclosed loop that you use to string beads and dangles.

To create a wrapped loop you should use 20 guage wire or a head pin. You would use a head pin if you only need one side of your bead(s) to have a loop. You would use the wire if you need to create loops on both ends of the bead. As you can see, a head pin is perfect for creating dangles for earrings and for dangles to hang off your necklace. A loop on each end of a bead allows that bead to be hooked on both ends for creative design purposes.

The instructions here for a wrapped loop will show a 2" head pin... but you can use this method on your wire of choice.

Step 1. With your flat-nose pliers, grasp the wire at least 1" from the end.

Step 2. Using your finger, press the wire over the pliers creating a 90 degree angle

Step 3. With your round-nose pliers, grasp the wire close to the bend, with the wire close to tips of the pliers. (Where the wire is located on the round-nose pliers will determine the diameter of the loop. You should have the wire where the arrow is pointing in the photo.)
Step 4. Roll the pliers toward the bend... use your finger to press the wire around the pliers to form a loop... with the tail of the wire laying at a 90 degree angle across the bend.

Step 5. Grasp the loop with your flat-nose pliers, so that the intersection of the wire on the bend is inside the pliers... and the nose of the pliers is pointing in the same direction as the tail.

Step 6. Using your finger, bend the tail tightly around the wire.

Vist http://www.beadpatternsonline.com to read this article with detailed photos and diagrams.

Happy Beading!

Jennifer Thoden

Discover free bead patterns, beading instructions and an online bead store directory. Visit http://www.beadpatternsonline.com to enjoy free designer bead patterns, detailed step by step bead instructions, dozens of beading related articles and a growing online bead store directory to help you find the beading supplies you need.

http://www.beadpatternsonline.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Thoden

Taking Up Beading? An Amazing Variety Of Books And Beading Kits Will Help You Get Started

Beading looms, Russian coraling techniques, crocheted bead jewelry, beading incorporated into purses and quilts … there are so many ways to create beaded items that it's hard to know where to start. Luckily, the Internet can bring an entire world of beading information, materials and supplies into your home. A quick search using the keyword "beading" results in hundreds of websites offering beading materials and supplies, free beading patterns, and a wealth of books for students of beading, both beginning and advanced.

For the beginner, the book Simply Beautiful Beading: 53 Quick and Easy Projects, by Heidi Boyd, offers a variety of attractive designs for jewelry and accessories, as well as projects for home décor. She teaches thirteen basic beading techniques, all easy to do and all of which result in beautifully made items for personal use. Another book, Bead Fantasies, by Takako Samejima, teaches easy techniques which result in wonderfully delicate and feminine jewelry and other crafted items.

If you're interested in the intricate designs possible with the use of a bead weaving loom, explore the Dover Needlework series volume, Big Book of Indian Beadwork Designs, by Kay Doherty Bennett. One of many excellent beading books with a Native American theme, this particular book has a wealth of authentic Native American designs to copy or adapt to your own projects, for jewelry and to add to clothing, bags, and other crafted items.

You can also find information, both in these books and on the Internet, about the materials and supplies you need to start beading: bead boards, bead crimping tools, stringing wire, tweezers, a variety of beading looms - and, of course, beads and findings, thousands of them, from all around the world. From the tiniest seed beads to large, colorful ceramic or glass beads, to intricately designed silver beads, bells, and pendants, they are available from virtually anywhere in the world. If you want to make it easy on yourself, order a beading kit: many are available for all skill levels, and will get you set up with the basic tools needed for the craft, in addition to supplying you with the beads necessary for the specific project.

Beaders are a passionate lot, and many websites available on the Internet offer galleries of personal work for your inspiration; many also offer free beading patterns, as well as free instruction, even free online courses in beading. Pick a project that attracts you, and try to copy it using the techniques you know. Play with it; choose different color combinations, incorporate the design into a different application from the one shown, explore using beads of different sizes and shapes to see what results. Pick up a book on color or basic design and incorporate those principles into your work. You may find that you move very quickly from simply copying the designs of other artists to creating your own designs, and from there you'll very quickly develop your own personal style.

Several Bead Jewelry Designs

Working with beads can be fun and exciting in the same time for those who love to participate in arts and crafts . This can turn into a passion, but also into a business as well. Bead jewelry design is used for clothing and shoes decoration, and for many other things. All the spectacular beads can be used in bead jewelry designs, from small colorful beads to large beach theme beads.

Seashells can also be used o create beads designs, buttons, and many other decorative objects. Everything depends of the imagination and creativity, taste and experience. When someone decide to make bread jewelry design, is wise to begin using beads found at a local craft store.



The color and size must match with the project you are designing. There are many options to choose from, everything depends on your imagination and creativity. Ever the craft store looks like having a wide variety of products; remember that a craft store is not specialized in items to make bead jewelry designs. It is possible that after making some pieces of bead jewelry, you get tired of the selection offered to you there.

This is the moment when you can search some sites specialized in offering materials for bead jewelry design. There are many great sites that you’ll find convenient to become your only materials’ provider. You will have the possibility to buy from those sites all the supplies you need. Make sure that you made the best choice; you must collaborate with the most appropriate firm for you. If you can manage to have a long term relationship with them, it will be to your benefit.

You can read the reviews coming from the site’s clients. Many people are buying from the internet bead products. You can share their experience and opinions. Consumers’ review can be really useful and give you the information you need. You can find companies you didn’t’ even know existed, but it will give you the opportunity to learn from other people experience and don’t make the same mistakes.

There are some website that never comes through their promises that hey are proposing in the website content. It is not a pleasant experience to order your bead jewelry designs to a company online and wait a few days without any result. It is very discouraging to realize a few days after that your will not receive your beads and the money are lost.

After a serious research, you’ll find the serious online companies that can provide you everything you need; you can make bead jewelry and sell them after back on the internet.

It is a great chance to create a profit doing what you love to do. If the profit isn’t interesting you, the bead jewelry designs will be the most appropriate gift for your closest friends and family, on birthdays or special occasions.