How To Make Handmade Beaded Jewelry

Did you know that there are some natives in Africa who use beaded jewelry as garments? Surprising as it may sound, it is true. From ancient times, women of different cultures have enjoyed wearing unique jewelry that not only made a statement but also made them feel special. Beads have travelled a long way in time. From being the symbols of status, wealth, and legacy, they have become more like statements of unrivaled style and personality of an individual. The wonderful thing about beads is that they look very appealing in any form be it single, or in a collection. One can find evidence of beads having been used from as early as the Ice Age. With time, beads also have changed in shape, size and even the material from which they were made. Perhaps the most popular of all beaded jewelry are the glass ones as they give an out of the world look to anyone who wears them. Making handmade jewelry at home can be fun. Here are a few ways to make them.

Tips For Making Beaded Jewelry

The best part of any handmade beaded jewelry is that no two pieces of beaded jewelry look the same. You can make unique beaded jewelry giving it a class-apart look. You can try different permutations and combinations with beads from necklaces to rings to earrings. Learn to make some beaded jewelry here.

Beaded Earrings

Things Required:

2 headpins or eye pins
2 ear wires
Beads
Round nose pliers.

Method

Take a headpin and thread in the beads of your choice.
Pattern the beads in whichever way you like.
You are free to use spacer beads in between.
With a pair of round-nose pliers, bend the pin to a loop.
Your earrings are done.

Beaded Necklaces

Things Required

Wire
Beads
Round nose pliers

Method

Take the wire.
Make a loop using pliers at the end of the wire.
Start putting in the different beads into the wire.
You can use beads of different size and shape.
Make a loop at the end of the necklace using the nose pliers.

Beadalon Necklace

19 strand bright or silver Beadalon wire .018” (0.46mm) diameter
2” headpins
Crimp beads
4 calottes (in case one breaks)
Small crystal beads of your choice (4mm and 5mm)
Large 10mm bead
2mm silver ball spacer beads
Lobster clasp
5mm jump ring
Nose pliers
Wire or side cutters

Method

Cut off a piece of the Beadalon wire, 2" longer than the necklace size that you are planning to make.
Mark the center of the wire.
Slide a crimp bead into the wire.
Using pliers, press the crimp bead onto your wire.
Slowly slide your beads in the order: 4mm crystal bead, round spacer bead, 5mm crystal bead, 4mm crystal bead.
Slide another crimp bead onto the wire when the beads are in place.
Compress it into a tiny ball.
Slide a crimp bead onto the wire 1mm apart from the first one.
Slide the beads in the same order as it was done on the other side.
Now taking an inch from the last crimp bead, slide the next crimp bead.
Slide the rest of the beads in the same order as mentioned before.
End it with a crimp bead compressed well.
Do the same for the other side as well.
After 1 inch, continue the same process mentioned above, until there is not much of the wire is left.
Once the beading process is over, add a calotte to one end of the necklace and a jump ring to the other.
You can slide the beads onto the headpin.
Make a loop of it and then slowly by opening the loop you can fix the focal point to the centre.
Your necklace is ready.

You can make anything from an anklet to a bracelet following this process.

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