If you have a passion for fashion and an urge to express your creativity, you may find yourself wondering how to create your own beaded jewelry. Fortunately, making beaded jewelry is a hobby that almost anyone can enjoy. Whether your style is trendy or classically elegant, it’s easy to create customized accessories for your favorite outfits.
Supplies for making beaded jewelry can be purchased from any large craft store or specialty bead shop. For your first bracelet or necklace, you’ll typically need an assortment of beads, a clasp, and a spool of beading wire.
Beading wire is an important part of any jewelry making project. Typically, this term refers to flexible nylon-coated multi-strand steel wire. Thicker wire is used for large or heavy beads, while thin beading wire is used for pearls, seed beads, or beads with very small holes. Regardless of which type of beading wire you choose, however, you can be assured your project will be extremely durable.
Beading wire should be cut using wire cutters. Cutting beading wire with a pair of scissors will quickly dull the blades. When cutting wire for your bracelet or necklace, it’s best to allow yourself a few extra inches to work with for finishing the ends. If the wire is too short, you may find yourself struggling to attach the clasp to the completed piece.
A crimp tube is often used to attach beading wire to a clasp in order to create a professional looking piece of jewelry and add strength to your project. To use these small metal beads, you simply pass the beading wire through the crimp tube and close with a pair of pliers. Although a crimp tube can be flattened using a regular pair of needlenose pliers, investing in a pair of crimping pliers designed for jewelry making will produce a more attractive result.
Although spools of sterling silver wire are often sold with jewelry making supplies, this wire is not suitable for standard beading projects. Sterling silver wire is used for creating loops to make pendant dangles or earring charms. This wire can also be used for wire wrapping, a process often referred to as making wire jewelry.
If you find beading wire difficult to work with, you may want to try creating your jewelry using clear elastic cord. This flexible material is easily cut and knotted to create stretch bracelets or necklaces that require no clasp. Simply cover the knot with a layer of clear fingernail polish to provide additional reinforcement.
