Bead jewelry making

Creating a beaded necklace requires time, patience and the right tools, but is something nearly anyone can learn to do with ease. Follow these simple steps to learn more about how to create your own beaded necklace.

Tools and Supplies
Before you can start making your necklace, it is important that you have the right tools and supplies available. This will ensure you bead a excellent necklace that will last a long time. You will need the following items: jewelry wire, beading needle, beading thread, beads, beading design board, a flat surface to work on, craft glue, scissors, and a pair of flat nose pliers.

Step One: Cut Your Jewelry Wire
Choose the length you want for your necklace, making sure to have an additional several inches to work with to make beading easier.

Step Two: Make Sure You Have Enough Beads and Lay Out the Design
Check to make sure you have plenty of beads and use the bead design board to lay out the beads flat. This will keep the beads from rolling away and making a mess. This will ensure you are able to complete the entire length of the necklace before you actually start beading.

Step Three: Knot the Jewelry Wire
Tie a knot at one of the ends of the jewelry wire. Take a pair of scissors to cut off any extra wire. Keep the knot at the end of the wire, and make sure it is tight so you don’t have to worry about it coming undone. Add a bead to the necklace and pull the wire through the open hole so the knot can rest against the bead. It is a good idea to apply a little craft glue and let it dry to ensure the knot doesn’t come undone.

Step Four: Bead the Necklace
String the beads while threading on the opposite bead tip to ensure that the strung beads do not face the open end of the tip.

Step Five: Attach the Tip and Clasp
Tie a loose knot in the wire end. Push the knot down into the bead tip with a straight pin. Ensure the knot is resting against the hole. Trim any extra remaining wire. Use the pliers to close the bead tip.

These bead tips should be attached to both ends of the thread, as one will allow the clasp to attach and close the necklace, while the other will hold the clasp.

Attach one of the clasp pieces onto a bead tip hook so that the loops are attached to each other. Use pliers to close the rings, one over the other. Do this again for the other clasp at the opposite end of the necklace.

Tips and Tricks
Beads that go by the name “clam shells” or “oyster shells” are easiest for novice beaders because of their size and shape.

To make an even stronger necklace, double your jewelry wire strand.

To make the beads a lot easier to string, add glue to the one to two inches on the end of the wire and allow it to dry. Since it will stiffen the wire, the beads will be easier to string.

Photo: Monica Fiorella Jewelry/Flickr

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