Amelie Mag asked:


Bead jewelry making is an activity that can be done by anyone, even if they haven’t been particularly trained to do beadwork. In other words, there is no level of skill forced upon you in order to complete an incredible decorative necklace or pair of earrings made out of beads. The number one advantage of creating your own jewelry or ornaments is the fact that they can be 100% original. Your creativity together with the benefits of the online shops which allow you to buy almost anything regarding jewelry making supplies will assist you to create unique pieces. If you are not interested in creating jewelry and simply want to buy wholesale beads, by visiting gemmall.com you will certainly find a wide range of beads from where you can take your desired pick(s).

When you get involved with jewelry making, experience is always a plus. In case you are not inspired, then you should make sure to have close at hand specific patterns to work on and, if possible, a tutorial to help you through the process, particularly if you are a beginner. Concerning the beadwork patterns, make a simple choice if you are a novice. You will also need thread, i.e. beading thread. Don’t use sewing thread or dental floss – they will break easily. Many bead makers favor C-Lon and Nymo types of beading thread. They are fairly resistant, even in high humidity circumstances. In addition, beading needles are a must: you will use them to pass the thread through the beads.

It is preferable to approach jewelry making in a “step by step” manner, but with imaginative enthusiasm. The results won’t be disappointing and you might discover yourself as an artist. As soon as you finish your first ornaments, you will feel more confident and attracted to future beadwork possibilities. In case you consider you’re not very skilled in jewelry making, gemmall.com can supply you with already stringed wholesale beads according to your taste. The amazing crafts will surely catch your attention and you might even find yourself in a difficult position of not knowing what exactly to choose from so many wonderful offers.

The key to successful bead making consists in the beads you’ll use. The choice is yours and the result depends on the material, the texture and color of the beads. By taking a look at the wholesale beads available on the above mentioned website you will be delighted to discover a world of gemstones, glass beads, crystal, plastic, wood or even sterling silver and gold beads. Attractive through color and shape these wholesale beads themselves can be a source of inspiration in creating some particular decorative item.

Because obviously no beadwork can be completed without beads, you should check out the available wholesale beads that interest you above all without leaving aside the other possibilities you have. It’s good if you know exactly what you want to purchase, but a second look at the other options might determine you to change your mind. Temptation is at every turn. And you might even realize the wholesale beads you bought now can be of help and an inspiration later on while jewelry making and while paying attention to the creative process.

Since you are buying wholesale beads, you will most likely be at an advantage: you will get them in cost-effective terms and in amounts that guarantee you can go ahead with your jewelry making without interruption caused by the lack of beads.

Finally, the workspace where you create your ornaments is very important. This means that you will need quality lighting conditions, particularly if you wear eyeglasses or if you feel that at a certain point during your work, your eyes sore – it is a clear sign that either you are tired so it’s time you took a break or lighting conditions are not appropriate. Jewelry making can be a particularly meticulous occupation. Attention to details is a must and you need to be able to notice everything.

Other measures you should approach out of caution concern the amount of beads you have at hand. It is preferable that you don’t get cheap about the amount of beads you purchase. There is nothing more unpleasant than finding that you are left with no beads just when you’ve managed to get a bit accustomed with bead threading or when you are close to the “finish line”.

Also, make sure that you have some spare needles. A single needle might get lost or misplaced. At times, it may even break should it come in rough contact with some other objects. So, in order to prevent a sudden interruption caused by your need to go to the nearest shop and buy another beading needle, it is best to stay on the safe side and secure a “supply” of needles and of wholesale beads prior to any potentially unpleasant event. Finally, you can start your work on the beadwork pattern. Good luck!



Darren

Ariana Cherry asked:


Jewelry makers and hobbyists love beads. Without beads, designs just can’t be put to the test or created. Of course, while we can draw pictures on paper, or come up with hopeful dreams in our heads, beads is a must for all jewelry makers. While money may be tight at times, there are ways to purchase beads even if money is tight. There are even ways to make your own beads too. If your wallet has a hole, or the well is running dry in your home, read on to find out some easy ways to save money to keep up with your growing bead collection.

Are there magazines in your home or colorful pieces of paper? If you own a bottle of glue, a bottle of some type of clear gloss, or even clear finger nail polish, you can create your own set of paper beads. Recycle your old magazines by finding color patterns in some of your old magazines. Tear out pages and measure out small long triangle like strips of paper. Cut them out and roll each strip onto a toothpick. Glue the point of the strip to the other point of the bead and let it dry. Clear coat it with some gloss or clear finger nail polish, and you can have your own set of paper beads. There are plenty of ideas for making paper beads all over the internet. By searching for “how to make paper beads” on internet search engines such as Google, you can create paper beads. You can also make your own beads with femo or baking play. Form the clay into the shape of bead you want, create a hole with a toothpick, bake it, and then paint it the colors of your choice. There are many ways to create your own beads without breaking the budget, or hardly spending a penny. With supplies around the home, you can be as creative as you want.

A great place to find old beads and findings is antique and thrift shops. Look for old jewelry that can be taken apart easily. Most of these stores have old pearl jewelry, jewelry with unique and unusual glass beads, and perhaps styles that haven’t been seen anywhere else. Bring in the old, to create new designs that may have not even been thought of. By using old jewelry, your jewelry pieces can have a little piece of history to tell a story. While looking for old pieces of jewelry, check out the buttons in the store if they sell them. Old buttons can make great center pieces in any jewelry design. If you have buttons in your home, see what kinds of creations you can make using them. Visit your local sewing store, and buy unusual beads to make your designs. Buttons are also great to use for charm bracelets too or even a unique pair of earrings.

If you are a sucker for online purchases, you can still save money by shopping for wholesale bead lots on websites such as Ebay or Artbeads. Log onto Ebay, and type in “wholesale beads,” or “beads” to see what kinds of deals you can find. Sometimes you can buy larger collections in bulk and save money where you may spend more just purchasing a couple of designer named beads. Artbeads offers free first class shipping in the United States. There Swarovski crystals are affordable, and can be purchased for as little as 0.10 each. Just by searching for wholesale beads or discount beads online, its possible to come around to some great deals. Ebay and Artbeads just happen to be a couple of the best places online to buy.

So if your cash is low and the economy has been taking its toll on your household budget, it is still possible to enjoy your hobby without spending much money. Use your imagination, and look beyond the items that may be available in your home to create your designs. By using unique and odd items, you might just come up with one of the best designs to be sold on the market yet.



Lillie

Steve Manik asked:


Craft beads have been utilized for making jewelry and decorative pieces for centuries. In olden times stones, turtle shells and animal horns etc. were used for making decorative pieces. Now beads are made of semi-precious stones wood, glass and plastic. The possibilities with craft beads are unlimited.

Craft bead projects range from beginner’s to advanced and complicated designs. You may buy craft bead kits online or from local craft shop. If you have supply of craft beads, you may look for patterns and designs online.

The most common use of craft beads is for making jewelry. You may also make holiday things like beaded Christmas trees or you may put beads on household items it will give them a new look. Another interesting item can be to weave small beads in intricate designs to make beautiful flowers.

Craft beads are made of various materials like glass, metal, terracotta wood, plastic, stone, bone, ivory, ceramic fiber, shell, coral, gemstones, etc. You can make any number of shapes with beads like oval, cylindrical, square, heart and flower.

The price of beads depends on what they are made of, their utility and their age. You may even take out beads from your old necklace or some other jewelry and make them into a new piece which you will love.

You can make unique jewelry for yourself and decorative gifts for your loved ones. If you are making your own design, ensure that you have all the craft beads and other things you may require. You can do it by planning your projects.

To complete the project, you will require craft beads, wire, wire cutters and crimp beads. Crimp beads are soft metal and are utilized to finish a strand of beads. For making jewelry you will require proper clasp also.

In the history of mankind beads have been used as personal jewelry, as money and as trading goods and as decorative pieces. To work with beads you require a few simple tools like round and flat nosed pliers, wire cutters and different types and sizes of tweezers. To attach beads to each other or on to other surface, you will require some type of wire along with a crimping tool.

If you don’t like to use wire for your craft beads you may utilize silk thread which is available in a number of colors and thicknesses. Nylon or synthetic threads are also generally utilized along with French wire.

If you are thinking of making jewelry, the best option is to pick a book at your local library and learn about the tools, the process of making beautiful and useful designs which people will be proud to wear.

For others working with beads is not so involved. Making Native American crafts needs small glass beads if you are planning of making designs on loom, which then can be sewn to moccasins or clothing, glass beads are also used in making beautiful dream catchers and medicine wheel that are quite popular in the Midwestern and Southern United States of America.



Michelle

Bead ‘n Shop asked:


Learn to make earrings, necklaces, purses, ornaments and more with detailed photographs and step-by-step instructions.

You may find plenty of beads and jewelry making information online.

# But do you know if they are current and up-to-date?

# Do they help you in your bead and pattern designing?

# Do they provide new beading techniques?

# Are they written by professional and experienced people?

If all these questions comes to your mind and if you are serious about your beads and jewelry making projects and patterns, then you should read bead & button magazines.

Beads and Button Magazines are up-to-date with all new information and current trend. To say in a simple word, they are just awesome.

Whether you are a fresher or an expert, you could find plenty of useful information with all new patterns and techniques in this magazine. You will also find plenty of ideas and new beading-techniques from highly rated professionals on beads and jewelry making.

Learn about the unique beading techniques and designing with Beads & Button Magazine. There are plenty of more useful magazines – “BeadStyle Magazine” by Bead and Button. Read them all for full-proof complete beading information. You will also find reputed traders and wholesalers from all around the world from where you can find new products, accessories, etc. – all the way increasing pennies in your pocket.

The fairly priced “Bead and Button Magazine” is an affordable guide and source to get information on new beading patterns, beading techniques and jewelry designing. . Subscribe to Bead and Button Magazine now!



Vera

Suzie Goldie asked:


There are just a few basic beading tools that you need to get you started:

Beading Tool #1: Wire Cutter

Wire cutters are an essential in jewelry making, because you will be using various kinds of wire. You will want to get a small pair of wire cutters that can cut through things like headpins. They should be small, because the work you will be doing is small. If the wire cutters are too big, you will not be able to cut the wire close to the project.

Beading Tool #2: Glue

Many jewelry projects require that you use glue, but you want to make sure you purchase glue that is specially designed for jewelry making. White or craft glues will not adhere correctly, but beading glue often gets into the delicate details of a project.

Beading Tool #3: Tweezers

As you continue beading, you will find that you are using very small, delicate beads. A pair of tweezers will help you pick up small objects that you just cannot do with your hands.

Beading Tool #4: Scissors

You will need scissors for many beading projects, but be sure you purchase the kind that is specially created for jewelry making.

Beading Tool #5: Round Nose Pliers

While you can find round nose pliers at any hardware store, it is often better to buy them in a craft or beading store, because these are made especially for beading. Also, you should look for round nose pliers that have a spring in the handle, because they are more comfortable and convenient for beading. The round nose pliers are used for making round or circular pieces of wire.

Beading Tool #6: Flat Nose Pliers

Again, you can find these tools in most hardware stores, as their uses range from beading to auto repair. Yet buying them in a craft or beading store will assure that they are made for jewelry. These pliers should be soft inside the nose, and they will be the primary pair of pliers with a flat nose used in jewelry making.

As you beading expertise progresses you will need other tools like Ez-Beaders and hand tube beaders. You will also find yourself in need of organizers for your beads.



Melissa

Jeannette Hovey asked:


I’ve seen the amazing work of lampwork bead artists and am in awe of the type of lampwork bead sets that are created! To give you a better understanding of when a bead is worth paying high dollar, this is the first of 3 articles that will increase your knowledge about quality glass beadmaking and help you learn what glass lampworking is and in the next articles direct you to where to buy for your handmade jewelry designs by introducing you to the work of amazing glass artists and why self representing artists are the way to go. But why is this important?

There is an astounding amount of mass produced glass out there, knowing what to look for will help you locate artisan quality lampwork bead supplies for your handmade jewelry designs. This article will also provide you with a starting place to learn about lampwork beads, where to locate and choose the best lampwork glass art for your timeless pieces.

Here are the answers you will need to understand when to buy handmade lampwork glass beads and how to find lampwork bead artists!

What is glass lampworking? Basically it is using a gas-fueled torch to melt glass rods. Throughout history, there has been glass lampworking, a type of glassblowing, or ‘flameworking ‘ as it is now known, since most glass artists use gas fueled torches which mix oxygen or air as the oxidizer. This oxidation process increases the heat produced by the torch. In ancient times, the use of an oil lamp was used to heat the glass to a molten state, which was then shaped with tools and formed into beads and other art pieces.

A lampwork bead artist will often purchase similar types of glass, i.e. soft glass or hard glass, bead release, a torch and a kiln as the lampwork supplies to make handmade lampwork glass beads. The glass artisan will prep stainless steel rods, or mandrels, anywhere from 1/32 to 1/8 inch diameter or larger, by coating one end of the rod with a (clay based) bead releasing agent of some sort.

Next, the lampwork bead artist uses a torch to carefully introduce the glass to the heat until it is like honey and then wraps the material around the heated stainless steel mandrel to form the base of the bead. The bead can then be decorated using different materials and techniques. Once the bead is finished it typically goes right in to a pre-heated kiln, at approximately 860 degrees up to 1050 degrees, depending on the type of glass, for at least several hours to begin the process of annealing. Annealing the glass prevents it from cracking and/or shattering, due to thermal shock.

The annealing process releases the stress created from taking the glass from room temperature to over 1200 degrees, at which it is molten, and allows it ’s internal temperature to become uniform where it is “heat-soaked “, allowing the release of internal stress for a period of time. The duration of this process depends on the thickness and type of glass used. Finally the piece is then cooled slowly back down to room temperature. Annealed glass lampwork beads are highly superior to glass beads which aren’t annealed and thus can ***** when exposed to minor temperature changes.

After reaching room temperature, the beads are then thoroughly cleaned of all bead release and ready for your limited edition jewelry designs. This is one area of great concern for bead artists as some of the releasing agents can be toxic to one ’s health. Buy annealed glass from a self representing artist, you won ‘t be disappointed!



Clinton

mommyowl65 asked:


I am look for some fun/fast patterns to make different kinds of jewelry and other things from beads. Where do you find yours?

Shirley

fishleechlake asked:


I’m looking for the software that makes circular patterns with 1 center bead, encircled by a circle of beads, and another bigger circle,etc. There’s a picture of one on an ebay ad:http://cgi.ebay.com/Beading-Pattern-pink-star-By-Windwispers_W0QQitemZ110209324445QQihZ001QQcategoryZ134292QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting
Where can I buy this software for my own use?

Sue

Jenny Lin asked:


For thousands of years, Dzi (pronounced as “jee”) beads have been deeply entrenched in Tibetan culture. The Dzi beads, being Tibetan’s most precious living gemstone and charm are worshipped, revered and passed down from generations after generations. Did you know that in Tibet, the ancient pure Dzi beads can be used for mortgage purposes in banks! As with all things ancient and mystical, there is plenty of folklore associated with Dzi beads. One legend has it that demi-gods threw away their Dzi beads when they became ever so slightly blemished, which explains why the Dzi bead is also regarded as the “Heavenly Stone” by the Tibetans.

Tibet, being the former home of the Dalai Lama, has always been associated with the mystical and the holy. There is no denying that the beads’ very origins certainly lend it a metaphysical air. It is believed that the Dzi Bead has the ability to protect its wearer from supernatural “bad” forces. Many believers claim that donning a Dzi bead is akin to having an invisible cloak protect you from the intangible negative elements and energies. Evil spirits, sickness, misfortunes and sudden death are kept at bay with the presence of a powerful Dzi bead. Dzi can also balance the body of the wearer’s yin yang and five elements, hence improves the body’s immunity system and promotes overall health. Other reasons people wear Dzi beads include to usher in greater wealth, for spiritual enlightenment and even just as an aid in enhancing a feeling of calm within oneself.

The mysterious Dzi beads are shiny stone beads that often feature a universally recognized pattern, usually that of ‘eyes’, circles, squares or certain stripes and wave patterns. There are also some pieces that boast some rare patterns and are equally potent in their protective powers such as one that has the silhouette of the Goddess of Mercy Kwan Yin outlined on the bead. The different patterns found on the surface of the Dzi beads all serve a different purpose.

One-eyed Dzi beads are generally meant to promote brilliance and growth in wisdom while a 13-eyed Dzi will promote tranquility and serenity. A 21-eyed Dzi is believed to help fulfill all your wishes and enhance fame and recognition luck. It also gives you strength and courage to face all obstacles and problems. For the savvy businessman, the three-eyed Dzi will also certainly serve you well as it is said to help in bringing prosperity and wealth. A 15-eyed Dzi imparts the wearer with Heaven’s Luck. Someone with lots of Heaven Luck will enjoy smooth sailing and unobstructed ride in whatever endeavors. Opportunities, windfall, and good business luck will come to him/her. The most favored bead is usually the nine-eyed one, as it is said to have the powers to bring about compassion, power and glory. Reputed to be the most powerful and prized of all Dzi beads, a 9-eyed Dzi is believed to bring the most complete blessings. It helps the wearer gain power and influence, fame and reputation. 9-eyed Dzi bead also brings windfall and speculative luck, attracts good fortune, promotes health luck, clears obstacles in your life journey and gives protection against misfortunes and negativities. A 2-eyed Dzi is a love charm and a powerful enhancer to attract or enhance love and relationships. For singles, the 2 Eye Dzi bead will enhance your chances of finding love partners; for lovers, it will strengthen your relationships and bring you marriage opportunities; and for married couples, it will reenergize passion and hold out the promise of a marriage being gloriously happy.

The Dzi bead can be worn by everyone regardless of race, religion, gender and age because these beads are not meant to be religious. Its main purpose is to promote the good aura of a person.



Samantha

Gloria D asked:


I have a dress that has a lot of beading design. The under layer is a cream color and the top layer is a sheer cream which has gold beading. Can I dye the layer with the beads or even the layer underneath? the tag says its silk and polyester and i heard polyester is hard to dye….any suggestions?

Alex