Ricky Lim asked:


The beauty of your neck that has a beaded lanyard on it is enhanced, and this happens because there are so many beaded lanyard patterns that everyone can find something they like.

A lanyard is a strap or cord that people wear around their neck, and it holds small objects such as an identification badge or whistle. They can be of any color or type and they’re attached to the bottom of the lanyard.

There are a number of materials that lanyards are made off, including cotton, cord, polyester and nylon. Some people that wear beaded lanyards do so to make a statement of style. Because there are so many types available for purchase, it’s easy for anyone to find something that will match their own individuality.

A few of the designs that can be found include polished stones, gemstones, crystals, colored glass, clear or frosted glass, fake pearls, beads that glow during the night or have alphabet letters on them and finally beads that come in a gold or silver tone.

While in the past, beads were usually of a round form, this isn’t the case anymore, as they come in every form you can imagine. There are octagonal, oblong, square, and many other forms, from the simple ones to those that look like angels, animals, dolphins, stars and more.

This trend hasn’t been reserved just for women though, as men also have a number of options at their disposal, such as the sports lanyards, which can come styled with the colors of their favorite sports teams. And since they’re cheap, you can easily buy and own more than one lanyard.

Beaded Lanyard Patterns





- Metallic Beaded Lanyard Patterns

Because they’re cheap and simple, metallic beaded lanyard patterns of different colors and lengths allow the owner to keep small object attached to them.

- Jeweled Beaded Lanyards

Jeweled beaded lanyards are also worn as jewelry, just as the name sugests. They’re made manually by artisans and can get quite expensive if they use valuable materials. They can be composed of glass beads, gemstones, crystals, seed beads, coming in colorful patterns. The black, blue and multi-colored beads that come accented with silver and gold are quite popular. The more expensive jeweled beaded lanyards are those that are made out of semi-precious beads or Swarovski crystals.

- Creative Lanyards

Creative lanyards are usually made out of sparkling crystals, colored plastics or metallic beaded chains. You can also find out if the same artisan makes jewelry that fits well with his lanyards.

- Popular Lanyards

Some of the more popular lanyards are those used to keep glasses around the neck of the owner, and they’re usually called eyeglass holders or necklaces. Make sure they’re durable if you buy them, to make sure they don’t break and leave your glasses on the floor.

Now that you have the knowledge you need about lanyards, you can easily find something that reflects your personality and is fashionable and affordable at the same time.



Lauren

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