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How can I Learn to Bead my Own Jewelry?

Sheri Cyprus
Sheri Cyprus

It is easy to bead your own jewelry, and it can be as simple as putting beads you like together on a length of fish-line, beading thread, or elastic thread with a simple binding attached. You can learn to bead by experimenting on your own, buying a good jewelry making book, or attending a class.

Bead stores, or craft stores that sell beads, are good resources if you want to learn to bead your own jewelry. Besides carrying beads, they often have classes to teach you how to make jewelry with or without beads. Most have pamphlets and books that teach you how to bead as well. You can make beaded bracelets, beaded necklaces, and beaded earrings for yourself and for gifts.

Beaded bracelets.
Beaded bracelets.

Even if you already bead your own jewelry, you can take more advanced classes or read more advanced books to learn new techniques. You can talk to the staff at bead and craft stores and ask questions and find out about new or different beading products. You can move on from stringing beads to more complicated bead patterns if you wish, such as learning to work on beading looms.

Plastic beads are popular in different kinds of homemade jewelry.
Plastic beads are popular in different kinds of homemade jewelry.

It is a good idea to always be on the lookout for interesting beads you love. If you have a small, but well-loved collection of beads, it is likely your collection will inspire you to bead your own jewelry at some point. The idea is not to spend a lot of money buying beads you may not ever use, but to collect unique beads you really love without spending a fortune.

Jewelry making kits might focus on the creation of specific items, such as bracelets.
Jewelry making kits might focus on the creation of specific items, such as bracelets.

When you bead your own jewelry, it is usually best to start with simple beading projects. Use your bead collection, maybe buying a few more beads as fillers, to create simple beaded items. Look at pieces of jewelry you already own and wear to give yourself some inspiration before you make your own. Starting a small scrapbook to clip and paste photos of favorite pieces that you see in magazines is also a great idea starter before you begin to design your own.

Discussion Comments

sunshined

I went to a beading party with a friend, and that was the first time I made any of my own beaded jewelry and I loved it! I bought a beading book so I could remember the basic techniques and have some examples to follow.

Once you get the hang of it, there is no end to the beautiful and unique pieces of jewelry you can make. Bead making with friends is always a lot of fun and you get some good inspiration and ideas from others when you get together.

LisaLou

The Michaels craft store near my home had some beginning beading classes that I signed up for. I was nice because you purchased your own supplies and got to make your own jewelry. The instructor taught us the different techniques used, and had several samples of jewelry projects she had made.

With my first purchase of supplies, I bought beads, wire, clasps, needle nose pliers and small wire cutters. After getting set with the basic supplies, the future costs were mostly just the beads I wanted to use.

It was a lot of fun and a great way to learn and get started with some simple projects.

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    • Beaded bracelets.
      By: deviantART
      Beaded bracelets.
    • Plastic beads are popular in different kinds of homemade jewelry.
      By: donyanedomam
      Plastic beads are popular in different kinds of homemade jewelry.
    • Jewelry making kits might focus on the creation of specific items, such as bracelets.
      By: Sergey Goruppa
      Jewelry making kits might focus on the creation of specific items, such as bracelets.
    • When you bead your own jewelry, it is usually best to start with simple beading projects.
      By: Monkey Business
      When you bead your own jewelry, it is usually best to start with simple beading projects.
    • Some jewelry designers run their own boutiques.
      By: bokan
      Some jewelry designers run their own boutiques.