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Got beads? Don't know where to begin? This beginner guide will help you choose the right supplies for making a necklace or bracelet.
Jewelry making is a fun and easy hobby for people of all ages. Understanding the basic components, terminology and tools you'll need, is essential. If you're looking to begin making beaded jewelry or just want to repair a former favorite broken piece of jewelry you've hung on to for 5 years but never fixed, this guide will help you get started on deciding what you really need, to design or repair a strung necklace or bracelet.
What you'll need:
- Crimp tool
- Side Cutter
- Beading Wire
- Crimp Beads/Tubes
- Beads
- Clasp (your choice)
- Pendant/Focal Bead (optional for beginner necklace)
Crimp Tool: The crimp tool is used in a 2 step process to properly close a component called a crimp bead to beading wire. Each tool is designed for a specific size crimp bead. The instructions on each tool should indicate the size crimp that works best with it. A good choice for a beginner would be a Crimp tool made for a 2mm crimp bead. This is a standard size and the one that I use most made by Bead Smith. Smaller or larger crimp beads have their own special crimp tools. The Magical Crimp tool by Bead Smith came out with a set of Crimping Pliers that form the crimp in to a round ball. For a beginner, I would stick to the basics first :-)
Side Cutter: The side cutter is a tool you need to cut your stringing wire. The average household has a pair of these, but if you want to get serious about jewelry making, I suggest you buy a set that only YOU will be handling. You'll want to take care of these pliers and not use them on anything harder than craft wire, sterling silver, copper or any wire of similar hardness. Especially BRACES!! Tried it :-( wasn't good. Other beginner tools that will come in handy are the round nose pliers for making earrings, flat nose pliers for holding components in place, chain nose pliers that have a smaller tip for holding components in place and bent chain nose pliers to get in hard to reach places.
Beading Wire: Beading wire is made up of small stainless steal wires wrapped together and coated with a plastic. There are many brands and varieties to chose from. You'll find 3 strand beading wire up to 49 strand beading wire. More strands mean stronger wire. The thickness of the wire is measured in thousandths of an ince. For example, .012 wire is going to be thinner than a .019 wire. You'll want to check the size of the hole in the beads you're going to be using before buying something that might not fit a tiny hole. My personal favorite for most projects is a brand called Soft Flex 49 strand .019 beading wire. It lives up to the name "soft" which keeps the design in the rounded shape it was meant to be. A good choice for a beginner would be a brand name Beadalon .015, 7 strand wire. It's an average size wire to get you started. Try out one or two different brands based on your budget to determine your preference.
Crimp Beads: Crimp Beads or crimp tubes are a component that is used to hold the stringing wire in place around your clasp. The Crimp Tool is used to properly close the round or tube style crimp bead. There are other types of crimp beads on the market that are made to be flattened and held together by a mesh inside. Maybe you'll have more luck than me with these, but they didn't quite work the way I expected for my particular style. I stuck with what works for me because the last thing I want is my crimp beads falling off or breaking my wire! There are nifty little components called crimp covers that make a round bead to cover the crimp. These are part of a group of components used in jewelry making called "Findings". They come in Sterling Silver, Gold, Gold Plated, Gold Filled, Silver Plated, Copper & other metals. Findings also include clasps, earrings, jump rings, metal beads, bead caps and more.
Beads: picking bead colors for a jewelry project can be as easy as matching the colors in your favorite outfit. The varieties of beads are nearly endless and can include Gemstones, Glass Beads, Ceramic, Bone, Metals & many more. Check out some of the bead styles right here on E-bay that other artists are using. A good choice for a beginner would be a kit with a variety of bead styles and colors to give you an idea of how to mix and match different blends of beads.
Clasps: Toggle clasps, lobster clasps, spring rings, hook and eye and magnet clasps are some of the most popular styles to use in beginner jewelry making. The stringing wire will go around the loop on the clasp and back through the crimp bead. This will hold the clasp in place after you form the crimp bead. The pictures below show you how to use the crimp bead. The Crimp Tool instructions will show you how to close the crimp with a 2 step process so it looks like the pictures.
Place the crimp bead on your stringing wire first.
This shows the beading wire around the clasp, through a spacer bead and then back through the crimp bead. Place the pliers in the first notch of the crimp pliers to form the crease in the crimp bead. Keep the wires spread apart and squeeze once. If you go to my store page I have a clip from our "Beginner Jewelry Making" DVD that shows this process close up.
When you do the first step in crimping with the crimp tool, this is how your crimp bead should look.
Next, place the crimp bead so the crease is now facing you in the notch furthest away from you and squeeze again. This will fold the crimp bead making it look like the picture below.
Pendant: Picking a center pendant or focal bead for a necklace style is optional. As a beginner, you'll want to choose a pendant that has a horizontal hole drilled at the top for stringing. Pendants that are set in Sterling and Gold are also perfect for beaded designs as long as they have a bail.
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