We all love seed beads, that's why we're here on Beading Daily. But there are so many
other beads that you can add to your bead-weaving and jewelry-making projects
to make them more interesting! With new beads coming out from companies such as
Miyuki (Tila beads) and Preciosa Ornela (Twin seed beads), it seems that there
are more and more reasons to add to your growing bead stash.
Here are a few of my favorite beads for jewelry making and
why I love them:
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| Seed beads are my go-to beads for all types of jewelry-making projects. |
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Seed beads. Well,
of course! Seed beads come in so many different shapes, sizes, colors, and
finishes that in my mind, you really don't need anything else for jewelry making.
Add some sparkle with a silver-lined seed bead or add some texture with a hex-cut
or charlotte. Part of my attraction to seed beads is their versatility: you can
create a substantial beaded chain or rope with just a handful of seed beads and
some thread, or you can use them to add a subtle dash of color to a strung
jewelry-making project.
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With all the colors and shapes of freshwater pearls available, is it any wonder why I use them so often? |
Pearls. Whether
they are crystal, glass, or natural freshwater, pearls are my second favorite
bead for jewelry making. I use them in bead embroidery, for stringing necklaces
and bracelets, and of course, for simple and classy earrings in an instant. These
days, pearls seem to come in about as many sizes, shapes, and colors as seed
beads, making it easy for me to include a few of them in whatever
jewelry-making project I'm working on at the moment.
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I love everything about vintage beads, whether they're made from glass or Lucite! |
Vintage beads. Part
of the challenge of working with vintage beads is color matching. Since many of
the vintage beads in my collection were created fifty or sixty years ago, it
can be hard to match their colors with modern seed beads. But the feel of
vintage beads is unmatched by any other type of bead I've ever used. Just by
looking at their shape and their finish, you can almost always tell a vintage
bead from other types of beads!
No matter what your favorite type of bead for jewelry making,
you're sure to find an episode in the 1500 series of Beads, Baubles, and Jewels that showcases it! Each episode of this
groundbreaking television series, now in its fifteenth season, focuses on one
particular type of bead, including crystals, hearts, wood, vintage, metal, and
briolettes.Tap into the creative know-how of internationally known teachers such
as Stephanie Dixon, Leslie Rogalski, Melanie Brooks, and Kristal Wick to find
new ways to use your favorite beads!
Now you can download individual episodes
of series 1500 of Beads, Baubles, and
Jewels right to your desktop or laptop computer and start learning new
jewelry-making techniques using your favorite beads in just minutes.
What's your favorite type of bead for jewelry making? Could
you pick just one if you had to?
Bead Happy,
Jennifer
Filed under: Bead Embroidery, Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Stringing, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily