Daily Blogs : Christmas

10 Reasons We Love Making Beaded Gifts

Editor — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 17:00:00 GMT

y Holiday Beading

Above: One of my holiday gifts decorated with a ceramic snowman bead from Studio 59.

I've finished my holiday beading! It helped that my list was short this year--two pairs of earrings, a purple chain maille bracelet, and a few beaded snowflakes. I also stretched the meaning of "beading" gifts: For one of my beading friends--a busy mom--I created a simple earring kit with some handmade ceramic cupcake beads, ear wires, headpins, and round beads for the top of the cupcake. I also promised another friend with a 6-year-old daughter that I would come over one day and make some "Princess jewelry" with large, sparkly plastic beads and elastic cord. (I have a feeling that the experience will be more of an education for me than for the 6-year-old!)

So why do we love to make beaded gifts? Here are 10 reasons from Beading Daily readers:

1. It's personal.

"I think it's a rather nice personal touch to give a handmade gift no matter what it is."

"I really enjoy making jewelry gifts for my friends. I have gotten requests from family members on things they would like and it sure makes Christmas shopping a lot easier. Also, it really makes me feel good to see my friends wear things that I have made for them."

2. It costs less.

"It makes sense financially. (I do not really have much money to spend on gifts, so I'll make them myself.)"

"Everyone loves jewelry and I can make it so much cheaper than purchasing it."

"My husband is in Iraq so it is helping me to pass the time, plus saving money and giving our family and friends something really nice for Christmas."

3. It's safer.

"I always make beaded gifts as well as other types of handmade items for the holidays, but this year seems even more important with all the recalls on products out of China. It's time for America to get back to its roots!"

4. It makes good business sense.

"Just about everyone on my list will be getting beaded jewelry this year, including the guys! I look at it as a gift for them and free advertisement of my work for me!"

5. It beats shopping.

"I HATE to shop, even before I worked retail, I HATED it. This way, I get to be creative in spurts and everyone loves the uniqueness of their gifts."

6. It's a fun way to learn--and show-off--new skills:

"Knotted pearl necklaces all around since I finally mastered knotting."

"I will be making about 20-25 pairs of coin pearl dangle earrings. My wire wrapping skills are getting better already and I'm only halfway through."

7. It's a fabulous recruiting tool.

"My dear sister-in-law brought me a gift of a lovely turquoise peyote bracelet, I loved it and asked her to show me how to make it. Now, at least 10 beaded projects later, I'm seriously hooked!"

8. It's good stress relief.

"Last year I made 20-something beaded animals, pikachus, Glindas, balls, snowmen, etc. for my people as Christmas gifts, but also because I needed a little bit of anti-stress therapy (horrible evil exams)."

"It's less stressful than shopping at the mall and trying to get that person, just the right something. This is from the heart."

9. It's tradition.

"It's tradition that my mom gets a new jewelry set every year for Christmas."

10. It's hard to explain.

"I must be crazy!!"

Beading Daily goes on vacation!There will be no Beading Daily email again until January 2, 2008. Here are a few things to keep you busy in the meantime:

New Free Project:Montee Magic Earrings by Katherine Schwartzenberger. These crystal and seed bead earrings are perfect for holiday parties and last-minute gifts. The matching bracelet project is featured on the cover of the February/March 2008 issue of Beadwork magazine on sale January 15, 2008. Katherine describes herself as a new beader, but if these projects are any indication, I think we'll be seeing more of her work!

Bead Spa Jar
by Melinda Barta
Purchase PDF Download

New Poll: Do you brick stitch to Beyoncé? Or do you string along to Beethoven? I thought it would be fun to post a play list of songs that everyone enjoys listening to while beading. Take a minute to answer the new poll: Do you listen to music while you bead?
New Year's Beading Resolutions: Are there new techniques you want to learn? How about getting that bead stash organized? I'll be writing about beading resolutions when I get back.
Shop the Beading Daily Store: There's still time to make a few last-minute gifts, like the brick-stitch spa jar lid pictured at left.

Story Updates: Several readers sent in great tips for Wednesday's snowflake project--be sure to check those out! I've also added a photo of reader Diane Smith's bugle bead necklace, since there was a question about her technique. Finally, if you missed the interview with clay bead artist Melanie Brooks Lukacs, you may want to take a look--and learn how to enter her holiday bead giveaway!

Michelle Mach is the editor of Beading Daily. And yes, she is going to bead during her vacation! How could she not?

Easy Beaded Snowflakes

Editor — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:00:00 GMT

Easy Beaded Snowflake Ornaments

View the snowflake gallery

It's that wonderful time of the year. Well, wonderful for some; wonderfully stressful for others with not only the holidays, but all that year-end, wrap-up stuff at work. I decided to offer an anti-stress solution to those in the Colorado office: pick up a wire snowflake form and make a beaded ornament. Twenty people--many from accounting!--took me up on my offer.

At left: Nicole's beaded snowflake uses silver bugle beads, crystals and glass beads.

Why do I love this project? Let me count the ways . . . It's inexpensive. It's quick. It's an ideal project for new beaders--male and female alike. And children can definitely contribute--one employee let her 8-year-old son design her snowflake. (Great job, Ian!).

Best of all, because the technique is so simple, this project lets people put most of their energy into the design process--choosing the colors and shapes of beads and arranging them into a pleasing pattern. It really showcased people's personalities and talents. Susan created a red, white, and blue version in honor of her husband in the military. Danielle placed a large, flat-backed pink crystal in the center of both sides of her snowflake, so it would look fabulous no matter which way it hung. Sandi fashioned her own hanger on the back with wire.

At right: Sandi twisted some wire to create her own hook for hanging the snowflake.

View the snowflake gallery to see all 21 snowflakes.

Basic Instructions

	1. Start with the basic wire form. (We used the 3.75" size from BeadSmith.)
	2. String the beads onto the wire. Tape the ends if you don't want to commit to your design immediately.
	3. Working on one end at a time, bend the ends into simple loops or use glue to finish the ends. (Bending the wire is much easier with the larger wire forms.)
	4. Add a loop or ribbon to one end.

Project Tips:

Shopping for beads: Beads with very small holes--like freshwater pearls--will probably not fit over this wire. If you are going shopping for special beads for this project, it's a good idea to take the wire form with you.
Bending the wire: This wire is STIFF. A few people were able to bend it, but others broke it (or their beads) when they tried. You may want to glue the beads on the end instead. (E-6000 works well.) Try using a toothpick to put some glue inside the hole of the last bead before sliding it onto the wire. You may also consider using the larger snowflake forms--the wire used in those is much more malleable.
Taping the ends: I taped the ends as I worked on them, then did all my finishing once I was happy with the design. (I learned this trick the hard way when I strung all the beads on, picked up the snowflake to see how it looked, and watched all the beads fall off and roll under the sofa.) If you're more of a "make a commitment and stick with it" type of beader, than you can just finish the ends one at a time as you go.
Buy an extra package: I bought a package of eight wire forms at my local bead shop, thinking that would be plenty. I ended up buying two more packages! Trust me, even though before now your Uncle Marty has expressed no interest in anything other than armadillos, he will want to do this project once he sees how much fun the rest of the family is having!

Coming Friday: A beautiful pair of crystal earrings, just right for your holiday parties!

Michelle Mach is the editor of Beading Daily. She created two more beaded snowflakes after finishing the one she "had" to do for the gallery!

Bead Embroidered Star Ornament

Editor — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I continue to be amazed by the generosity of the beading community. A few months ago, I casually mentioned to Amy Clarke Moore that some of my Beading Daily readers wanted to learn more about bead embroidery. Not only did she create this fabulous free project, the Little Star ornament, she also agreed to share how she got started and her best bead embroidery tips. If you're not into ornaments, don't worry. Once you get the basic idea of this bead embroidery technique, you'll be able to adapt it for other projects.--Michelle Mach, Beading Daily editor

How I Began

I started bead embroidering in earnest ten years ago when I was the editorial assistant for Beadwork magazine (along with other Interweave publications). We had a staff project to cover a satin button with beads. I decided to embroider an image and started by drawing an outline on the satin and then beading the outline and trying to fill in with beads around it. I got frustrated, though, when I couldn’t fill in all the spaces around the outline very evenly. I started over and this time started in the center and worked out in a spiraling backstitch. Each time I reached the outline line on the satin, I placed a dark bead on the thread and my problem was solved.

At left:Little Star Ornament by Amy Clarke Moore

I was hooked. I couldn’t wait to start the next piece, and immediately walked to the neighborhood bead shop (yes—I was so lucky to live within a block of a bead store then) and bought more beads and smaller beads. Each time I started a project, I realized I needed a larger range of colors to get the subtle gradations that I wanted. Eventually I started working over drawings instead of just outlines to help me see the color transitions I wanted. As a weaver this idea came naturally—it was like the cartoon that weavers hold behind the warp threads to remind them of color changes.

Then I met bead embroidery artist, Marcus Amerman. He shared his technique of stitching right through the paper. I had been painting my images onto canvas at that point and wasn’t entirely satisfied with the process. I tried working through paper and it was great—I didn’t need a embroidery hoop anymore because the paper held the cloth stable. Soon after that, I started shooting photos of the images I wanted to bead and printing the photographs onto archival quality paper, stitching them to cloth, and beading. Over the years, I learned some things—here are a few of my tips:

Amy’s Bead Embroidery Tips

Drawing your own star

If you’d like to try your hand at drawing your own cartoon for the star pattern, I say, “go for it!” It is a fun process. The trick is including enough value contrast, color, and gradation to create an image that will really pop when it is beaded. As you’re drawing, keep in mind that it will be translated into beads—so if you’re not completely satisfied with the drawing, try to see beyond it to the beaded image—it may be just fine. For more detailed instructions, see the tutorial for how to draw the star pendant on my blog.

Seeing color

As you’re choosing your beads, take a moment to look at the colors in your star—look for the variations, the overlapping color that creates different colors, try to see as many colors as possible and go through your beads matching colors to the colors you see in the piece. When I’m creating my mixes for my bead embroidery, I try to include as many values and bead finishes in one hue as possible. You’ll find that even if you have every color of bead made, there are not enough colors of beads to match the colors in the piece. You’ll need to mix the colors as a painter would, except that beads don’t mix physically like paint. To mix colors visually, place two colors next to each other, step away, and see how your eye mixes them at a distance. Unfocus your eyes as you look—if you wear glasses, simply take them off.

As you’re beading, match the color of the beads to the color on the paper underneath them. Use a variety of bead finishes to create a surface with depth and variation. Keep an eye on where you place the finishes so that you don’t create any unintentional lines. However, do place beads intentionally to create the lines of the drawing. For example, I used mostly dark brown matte beads to create the outline of the star because dark matte beads really absorb light and create depth. Each time you come around the circle created by the spiraling backstitch, you’ll create a part of the line. Don’t worry if it isn’t an exactly straight line. Your eye will make the adjustment when you step away from the piece.

Spacing

It will take some practice to figure out how closely you need to space your rows. You want them close enough so that you can’t see the paper underneath, but with enough space (a needle’s width—usually) so that they don’t start to bubble up. If they do bubble up, you can go back in and tack them down with some couching stitches (going over the thread).

At right: Spacing takes practice.

Turning point

I had been beading in this style for years when a beading friend wondered aloud why, as I reached each edge in my spiraling path of beads, did I knot off, cut the thread, and start on the other side? He suggested that I just turn around. I had to admit that it had never occurred to me to just turn around and bead in the other direction. While intellectually I agreed this was the smarter and faster thing to do, it was a hard adjustment to make. I was used to beading all my pieces in a counterclockwise direction. To reach the edge, turn around, and do one row clockwise just seemed wrong. But I tried it, and after a while, it didn't feel so bad.

At left: A quick sketch showing the reversal of the thread direction.

Getting smaller

Now that you’ve mastered the spiraling backstitch technique over an image with size 11 seed beads, you may try smaller beads! I find that I’m able to get greater detail with the size 15 Japanese seed beads and there is a huge selection of color in this size. Try out the star ornament in size 15 beads to make a necklace pendant—just print the image a little smaller (maybe 1" by 1"). As always, make sure to bead with good light over your work to avoid eye strain.

Amy Clarke Moore is the editor of Spin-Off magazine and co-author of Beaded Embellishment: Techniques and Designs for Embroidering on Cloth. Her article "A Sense of Color: How to Blend Color in Bead Embroidery” appeared in the February/March 2006 issue of Beadwork magazine. Learn more about Amy on her website, www.amyclarkemoore.com or her blog, www.sixswansflying.blogspot.com.

Good News: We just launched the Beading Daily store! I'm excited that not only are we going to be able to offer you projects from our magazines and books, but we're also going to pay royalties to our designers! We're adding projects as quickly as we can, but I want to make sure that you're finding the kinds of beading projects that you love. Please take a look around the store, then fill out the new poll and help me pick out some dream beading projects! Thanks for your help!

New Poll: What kind of projects do you want?

Fleur Russe by Dustin Wedekind is one of the projects for sale in the store.

Michelle Mach is the editor of Beading Daily. She is still not finished with her holiday beading. How did it get to be the middle of December already?

Holiday Beading Ideas from Readers

Editor — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 17:00:00 GMT

Holiday Gift Ideas from Beading Daily Readers

Beaded holiday pin by reader
Karen Nicholson

"YES!!!!"

"Are you serious?!?"

"Are there any other kind?"

That how 95% of you answered the question: "Will you be making beaded gifts this year?" That's not surprising. What is surprising is the number of gifts. More than half of the more than 800 respondents claimed that they would be making a minimum (a minimum!) of six handmade gifts each.

Let's do the math. (Or rather, let me do the math--you probably should sit back and string a few more beads on that bracelet if you really expect to finish it on time!) That's more than 2,400 gifts--and that's not including all the folks who admitted to making somewhere between one and five gifts this year. Add those and we're talking at least 3,500 beautiful beaded gifts from just those who answered the poll. Whew!

So, what kinds of gifts are you making this year?

Earrings, bracelets, and ornaments were at the top of your gift-giving list. (Check out the holiday gallery to see some of the gifts that Beading Daily readers are giving this year.) Other items mentioned: wine charms, dolls, stitch markers, rings, necklaces, angel pins, beaded dragon, purses, eyeglass holders, beaded egg box, cell phone fobs, Christmas cards, needle cases, bookmarks . . .

"Right now, I'm in the process of beading a Tabasco cover for my uncle, who eats every meal with the stuff. Since he carries a bottle of it in the restaurant with him, I thought that I would give him an attractive cover for it. It's always so hard to give men beaded gifts that you know they will use."

A few readers mentioned the netted snowflake ornament featured on Beading Daily awhile ago. I made my own version and admit that this easy netting project has its charms--and according to one reader, at least one special power:

"The inspiration fairy has been ABSENT!! Thank you so much for the snowflake ornament--a netted snowflake brought her right back!"

Some of the lucky gift recipients include: daughters, sisters, mothers, nieces, aunts, friends, office workers, neighbors, hairdressers, and teachers.

"For my sister who has (and can get) everything . . . except a priceless beaded necklace from her less fortunate, albeit more talented, sister."

My version of the snowflake ornament

Of course, not everyone is easy to bead for. Men were often mentioned in this "difficult" category, but they weren't alone:

"If I'm able, I'll make gift sets for my four nieces. I know what I like, but I think females between 13 and 25 prefer something simpler. If anyone has ideas that have won praises, I'd love to hear about it or see an example."

But what about other beaders?

"I've decided that even making bead gifts for my beady friends is OK... after all, I have a different design sense than they do... and it's nice to have things that are not all your design."

Be warned, those of you who are making beaded gifts for the first time this year--this may easily become a tradition!

"My nieces, sister-in-laws, and friends all look forward to jewelry gifts. One year I gave something else, thinking they might be tired of always getting jewelry, and they all asked what happened to their jewelry gifts!"

"It's expected of me... Now that I 'Bead Daily'!"

"If I don't bestow beaded creations for the holiday, the relatives will hunt me down and string me up on the Christmas tree!!"

"I figure I'll make an ornament with a different beaded pattern every year, so they'll end up with quite a collection!"

"I've created a monster with giving jewelry gifts. Now my friends and family can't wait to see what they will get this year and they started hinting back in October."

Above: A Christmas necklace by reader Capitola Girl

What stops us from giving beaded gifts? A couple of people mentioned ungrateful recipients and lack of funds, but by far, time seems to be the universal enemy:

"I would love to make all beaded gifts but I have to earn a living. Horrible when real life gets in the way of beading!"

"I always plan to make handmade gifts, but never seem the have the time. Even though I'm making several gifts this year it's not as many as I had originally intended. Oh well, maybe next year!"

Of course, maybe it depends upon what other crafts you enjoy:

"I usually knit for people, but beading is so much faster!"

The sensible among us know to simplify when time runs short:

"When planning to give a number of gifts, I tend to think lots about the style and color preferences of the person I give to but due to the time it takes to do off loom beadweaving, I also tend to be less creative and make simpler bracelets instead of more time consuming necklaces."

"Mostly quick earrings. Life's too busy for more complex, but even these are amazingly satisfying."

But not the overachievers . . .

"I am making bracelets to go with scarves I have knit."

"I am making netted snowflakes for co-workers--roughly 45. I always make a few extra because you just never know who's going to be dropping by unexpectedly."

Simple Christmas Tree Earrings

"A nephew and his wife have a goal for me -- to cover their 10 foot tall Christmas tree with my beaded ornaments. I'm about 10% there. How wonderful to be so appreciated!"

"Probably close to 15 or 20 [gifts], but at least that beats the 58 ornaments last year!"

Of course, time isn't the only challenge:

"I sure hope that I give them away, and not end up keeping them for myself, and then buying a box of candy to give as a gift instead!!"

Never underestimate the power of chocolate!

Beaded Gift Wrapping Tip

"Mailing out gifts this year? After addressing your package, sprinkle some tiny beads sparingly around the addressee label without obscuring the information, then tape them down with clear packing tape, smoothing the tape securely. Instant festivity!"--Step by Step Jewelry Gifts for the Holidays

Coming Friday: Polymer clay beads by readers, plus an interview with Carol Blackburn.

Looking for more ornament ideas? Check out "Ornament Thursday" on Candie Cooper's blog. Each Thursday, Candie and other beading bloggers will publish photos and instructions for handmade Christmas ornaments.

Michelle Mach is the editor of Beading Daily. She still has at least two more pairs of earrings to make as gifts.

Netted Snowflake, Myrrh Beads, and Other Holiday Beading Ideas

Editor — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 17:00:00 GMT

Holiday Beading Projects

Are you making any beaded gifts this year? Over the weekend, I made my first beaded holiday gift--a quick necklace for my stylish new office mate. (I'll share a photo next week.) I also have two pairs of chain maille earrings on my gift-giving list this year, plus the snowflake below, which I'll probably use to decorate a good friend's Christmas gift. (I also have a long list of "if I have time" projects.) After Thanksgiving, I will share a few holiday projects by readers.

Here are four projects to kick off your gift-making this year:

Snowflake Ornament
by Robin Cowart

Mistletoe
by Amy Boehm

Beaded Pinecones
by Arlene Baker

Christmas Tree Earrings
by Brenda Tumeo

View all holiday or special occasion projects

Not Your Ordinary Bead . . . Myrrh Beads

Beading Daily reader Dorothy asked me about myrrh beads for holiday necklaces. (Myrrh was one of the gifts of the three wise men.) I did a little research and found that the scented beads are made from the hardened sap of the Myrrh tree. Look for them at places that carry African trade beads.

Jeanne A. E. DeVoto used myrrh beads in a turquoise, polymer clay, and silver necklace. You can see a larger photo on her website. She had this advice to share about working with myrrh:

"Myrrh beads are fragile and they can blacken over time when worn, particularly if your skin is acidic. If you work with myrrh, be prepared to restring the piece every so often. I personally think it's well worth it for the scent, but someone who doesn't care about the scent and just wants the look might want to lacquer the myrrh."

An update to this story appears in the "comments" section. A good reminder of "buyer beware" when it comes to any type of purchase!

Buy Handmade

Interweave Press is one of the sponsors of the "Buy Handmade" campaign that encourages people to shop for handmade gifts and support independent artists like yourself! You can read more about this effort and sign the online pledge.

I've already talked to one person who was upset by the "Buy Handmade" message--she thought we should be promoting making handmade gifts, not buying them. But "Buy Handmade" doesn't have to mean only purchasing a finished gift--it could include buying components like handmade beads or handspun yarn, or even buying brownies from a local bake sale that you munch on while you're creating! It's all about thinking outside the box (a.k.a. "the big box stores") for some of your holiday shopping.

Coming This Week: On Wednesday, we'll have a new poll. We'll be having a short week because of the Thanksgiving holiday--no Beading Daily email on Thursday or Friday.

Thanks to everyone who posted such warm and encouraging advice for new designers on Friday ("4 Jewelry Business Tips"). Becca really appreciated it--and so did I!

Michelle Mach is the editor of Beading Daily. She had fun researching myrrh beads. If you are curious about any unusual beads, let her know!