Daily Blogs : Gemstones

Why Should You Learn About Beadmaking?

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Fri, 17 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Why should you learn about beadmaking? Even if you only ever do bead-weaving (or think that you'll only ever do bead-weaving, and nothing else!) knowing a little bit about beadmaking can actually help when you're working on your own beaded jewelry designs, or making a beading project your own through bead substitutions.

Maybe it's not important to know everything about beadmaking, but there are a few surprising ways in which learning about how glass beads, gemstone beads, pearls, crystal beads, and mixed media beads are made can help you save money and create spectacular beaded jewelry at the same time!

Shopping for Beads: How to Get the Best Deal

It may not seem obvious, but when you know about beadmaking, you'll know what to look for when shopping for beads. If you're shopping for handmade lampwork glass beads, you'll know to look for smooth bead holes, and bead holes free of leftover bead separator (the clay-like substance that prevents beads from sticking to the metal mandrels on which they're made).

Knowing the difference between how the genuine Swarovski crystal beads and the Chinese crystal beads are made can also help you out when you're looking to either splurge on a great bead buy, or to economize for a project that's in the research and development phase.

Using Beads as Design Elements

If you're interested in learning about beadmaking, you should also learn about how gemstone beads, pearls, and other natural beads are made. For me, at least, it's fascinating to read about the process of how gemstone beads are made, from the mining of the stone to the final drilling and packaging of the finished bead. And because so many gemstone beads receive treatments of some kind (dyes or heating to enhance color, or injection with resins and plastics for durability), you'll know which beads will stand the test of time when used in your beading projects.

Another important aspect of gemstone beadmaking that you should understand is how the beads are drilled -- I was getting sidetracked far too often by wonky gemstone bead holes in my bead-weaving projects, until I learned that some gemstone beads are drilled twice, once from each end, resulting in bead holes that will not allow a straight needle to pass through! Oops!

Some glass beads are also given treatments, like coatings, which may or may not be permanent. Learning about the pressed glass beadmaking process, including dyes and surface treatments applied to these beads, will leave you better informed when choosing your glass beads for your beading projects.

Handmade Beads: Fiber, Fabric, and Paper

Mixed media beads are also all the rage these days, popping up in beaded jewelry designs everywhere you look. You might not have thought of it before, but some of these beads are also suitable for use in bead-weaving projects where they can be mixed with seed beads. Just like the other types of beads mentioned here, if you know how a good fiber, fabric, or paper bead is made, you'll have a better idea of the best way to include some of these beautiful beads in your bead-weaving projects.

How Do I Learn About Beadmaking?

There are lots of ways to learn about beadmaking. One of the best ways is to ask questions when you go to shows and galleries to buy beads. Beadmakers and bead sellers don't mind answering questions about the origin and techniques used to make the beads they're selling -- once you understand what kind of quality product they're selling, you're more likely to buy.

It also helps to read all you can about beads and beadmaking, and that might include Beadwork magazine. Beadwork magazine has everything you need to know about beads, plus the best in beaded jewelry designs and beading projects for you to use them! If you missed any of the 2012 Beadwork magazines (including the fabulous 15th anniversary beaded bead competition), now you can get all six issues in digital format on a searchable CD! Get your copy of the 2012 Beadwork Magazine CD and find out more about your favorite beads. (The 2012 Beadwork Magazine CD is also available as a digital download, so you can download an entire year of Beadwork magazine and start reading on your favorite desktop or laptop computer in just minutes!)

Has knowing about beadmaking ever helped you out in a design? What do you think is important to know when it comes to beadmaking? Leave a comment here on the Beading Daily blog and share your thoughts and insights with us!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Five Fantastic Pearl Shapes For Your Beaded Jewelry Designs

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Mon, 13 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT

It's true -- pearls never go out of style. Whether you like to do bead stringing or bead stitching, freshwater pearls are an elegant and classic addition to any beaded jewelry design. Pearls come in so many different shapes these days that it's easy to find just the right style to compliment your beading projects.

If you're just starting to add to your collection of freshwater pearl beads, I can recommend looking for these five popular shapes to get started. Most of them come in a wide array of colors to suit any of your beaded jewelry design ideas!

		Potato Pearls What they look like: Potato pearls are oval-shaped, with a hole drilled through the center vertically, as opposed to lengthwise. They usually have some striations as natural variations on them. What they're good for: Potato pearls are fabulous for adding a little bit of earthy elegance to strung jewelry designs or fringe. They can be found in a huge array of colors and sizes, making them perfect for almost any beading project.

		Button Pearls What they look like: Button pearls have one flat side and one rounded side, with the hole drilled top-to-bottom. What they're good for: Use these almost like end caps up against glass or ceramic beads in stringing projects (flat sides against either end of the focal bead), or stitch them flat-side down for use in your favorite bead embroidery projects.

		Rice Pearls What they look like: Like their name suggests, these pearls look like tiny grains of rice. They are not consistent in shape and size, although most of them are usually smaller than 4mm. What they're good for: Mix them with precious metal beads like tiny gold seamless rounds and smaller gemstone beads like garnets and peridot for simple, classic beaded jewelry designs.

		Stick Pearls What they look like: These are long, rectangle-shaped pearls with lots of bumps and grooves. Usually flat, there are some that are round in shape. These pearls can be drilled horizontally through the center or close to one end, or they can be drilled vertically, from end to end. What they're good for: These are the pearls to use for your best tribal-inspired beaded jewelry designs. In pairs, they also make great drops for earrings.

		Keishi Pearls What they look like: Usually flat, with the hole drilled through the center, these pearls resemble wavy discs, with some natural variations (bumps and lumps and striations). What they're good for: When strung in small clusters, these pearls always look "fluffy" to me, and they give a wonderful, organic feel to more refined jewelry designs. They also work well as spacers between gemstones or your favorite Czech glass beads, too.

My new favorite way to use pearls in my jewelry stringing designs is to mix them up with the big, bold colors of stones like turquoise, carnelian, and even some of my favorite dark agates. And if you want to stay on-trend, try mixing your favorite freshwater pearls with some of the fabulous new neon crystal pearls and beads popping up all over!

Ready for more fashion-forward jewelry stringing designs? Make sure you don't miss out on a single issue of Jewelry Stringing magazine! You'll find dozens of gorgeous beaded jewelry design ideas using gemstones, pearls, and all of the latest and greatest glass beads coming from the Czech Republic. Subscribe to Jewelry Stringing for the best in today's beaded jewelry design ideas.

When it comes to freshwater pearls, do you have a favorite shape? Why? How do you use your freshwater pearls in your jewelry design projects? Leave a comment and share your thoughts and ideas with us here on the Beading Daily blog!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Free Cabochon Beading Projects

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Fri, 10 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT

I love a good challenge, don't you? How about the challenge of using a cabochon, without a hole, in a piece of beaded jewelry? When I was learning how to bead, I was thrilled to find out that I didn't need to know metal smithing techniques to include my favorite gemstone cabochons in my beaded jewelry projects.

Making a beaded bezel for a cabochon is a lot easier than you might think it is. If you know how to do bead-weaving stitches like herringbone stitch, right-angle weave, and peyote stitch, you can make cabochon settings out of seed beads that rival even the finest metal cabochon bezels.

Ready to start learning more about including cabochons in your jewelry-making projects? Read on! We've collected five great cabochon beading projects here for you, including a tutorial for making cabochons out of resin and old postage stamps!

Make your own resin cabochons using old postage stamps with Melinda Barta's fabulous project instructions for her Return-to-Sender Focals.
Use herringbone stitch to make beautiful cabochon bezels, too, when you try Melinda's Brilliant Bezels project.
Jean Campbell's gorgeous Eau Claire beaded necklace showcases a fabulous handmade ceramic cabochon with beaded beads - two of my favorite things in the same beaded necklace project!
Lisa Kan's Captured by Pearls is a classic and easy project that embellishes a pretty cabochon with dainty freshwater pearls.
Finally, for a more modern beaded necklace using a cabochon, try Alicia Shems' Jeweled Backlace for a unique beading project using your favorite gemstone cabochon.

We've also included a selection of some of our most popular Beading Daily blogs, all about how to create bezels to capture your favorite cabochons!

Learn how to make an easy right-angle weave bezel for a cabochon or crystal stone.
Read about my adventure using wire to create a Viking knit bezel for a special gemstone cabochon.
Of course, not all cabochons are round, so we've also included instructions for making a triangle-shaped cabochon bezel. (You can easily adapt this technique for making square cabochon bezels, too!)
And if you've ever wanted to include cabochons in your bead embroidery projects, we've included a step-by-step tutorial on how to use peyote stitch to create a cabochon bezel for bead embroidery!

Cabochons can be used for so many great beaded jewelry designs, including rings, earrings, and bracelets - we hope this collection of cabochon jewelry projects inspires you to start creating with cabochons today!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Gemstones and Fashion Inspiration for Spring!

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Mon, 06 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT

From Jennifer: Spring is in full swing here in the Adirondack mountains of upstate New York, and that means it's time to freshen up my jewelry-making projects with some new gemstones! Whether you love to use gemstones as beads for jewelry stringing projects, or you're like me and prefer to use glorious gemstone cabochons in your bead embroidery and bead-weaving projects, here's some great inspiration and information from Jewelry Making Daily's Tammy Jones and our friends at Pantone with suggestions for gemstones that you can use to match the Spring 2013 Pantone color forecast! Enjoy!


	Tammy Jones is the online editor for Jewelry Making Daily

Each year Pantone identifies the top ten fashionable colors of the year, as shown in clothing, fabrics, home décor, purses and other accessories, including our favorite, jewelry. Even if fashion and trends aren't your thing, if you're a jewelry maker or jewelry designer, you need to know these colors. Why? Because they're the colors that almost everyone else will be using when they design their clothing and accessories--or wearing when they buy their clothing and accessories--so you'll want your jewelry designs to play along.

Naturally, you should design to your heart's vision, but whether you add color to your jewelry through gemstones, enamels, fibers, or some other way, these are the colors to watch for Spring 2013 and the gems that match them. (Photos courtesy of Pantone.com.)

		Grayed Jade: This one is easy, it does look like jade--but shades of chalcedony and larimar could also work, along with faceted apatite and fluorite. Aquamarine in this slightly greenish shade is my favorite color for that gem.

		Tender Shoots: For this springy green, peridot comes to mind right away, along with grossular, tsavorite, and demantoid garnets.

		Emerald: Even though it's called emerald, this color looks a little more blue-green than emerald-green to me. Chrome diopside is another rich green option, but apatite and tourmaline will give you that hint of blue.

		Dusk Blue: Lovely sapphire and spinel as well as topaz and aquamarine could serve as this color in your gemstone creations, along with certain shades of chalcedony and larimar.

		Monaco Blue: This blue could also be served with sapphire and spinel, as well as lapis lazuli, iolite, sodalite, and possibly even very fine tanzanite.

		African Violet: Kunzite, fluorite, and amethyst have just the lovely shades of purple to match this color.

		Nectarine: Fire opals, as well as spessartite, mandarin, and hessonite garnets, match up with this juicy color, along with citrine.

		Lemon Zest: Lemon quartz is a good match for this one, along with yellow sapphire, tourmaline, chrysoberyl, yellow beryl, and topaz. Also look for Mali garnet, some citrine, and some members of the grossular garnet family.

		Poppy Red: Even though rubies are a little more blue-red than this red, rubies certain fall in this area, as do spinel. Pyrope and other garnets can be this color, as can dark fire opals.

		Linen: This pretty color immediately makes me think of pearls (surprised? ha!), but rose quartz and morganite might be a better match.

Want to stay up-to-date on what's new in the world of gemstones and lapidary? Check out Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine! Each issue is full of the latest and greatest in gemstones, from gemstone beads to gemstone cabochons, mineral specimens and everything in between. Subscribe to Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine and don't miss out on what the art jewelry world is doing with gemstones now!

What's your favorite gemstone for spring? Have you made any great new gemstone bead discoveries lately, or found a great new source for gemstone beads? Leave a comment here on the Beading Daily blog with your gemstone bead and cabochon picks!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Alternatives to Using Crystal Beads In Your Beading Projects

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT

What I'm about to tell you is something that I've never before declared publicly. You may be shocked. You may be appalled. You may even urge me to seek counseling. But it needs to be said, so here it goes:


I designed this necklace using just vintage glass stones and vintage glass pearls. No crystals needed for some serious bling!

I've never particularly liked using crystal beads.

Now, it's not that I don't enjoy using a crystal bead or stone in my work from time to time. They're pretty, they sparkle, and crystal beads are available in a huge range of colors, finishes, and shapes. But still, I sometimes feel like their sparkle can be a distraction from the beadwork itself. Being kind of a bead maven for the last ten years or so, I've always tried to keep an open mind about the materials that I used in my bead-weaving and jewelry making projects, but if you took a good look at my enormous bead stash, you'd notice a distinct lack of one particular type of bead: crystals.

And, really, I've never seen myself as a sparkly-kinda-gal. Maybe it was because I was more of a tomboy growing up, or maybe it was because I've always felt drawn to natural gemstones for my beading projects.

So whenever I've come across a beading project that calls for crystal beads or stones, I turn to my enormous bead stash to see what I can come up with to substitute for the crystals called for in the materials. Chances are, you probably have a lot of these in your stash, too!

Czech Glass Beads As Substitutes for Crystals

Ever since I was a baby beader, I've been drawn to the amazing range of colors and shapes of Czech glass beads available in bead shops and online. The last few years have been very exciting for me as a beader as I've watched new shapes, styles, and colors of Czech glass beads hitting the market.

My favorite type of Czech glass bead to use as a substitute for crystals is the round glass druk. With all the colors and finishes available, I can easily stock up on these beautiful glass beads for use in all of my beading projects. Another good option is to use a fire polished bead, with an AB coating for extra pizazz, if that's what you want.

Czech glass bicones may not work in a beading project that calls for crystal bicones, since their shape is often a bit "fatter" than than the crystal beads. But if you feel comfortable making a few adjustments to your project instructions, you can discover new ways to include these beautiful beads in your jewelry-making projects.

Gemstones As a Substitute for Crystals


Instead of using crystal drops, you could easily substitute gemstone briolettes in Marcia DeCoster's Little Black Dress Earrings.

If you want to give your crystal beading project an earthier look, there's no better bead to use than a gemstone bead. Gemstone beads are available in an incredible array of shapes, sizes, and materials these days, and given the choice, I'll splurge on a strand of tiny 3mm gemstone rounds over a packet of crystal beads.

Briolette cut gemstones are more popular than ever these days, and they can be substituted very easily for a crystal briolette or crystal drop bead in most beading projects.

Keep in mind that some gemstone beads can be heavier than crystals, so you may want to or need to reinforce your beadwork with extra thread paths to make sure it holds up well.

Vintage Czech Glass Stones As a Substitute for Crystal Stones


	Vintage Czech glass stones work just as well as crystal stones for many beading projects.

Sure, crystal stones like Rivolis are sparkly and all that, but something about them just leaves me cold. If a beading project calls for a crystal stone, I'm more likely to turn to my extensive collection of vintage Czech glass stones as a substitute.

I can't remember where I bought my first vintage Czech glass stone, but it was most likely at a trunk show at my local bead shop. Since then, I've found a few great sources for finding these little glass treasures, mostly on eBay and Etsy. Other great sources include A Grain of Sand, Beadin' Path, and Earthly Adornments.

What I love about the Czech glass stones as a substitute for crystal stones is their subtlety. They're clear and sparkling and beautiful in their own right, without all the flash of a crystal stone, allowing the beadwork to take center stage.

When using vintage Czech glass stones in your beading projects, be mindful that some of them can be fragile and chip easily.

Why Use Something Besides Crystal Beads?

There are lots of reasons why I can think of to substitute gemstones or glass for crystal beads. If you use a slightly different type of bead in a beading project, you give that project an entirely new look -- which can be a good thing. You may find a color of glass bead or a particular gemstone that speaks to you, and substituting that type of bead for a crystal bead is a great way to express your own individuality through your beading projects.

Cost may or may not be a factor when considering a substitute for crystal beads. Some gemstone beads can cost just as much or more than their crystal bead counterparts, so really think about making substitutes for your crystal beads more about a way of expressing your own personality than about saving money when it comes to your beading projects.

If you're looking for more ways to express yourself through your jewelry-making projects, you won't want to miss Beads, Baubles, and Jewels Series 1800. Each of thirteen episodes in Series 1800 is full of great jewelry-making tutorials, tips, and ideas from some of today's top jewelry artists. Whether you're an experienced jewelry artist or just a beginner looking for new ways to get creative with jewelry, make sure you pre-order your copy of Beads, Baubles, and Jewels Series 1800 on DVD.

Do you have a suggestion for swapping out crystal beads with another type of bead? What's worked for you, and more importantly, what hasn't worked? Leave a comment here on the Beading Daily blog and share your experiences with us!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Fresh, New Wire Wrapping Projects Just For You!

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Of all the jewelry-making supplies out there, my favorite (next to seed beads, of course) has to be wire. I wasn't always a fan of wire wrapping techniques, but once I saw just how versatile it is, I started reading up on my wire wrapping tutorials wherever I could.

Wire and beads can be used to create simple wrapped loops that can be used to create elegant wire wrapped jewelry, handmade clasps and jewelry findings, and beautiful, intricate wire jewelry. Learning just a few simple wire wrapping techniques can help you turn your beaded jewelry from ordinary into extraordinary, with just a few twists of the pliers!

We've given our wire wrapping eBook a fresh look, and included four new projects for you to help you look at wire in a whole new way!

Monica Han's Gone Fishin' bracelet is fun, light, and airy - and a perfect example of how you can make a complete piece of jewelry with just wire and a handful of crystal beads.
Even a wire wrapping beginner can make Christine Haynes' Chunky Carnelian Ring using a favorite gemstone nugget and some sterling silver wire. Easy wire wrapping techniques make for a stunning statement ring!
Sally Stevens' Bird's Nest Pendant uses affordable copper wire and handmade lampwork beads to craft a lovely, peaceful wire wrapped pendant.
Melissa Senetar's Pendulum Pendant will really give your wire wrapping skills a workout. Showcase a dramatic gemstone bead when you learn how to wire wrap jewelry.

No matter what kind of wire wrapped jewelry you like to make, check out the wire wrapping instructions in our free eBook, Learn How to Wire Wrap Jewelry: 6 Free Wire Wrapping Jewelry Projects and see just how far a spool of wire can take you.

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Glass Beads I Love: Never Understimate the Power Of The Druk

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT

I recently rekindled my love of the glass druk when I started designing my Hoarder of Beauty necklace using a handful of Czech glass gumdrop beads. As I was designing the individual components that went into the finished design, someone suggested that I use bicones. I knew I didn't have enough bicones of the right color in my stash, but I did have a brand-new hank of round Czech glass beads -- also known as druks.

Now, I've been going on all this time thinking that a druk is just a round glass bead. I asked my friend Perry Bookstein at York Beads what he knew about druks, and the first thing he asked me was if I considered round glass beads to be druks, or if I thought of other glass beads as druks, as well.

What, Exactly, IS a Druk?


	What do all of these glass beads have in common? They can all be classified as druks!

Well, Perry's question just stumped me. I'd never seen any other glass beads except the round ones referred to as druks. Were there other shapes of glass beads that could be classified as druks?

The question got both of us investigating. While Perry checked with his contacts in Europe as well as in the United States, I did some online searches to see what came up when I searched for druks.

To my great surprise, I found several European glass bead companies that referred to "shaped" glass druks on their websites!

A little more digging from Perry revealed that the word "druk" is an adaptation of the German word meaning "pressure" or "pressed". Since these glass beads are formed by pressing glass into a mold, they can all correctly be classified as druks! The things you learn when you ask a simple question, right?

Why Use Druks?


I used glass druks to help me work out a tricky spacing issue when designing this little beaded snowflake motif.

Semantics aside, I find that using the round glass druks in my bead-weaving designs is a great way to add some dimension and shape to my pieces, for not a whole lot of cost. Round glass beads like druks come in a huge array of colors and finishes, and you can find them in almost any size you need, ranging from the tiny 3mm druks all the way up to 10mm and larger.

Druks can be found with a matte finish, a rainbow (aurora borealis) finish, two-toned, or even with a peacock pattern applied to them!

Because glass beads like druks cost significantly less than their crystal bead and gemstone counterparts, it's easy to stock up on a range of colors and sizes for use in your beaded jewelry creations. Their smooth, round shape makes them perfect for elegant, organic beaded jewelry design ideas. And because they're so "plain", they stand up well to lots of embellishments.

Try something new with your druks: pair them with your favorite two-holed seed beads like Twins or Super Duos, or use them to make a base of right-angle weave that you can embellish and layer with seed beads. Really, when you let your imagination play with glass beads like round druks, the sky is the limit!

Get Creative With Your Glass Beads and Enter Bead Star!

Have you come up with a creative and innovative design using glass beads? Then enter it in the Bead Star 2013 competition! There just happens to be a category for glass beads, too, so if you're ready to show the world what you can do with your druks (and your other glass beads), head on over to the Bead Star site and find out how to enter. Don't forget -- new for 2013, you can beading projects made with seed beads in any category! Check out the Bead Star competition, and who knows? You might be our next Bead Star and win an all-expense paid trip to Bead Fest Philadelphia!

Bead Happy,

Jenifer

P.S. Want some great sources for stocking up on glass beads like druks? Check out York Beads and Bead Stalkers for the latest and greatest in glass beads coming from Europe!

What You Should Know About Gemstones For Bead-weaving

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Although lately I've been incorporating more and more glass beads into my bead-weaving projects, when I first started learning how to bead, I used lots and lots of gemstone beads in my designs. There's something about the look of gemstones in bead-weaving designs that still appeals to me. Maybe it's the organic nature of the material, or the colors and patterns you find in my favorite agates and jasper gemstones.

But using gemstone beads in your bead-weaving is a little different than using glass beads. Gemstones mix beautifully with seed beads, if you keep a couple of things in mind before you start to stitch.

Holes and Needles and Threads, Oh, My!

Most gemstone beads can be quite a bit heavier than my favorite glass beads, so when I decide to use them in my beading projects, I usually use a heavier weight beading thread. 10 lb. WildFire beading thread is a great option for bead-weaving with gemstones, as is 8 lb. or 10 lb. Fireline.

But before you break out the heavyweight beading thread, check the bead hole by passing your beading needle through it a few times. Gemstone beads are sometimes drilled from opposite sides to meet in the middle, and the lower-quality beads will often have uneven bead holes. (I think the technical term given to those uneven bead holes by my friends is "wonky".)

If the bead hole is straight, but too narrow, use your bead reamer to widen it a bit. (Always remember to use your bead reamer with the bead under water to cool the bead and the reamer and to prevent any particles from flying into the air.) You can also smooth out any rough edges on the bead hole before you start stitching, too, to prevent your beading thread from becoming frayed.

Dye Jobs

Before stitching with any gemstone beads, always find out if the bead has been treated in any way with dyes or colors that may run if the piece becomes wet or damp. As a general rule, I try to avoid bead-weaving with any gemstones that have been dyed, particularly agates or howlite, because those colors can run and ruin the finished piece of beaded jewelry.

If you're unsure as to whether or not a gemstone bead has been dyed or colored, drop one or two of them into a cup of diluted dish soap and let it stand in a window for a couple of days. If you see the color of the bead leaking out into the water, you might not want to use it in your beading project.

Learn More About Your Favorite Gemstones

You can learn so much about your favorite gemstones and their properties in the pages of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Magazine! It's my number-one source for fascinating information about the sources and characteristics of all my favorite gemstone beads. Subscribe to Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Magazine and get six issues of great tips and techniques for jewelry makers of all kinds!

What do you love most about using gemstones in your bead-weaving projects? Leave a comment and share your thoughts, tips, and advice with us here on the Beading Daily blog!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Earring Making: Almost Instant Gratification

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Oh, yes, even though I always seem to have a hard time coming up with designs for beaded earrings, I love to stitch up earring making projects from other talented beading designers! I really can't get enough of them -- earring making projects are great for last-minute gifts, or when I just need a quick project to pick up a tired outfit, I love the way beaded earrings can change things up with ease.

Want a peek at three of my favorite earring making projects from the awesome eBook, Best of Beadwork: 12 Romantic Projects?

		Nancy Cain's Pearl Romance necklace uses clever and sophisticated little peyote-stitched bead caps to transform a strand of ordinary crystal pearls into a fantastic and fabulous piece of beaded neckwear. But if you don't have time to make the whole necklace, stitching up just a couple of the bead caps will leave you with a pair of fancy, flirty beaded earrings!

		Lisa Kan's beadwork just reeks of romanticism, and her Marrakech Earrings are a beautiful and clever combination of herringbone stitch, peyote stitch, and netting. Tiny cube earrings and crystal bicones make these earrings perfect for both the office and date night.

		Marcia DeCoster's Little Black Dress earrings work up in a snap, and can add some serious glam to your favorite outfits. Substitute top-drilled gemstone drops or shorter briolettes to completely change up the look of these beautiful beaded earrings.

I've always thought that earring making is the next best thing to instant gratification when it comes to beading projects. If you love these three earring making projects, you can get all of them plus nine more beaded necklace and bracelet projects in The Best of Beadwork: 12 Romantic Projects. Taken straight from the pages of Beadwork magazine, you'll find romantic beading projects from some of your favorite designers like Laura McCabe, Cynthia Rutledge, and Melanie Potter. You can download your copy of The Best of Beadwork: 12 Romantic Beading Projects instantly onto your desktop or laptop computer, and be beading in just minutes!

What's your favorite part about earring making? Leave a comment here on the Beading Daily blog and share your thoughts!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Start Designing Your Own Beaded Jewelry, Part 2: Right-angle Weave Base

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 08:00:00 GMT

Continuing with your beaded jewelry design project, now that you've made herringbone stitch bezels for the beads, we're going to make the base to which they'll all be attached using right-angle weave.

The base I like to use when making these beaded necklaces is a "v" shape that drapes nicely and is easy to adjust for length and fit. (Because being comfortable wearing your beaded jewelry is important!) Another reason I like to use this type of right-angle weave base is because it can support heavier gemstone beads.

To make your right-angle weave base, you'll need the following beads and materials:

30-50 grams of size 11 beads, color A
20 grams of size 11 beads, color B
Beading thread (6 lb. FireLine recommended)

Before You Start Stitching: This necklace base using right-angle weave eats up a lot of thread in a hurry, and because you'll be passing through the beads at least twice more when you attach your components, it's best to use as long a piece of thread as you're comfortable with so that you can avoid having to weave in a lot of thread ends. (Starting and ending new threads can fill up those bead holes pretty fast!)

If you're not comfortable using a long length of thread, consider leaving longer tails when you add new thread that you can use to attach your design components later in the process.

		Pick up: 3 A, 1 B, 3 A, 1 B, 3 A, 1 B, 3 A, 1 B. Tie into a ring. Pass through the first 7 beads (3 A, 1 B, 3 A) again as shown.

		To add each additional unit in the first row, pick up: 1 B, 3 A, 1 B, 3 A, 1 B, 3 A, and 1 B. Pass through the 3 A you exited in the previous unit, and back through the unit you just added until you are again exiting from 3 A on the side of the current unit.

		Work until your row is 5 units long. To start the second row, exit from the top 3 A of the last unit in your first row. Pick up: 1 B, 3 A, 1 B, 3 A, 1 B, 3 A, and 1 B. Pass through the 3 A you exited at the beginning of this row and through the beads of the unit you just added until you are exiting through the 3 A on the inside of the unit. Pick up 1 B, and pass through the next 3 A in the next unit.

		You'll continue to add those extra B beads at the corners as you work each unit.

		Continue to add rows to your right-angle weave base until the base is about 9-10" long. (This will be for an 18-20" finished necklace, not including the size of the clasp.) You can check the size/fit of your necklace by draping it around your neck and seeing where the end lays. Remember that your center "v" will take up about 1-2" of space in the middle. When the first side of your necklace is long enough, add a new thread (remember to leave a nice, long tail!) and turn the piece on its side. Weave through the beadwork until you are exiting from a set of 3 A on the top (the long side).

		Work a row of 5 units in right-angle weave just as you did before, adding B beads at the corners of each unit.

		Continue working until your second side is the same length as the first side. You can easily make adjustments to the final length of the right-angle weave base by adding or removing rows from the ends.

		Now the fun part! Start playing with the arrangement of your focal pieces, looking at spacing and thinking about where you can add embellishments and fringe. Play with the placement of your clasp, and any necklace findings you might want to include in your finished piece. If you find more than one arrangement that you like, take pictures and save them so that you can decide which one you like best before you start attaching and embellishing.

Are you having fun yet? One of the reasons I love these particular techniques for beaded jewelry design using herringbone stitch and right-angle weave is that they open up a whole world of possibilities!

If you want to brush up on your basic right-angle weave and herringbone stitch bead-weaving techniques, look no further than The Best of Step-by-Step Beads 2010 special issue. You'll find dozens of fantastic, easy bead-weaving projects using right-angle weave, herringbone stitch, peyote stitch, and more that are just right for when you need to do a little beading on a spectacular project, but you don't have a lot of time. For a limited time, you can get your copy of The Best of Step-by-Step Beads 2010 for only $3 and keep your bead-weaving skills sharp!

Come back on Friday, March 1, for the final installment in Design Your Own Beaded Jewelry Week here on Beading Daily and learn a few techniques for attaching elements and embellishing your beaded necklace!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Start Designing Your Own Beaded Jewelry, Part 1: Herringbone Bezel for a Bead

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 08:00:00 GMT

Warning: Long Story Alert.

Last winter, my husband and I took a parenting class with our son's preschool teacher. One evening during class, I started noticing the patterns on the beautiful purple shirt worn by the teacher, and of course, my beady brain got to thinking about how I could re-create those lines in a piece of beaded jewelry. Well, the beautiful curves and shapes could easily be reproduced with herringbone stitch, but how would I get them to stay straight? The answer came later that evening, when I realized I could tack them down to a collar made with right-angle weave, and I could include some beautiful Lucite flowers and even some crystal stones to spice things up!

It was one of those beaded jewelry designs that sort of designed itself -- all I did was stitch it up and put it together. And the more I played, the more I realized that there were a whole world of possibilities with this kind of beading project.

So, if you've ever wanted to learn a little bit about designing your own beaded jewelry, this week on Beading Daily, I'm going to show you how I created these beaded necklaces and teach you the same beading techniques that I used to create them!

Putting Together a Color Palette

The first thing you need to do is assemble a color palette of beads. For this project, you'll need the following beads:

5 or 6 small crystal stones, cabochons, or beads, no bigger than about 20mm
30-50 grams of size 11 seed beads in colors to match or contrast your cabochons or beads
20 grams of size 8 seed beads in colors to match or contrast your cabochons or beads
Accent beads: think tiny 3mm crystals, large Lucite flowers (my favorites come from The Hole Bead Shop), Czech pressed glass beads, or unusual beads and components like beetle wings
A large focal bead or large cabochon, if desired
Clasp of your choice

Play with your beads, putting them together and moving them around to see what colors and shapes appeal to you. The finished necklace will be in a "v" shape, so try drawing that shape on a piece of paper, then lining up your beads and cabochons to find a pleasing arrangement.

Don't feel obligated to use every single bead you pick out. Picking and choosing the beads should be a continuous process throughout the creation of your beaded necklace.

Next, we'll make an easy herringbone stitch bezel for your smaller cabochons, beads, or crystal stones.

Make An Easy Herringbone Bezel

		Using a 5 foot length of thread and ladder stitch, make a ladder of four stacks with two beads, beginning with two stacks of size 11 seed beads, followed by two stacks of size 8 seed beads. (Using stacks of two beads makes it a little easier to hold on to the herringbone stitch tube in the beginning.)

		Pass through the first stack of two beads again and cinch the ladder into a tube. The two stacks of size 11 seed beads look like they're resting snug up against the two stacks of size 8 seed beads.

		Work in tubular herringbone, adding two size 11 beads over the pair of 11's in the base, and two size 8 beads over the pair of 8's. As you stitch, try to keep your tension snug, and your little herringbone tube will start to curl into a circle.

		Check the fit of your herringbone tube on your bead or cabochon. Stop beading when you have a gap about one bead's width between the beginning and end of your herringbone stitch tube. For the final round, add two size 11 seed beads and pass through the size 8 seed beads without adding another set of beads. You should be exiting from a size 11 seed bead.

		Cinch the tube together by passing through the first two or three beads in the tube, then pass through the set of beads next to them. Join the size 8 beads at the beginning and end of the tube in the same way, and exit through a size 11. If you're using a bead (like I am in the example), pass through the center hole of the bead, then through a size 11 seed bead on the other side of the herringbone stitch tube. Pass back through the center of the bead, and back through the size 11 seed bead you originally exited. Repeat the thread path on the other side of the herringbone stitch tube using the thread tail, then weave the thread into the tube, knot, and trim.

		Stitch up a handful of herringbone stitch bezels for your beads! If you're using a cabochon without a center hole, you can add a row of netting using size 15 seed beads, then cinch it up to hold the cabochon securely.

Get creative with your herringbone stitch bezels -- since the tube is very flexible, it's great for wrapping around odd-shaped jewelry-making components. You can use things like Scrabble tiles, seashells, and gemstone donuts using this technique.

Are you ready to learn more about the best in beaded jewelry design using herringbone stitch, right-angle weave, and peyote stitch? Make sure you subscribe to Beadwork magazine, where you'll find pages of innovative beaded jewelry designs and beading projects using all of your favorite bead-weaving stitches. And don't miss the 2013 Designers of the Year -- Jill Wiseman, Sabine Lippert, Maggie Meister, and Smadar Grossman offer up challenging, beautiful beading projects in each issue! Subscribe to Beadwork magazine today and don't miss out on all the excitement in the world of beaded jewelry design!

Check back on February 27 and March 1 for the rest of this beading project: we'll be making the right-angle weave base, and then attaching our components and adding fringe and other embellishments.

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Are You Captivated By Cabochons?

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 08:00:00 GMT

In case I haven't mentioned it lately, I'm addicted to cabochons. If you take a look through my bead stash, you'll find drawers and drawers full of them -- gemstone cabochons, handmade ceramic and porcelain cabochons, even vintage Lucite cabochons and cabochons made from things like resin and polymer clay.

I love the challenge in figuring out how to include a cabochon (or two, or three) in my bead-weaving projects. Of course, since cabochons by definition don't have a hole drilled in them, the first step is learning how to create a beaded bezel to securely hold the cabochon so that it can be attached to a beaded necklace or bracelet.

When I first started learning how to bead, I mastered the basic open-backed peyote stitch cabochon bezel pretty quickly, but then I became interested in learning how to use other bead-weaving techniques to capture those cabochons, even cabochons that were triangular or square! Read on for some of my favorite bead-weaving techniques for making beaded bezels for cabochons:

		Part of the challenge of making an open-backed bezel for a cabochon using peyote stitch is getting the fit just right. Too loose, and the cabochon will fall out. Too tight, and there's too much thread showing between beads. Using brick stitch to create the first few rounds of your peyote stitch bezels pretty much guarantees a perfect fit every time!

		Bead embroidery is another popular technique for making beaded bezels for cabochons.Of all the beaded bezel techniques that I've learned over the years, this one was by far the most challenging. But now, after making hundreds of these for beaded necklaces and bracelets, it's almost second nature to me!

		Working with square and triangular cabochons is a snap when you know how to make a peyote stitch bezel for them using herringbone stitch to shape the corners! Make one or two of these, and you'll be looking for square and triangular cabochons everywhere.

		Right-angle weave is one of my go-to bead-weaving stitches, and as it turns out, it makes a fabulous, fast, and secure beaded bezel for a cabochon or crystal stone. Another reason I love using right-angle weave for a beaded bezel is how easy it is to embellish the finished bezel using drop beads, daggers, or other types of glass beads.

		I hadn't really thought too much about using herringbone stitch to make a beaded bezel for a cabochon or crystal stone until I wanted to make a quick beaded bezel to capture this pair of crystal stones I got from Nikia Angel. Using a variation of herringbone stitch for these made for a quick and very secure beaded bezel that can be used for all kinds of beaded jewelry!

No matter how you decide to bezel your cabochons, one thing is for sure: using cabochons in beading projects is one jewelry-making trend that I don't see going away any time soon!

If you're ready to learn all about using bead-weaving to make beaded bezels for your favorite cabochons, check out Melinda Barta's How to Stitch Beaded Bezels DVD. Melinda takes you step-by-step through six lessons that teach you how to use netting, herringbone stitch, and peyote stitch to capture your favorite cabochons, buttons, and crystal stones securely for spectacular beaded jewelry. Get your copy of How to Stitch Beaded Bezels and start using those cabochons in your stash!

Do you have a favorite bead-weaving technique for making beaded bezels? Leave a comment here on the Beading Daily blog and share it with us!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Four Fast and Fun Wire Earring Making Projects

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 08:00:00 GMT

I can't imagine a better way to learn about making wire jewelry than with a few fast and fabulous earring making projects. The best part about making earrings with wire is that you don't need a lot of beads, and you don't need to be a wire expert to create fun, flirty little earrings!

Earring making has never been something that comes easy for me, but I love wearing handmade earrings with my jewelry. But the more that I play with my wire and my wire jewelry making tools, the more ideas I get for earring making projects! Give your earring making projects a little boost with one of these four ideas:

		I have a confession to make: I collect cones. I hardly ever use them, except for when I have time to do a Viking knit project, but I love to buy them. I have cones made from glass, precious metal clay, ceramic, even a pair of gemstone cones that I scored at a gem and mineral show a couple of years ago. They look so pretty in their little drawer, but now I have something to do with them! Using easy wire wrapping techniques, I can use those cones for some fast and easy earring making projects!

		Another reason why I love earring making projects is that they offer easy introductions to new beading and jewelry-making techniques, like how to make wire spirals. If you have just one or two extra beads left over from a project, you can string them up and make them into fancy earrings with the addition of a simple wire spiral at the bottom!

		Of course, if the idea of working with wire still intimidates you, then I recommend starting out with these easy wire wrapped beads. Show that wire who's boss! The great thing about these little wire beads is that there are no rules -- anything goes as you're wrapping the wire. Made with brass and copper, they add a rustic charm to any beaded jewelry design. Or try them in some brightly colored craft wire for a little extra whimsy.

		If you're ready to get adventurous with your wire earring making projects, I highly recommend the Dancing Spirals wire earring project. They're so delicate and much lighter than they look, and you'll get to practice your wire spiral technique. By the time you finish them, you'll feel like a wire wiz, and have a pretty pair of earrings, too!

If you're already comfortable working with wire, I highly recommend that you check out one of Tammy Jones' latest blogs over on Jewelry Making Daily: She's put together six simple design elements that you can make with wire for truly outstanding, artistic wire earrings.

Coiling wire is a technique that I'm only just starting to explore, but I can see a lot of potential for this, both with my earring making designs, and with my beaded jewelry designs. Making wire coils isn't really a difficult technique, if you know how to do it. Now you can learn from master wire jewelry artist, Kerry Bogert, in our new video, Wire Coiling Secrets.

Watch as Kerry demonstrates her easy-to-learn techniques for creating spectacular wire coils and uses them in beautiful wire jewelry projects. Pre-order your copy of Wire Coiling Secrets, or if you really can't wait to get started, Wire Coiling Secrets is also available as an instant download!

How do you like to make earrings with wire? Are you strictly a head pin and bead designer, or do you enjoy branching out and trying different jewelry-making techniques in your earring designs? Leave a comment and share your thoughts with us here on the Beading Daily blog!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Our Favorite Free Gemstone Beading Projects

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 08:00:00 GMT

A few years ago, I landed a teaching gig at a large gem and mineral show in western New York. As I walked the floor after my classes, I marveled at how many different gemstone beads were available. It seemed like there were gemstones for every color, every price range, and every shape that a beader could possibly want. Big gemstones, little gemstones, carved gemstones, and gemstone cabochons in every cut and material you might imagine.

On the last day of the show, my friend and I went on a mission: we visited every single dealer who sold Herkimer diamonds in a quest to find me a perfect pair of these highly-prized quartz crystals. As I was paying for my purchase, it dawned on me just how much we treasure gemstones for their beauty and for their perceived metaphysical properties and "powers".

Indeed, there's something about gemstone beads that moves me like no other kind of bead. Holding a gemstone bead in my hand makes me think about the natural process that occurred deep inside the Earth to result in that beautiful rock. Gemstones do more than just make beautiful jewelry -- they heal, they inspire, and they tell us their stories.

Because we love gemstones so much, we decided to freshen up our gemstone eBook with some all-new projects!

You can start your gemstone bead journey with Linda Richmond's Net Full of Gems, an easy stitching project that uses beautiful (and affordable) gemstone chips to create a bold netted choker.
Mile Marker 219 by Annie Hartman Bakken combines sterling silver findings, seed beads, and Unakite to create an earthy necklace.
Harness the energy of your favorite gemstone donut and freeform peyote stitch in Tina Koyama's Stone Soup Donut necklace.
Dustin Wedekind uses gemstone donuts in a beautiful and fashion-forward necklace design that you can make in just minutes.
Turquoise Collage by Marcella Austenfeld combines knotted leather with a beaded bezel for a freeform turquoise cabochon in a design that's both earthy and elegant!
And finally, practice your wire wrapped loops when you make your own beaded chain of gemstone beads to accent a funky ceramic focal in Denise Yezbak Moore's Cobblestone necklace.

Buying gemstones doesn't have to hurt your budget, either. We've included some great tips for finding beautiful, affordable gemstones, as well as knowing what you're buying when it comes to gemstones that have had their appearance altered with dyes or treatments.

So, take a few minutes to download and enjoy our free eBook, Using Gems and Semi-Precious Stones in Jewelry: 6 Free Gemstone Jewelry Projects Plus Guide to Gemstone Beads and listen to what your gemstones are trying to tell you!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Free Wire Wrapping Project: Gypsy Wire Bangle

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 08:00:00 GMT

Are you ready to put your wire wrapping skills to the test? This fantastic Gypsy Wire Bangle by Janice Berkebile is just the thing for you! It takes a little bit of practice to get your wire coils perfectly even, but it's worth it if the result is a striking bracelet like this one.

If you don't like the bright dichroic glass beads, this bracelet also looks great when made with gemstone beads, natural beads like bone or seeds, or even dangerously fun with glass spike beads! Mix it up any way you like for a unique piece of wrist candy that you'll be looking at all day.

Materials

33 foil-lined 6-8mm dichroic glass rounds
5 green 9x10mm pressed-glass ovals
38 assorted silver bead caps
12" of sterling silver 14-gauge wire
6' of fine silver 18-gauge wire
38 sterling silver 1" ball-end head pins
Liver of sulphur or blackening solution

Tools

Round-nose pliers
Chain-nose pliers
Long round-nose pliers
Chasing hammer
Pounding block and pad
Marker
Measuring tape
Jeweler's rouge and buffing tools (optional)


	Figure 1: Making the coiling-wire loops.

	Figure 2: Making the clasp.

1. Base Wire. Use the widest section of the jaws of the long round-nose pliers to form a simple loop at the very end of the 14-gauge wire. Use the marker to mark 11 points on the wire, one every 1/2".

2. Coils. Leaving a 1 1/2" tail at the start next to the simple loop, coil the 18-gauge wire tightly around the base until you reach the first mark, about 13 coils.

3. Loops. Hold the round-nose pliers at the top of the base wire, so the coiling wire is about 3/4" from the tip. Coil the wire in the opposite direction all the way around to the other side of the base wire, forming a figure eight (Figure 1).

Work coils and loops for about 6". Bend the coiled base wire into a circle and fit it around your wrist to test the size; keep in mind that the clasp will take up about 3/4" from the ends of the coils. If in doubt, make the bangle smaller -- you can always add jump rings to extend it.

4. Clasp. With the coil tight to the first base loop, use the chain-nose pliers to make a 90 degree bend at the other end of the base wire to lock the coil in place. Use the widest point of the round-nose pliers to turn the end of the base wire into a simple loop that will interlock with the first loop (Figure 2). Cut off the beginning tail and the excess coiling wire.

Pound each base-wire loop with the head of the chasing hammer, then flip the hammer over to use the peen side to distress the metal.

5. Head Pins. Use 1 head pin to string 1 bead and 1 bead cap; form a wrapped loop that attaches to one of the coiling-wire loops. Repeat to attach three bead dangles to each loop. Add an additional pressed-glass oval/bead cap dangle to every other coiling-wire loop.

If desired, place the bracelet in a liver of sulphur or blackening solution. Rinse and buff.

If one of your jewelry-making resolutions for 2013 is to improve your skills at wire wrapping and working with wire, why not get yourself a subscription to Step By Step Wire magazine? You'll get six great issues full of beautiful and inspirational wire jewelry designs, plus everything you need to know like wire basics, tips, techniques, and tools! Subscribe to Step By Step Wire magazine and get all wired up in 2013!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer