5 Ways to Stretch Your Beading Budget

re: 5 Ways to Stretch Your Beading Budget

CindyC@53 — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:57:22 GMT

Instead of buying beading thread in all different colors, I now buy just white Dandyline (by Beadalon) and use my fabric felt pens to color it. Sharpie's or other permanent markers will work too. That way I get a color close to what I want and can change colors on the thread as I change bead colors. I just put the fat tip of the marker on a piece of cardboard then draw the thread quickly through it. Then I let it dry for a few minutes. If there is excess color let it dry longer or pull it btw 2 pieces of paper towel.

Cindy

re: 5 Ways to Stretch Your Beading Budget

Jubeadilation — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:31:15 GMT

I find that using wire in my work can add style and drama at much less cost than using a huge number of beads. I'm often designing for things I can teach at classes, so this is important to me. If you want to check out what I mean, have a look at my website www.jubeadilation.synthasite.com

re: 5 Ways to Stretch Your Beading Budget

Clinevalerie — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 02:22:26 GMT

I found that I save a lot of money by looking for 50% to 75% off sales and 2 or 3 dollar strands of gemstone beads. I search the internet and I don't have to go far. Firemountain has a lot of specials all the time. Sign up for there newsletter it really has saved me a lot of money along with art beads etc.

The internet is a wonderful place to shop. But is really is up to you on how much you want to save money or if you have the money to spend then I guess you are one of the lucky ones.

Thanks

Valerie

Cline Jewels

re: 5 Ways to Stretch Your Beading Budget

JessMH — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 13:30:28 GMT

As many others here, I too check out the thrift shops and garage sales. Clearance racks are good places to find large amounts of chain, or large earrings that with a little work could make a cute necklace. And some "dollar stores" get overstocks, which, with a little digging, can unearth some decent beads and chain.

re: 5 Ways to Stretch Your Beading Budget

Jsmaz — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 06:27:39 GMT

Such great ideas from everyone! I make a weekly pass through the markdown jewelry section at my local BX. It's amazing how cheap they mark down sterling & gold items sometimes, and I always ask for extra discounts on broken items. Sometimes they even mark down retired Swarovski items that haven't sold and I snap them up, since they only increase in value!

I have standing orders w/family to buy any jewelry or beads they find cheap at garage sales-it's amazing what people think is junk sometimes, and my Grandma has a good eye.

re: 5 Ways to Stretch Your Beading Budget

CryssT — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:14:42 GMT

I've found several great deals on Craig's List and Ebay has great deals under titles like "lots" or "various lots" or "batch of". i also shop at Goodwill & thrift stores because they put bags of beads or jewelry out from time to time. I've finally convinced my family that i'd rather have beads or a gift certificate to a bead store. unfortunately a local bead store recently went out of business (they retired) and i bought Delica's and Toho's at 50% off.

re: 5 Ways to Stretch Your Beading Budget

JeanneK@9 — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 20:42:13 GMT

I love poking around in second hand shops, thrift stores, rummage sales, and the like. Not only do I find jewelry that I can take apart and recreate, I find great clothing, many of which are designer labels, that I can buy for just a few dollars. What money I save on clothing, I then can use for beads! What a great combination-fantastic clothes and hand made jewelry. It doesn't get any better than that!

re: 5 Ways to Stretch Your Beading Budget

Nemeton — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 18:00:09 GMT

I am an incurable cheapskate and always looking for ways to make my beads go further - even down to choosing stitches with big spaces in (such as netting or big right angle weave) if I have limited quantities of a favourite seed bead colour. I have two pairs of ancient hardware store pliers and some wire cutters borrowed from my husband's model railway building, my bead spinner is made from part of a light fitting and an old pencil, and although I am now a BeadStopper convert, until recently I used paperclips! My only extravagant tool is a pair of magical crimping pliers. I'm very lucky to have several friends who are lampwork beadmakers and willing to trade beadwoven jewellery for beautiful focal beads! I find it very hard to use a whole strand of gemstones in one strung necklace, it seems so extravagant - I prefer to spin them out and mix small quantities of lots of different beads together. I even pick up discarded washers and bits of packaging from the gutter when I'm out and about, and I'm a diehard beachcomber too. It's so hard to resist picking up something that has a hole in!

re: 5 Ways to Stretch Your Beading Budget

Suz27 — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 10:24:14 GMT

I belong to my favorite bead shop's email list, and receive updates on what's new, plus any items that go on sale. What a great benefit!

I've also checked out the local and area dollar stores, and have found some unique items to use in my beading. Purchasing several bead tassels, each at a dollar, I took them home, took each apart, and now have some neat beads I've never seen elsewhere.

Lots of good ideas. Thanks to all.

re: 5 Ways to Stretch Your Beading Budget

JanetB@73 — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 23:35:51 GMT

Befriend your local bead shop. Sometimes I find a strand of beads that I love, but I wouldn't use them all, or the entire strand is just too expensive for my budget. Because I am a regular customer, they often will halve or even quarter a strand of beads for me. This saves me having to spend money on a strand I would not use up right away, since much of what I do is bracelets.

Also, consider getting a tax number. In addition to tax free status, you may be entitled to "designer discounts." This is something you may need to ask about, because not all shops advertise their discounts.

Great tips from everyone - keep 'em coming!

re: 5 Ways to Stretch Your Beading Budget

ladyleadfoot — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 23:14:07 GMT

i have visited hardware stores, preferably locally owned stores, though don't overlook the box stores, and found all sorts of unusual bits and pieces. tag and yard sales and auctions are good for the unusual, too.

i have had friends who are pack rats, or who know pack rats, who sometimes let me loose in their stashes, and have found things that can become wonderful focal pieces! i spent some time last year going through a bunch of containers from a friend whose aunt and uncle collect "stuff" (i'm told their entire basement is full of "stuff", all of it organized and cataloged. i asked him to ask them to please put me in their will for all the "stuff"), straining out some seed beads. normally, i wouldn't bother, as seed beads are usually inexpensive, but these turned out to be some beautiful antique 18s, 20s, and 22s. the colors are amazing!

i also look around me constantly, as i never know what i will find. keep your eyes open and learn to ask; you never know what will find you.

wonderful ideas from all y'all. keep on beading! take care and God bless.

smiles-

ladyleadfoot!!!

re: 5 Ways to Stretch Your Beading Budget

Becca@31 — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 23:06:38 GMT

Go through the trash at bead shows and studios! I'm a sucker for glass lampwork beads, which can be very expensive. At bead shows, lampwork artists often bring bowls of small beads that werenn't perfect or don't match with the sets, experiments, etc. to sell cheaply. Going through the bowl often gets me a handful of beads for a deal. Even better: go directly to the studio. Prices are marked up on lampwork at beadshows to cover the price of the table. I found a local artist and went to her studio where she let me go through her stash of mismatched beads.

re: 5 Ways to Stretch Your Beading Budget

JanG@25 — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 22:04:14 GMT

Stretching the beading dollar does demand creativity! If I must have silver and gold, mainly for clients, I tend to wait for bead shows (the advantage of living in a large city), or else trek downtown and find who's selling the good stuff at reasonable prices. Otherwise, I've switch to plated chain and a lot of metallic seed beads for spacers. Small colored pearls work, too, and they don't cost too much.

Friends have pressed bags of old broken jewelry into my willing hands. So far, much of it can't be used, but they're trying to help, something I appreciate.

Good ideas in the posts so far! Thanks and good beading to you.

re: 5 Ways to Stretch Your Beading Budget

MichelleParker — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:47:30 GMT

I used to work at a thrift store in their jewelry/antique department. There were a lot of broken pieces of jewelry that came in. I started to stash it and once I had a bag full I asked my supervisor if I could purchase it (strick rules on what could be taken home vs. had to be purchased for employees). He agreed. I spent $2 on a 3+ pound bag of broken jewelry. In it was chain I cleaned and used in other projects, vintage beads, plastic beads, charms, even some crystals! I no longer work there but every so often I go and ask if I could buy their old, broken jewelry and see what I can find!

re: 5 Ways to Stretch Your Beading Budget

Cracked Cat — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:11:13 GMT

Speaking of trash...sometimes a bead doesn't have to be a bead at all! I find a lot of my focal beads from ordinary everyday objects. Small washers, colored grommets, an antique spoon (bent at the right place can make an awesome focal point if used with vinatage beads!), old pet tags (great for kids jewelry!), pieces of old ratty baskets can be cut into a certain shape, glued for durability on the edges and then string beads through the weave. Anything can become something if you just learn to look at things a little differently!