-
Learning how to swim is like learning a new jewelry making skill. You dip your toes in the water, then your foot, then you wade in until you're knee-deep. By the time the water is up to your shoulders, you realize you might just be in over your head! And while my own wire jewelry making skills have...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Apr 29, 2012
Filed under:
Filed under: Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Glass Beads, Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Mixed Media Jewelry, Earring Making, Step by Step Wire Jewelry Magazine, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
-
I don't often wear bracelets, but I love a good bracelet making project. One of my favorite techniques for bracelet making is bead embroidery using lots of different types of beads and cabochons in all sizes! I used to be of the opinion that bigger was better when it came to bead embroidered bracelet...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Mar 11, 2012
Filed under:
Filed under: Bead Embroidery, Peyote stitch, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Brick Stitch, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Mixed Media Jewelry, Bracelet Making, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
-
For National Craft Month, I thought I would participate in the Fusion Beads 30 Day National Craft Month Challenge. The Day 1 challenge was, of course, to make a pair of earrings! And I just happened to have a pair of these lovely 14mm Swarovski crystal stones that were just begging to be made into a...
Posted to
Beading Instructions
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Mar 2, 2012
Filed under:
Filed under: Wire Jewelry, Seed Bead Patterns, Herringbone Stitch, Bead-weaving, Crystals, Beading Tools, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, How to Bead, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Beaded Jewelry, Mixed Media Jewelry, Earring Making
-
What's not to love about beaded bracelets? I've had a longtime love affair with beaded bracelets. Never met a beaded bracelet I didn't like. They're fun to make, fun to wear, and everyone likes a bracelet or two (try pairing up a couple of different bracelets sometime when you feel adventurous...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Jan 12, 2012
Filed under:
Filed under: Peyote stitch, Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Stringing, Glass Beads, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Bracelet Making, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
-
From Jennifer: Even though this blog was originally written about metalsmithing and jewelry-making, I found it to be appropriate for those of us who work primarily with seed beads as well. We all want to create artistic and beautiful jewelry, and Lexi's tips about the five elements of design (line...
-
These easy wire wrapped beads make great spacers with more antique trade beads or more organic gemstone beads. Being sort of a newcomer to wire work and wire jewelry-making, I have always admired those folks who can take a piece of wire and bend it (like magic!) to transform it into a bead or jewelry...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Nov 27, 2011
Filed under:
Filed under: Gemstones, Bead Making, Glass Beads, Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Bead Crafts, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
-
As a writer and a bead artist, I'm always fascinated with the stories behind beaded jewelry designs. This beaded necklace also has a great story behind it! The first one of these that I made was for a close friend of mine who lives in Burbank. She and I are both artists. Our birthdays are days apart...
Posted to
Beading Instructions
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Oct 6, 2011
Filed under:
Filed under: Wire Jewelry, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, How to Bead, Glass Beads, Chain Maille, Bead Crafts, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Necklace Making
-
Make Great Handmade Beaded Jewelry with Character! When you're working on a piece of great beaded jewelry, you want to give it character. After all, that's why people make, buy and wear handmade beaded jewelry, isn't it? They want something special! So why settle for an ordinary clasp? You...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Sep 27, 2011
Filed under:
Filed under: Peyote stitch, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Stringing, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making
-
So, you've taken the plunge and learned how to do Viking knit! Wow! You've worked out the kinks (literally) with your wire and have completed a beautiful, supple piece of Viking knit chain that is...well...just sitting in your hands. Viking knit is great and all, but now what? One of the things...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Sep 22, 2011
Filed under:
Filed under: Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Glass Beads, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
-
I can't remember a time when I didn't enjoy using beads and making jewelry. I always say that it's my mother's fault - she was a fabulous knit, crochet and needlepoint designer, and whenever she ordered her supplies she would include a bag of beads or buttons for my sister and me. I found...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Aug 14, 2011
Filed under:
Filed under: Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Glass Beads, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Bracelet Making, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making
-
My "Hypnotize Me" bead embroidered pendant uses wire wrapped dangles as fringe. How easy is this? Take a couple of beads and string them on a head pin. Make a wrapped loop, and you've got one of the most versatile components for jewelry making and beading projects that you can imagine....
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Jul 31, 2011
Filed under:
Filed under: Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making
-
The recent price increase for sterling silver really hit me the last time I put together an order for sterling silver clasps and findings. It made me nervous to think that I was going to eventually have to pass on that price increase to my customers, too. After fretting about it for a few minutes, I...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Jun 26, 2011
Filed under:
Filed under: Chain Maille, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Wire Jewelry, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Mixed Media Jewelry, Necklace Making, Step by Step Wire Jewelry Magazine, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making
-
Even though I'm not primarily a wire work person, like most beadweavers, I need a good set of jewelry making pliers in my beading tool kit for those times when I need to attach jump rings and findings or make a set of wrapped loops. I bought my first wire jewelry making book and kit back in 1998...
Posted to
Beading Supplies We Love
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Jun 17, 2011
Filed under:
Filed under: Wire Wrapping, Wire Jewelry, Beading Tools, Bead-weaving, Seed Bead Patterns, Chain Maille, How to Bead, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Necklace Making, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
-
Lately, instead of buying brand-new sterling silver clasps, findings, and beads, I've been turning to a few new sources. First, I've been practicing my wire working skills to make my own earring findings and clasps using my favorite sterling silver wire and beads. Second, I haunt my local thrift...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
May 15, 2011
Filed under:
Filed under: Pearls, Crystals, Bead Making, Glass Beads, Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Beads, Beading Daily
-
Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a huge fan of working with wire (except for the projects I made from Rachel Nelson Smith's fabulous book, Seed Bead Fusion .) But sometimes it pays to know your way around a set of wire-working tools, especially when you want to make a quick pair of earrings...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
May 9, 2011
Filed under:
Filed under: Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Earring Making, Necklace Making, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making