| Beading Basics: What you Need to Know
to Get Started Beading
Stringing beads is a fun way to reduce stress and explore your creative side.
Put a colorful necklace together or create a beautiful matching set with a
bracelet and a pair of earrings. Wear your creations, sell them, or wrap them in
tissue paper and give them to your friends.
Basic beading is easy, fun, and relatively inexpensive. You will find beading
supplies at most craft shops, art supply stores, and discount stores, in
addition to the beading boutiques that often specialize in more expensive beads.
Here is a checklist of the basic tools and supplies you will need to begin
working on your new hobby:
Beads
You will find an abundance of different sizes, shapes and styles to choose from.
Start off with a few favorite colors using plastic beads so you can become
familiar with color coordination and putting on the finishing touches. This way,
mistakes will not be so costly. Work your way toward the finer glass,
semiprecious, hand painted, wood and cloisonné beads.
Clasps
There is a wide variety of clamps, closures and clasps, also called findings.
Again, do not be seduced into purchasing the best and the brightest in the
beginning. Most products will have the instructions included on the front or
back of the package, but if you run into a problem, consult a beading magazine
or catalog, which you can find either online or at craft shops.
Containers
Depending on your budget and preference, you can use either the standard, flat
containers or go up a notch to the drawer compartments that many people use in
their workshops for nuts, bolts and screws. Any containers will do, but, while
working, you will want your beads to be easily accessible. Storing beads in
dark, confined areas makes them more difficult to work with and to color
coordinate.
Crimping Beads
These are an important element in bead making. They are simply beads constructed
of a flexible metal, which help keep the clasp attached to the necklace.
Crimping beads come in gold and silver and in several different sizes.
Round Tipped Pliers
Invest in a good pair of round tipped pliers. You will need to use them often
not only for picking up beads but also to hold the components while working with
them. Flat nosed pliers also come in handy. Remember to select a pair that will
allow you to crimp.
Trays or Boards
Using a beading tray is not mandatory but it makes it easier to preselect and
measure your beads. Most trays are made of plastic and incorporate a measuring
device either in inches, millimeters, or both.
Wire, Line or String
Again, depending on budget and preference, there is a wide variety of wire, line
and string to choose from. Before purchasing, be sure that it is the correct
size to fit the beads you have selected, or vice versa. Some beads have large
holes to accommodate thick string while others, such as seed beads, have tiny
holes that only thread or wire will fit through. You could even use fishing line
to practice on, but beading wire is better it does not have a tendency to curl,
shrink and distort the way plastic lines do. You could also use string, rawhide
or thread. When beading with string or thread, use a special big eye or curved
needle.
Children can also take part in stringing beads. Look for childrens beading
supplies at most craft stores, generally alongside the adult supplies. Beading
is a great way to teach children coordination skills, and to keep them happy and
occupied while you are working on your beading projects. Keep in mind that many
of these items should be kept away from babies and small toddlers.
Bead supply warehouses will often send color catalogs by request, listing
hundreds of different products, along with accompanying images. Or you may want
to subscribe to a beading magazine where you will learn different techniques and
methods used by professionals.
Check online or at your local craft store for lots of great, free beading
patterns and beading ideas. Once you have mastered the art of beading, you will
be making attractive jewelry, and you will naturally gravitate to other beading
projects. You may even start to decorate your handbags, create charming wall
art, and make lovely bookmarks, suncatchers, key chains or plant holders. There
are so many amazing things you can do with beads, you will wonder what ever took
you so long to discover them.
Article Source: http://ArticleCrux.com
Jamie Jefferson writes for Momscape at www.momscape.com
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