How to Make a Beaded Necklace

To make your own beaded jewelry, all you really need are the right supplies and a little creativity. If you choose, you can use necklace patterns or simply design your own creations. While virtually anyone can slip beads onto a piece of string or wire, a few tips will make your beading more enjoyable and the final product more professional.

Things You'll Need

• Beading supplies (beads, wire, string, needles, needle nose pliers, clasps)
• Towel
• Digital camera (optional)
• Zipper bags
• Foam hair curlers
• Crimping beads
• Crimp covers

Instructions

1. Take your beading wire, string and/or needles along with you to the bead shop so that you can test the hole in the beads for proper fit. There is nothing more frustrating than buying your bead and then not being able to use them. If your current supplies will not work for beads you simply cannot live without, you can purchase new wire, string or needles at the shop where you buy our beads.

2. Lay out your beads on a towel so that they don't roll away, and design your full necklace pattern before you begin. If you cannot finish the necklace in one sitting, consider snapping a digital image of your bead pattern before you place the beads safely in a zipper bags. To safely store a necklace that you haven't finished beaded, try a foam hair curler. Wrap the length of the necklace and extra wire or string around the foam, and then lock it safely in place with the locking plastic bar.

3. Cut a bit more wire or string than you think you need when starting your necklace. Having breathing room is better than cutting yourself short.

4. Use crimping beads to finish your beaded necklace instead of tying knots or twisting wires which can make a mess of a beautiful necklace. Crimping beads slip onto your wire or string just like regular beads, but then are smashed firmly with pliers to hold your bead onto the necklace. Crimping beads can also be used to attach clasps for a clean look.

5. Cover your crimping beads with special crimp covers if you do not like the look of the crimped tubed. Crimping covers are metal beads formed in the shape of a 'C' that slip onto crimped beads.