How To Make Beaded Rings

Beaded jewelry has changed and progressed beyond the simple stringing of beads onto a wire. The materials and techniques are becoming intricate and sophisticated in many instances.

With a little time, a few tools and some pretty materials anyone can learn the art of beading and jewelry-making.

Here are instructions to make a beaded ring that uses faceted beads and a simple winding technique.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 faceted, center-drilled glass bead (25 mm x 12.5 mm x 7.5 mm) 2 round glass crystal beads (5mm) 16 gauge wire Dowel Wire cutters Needle-nose pliers Tape measure

Make A Beaded Ring

1. Cut a 13-inch length of wire.

2. Place a round bead, the large bead, and a second round bead onto the wire. Position the beads in the center of the wire.

3. Use the dowel to begin shaping the ring. Place the clustered beads on one side of the dowel and carefully wrap the wires around the dowel to the other side.

4. Continue holding the clustered beads together in position. While holding the beads, wrap one end of the wire around the dowel two times. Finish this wrapping at the starting point of the dowel.
   
   Repeat the wrapping with the other end of wire to make four wraps of wire around the dowel.

5. Remove the wrapped wire from the dowel and carefully try it on your finger to test the fit. Place the wrapped wire back on the dowel to adjust the fit, if necessary.

6. Bend the two tails of wire away from the ring at 90-degree angles. Each wire should extend away from the ring from just below the clustered beads on each side.

7. Bend one of the wire tails back in toward the ring and thread it completely through the ring to the opposite side of the beads.

8. Wrap the wire tail tightly around the wires of the ring several times. The wrap point should be just under the beads at the side of the ring.

9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 on the other side of the ring.

10. Trim the excess wire as close to the ring as possible to finish the ring.

Tips & Warnings

• Sterling silver beading wire is a good choice of wire for this ring because the wire is easy to work with but holds its shape well.