How to Design & Make Beads
From societies in Egypt, Greece and Rome to today's hip-hop generation, you'd be hard-pressed to find a culture that doesn't treasure its indigenous crafts. In particular, men and women have adorned their bodies and clothing since recorded time to reflect each era's unique style. At the heart of the adornment circle are beads of every color and metal under the sun. If you're a bead admirer and love the thought of making your own batch, you've come to the right place. Try all four of the bead making techniques included in this article. They're not just beautiful to string. Two types are environmentally friendly, using recyclable materials you'll find in your trash. The other two are so inexpensive to fashion, you won't notice a dent in your crafting budget.
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Things You'll Need
- Work area
- Bead #1: Old newspapers, water, Elmer's Glue, stockpot, paint, lacquer
- Bead #2: Flour, salt, water, food coloring (optional), needle, oven, paint, lacquer
- Bead #3: Empty clean plastic bottles, permanent markers (optional), boiling water
- Bead #4: Polymer clay (any colors you like), toothpick, baking sheet, and oven
Instructions
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Determine which of the four types of beads described in this article you wish to make: recycled newspaper beads, recycled plastic container beads, beads from kitchen staples or polymer beads. Better yet, try 'em all.
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Gather appropriate materials culled from the list found at the beginning of this article. Set up a crafting area that's roomy and cover it with newspaper to contain the delightful mess you'll make coming up with your original bead designs.
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Make bead design #1: Rip newspaper into small pieces and place them in a stockpot. Pour boiling water over the pulp and let it sit for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Strain the water from the pulp and add enough glue (Elmer's is a good pick) to bind the mix. Roll beads using your hands, squeezing out the last bits of moisture. Dry the beads for a few days, and when they're solid, sand lightly. Drill a hole in each before painting and varnishing.
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Make bead design #2: Mix 4 cups of flour with 1 cup of salt and 1½ cups of cold water. Tint the mix with food coloring (optional). Knead the material for 10 to 15 minutes. Shape beads with your fingers. Use a fat needle to poke holes in the beads so they can be strung when finished. Bake the beads at 250 degrees F for two to three hours. Cool on a rack. Paint the beads if you haven't tinted them and allow them to dry. Lacquer the beads for a dramatic finish.
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Make bead design #3: Use a knife to cut strips from clean, empty plastic bottles. Boil water in a stockpot. Roll each strip into a tight bead shape and drop it in. The boiling water will seal and shape the beads Alternatively, use permanent markers to color the clear plastic strips before they're boiled. Because of the nature of the rolled plastic, each bead will already have a hole in it. If you prefer not to work with boiling water, crafters recommend heat wands, blow dryers or heat sticks to set the plastic into its new shape---but they all say the boiling method is fastest.
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Make bead project #4: Soften a quantity of polymer clay in your hands, Pull off uniform pieces (the clay is already dyed) and roll them into beads using the palm of your hand to get the shapes you seek. Use a toothpick, wire or darning needle to poke a hole into each bead. Place the beads on a cookie sheet and bake them according to package directions. The beads will be ready to string when cooled.
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Tips & Warnings
For a creative spin on the recipe for making recycled newspaper beads (design method #1), add dryer lint to the pulp for more texture and the ultimate recyclable jewelry project. A story you might want to read: Refugees in Northern Uganda camps make necklaces of paper rolled beads to help them earn money for food, school supplies and medicine. Learn more about these beautiful projects---and get inspiration for your own recycled bead projects---by visiting Voices for Global Change.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit © Beadsandsupplies.com
