How to Make Love Beads
Love beads are an iconic fashion symbol from the 1960s. The youth of the counterculture that emerged during that era became known as hippies or love children. Protesting the war in Vietnam and their parent's values, love children often wore long strands of colorful beads as necklaces. The unpretentious jewelry might contain beads from a craft store or homemade, hand-painted beads. As with the cultural mindset of the era's youth, there were no set rules in how love beads should be made. Yet, most were long strands and each strand would typically be comprised from a rainbow of colorful beads.
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Instructions
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1
Measure out (and cut) a length of fishing line, heavy string or twine to use as the string to hold the beads. The length should be long enough so that when the ends are tied together, the necklace will land somewhere from the mid-chest to the waistline.
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2
Shop at a craft store for small, round colorful beads. Look for colors that were popular in the 1960s, such as blue, lime green, bright orange and hot pink. Choose an assortment of colors.
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3
Purchase enough beads to completely fill the strand you measured out in step 1.
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4
String all the beads onto the strand so that the colors are well distributed. Instead of making a pattern (such as pink, blue, green and repeat), mix it up so there is no real order.
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5
Tie the two ends together, securing the beads on the strand and making a necklace that can easily slip on and off.
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Tips & Warnings
Homemade beads can be made by rolling small balls of clay, pushing a pen through the bead to make a hole and allowing to dry before painting in bright colors.
