How to Use Saucer Beads
Beaded jewelry and accessories are usually less expensive to make than what you would pay at a store for the exact same product. A few simple jewelry-crafting techniques can yield professional looking results. A saucer bead looks like a little flying saucer, as if a round bead had been pinched along the circumference. Such beads often serve as spacers for the focal beads in a necklace, bracelet or earrings. By creating your own jewelry with focal and saucer beads, you save money while making an accessory that matches your personal style.
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Things You'll Need
- Beading wire
- 2 crimp beads
- Clasp
- Crimpers
- 16-inch strand focal beads
- 8-inch strand saucer beads
- Wire cutters
Instructions
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1
Cut a length of beading wire 6 inches longer than you would like your finished necklace or bracelet. A strand of focal beads and a half strand of saucers should be adequate for an 18-inch necklace using 24 inches of beading wire.
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2
String a crimp bead onto the wire followed by one side of the clasp. Bring the wire back through the crimp bead forming a loop. Tighten this loop by pulling on the wire end and crimp in place.
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3
String a focal bead followed by a saucer bead, alternating until your piece is about 1-inch shorter than you would like. The saucer beads should be smaller than your focal beads so that they will nest in between.
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4
String your second crimp bead and the other side of the clasp. Bring the wire back through the crimp bead and 4 to 5 other beads, tighten the loop and crimp in place. Trim the additional wire close to the necklace or bracelet with wire cutters.
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Tips & Warnings
Use 2 saucer beads to sandwich a focal bead for earrings.
Try to pull the color of your saucer beads from the focal beads to make a coherent look.
Beads are a choking hazard for young children.
References
- Photo Credit holiday string of beads image by Janet Wall from Fotolia.com
