How to String Beads for a Swarovski Project
There’s no better way for jewelry artists and crafters to add sparkle to their projects than by using Swarovski crystal beads. With a reputation for quality and beauty, Swarovski crystals are faceted for optimum light reflection, which creates brilliant sparkling effect when you string together several of the beads. It's important to select stringing material that will not impact the colors of the translucent beads. And whether you're making wind chimes or a necklace, you don't want the string inside the beads to be visible.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Bead design board
- Swarovski crystal beads
- Glass beads
- End cones
- Soft monofilament line
- Scissors
- Eye pins
- Jeweler’s glue
- Roundnose pliers
- Side wire cutters
- Jump rings
- Clasp
Instructions
-
-
1
Arrange the Swarovski beads in a pleasing order using a bead design board. If you are making a necklace, place the largest beads in the center and smaller beads along both sides. To make a bracelet, separate medium-to-large Swarovski beads with small beads. The jewelry design is subjective; so create a pattern that appeals to you.
-
2
Measure the length of your end cones. Substitute the first and last few Swarovski crystal beads in your design, equal to the length of the end cones, with glass beads. The end cones will cover the first and last few beads in your pattern.
-
-
3
Cut a strand of soft monofilament line equal to the desired length of your project, plus 4 inches. The extra 4 inches provide 2 inches for knotting each end of a jewelry project.
-
4
Tie one end of the line around the open circle on an eye pin with a double overhand knot.
-
5
String Swarovski beads onto the open end of the line in the order of your design.
-
6
Tie the end of the line onto a new eye pin with a double overhand knot. Cover this knot and the first knot with a drop of jeweler’s glue. Slide one end cone over each eye pin. Allow the glue to dry completely.
-
7
Hold the pin wire with roundnose pliers as it exits the cone. Turn the pliers to bend the wire 90 degrees. Maintain your grip on the wire with the pliers and push the bent wire over on top of the roundnose pliers to make a circle. Wind the end of the wire around the base of the circle and cut the excess wire. Repeat this step to make a loop on the opposite side of the jewelry string.
-
8
Separate two jump rings at the split. Connect one jump ring to the circle at each end of the jewelry strand. Slide one end of a clasp over each jump ring. Close the jump rings.
-
1
