How to Make Professional Beaded Jewelry

Beautiful beaded jewelry should also be well constructed.

Jewelry making is an exciting craft that people of all ages can enjoy. It allows for the expression of creativity and requires the use of imagination and innovation. This art form can even inspire others, as jewelry creators display designs that are often vibrantly colored and dazzling to the eye. Anyone can create beaded jewelry that is both beautiful and professionally constructed. Basic steps should be followed when embarking upon what can become an artistic adventure.

Things You'll Need

• Work space
• Chain nose pliers
• Round nose pliers
• Wire cutters
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Storage boxes
• Bead mat
• String
• Wire
• Jewelry making books and magazines
• Project budget
• Beads and findings

Instructions

Getting Set Up

1. 

   Use sufficient lighting when creating beaded jewelry.

   Think about where your jewelry making work space will be located. Choose a table or other flat surface that will provide you with enough room. Choose a comfortable chair that sits at a height that keeps you from having to hunch over your project. Place a light in the area and identify the best spot for storage space for all of your tools and materials. If space is limited, you can always create a portable work space.

2. 

   Making professional beaded jewelry requires the use of quality tools.

   Purchase a set of high quality, basic tools as you prepare to create professional beaded jewelry. Authors and jewelry designers Ann and Karen Mitchell state that some of the most commonly used tools include chain-nose pliers, round nose pliers and wire cutters. Chain nose pliers taper down to a point at the end while the round-nose versions have rounded tapered tips. Wire cutters have pointed tips and sharp blades. Be sure to also include a ruler, sharp embroidery scissors and tweezers as part of your initial tool purchase.

3. 

   Plastic storage containers are perfect for storing beads.

   Gather lots of plastic storage boxes for the host of materials you will likely acquire for all of your bead projects. Make sure that you choose storage boxes of different sizes that have dividers that are fused to the bottom of the box. This prevents beads from rolling under the dividers into areas that they do not belong. Use storage boxes to make sorting beads and findings a one-time task.

Purchasing Materials

1. Decide on the type of professional beaded jewelry you would like to make. Research the various styles that currently exist and take careful note of designs and materials that stand out to you. Utilize jewelry-making books, magazines and websites to gather ideas. Decide on a project and set an upper limit budget before heading to the nearest bead shop.

2. 

   You can find a huge variety of beads for all of your jewelry projects.

   Purchase your beads and findings and consider storing them separately. Beads come in an infinite assortment of colors, styles, shapes and finishes. Collect beads such as ceramic, crystal, metal, plastic, shell or stone. Look for bright colors as well as muted tones.

   Findings is a generic term that describes the mechanical items used to assemble jewelry. According to jewelry designers Potter, DaSilva and Hacker, hundreds of types of findings exist and include clasps, connectors, bead caps, eyepins, spacers and crimps.

3. 

   Choose wire with different gauges for your beaded jewelry.

   Look for additional items such as string for measuring necklace, bracelet and anklet lengths, a bead mat to keep beads from rolling away and wire. Wire comes in many sizes or gauges (the measured diameter of the wire); copper, silver and gold-filled are the most commonly used types. You can also purchase flexible beading wire, which is designed for stringing.

Thinking About Principles and Elements of Design

1. 

   Keep basic design principles and elements of design in mind when planning and creating pieces of jewelry. Mitchell and Mitchell point out that all jewelry makers (whether beginning or professional) should consider the balance and scale of the parts of their piece, texture and detail, the repetition of color, elements or patterns and how colors work together and with various fabrics. They also point out the need to consider the comfort, wearability and functionality of any jewelry piece that you make.

2. Continue your research to learn basic techniques that will make your work stand out. Consider taking a jewelry-making class to perfect your skills. Look for inspiration all around you. Check out patterns you see in floor tiles, clothing and fabrics, nature and even in unexpected places such as children's artwork.

3. Enjoy the experience of making professional beaded jewelry. Whether you are making jewelry for yourself and your loved ones as a hobby or would like to seriously embark into the jewelry-making business, this particular craft can not only open your mind but fulfill your creative spirit in ways you never dreamed possible.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep small beads and sharp tools away from young children.

References

• "Bead Jewelry 101"; Karen Mitchell and Ann Mitchell; 2009
• "Bead and Wire Jewelry Exposed"; Margot Potter, Fernando DaSilva and Katie Hacker; 2008
• "Beadmaille: Jewelry with Bead Weaving &Metal Rings"; Cindy Thomas Pankopf; 2010
• "earrings, earrings, earrings"; Barb Switzer, editor; 2009

Resources

• Beading with Eden
• Jewelry Making Professor