How to Make Crystal Charms
You can make glittering charms using crystal beads. You can assemble the charms using beading wire or headpins and a length of chain, or string crystal beads on nylon monofilament and weave three-dimensional charms in the shape of flowers, hearts and cute animals. You can use these charms to decorate your cellphone simply by adding a cellphone strap. You can also add charms to your purse or tote bag. You can also make small crystal charms and add jump rings so that they can be fastened to a chain bracelet.
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Things You'll Need
- Chain-nose pliers
- Scissors
- Jump rings
- Headpins
- Beading wire (20-26 gauge)
- Nylon monofilament
- Chain
- Quarter-inch bicone crystal beads
- Quarter-inch round crystal beads
- Transparent seed beads
- Crystal beadweaving pattern
Instructions
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Chain Charms
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1
Cut a section of chain as long as you want your charm to be. Fix a jump ring at the top of the chain.
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2
Thread bicone beads onto the headpins. Make sure the pinheads are large enough to hold the bicone beads securely. If the heads are too small you can thread a seed bead first, then add the bicone bead.
Make a loop in the tail of the headpin. Snip off the excess wire using the clippers.
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3
Fasten the loop at the top of each bead through a link in the section of chain. Make sure the loops are tightly closed so they can't slip out of the chain links. Fasten two or three of the beaded headpins through the final link in the chain.
Woven Crystal Bead Charms
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4
Cut a comfortable length of nylon monofilament. Tie a stop bead to one end, leaving a tail of around three inches. A stop bead is used to prevent the other beads from sliding off while you work. It doesn't form part of your finished design.
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5
Weave your beaded charm according to the pattern you've chosen. Keep the thread taut so that your charm will be stable and hold its shape once it is complete.
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6
Tie off the two ends of the thread. If they don't emerge next to each other, weave the longer end back through the design till it comes out next to the tail. Remove the stop bead and tie a square knot. Seal with adhesive. Pass both ends back through a few beads and then snip. Fix a jump ring to the top of your charm.
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7
Fix the jump ring at the top of the chain or the top of the woven motif onto the cellphone strap, purse strap or charm bracelet. Make sure it is secure. Your charm is now complete.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Make your own headpins by threading a seed bead onto the end of a short section of beading wire and bending the wire in a loop around the bead.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit swarovsky beads image by odze from Fotolia.com
