Crystal Beads

It’s quite straightforward to produce your own custom-made jewelry patterns using Swarovski crystal beads and clear flexible beading wire. You can fetch these crystal stunners at your neighborhood art and craft shop or from online bead providers. Insert a crystal prism for a dazzling necklace or hang down teardrop crystals on vibrant beaded earrings. You can generate these uncomplicated design modes effortlessly and speedily, with no prior experience in making jewelry required.

Unite a teardrop gemstone prism and Swarovski crystal beads to create a necklace that fits very well into different situations, whether an outing in the evening or a day at the workplace. You’ll feel the necessity of a lucid flexible beading wire, more for clearness than suppleness. Think about interchanging the beads with dual tones, vogues and sizes, besides the sparkler prism pendant. Both 4 mm and 6 mm beadings suit well for a necklace strand with crystal beads. To create an 18 inch necklace, cut 22 inches of wiring and wind the prism to the middle. You can craft both ends of the necklace at the same time by sewing the beads one after another on one end and then the other.

Interchange the beadings, starting with your darkest tone next to the prism in the middle, till both sides are made full up to 2 inches from the endpoints of the wire. Affix a magnet clasp for doing on and off quite easily; wind a crimp bead to begin with, after that the clasp. Wind the wire back down through the tucked bead and the opening few beads at the last part of the thread prior to the closedown of the crimp bead using a pinching pair of pliers.

You can also create plain earrings out of crystal beads using French wire collection of tools, headpins and round-nose pliers. Interchange 4 mm beads with complementary seed beads in line with the length of the headpin. Form a ring at the finishing point of the pin applying round-nose pliers and clasp them on top of a French earwire. This straightforward pattern is well-suited for a 1 inch headpin; however you can also create more extended drooping with both lengthier headpins and ending beads with side holes to hang at the finish of your headpin. It is easy to produce the dropping; just wind the headpin through the side of your end bead and after that twist the headpin in a perpendicular angle before winding more number of crystals.

Moving forward, you can make a crystal bead bracelet with 3 strands using interchanging 6 mm rondelles and 4 mm rounds from the Swarovski ensemble. Opt for complementary shades of the same color for this crystal beadwork, such as lilac and purple or fuchsia and pink. You can form an outstanding dissimilarity with black and white or sky-blue and opal. Compute the length of lucid flexible beading wire you require and make three strands out of it. Keep in mind to add extra 2 inches, so you can attach the strands to the three-opening clasp. Wind two strands precisely the same, starting and finishing with the 6 mm crystals. These will be your strings on the sides. For the middle strand or string, start and finish with the 4 mm crystals. You can make use of tucked beads or knots to affix the strands to the clasp firmly and tightly.

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Posted under Crafts by fts_author on Thursday 17 June 2010 at 4:36 pm

How To Make Fimo Beads

Making beads and creating bead art is hotter than ever. It is easy to make Fimo bead art and we’ll get started right away teaching you the basics.

Similar to that of modeling clay, fimo is a synthetic. It can be used to make hundreds of different types of bead creations. Polymer clay is created from polyvinyl chloride and combined with color pigment and plastic. The clay is then hardened through the baking process. Wonderfully, the baking does not change the size or color of the clay.

Readily available in dozens of colors and weights, fimo beads are found in nearly all craft stores and recently a huge influx of beads and bead art on eBay.

The most important aspects to consider when creating your own clay beads at home is the malleability prior to baking. Also, very important is the flexibility and strength within the completed pieces. Every color in the rainbow is available and you can let your imagination run wild when creating your bead art jewelry.

If you have a pasta machine at home which has been collecting dust, a perfect sacrifice is the making of your fimo beads. First take the clay from the package starting with approximately one ounce. Squeeze and gently warm the clay between your hands rolling it into a long thin snake. Repeat this process until the clay stretches out, without breaking, when pulled apart. Try to manipulate the clay long enough to remove obvious air trapped within the clay.

Now, back to your ex-pasta machine, which is now your fimo bead creator. Cut your block of polymer into slabs just a touch thicker than the widest setting on your machine. Send a slab through the machine, fold in half and send through again.

Now it is time for the baking process. Most brands bake between 250 and 275F so be sure to check the directions. I bake for at least 30 minutes. Proper baking time is essential to allow the polymer to fuse completely. If you do not bake for the correct length of time your finished pieces will be weak. Never breathe in the fumes while baking and be sure to use an exhaust fan. Store your clay away from direct sunlight and heat in plastic bags or plastic containers. The clay will retain its workability indefinitely if you store properly.

Use your pasta machine to roll your clay out into sheets in your chosen thickness. I usually lay down a sheet of wax paper on my work area for easy cleanup. A sharp cutting blade is required and should be kept separately with your other fimo bead making supplies. Steel weaving needles work well to suspend your beads while baking. This prevents a flat surface from forming and keeps the shape in tact. Some bead makers prefer to drill holes in their beads after making, but I personally like to create the hole in the unbaked clay. If you rotate the tool used as you push this will prevent any distortion of your fimo beads.

There are several finishing options for your beads including adding a shine. Most manufacturers offer a varnish especially designed for beads.

Beading is such an enjoyable hobby and there is no end to the creativity. There are many books and supplies available in both craft shops and the internet.

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Posted under Crafts by fts_author on Monday 14 June 2010 at 3:48 pm

Been There, Done That

In my last blog, I talked about the roots of what can only be described as a lifelong beading adventure. Having been a beader off and on for about 15 years now (and having more money at some times than others to invest in my hobby), I have learned a few things about the do’s and don’ts of jewelry making. The following are a few tips and rules for those of you just starting out on your beading journey.

1. Always use high quality crimp beads. Whether you are using silver or gold, try to avoid anything plated or anything that is not tube-like in its appearance. The plated crimp beads are okay for making simple illusion necklaces, but are not sturdy enough to withstand the wear and tear of your beaded jewelry.

2. Do not sacrifice quality for price when it comes to beading wire. Although 49-strand wire may seem expensive, in the long run it will save you time, money, and frustration from having to recreate pieces that have fallen apart due to the use of less durable wire. And although Supplemax is a great product for creating illusion necklaces and woven pieces, it is not sturdy enough to hold strands of beads. Neither is Fireline. (I speak from my experience and the experience of others on this one!)

3. Use the most project appropriate findings and clasps possible in your pieces. It is embarrassing to admit but when I began making jewelry again, I used beading wire and crimped the bottom so it would act as headpin. Though this may seem creative, it was actually not very attractive or very sturdy. And clasps… Don’t even get me started! I used to buy my clasps in bulk and I used the same clasp on every piece of jewelry I made, whether it was delicate or bold and chunky. Now I cringe when I see those old pieces with those plain silver plate toggles. Also, when choosing a clasp, you will want to keep in mind what the finished piece will be. I generally use a lobster and chain at the back of necklaces (so the length is adjustable) and use toggles on bracelets (because they are sturdy, attractive, and easier to take on and off than a lobster clasp).

4. I would never say that you shouldn’t use inexpensive beads; plastic, glass, and base metal beads can make some great fashion jewelry pieces. What I would say is that you should never mix your less expensive beads with your more expensive beads. For example, I probably wouldn’t use Czech glass to create a necklace around a $30 sterling silver pendant. I also probably wouldn’t mix plastic beads with Swarovski crystal. The main reason for this is that you will ultimately devalue your finished piece. Remember: a person’s perceived value of a product is just as important as the actual value.

5. The best advice I can give is to learn, learn, and learn some more! I am a person who does not like to be taught by others. I don’t read instructions and I don’t learn from a classroom environment; I am more about being self-taught and experimentation. Some people, like Karla, find they do better when they have a trusty friend or magazine to help them learn a new technique or skill. However you learn best, learn as much as you can! Take classes, subscribe to beading magazines, look at free online jewelry projects, watch online videos. All of these things will teach you not only new techniques, but what kinds of tools and materials and resources you can use while you learn your new craft. And I believe one of the best things about this hobby is that you never stop learning!

You will get out of this hobby what you put into it and, whether you are selling your pieces or giving them as gifts or keeping them in your own jewelry gift, you want to make sure you are creating nothing but the best. Happy beading!

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Posted under Crafts by fts_author on Sunday 13 June 2010 at 9:32 am

Basic Grey’s Precision File Set — Making It Easy To Personalize Raw Chipboard

Incorporating chipboard onto any scrapbooking page is a great way to add dimension onto any page.What’s great about chipboard is that the size and options are endless, since chipboard can be used as alphabets, shapes, frames and more.Another thing that makes using chipboard so practical is that you can personalize is with your favorite paper or paint so that it matches your taste and design exactly the way you want it.

Now, one of the tough things about using chipboard with paper is that it’s not always easy to make the paper look like it’s part of the board.The last thing you want is for it to appear that you’ve glued the paper on or have wrinkles, crooked edges or a messy looking final product.

The perfect solution for this problem is the Basic Grey Precision File.. It’s affordable, nimble and really easy to use.The kit contains six files: 2 flat boards, a round file, a half-round, one square file and a knife file. The various sizes allow you to go with the file that best fits into the small corners and grooves of the chipboard.

To start, select your raw chipboard and paper that you want cover onto it.

Use a liquid glue (such as Zigs two-way glue) and cover the entire chipboard with the glue.
Lightly press the paper on top of the chipboard, smoothing out wrinkles and bubbles, and allow it to dry according to the adhesive supplier’s instructions.Cut the paper out around the chipboard.You want to follow the shape of the chipboard as closely as possible, but it’s okay for the paper to hang over the piece.Certainly you could use scissors or a knife to trim the paper, but I’d suggest using a swivel knife because it allows you to cut around corners with more precision.

Use the files to shave off the excess paper.The round, half-round and square files are wonderful for corners, such as the inside of a capital “A” or in the corners of the letter “k”.

To give the piece yet a different look, consider inking the edges.The Basic Grey Precision File set can help with creating distressed paper, paint or photos. For added comfort and convenience, each precision file comes with a rubber comfort grip.

For more scrapbooking ideas and information on scrapbooking tools, visit http://www.scrapbookingtools.org.

Posted under Crafts by fts_author on Sunday 13 June 2010 at 1:34 am

Zebra Print Bicone Beads

This zebra design bicone is made using gravity as the primary “tool” for shaping the base bicone bead as well as creating the zebra design.

While this is not a complex bead to make, these instructions assume you already know how to make a bicone (or other cylindrical/barrel shaped) bead. Its use of gravity as the primary tool in shaping the design on the surface of the bead is well explained in Jim Kervin’s book, “The Classic Bead Shapes of Jim Smircich and His Amazing Control of Heat” published by GlassWear Studios, in his tutorial on Jim Smircich’s Wavy Bead.

Here is an example of a basic Wavy Bead created using gravity to create the “waves” in the the colored lines. The 6 lines of color were drawn straight across the already shaped black bicone, bead hole to bead hole, and evenly spaced around the bead. A focused flame combined with gravity were used at two points along the bead to make the “waves”.

Adding The Stripes

Using a white stringer (in this case, I used a premade stringer from Frantz Art Glass), stripes are drawn down the length of the bead; bead hole to bead hole. This varies from the traditional Wavy Bead in that they are not all perpendicular, nor are they necessarily evenly spaced around the bead. The specific design is up to you, but I suggest running some the full length of the bead, others only partially down the bead. Some lines should be perpendicular, but what really makes the zebra design somewhat “authentic” is the lines that meet another line at approximately a 45 degree angle or less, forming sort of a “Y” shape.

Remember, all stripes drawn are straight – no curves! I apply the stripes to the bicone a little differently than other stringer work. I hold the mandrel perpendicular to (and just to the left of) the flame. I start from the far end of the bicone and draw a fairly thick stripe toward me. If the stripe is to extend all the way from end to end, make sure you start and end the stripe at least at the “shoulder” of the bead hole, which is the point where the bead starts to round down into the “pucker” (another Jim Smircich “classic”). This will help keep the pattern all the way to the end of the bead, even after remarvering the ends.

Melting In The Stripes

Next, heat the stripes until they are fully melted into the bicone. The only thing to remember here is that you aren’t trying to modify the design just yet, simply melting in the stripes without losing your well-formed bicone. To do this, you do not want to get the bead yellow hot – you just want it heated enough to melt in the stripes without disturbing the core of the bead too much. You may need to remarver the ends, but it isn’t necessary to make it “perfect” at this point as you will do final shaping later. However, you always want to minimize the amount shaping required after you finish the design, as too much final shaping will likely alter the surface design.
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Posted under Crafts by fts_author on Sunday 23 May 2010 at 3:33 pm

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