TIPS
Beginner Startup Plan - What to get for beading
You are new to beading and are excited to go to the store to get your first beading tools to start your jewelry making project.
You pondered and try to come up with a checklist on what to get. You look through magazines, books and Internet to search for ideas. Clueless, you step into the store to ask the sales person for help.
So what exactly do you want to get?
These are some preliminary questions you would need to ask yourself before you can come up with the checklist.
What sort of beading am I interested in? Wire beading? looming? Weaving. Am I interested in a lot of various kinds of beading?
What is my budget?
What are the types of projects I want to make?
If you can answer the questions, you have a good chance to get the correct materials and tools. Beading can be quite an expensive hobby, so do know what you want first.
For example, if you are interested in wire beading, you might get the following basic tools:
Flat plier
Round nose plier
Cutter
- Crimper tool
Bead Mats
Bead Board
You may get some beads and findings too and it is according to your preference and choice.
If you are clueless to what you like, you could look around for beading kits for beginners in shops. Then buy one and try it. If you like that particular types of beading, you could then invest in more materials and tools.
In this way, you get to enjoy your hobby and at the same time, work within your budget.
Basic Materials
1. Get your raw materials.
Cord, Stringing, and Knotting
The choice of cord for beading projects depends not only on the size of the beads, but upon the design of the jewelry. Some cord, such as hemp and leather or faux leather, is designed to be a visible part of the finished piece, making it good for pieces with visible knot effects or weaving. Other cord, however, is meant to be thin and strong but should be covered with beads, such as thin, waxed cord or clear plastic cord.
Waxed leather and plastic cords are often designed to be easy to string without any need for a beading needle, but you may still need one with very small beads (such as seed beads) and a very fine length of cord. When making knots to hold beads in place, it is a good idea to practice the art of tying a knot in exactly the spot on the cord where you want the know. To do this, pull slowly as you pull the knot tight and hold one end of the tail tightly while you slide the other into place. This is also helpful for times when you need to tie a second knot on top of a first in order to make it larger.Working With Wire
Like cord, wire is made of many different materials, some of which are designed to be visible. Thicker gauge wires, especially those made of copper, gold, sterling silver, or those that are colored, are meant to be an attractive feature of the design. Thinner, dull wires are meant to be covered with beads or used in bead weaving projects. Most craft wires are highly flexible, with the exception of memory wire, which is quite brittle, thick and designed for projects where the wire is meant to keep its shape, like rings, bracelets or long, straight earrings.
If you want to make jewelry with wire and beads, purchase a good set of jewelry pliers, including a set of needle-nosed pliers without teeth (to avoid scarring the wire) and a set of wire snips. Pay attention to the size of the wire. You won't need a beading needle to string beads on wire, but you may find that some wires are too thick for some beads. If you know how to properly use your crimping pliers and crimp tubes, you can make jewelry that is not only beautiful but will also better withstand every day wear.
Supplies Needed:- Crimping tool
- 2mm sterling silver or gold filled crimps
- Flush cutters
Begin by stringing a crimp bead and one half of your clasp or a jump ring onto a length of beading wire. Thread the beading wire back into the crimp and pull snugly, but make sure that you leave enough space so that the clasp or jump ring can move freely.Place the crimp into the notched well of the crimping pliers. This well is usually located towards the joint of the pliers.
