Discover How to Make Beaded Jewelry

If you are looking for a new hobby or a means to earn extra income than you have come to the right place.  

I will be sharing with you the simple beginnings to get you started down the path of learning how to make basic strung beaded jewelry, like what is pictured here.

Three basic jeweler's tools and just two simple techniques is all you need to know to begin creating elegant necklaces, festive bracelets, jazzy earrings for yourself or for your family and friends.

This affordable and easy hobby will help you in ways you may not even know right now.  But if you stay with me and follow this through you will be amazed at what you will be able to produce and create.  Even if you don't feel creative but enjoy working with your hands it can be done.

So let's get started and set you on your way to “catch the beading bug”™.  Ready?  Let's go.

Three basic jeweler's tools will get you started on your jewelry journey.

Beading projects begin with these three simple and affordable tools.

It is best to use tools intended for jewelry making and not the typical household tools. Jewelry making tools are specifically made for the sensitive materials that will be used in jewelry making projects. You will be able to tell them apart by the smooth finish at the nose of the pliers. (Here is a test, if you run your finger over the inside of the nose of the plier and it feels rough, then it will be rough on your materials and will scratch the finish.)

These basic tools for the beginner will cost around $8-$15 making your start up very affordable. I encourage you not to settle for the cheaper made tools just to cut corners. This may create frustration during the learning process as these cheaper tools are likely to mare or damage your work and may not operate as smoothly. But I also suggest not invest in the higher priced tools either until you have developed your skills and are comfortable using your new found skills. Once you have reached that point and know this is the direction you want to take then the investment will be money well spent.

Length of tools are also important. Do not use tools less than 5" in length. I had tried the small tools simply because I thought they were terribly cute but found going smaller for an average adult hand is more difficult to use and your hands become restless. So now I just use my small tools to show others what 'not' to buy.

These three basic tools are very simple to use once you know what you do with them.

Now let's talk about the actual tools.

The chain nose pliers are the foundation tool of any jeweler tool set you will own.  As you evolve in your skills it will be common to owning more than one pair of pliers in your tool collection.

This tool is very handy and becomes like a second set of hands.  The chain nose pliers will be used for countless tasks.

With tapered tips, smooth jaws and half rounded edges this basic tool allows for precise work on your projects.

Chain nose pliers look exactly like the regular household needle nose but the difference is that household needle nose pliers have teeth on the interior of the jaws where as the jeweler’s chain nose have a smooth polished finish.

It is important to recognize and distinguish between the two so that your beading projects turn out well.

Round nose pliers are similar to the chain nose pliers.  But they are not the same. 

The pliers’ nose of the round nose pliers is round.  Completely round. 

The round nose pliers are used for creating loops in wire.  The nose is tapered and creates different sizes of loops.

What is similar with the chain nose pliers is that the noses of the round nose pliers are polished and smooth to the touch.  But beware, not all round nose on the market are polished, so watch for that when purchasing tools.

Wire cutters, side cutters or flush cutters are just that, cutters.

Cutting tools will vary based on the strength of wire to be cut.

Bead wire cutters will cut most all beading wire and light weight gauged wire. When cutting sculpting wire at a heavier gauge use a more durable wire cutter.  But when cutting memory wire  a heavy floral wire cutters will be needed to do this job.

Use caution with your cutters, they are sharp and they have no discretion of what they cut.

One additional tool that is needed is a cushioned work surface. 

If you want to get fancy you can purchase a beadboard, like the one pictured here or you may choose a beading mat.

Both options are affordable but if you want to save that extra expense to spend it on beads or other supplies then using a towel or scrap fabric will work just as well.

What you are striving for is a cushioned surface to absorb your materials and keeps them from rolling away from you as you work on your project.

The first technique I like to teach is called 'crimping'. 

Pictured here is an example of a flat crimp.  

I feel this is the simpliest type of crimping to learn for the beginner.  It guarantees your success and  insures that your jewelry such as bracelets, necklaces and such together.  

Crimps are both a component and crimping is a process.  

The bead is called a crimp, which is a pliable bead intended to be compressed.  

The action of compression of this bead is called 'crimping'.  

I like teaching this flat crimping technique for all beginners until they become more comfortable with the components they are working with.  Once you have reached that level of comfort and confidence then you can move on to learn other ways to achieve the same effect.

The second technique is called the 'single or plain loop'.

This is most commonly used when making earrings.  The single or plain loop can also be used to make necklaces and chnique I encourage you to learn is called the 'single or plain loop'.  

bracelets as well in addition to bookmarks, charms and zipper pulls.

You will use all three of your basic tools, the chain nose pliers, the round  nose pliers and the wire cutters.  

This technique is not difficult but may take a little practice in order to achieve the look you want.  

This picture shows the plain loop to make a drop.  Once the drop has been created then by attaching it to a jewelry finding will determine what the item becomes.  This particular finding is called an earring wire.

Many more findings are available to give you a wide array of items and options for beaded accessories.

Explore more to see what you can find.