Make Beaded Necklaces and Bracelets

With so many different types of beads available, learning how to make beaded necklaces and bracelets is more fun than ever before. Whether you're looking for casual jewelry to wear with jeans and t-shirt or a necklace to wear to your sister's wedding, there are beads available to help you create the perfect fashion accessory.

For many crafters, buying beads is the best part of making handmade jewelry! Beads can be sold in packages, on strings, or individually. Some stores also carry project kits that include an assortment of matching beads to help you create a specified jewelry item.

You can find a small assortment of beads for jewelry making in the craft department at most Wal-Mart stores. Hobby Lobby, Michaels Crafts and Joann Crafts have a slightly larger selection of beads and jewelry making tools. For the greatest number of options, however, you'll want to search for a specialty bead shop in your area or order online from a store such as Fire Mountain Gems or Auntie's Beads.

Beads can be made from a variety of materials. For example:

• Resin beads are translucent, durable, and commonly available in bright candy-like colors. They are fairly inexpensive, making them a good choice for beginning crafters or those on a tight budget.
• Pressed glass beads, also known as Czech glass beads, have crisp facets and a clean finish to make them sparkle.
• Lampwork beads are specialty beads handmade from hot glass. They are often very elaborate one-of-a-kind creations.
• Semiprecious stone beads are more expensive than most other types of beads, but they can be worth the price for a special project. You can find everything from amethyst to zebra jasper, but keep in mind that they can be rather heavy and will require a strong bead wire for stringing.
• Metal beads are usually used in combination with other beads as complementary spacers. Most bead stores will have base metal beads, gold-filled beads, 18K gold beads, sterling silver beads, and vermeil beads.
• Wood beads, typically made with Asian indigenous woods, are fairly inexpensive and lightweight. They are most often used in ethnic-inspired jewelry.
• Shell beads are created from various types of natural shells and generally used to make casual looking "beach" theme jewelry.
• Freshwater pearl beads are generally made by calms or mussels in China or Japan. They can give your jewelry projects a very elegant look. However, they can be hard to string since many varieties have holes that are slightly off center.

When buying beads for your project, you'll need to consider the cost of each option, as well as the effect you are trying to create with your bracelet or necklace.

Choosing the right bead shape is an important part of learning how to make beaded necklaces and bracelets. Some of the bead shapes available include:

• Round
• Drop
• Cube
• Barrel
• Rondelle
• Oval
• Bicone
• Chiclet
• Rice
• Button
• Teardrop
• Chip
• Keishi (a slightly V shaped bead)

Each shape gives your piece a slightly different look. A necklace of oval beads with a teardrop pendant is sophisticated and elegant. A bracelet made from cube beads or chips is fun and whimsical looking. Try mixing and matching various bead shapes to see what look best fits your personal style.

Alternating bead sizes is another good way to add interest to an otherwise simple piece of jewelry. For example, you can try using slightly smaller beads as spacers between your larger focal point beads.

Once you've chosen the beads for your project, it's time to create! Here are some slideshows featuring ideas on how to make beaded necklaces and bracelets:

Beaded Necklace Patterns

Making Bead Bracelet Patterns

If you need help choosing a clasp for your bracelet or necklace, please review the LoveToKnow Crafts article on Beading Clasps.

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