0911 BD Handmade-Beads Freemium

your guide toHandmade Beads

from Beading DailyEnamEl BEads, faBric BEads,and polymEr clay projEcts

iiContents

your guide to

Handmade Beads

EnamElEd filigrEE BEad

by Pam east p. 3

BuyEr's guidE

by Jean camPbell p. 1

tExt BEads

by belinda sPiwak p. 8

sassy silky BEad angEl

by kristal wick p. 5

BElla hopE

by debbie blair p. 10

firEcrackEr

by Jamie hogsett p. 6

Your Guide to Handmade Beads from Beading Daily

editor, beadingdaily JENNIFER VANBENSCHOTENdesigner CONNIE POOLE / photography JOE COCA, ANN SWANSON

Projects and information are for inspiration and personal use only. BeadingDaily, Beadwork, and Stringing do not recommend, approve, or endorse any of the advertisers, products, services, or views advertised in this publication. Nor do BeadingDaily, Beadwork, or Stringing evaluate the advertisers claims in any way. You should, therefore, use your own judgment in evaluating the advertisers, products, services, and views advertised in BeadingDaily, Beadwork, and Stringing.

iii

Handmade beads have a way of capturing your imagina-tion like no other. Theres just something about the way a handmade bead looks and the way it feels in your hand that connects with you on a very deep level. The very first beads were all handmade, of course: in ancient times, there were no large machines that could churn out hundreds and thou-sands of beads. The very first beads were made from nuts, seeds, and shells with small holes drilled into them. Later, as human culture developed and technological advances were made, beads were created one at a time by skilled artisans and stone carvers, and these beads were valued as currency in many cultures around the world. People attached mystical significance to some of these handmade beads, believing that they would protect against evil spirits or bring good fortune to the person who wore them.

Everyone knows that handmade beads can be made from glass and ceramic, but they can also be made from fabric, wood, or even stitched together from other beads! It seems that the range of materials that can be used to create beads is only limited by our imaginations and our desire to create these tiny treasures that can be used in so many different ways. In a way, handmade beads embody the creative spirit of the human race in a way unlike any other.

If youre ready to dive into the world of handmade beads, Jean Campbell, founding editor of Beadwork magazine, has some very useful advice for buying handmade beads. Once youve read her Buyers Guide to Handmade Beads, its time to start your journey into making and using handmade

beads. Pam East shows us how to create unique filigree enameled beads without the use of a kiln in her Enameled Filigree Beads project. Next, the fabulous Kristal Wick shows us how to make a Sassy Silky Bead Angel Dangle using her handmade silk fabric beads. Or, pair handmade silk beads with novelty eyelash yarn in Jamie Hogsetts Firecracker necklace. Dabble in a little bit of mixed-media bead making with Belinda Spiwaks Text Beads project using pre-made stoneware beads and old pages from a book. And finally, use your polymer clay to create Debbie Blairs Bella Hope angel project.

However you decide to use them, handmade beads will always have a special place in the history of humankind and the development of so many different cultures around the world. I hope you enjoy these free beading projects using handmade beads and that they inspire you to make a little history of your own with handmade beads in your beading projects!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer VanBenschoten, Beading Daily editor

your guide to

Handmade Beads

More wonderful beadwork projects are available at shop.beadingdaily.com/jewelryprojects 2011 Interweave Press LLC. not to be rePrInted. aLL rIghts reserved.

page 1

Buyers Guide to Handmade

Art Beads

Theres an exciting sector in the bead community comprised of bead makers. You can see some of their wares on the following pages. Truly works of art, handmade beads can be created from just about anything, but here are descriptions of three types of beads you can enjoy and purchase at most bead shows.

Glass Beads Lampworked beads, also known as flameworked beads, are made by melting the end of a glass rod in a hot flame and touching it

to a thin metal mandrel. Artists spin the mandrel in the flame to wind the hot

glass around it, then pull the glass rod away. Next they shape the bead using

special tools and release the resulting bead from the mandrel only after the

glass is carefully cooled. The glasses used in lampworking are silica-based.

Different oxide additives in each type of glass lend unique qualities, modify-

ing such attributes as workability and melting point. There are three types of

art glass: Lead glass This easily worked glass softens at 1,145F and is best

known for its use in drinkware and neon tubing. It has gained popularity with

bead makers who use the lead-based Satake glass. Soda-lime glass This

glass softens at 1,337F and is the most common type of glass used for fus-

ing and lampworking because it is both easy to work with and inexpensive.

Effetre glass is a soda-lime glass. Borosylicate This glass softens at 1,400F

and is more commonly known as Pyrex. It is much more difficult to work with

than the soda-lime variety, but, in the end, its much more durable. To find out

more about lampworking, consult More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About

Glass Beadmaking, James Kervin, 1999.

Jean Campbell

Pho

tos

fro

M G

etti

nG

Sta

rted

Str

inG

inG

Be

ad

S Jo

e C

oC

a a

nd

Je

an

Ca

MPb

eLL


page 2

Oven-FireD BeaDsThese sculpted beads are created from clays that have been developed in recent years. Two varieties are listed below. Pre-cious Metal Clay This material looks and acts much like fine clay. The difference can be seen when it is heatedit turns into fine silver or 24kt gold. Developed by the Mitsubishi Materials Corporation of Japan, PMC is composed of fine par-ticles of precious metal suspended in an organic binder. When you fire it between 1,1001,440F, the binder burns away to leave solid metal. Because PMC begins as clay, an artist can mold and manipulate the design of beads in a way not possible with sheet metals, but the clay can be fin-ished the same as any metal by polishing, drilling, stonesetting, enameling, provid-ing patinas, etc. a similar product is sold as silver art Clay.

POlyMer ClayThis colorful plasticine clay was devel-oped in 1930s Germany, and artists can use it for a wide array of techniques. Polymer clay acts much like a fine earthen clay, but its bright colors offer artists many more opportunities. One technique that takes advantage of the color of the clay is cane-making. The artist creates color-patterned rolls of clay and cuts them to create identical slices that look like simple checkerboards, faces, manda-las, or any number of patterns. after the artist forms a bead using polymer clay, she fires it at a low temperature (275F). The hardened bead can be painted, drilled, sanded, and carved. The most common brands of polymer clay in the United states are FiMO and sculpey.

HaNd-CaRVed Beads Theres a long and rich tradition of handmade beads created from the materials that surround us. Usually hand-chiseled or hand-carved, these beads come in a wide variety of sizes, styles, and materials. Here is a selection you may find at any bead show.

stoNe These handcrafted beads are roughed out from semiprecious stone, drilled, and faceted using chisels, grinders, and polishers. Many beads of this type come from India and China.

BoNe aNd HoRN These inexpensive handmade beads usually come from Indonesia and the Philip-pines and are created from the bone or horns of working animals such as goats, camels, and cattle. Bone beads are initially white but can be dyed any color.

IVoRy This bead-making mate-rial was once taken from the tusks of wild animals, but in 1972, animal protection laws made the practice of harvesting ivory from wild animals illegal. You can now purchase vintage ivory beads, newly created fossilized ivory beads, and beads created by a legally exempt native Alaskan, Aleut, or Eskimo.

Wood is most likely the first material to have been used for hand-made beads because it is relatively soft and easy to carve. Today hand-made wooden beads often come in the form of elaborate prayer beads made of sandalwood or rosewood. Also popular are red Chinese carved and lacquered cinnabar beads, named after the bright red mineral.

Nuts These beads are created from a variety of hard nuts such as coconut. Another popular type of nut used for beads is tagua, or veg-etable ivory, an extremely hard nut sustainably harvested from the rain-forest floor.

ResIN A relatively new hand-crafted bead to hit the U.S. market, resin beads are created by villagers in Java. The bead maker pours col-ored liquid resin into a mold, allows it to dry, and then hand cuts, sands, and drills each piece to fashion indi-vidual beads. The result is beads that are somewhat transparent, durable, and have a vibrant color that wont fade.


page 3

In October, 2003, I had the pleasure of being involved in the Lapidary Journal and Step by Step Beads Bead Fest. One of the best aspects of participating in a show like this is the opportunity

to connect with other vendors and artists, picking up new ideas and inspiration.

enameled filigree beads PA M E A S T

During the show, Cosmo, of Cosmo and Harini, came by my booth and watched me demonstrating torch-fired enamel bead making. A short time later, he came back and showed me some fine silver filigreebeads he was selling and asked, Can you enamel these? I wasnt sure, but I thought it might be worth a try. Right then and there, I pulled out some powdered enamel in transpar-ent blue, popped one of the beads

onto my mandrel, and gave it a go. To my surprise and delightit worked beautifully! Of course, I immediately wanted a double handful of these little beauties. Once you try it, you will too!

I recommend using these beads for earrings and necklaces, not bracelets. The enamel on the filigree is fragile and would suffer under the abuse bracelets endure.

Note: Silver can act as a colorant to some enamels, turning them an unat-tractive brownish color; reds, pinks, and oranges are particularly suscepti-ble to this. Blue and green shades work best, but you can get some success with reds if you use several coats of Clear for Silver first. The results wont be as bril-liant as these colors usually fire up, but you can get some nice soft pink tones.


page 4

mateRIalsBusiness card8 ceramic tile12 ceramic tileVermiculite (a soil lightener)Shallow pan80 mesh transparent enamelFine silver filigree beads

toolsHAND tooLS: 6" slip joint pliers,XX mandrel tip, banding wheel

(flat topped lazy Susan), small spoonSoLDeRING tooLS: Trigger-start propane

torch, torch holder, propane cylinder400 g (14.1 oz)

safety equIpmeNtFire extinguisher, safety glasses,

dust mask

souRCesMost of the tools and materials forthis project will be available fromwell-stocked lapidary suppliers.

skIllsfabricationsolderingstone settingbead stringing

SteP 1: Lay out a transparent color of 80 mesh enamel on the edge of the tile; I recommend a deep, high pile. Because youre enameling a round form, youll need the mound to be able to cover the bead all the way to the hole.

SteP 2: Place a bead firmly on the mandrel tip. Youll need to use your fingers, not pliers, to put the bead on the mandrel, so make sure the mandrel tip is cool. Fine-silver filigree beads are quite delicate and can bend easily, so be cautious with them, and dont force it. Have two mandrels set up so you can switch back and forth, allowing the tips to cool between beads.

SteP 3: Heat the bead in the torch flame until it turns a light pink salmon color, not red. These silver beads heat up in nothing flat so watch it closely: the silver will overheat and melt in the blink of an eye if you leave it in the torch flame too long.

SteP 4: Roll the bead in powdered enamel and return it to the torch flame. Continue working quickly, heating it just enough to pick up another layer of enamel. Dont try to get it to a glossy finish until youve added 4 or 5 layers; there needs to be enough enamel on the silver to insulate it from the torch flame.

SteP 5: Once you have multiple layers of enamel on the bead, heat it to the glossy stage by working the bead quickly in and out of the torch flame, rotating it continuously. Remove the bead from the mandrel, using pliers to push it off into a shallow pan of vermiculite.

SteP 6: Thats all there is to it! These beads dont even need to be annealed and will be cool and ready to use in about five minutes.

PaM east is an enamelist, educator, wife, and

mother. she was born and raised in California

where she studied art and art history at the

University of California riverside. she has

worked with a wide variety of visual art tech-

niques and enjoys creating unique enamel

bead jewelry, but finds introducing enamel

bead making to new students everywhere to

be the most rewarding aspect of her career.

she has appeared on the Carol duvall show

on hgtv, and has her own video, enamel

bead Making with Pam east. You can contact

Pam at [email protected] or learn more about

her company, Pinzart, at www.pinzart.com.


page 5

mateRIals1 angel charm1 Sassy Silky bead2 red 8mm crystal bicones2 black 3mm jet crystal bicones2 silver spacers1 silver 3" eyepin1 cell phone loop

toolsWire cuttersChain-nose pliersRound-nose pliers

1: String onto eyepin: jet bicone, silver spacer, red bicone, Sassy Silky bead, red bicone, silver spacer, jet bicone.

2: Form a simple loop at the top of the eyepin.

3: Close loop.4: Open bottom eyepin loop and add

angel charm. Close loop.5: Attach top eyepin loop to cell

phone loop, chain (for necklace), or lobster clasp (for backpack dangle, keychain, or dog collar clip).

ReSoURCeS: All component from www.Artbeads.com

sassy silky bead angel k R I S TA l W I C k


page 6

These handmade silk beads pair up brilliantly with novelty eyelash yarn. Large fire-polished beads add sparkle and weight to the necklace.

firecracker J A M I E H o g S E T T

mateRIals18 purple/gold 10mm

fire-polished beads6 silk " tubes in lavender,

purple, and rust6 silk 1" tubes in lavender,

rose, and black3 silk 2" tubes in purple

and rustgold toggle clasp75" of Splash by Crystal

Palace eyelash yarn

6" of 20-gauge wire

toolsCrimping pliersWire cutters

teCHNIqueStringing

finished size: 7"


page 7

SteP 1: Use 25" of yarn to string one 12mm, one " tube, one 12mm, one 1" tube, one 12mm, one 2" tube, one 12mm, one 1" tube, one 12mm, one " tube, and one 12mm.

tIP: Fold the wire in half to trap the end of the yarn and use it as a needle to string the beads.

SteP 2: Center the 2" tube and tie an overhand knot on each side (see box). Bring a 12mm bead down to each knot. Tie an overhand knot after each 12mm bead. Bring a 1" tube down to each knot and tie an overhand knot after each. Continue bringing down beads and tying a knot after each.

SteP 3: Use a double overhand knot to tie each end of yarn to one end of the clasp, leaving 6" of bare yarn between the beads and the clasp.

SteP 4: Repeat all steps two more times to make a three-strand necklace. F

ReSoURCeS: Check with your local bead shop. Silk beads: Sassy Silkies, www.sassysilkies.com; yarn: Woolen Treasures.


page 8

I am wild about charms! I love charms made from yardstick pieces, game pieces, Scrabble tiles, domino pieces, fishing swivels, and safety pins, washers, wire, and leftover

quiltie sandwiches. Charms can come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and materials. They can be made of vintage materials, from hardware odds and ends, or even from sewing leftovers. The best charms are the ones that look great on your charm bracelet, earrings, or necklace.

The charms value depends on how much it means to you.

text beads B E l I n D A S P I WA k


page 9

The most important thing about a charm is its wearability. A charm should be made of a durable material. It should not have sharp corners or barbsyou dont want it to stab you or catch on your clothes

After that, pretty much anything goes. I have a tendency to mix ev-eryday objects with altered charms to my charm jewelry. Look in old toy boxes. Parts of board games and dolls make great charms. Look in the bot-tom of your sewing box. Take a look in your junk drawer. Clean out the ga-rage boxes and tool boxes. Have your kids search for pencil stubs hiding inobscure corners of your house. Bor-row some of those fishing lures and swivels. Inventory your jewelry box. Take apart any old costume jewelry you no longer wear and turn it into something new and funky.

Feel free to make some alterations. Do some innovative twisting and hammering with wire. Stack buttons or age pieces with ink. Dont dismiss a potential charm until you see it as part of an entire piece. What might not look so great by itself might look wonderful when mixed withother elements.

Once youve made your charms, you probably are going to want to attach them to something. Here are some of my tried and true tips for making a charm bracelet.

Alternate short and long charms as you attach them, for visual appeal. As you are putting your charm bracelet together, try it on periodi-cally to make sure it is falls the way you want. If the charm is stiff and does not sit correctly, you might want to add on another jump ring so the charm will fall better on your wrist. Make sure the bracelet is comfort-able. The charms add some weight to the base bracelet, and that can make the bracelet feel a bit smaller than it did originally. You should be able to easily clasp your bracelet and it should sit on your wrist with a little give so the charms can tinkle. Dont put as many charms near theclasp as the rest of the bracelet so you can find and use the clasp more easily. The jump rings should be secure, or you risk losing your charms. A diameter of 1" or smaller seems to work best. Remember to move one end of the jump ring towards you and one end away from you when opening the jump ring. Do the reverse when clos-ing. Never pull the jump ring apart or it will not close properly. Jump ring wire diameters can differ in size. Pay attention to that because you do not want your jump ring to be too fat for your charm hole. If your jump ring loses its shape, its easier to use a new one rather than spend time trying to reshape a warped jump ring. Remember that your charms and charm bracelet should be fun and that your charm bracelet should have plenty of jingle.

how to makea text bead mateRIalsPottery bead or any oblong beadBook textTim Holtz Distress Ink (available atinterweavestore.com)gel medium (available atinterweavestore.com)PaintbrushWax paper

SteP 1: Tear strips of book text into thin strips shorter than length of your bead, about 1-1" long.

SteP 2: Edge the strips of text with Distress Ink. Let the text dry.

SteP 3: Use a paintbrush or your finger to apply a thin coat of gel medium to the bead. Roll the text around the bead. Apply a coat of gel medium on top of the text. Lay it on wax paper to dry. Let dry completely.


page 10

bella hope D E B B I E B l A I R

mateRIals1 package Pearl polymer clay2 g size 15 opaque reddish brown

seed beads.5 g size 15 metallic green bronze

seed beads2 brass 22x54mm Mythical Wing

embellishments1 brass 21x5mm believe charm1 brass plated 4mm jump ring4 of copper 26-gauge craft wire4 lb braided beading threadBrown acrylic paintJewelry cement or Super glue

toolsSize 12 beading needleWire cuttersTwo pairs of chain- or flat-nose pliersSmall paintbrushToaster oven (dedicated for craft use

only)

finished size: 3 high


page 11

SteP 1: Cut off a piece of clay 2 sections wide. To form the head, cut 1/3 of one of the sections and condition it by roll-ing and kneading it until it is soft and pliable. Roll into a ball.

SteP 2: Condition the remaining 1 2/3 sections of clay as in Step 1. Form the body by shaping into a freeform tapered rectangle approximately 2 1/4 high. Press against the table to flatten the bottom.

SteP 3: Join the head to the body by firmly pressing the two pieces together. Set aside.

SteP 4: Form the halo by stringing 45 metallic green bronze seed beads onto the copper wire. Center the beads and snug them tight; shape into a circle, twisting both ends of the wire together to form a stem. Bend the stem at a 45-degree angle to the circle. Press the stem into the back of the head near the top.

SteP 5: Press 1 wing into each side of the body.

SteP 6: Using the beading thread, string 10 1/2 of opaque reddish brown seed beads; knot both ends. Create the bottom trim of the dress by pressing the string of seed beads firmly into the clay in a freeform pattern, wrapping around the body to form three rows. Continue to press firmly into the clay. Trim excess thread.

SteP 7: Bake according to manufac-turers instructions.

SteP 8: To create the necklace, use the beading thread to string 45 opaque reddish brown seed beads, but do not knot the ends. Attach the jump ring to the charm; thread the string of seed beads through the jump ring.

SteP 9: Once the angel has cooled, attach the necklace by tying it around the neck. Trim excess thread.

SteP 10: If wings are not firmly

attached after the baking and cooling process, remove them and add a few drops of glue to the ends; insert back into the holes.

SteP 11: Secure the knots on the end of the necklace and the bottom trim of the dress with a drop of glue.

12: Create the eyes by painting two small teardrop shapes.

resources: Polymer clay, paint and glue: Michaels. Brass wings: Vintage natural Brass Co. (wholesale only). opaque reddish brown seed beads: Whimbeads.com, (800) 232-3111. All other materials: FusionBeads.com.

stringingmagazine.com/go/BDST

Beads are hot and so is Stringing magazine!

RISK-FREETRIAL OFFER

SUBSCRIBE NOW!

No matter what your level of ability is, you will nd plenty of inspiration in every issue of Stringing magazine.

Take advantage of this special risk-free offer today!


page 12

techniquesStRINGINGStringing is a technique in which you use beading wire, needle and thread, or other material to gather beads into a strand.

eNDING AND ADDING tHReADTo end your thread, stop beading when you have at least 6" of working thread. Always end after completing a step up so that it wont matter where you begin the new round. Tie off the thread by passing back through the beadwork at a diagonal and tying half-hitch knots after each chip or shared bead. Pass through 3 Delicas and trim and melt the end.

To begin a new doubled thread, tie a knot in the end and melt or glue it to seal it. Begin stitching at least 4 stitches back in the work, knotting after each shared bead. Exit a middle point bead to begin the next round.

CRImPINGString a crimp tube and the connection finding (i.e., the loop of the clasp). Pass back through the tube, leaving a short tail. Use the back notch of the crimping pliers to press the length of the tube down between the wires, enclosing them in separate chambers of the cres-cent shape. Rotate the tube 90 and use the front notch of the pliers to fold the two chambers onto themselves, forming a clean cylinder. Trim the excess wire.

LADDeR StItCHUsing two needles, one threaded on each end of the thread, pass one needle through one or more beads from left to right and pass the other needle through the same beads from right to left. Continue adding beads by crisscross-ing both needles through one bead at a time. Use this stitch to make strings of beads or as the foundation for brick stitch.

For a single-needle ladder, string 2 beads and pass through them again. String 1 bead. Pass through the last stitched bead and the one just strung. Repeat, adding one bead at a time and working in a figure-eight pattern.

NettING (single thread)Begin by stringing a base row of 13 beads. String 5 beads and go back through the fifth bead from the end of the base row. String another 5 beads, skip 3 beads of the base row, and go back through the next; repeat to the end of the row. To turn, pass back through the last 3 beads (one leg of the last net). String 5 beads, pass back through the center bead of the next net and continue.

BRICk StItCHBegin by creating a foundation row in ladder stitch. String 2 beads and pass under the closest exposed loop of the found ation row and back through the second bead. String 1 bead and pass under the next exposed loop and back through the bead just strung; repeat.

To decrease within a row, string 1 bead and skip a loop of thread on the previ-ous row, passing under the second loop and back through the bead.

To increase within a row, work two stitches in the same loop on the previ-ous row.

For circular brick stitch, work increases as needed to keep the work flat; at the end of each round, pass through the first and last beads to stitch them to-gether, then string 2 beads to begin the next round.

FRINGeExit from your foundation row of beads or fabric. String a length of beads plus 1 bead. Skipping the last bead, pass back through all the beads just strung to create a fringe leg. Pass back into the foundation row or fabric.


page 13

online store

Why wait to bead?Visit and download a project

from one of your favorite designers today!

shop.interweave.com/beadingLovely LinksKatie Hacker

shop.beadingdaily.com/jewelryprojects

The 2011 issue of Creative Jewelryfeatures 135+ fast & easy projects to make and wear!interweave.com/creativejewelry

THE BEST-SELLING COLLECTION OF FASHION JEWEL

RY PROJECTS

TRENDY STYLES YOU CAN MAKE YOUR

SELF

Cative

Jewelry

20

10

VO

LU

ME

9 1

35+ S

IMP

LE &

STY

LIS

H P

RO

JEC

TS 7

TIPS

TO P

HO

TOG

RA

PH

YO

UR

JEW

ELR

Y L

IKE A

PR

O B

LO

G F

OR

SU

CC

ES

S

simple &stylish

new designs

presented by Beadwork magazine v

olume 9

FAST & EASY

The Creative

Jewelry Way

Plus!

BLOG FOR SUCCESS!

Be a social media star

7 Tipsto photograph your jewelry

LIKE A PRO!

5/25/10 2:25:30 PM

tUBULAR HeRRINGBoNe StItCHBegin with a foundation row of ladder stitch. Join the ends together to form a tube. String 2 beads. Pass down through the next bead and up through the fol-lowing bead. Repeat around the tube. At the end of the round, pass through the first beads of the previous and current rounds to step up to the new round.

WIReWoRkINGTo make a simple loop, grasp one end of the wire with round-nose pliers. Hold-ing on to the wire with one hand, gently turn the pliers until the wire end and wire body touch. Create a 90 reverse bend where they meet. For a wire-wrapped loop, cut the desired length of wire and make a 90 bend 2" from one end. Use round-nose pliers to hold the wire near the angle and bend the short end up and around the pliers until it meets itself. Wrap the wire tightly down the neck of the wire to create a couple of coils. Trim the excess to finish.

kNottINGA square knot is the classic sturdy knot suitable for most stringing materials. Make an overhand knot, passing the right end over the left end. Make anoth-er overhand knot, this time passing the left end over the right end. Pull tight.

Documents

0911 BD Handmade-Beads Freemium