RaniMaria : things I love

There are some really great complete beading books out there that you can choose from, and regardless of whether you are a novice or experienced beader, these complete beading books can be very helpful. A good beading book will not only teach you about things that you already know, but will enhance on these factors, making you as knowledgeable as possible. As well, it should offer at least a few different beading patterns that you can try out, with easy step by step instructions that you can follow.

Although of course the complete beading books that you choose should suit you and work for the type of beading that you are interested in, however if you are just looking for a couple of complete beading books to get you started, then there are a few in particular you should be interested in.

The Best Little Beading Book

This is a book written by Wendy Simpson Conner, this is not only an excellent book for the beginner beader but for the seasoned professional as well. It covers nearly every single aspect of beadwork, and this includes Peyote stitch, leather stitching, and working with wire issues. There are great graphics for each of the patterns in the book, and there are 24 full color pages of finished work. Techniques for making necklaces and earrings are great basics and are included in the book, as is lots of other valuable information, such as stone lore, symbolism, and color and design basics.

The Encyclopedia of Beading Techniques

This is definitely one of the most popular and complete beading books on the market today and one whose title truly explains everything. It offers a wealth of beading information, everything from basic threading and knotting to elaborate bead weaving and wire work. For each technique being taught in the book there are about four or five pictures to a page to illustrate how it is done, thus allowing for a better understanding for you.

Simply Beautiful Beaded Jewelry

This is another one of the great complete beading books, one which is perfect for anyone who enjoys crafting jewelry. It provides patterns for a whopping 50 different projects, everything from hair accessories and bracelets to necklaces and earrings. The projects cover a wide and varied range of styles and beads, and so you are sure to be able to find lots that you love.

One of the best things about this particular book is that it makes sure that all the beads, wire and other beading materials that you need for the patterns is easily accessible anywhere in the world, meaning that this is one book that you will actually be able to recreate the patterns from.

There are plenty of other complete beading books that you can choose from as well, however these three are definitely the cream of the crop in this situation. A good idea is to start off with two or three beading books, such as those mentioned previously here, and then begin to add more to your collection as you become a more experienced beader.

Because beading is such a popular hobby today, there is an incredible number of beading supply stores out there in order to supply the demand. Although this is definitely a positive thing if you are a beader because you have a lot of selection to choose from, at the same time it can be very overwhelming and even frustrating trying to decide which company you should buy from.

The most important thing is to ensure that the company is legit, and you can do this by conducting a background check on the business. You also want to see how long they have been in business for, what products they are offering, and for what price. By comparing and contrasting between a few different companies you will be able to save yourself a great deal of money and as well get the best overall value that you possibly can.

Glass Rods for Beading

There are many different beading supplies to choose from, but glass rods for beading are some of the most popular. This is because glass rods for beading are so adaptable and useable - you can make them work in almost any jewelry design. Glass rods for beading are also great because you can use them as spacers, meaning that you put them in between other beads on the jewelry to space them out.

Your Options

If you are looking for companies that sell glass rods for beading, there are a few in particular that you are going to want to check out. One is Fire Mountain Gems and Beads. If you are already an avid beader, then odds are you have heard of the Fire Mountain Company before.

They offer one of the largest selections of glass rods for beading and other beading supplies, including: gemstone beads, glass beads, metal beads, natural beads, pearls, acrylic beads, wood beads, chains, clasps, charms, findings, pendants, beading wire, and more. They also offer very competitive prices, and you are not likely to find lower prices for the same high quality anywhere else.

Another worthy option here is Bead Babe. This company is smaller and not as well known as Fire Mountain, but they do offer a great selection for a very affordable price. They have been in the beading business for nearly two decades now, and they have some really great connections with large bead manufacturing companies, and so they save a lot when they buy their beads, and they pass those savings right on to you.

There are many other companies that offer glass rods for beading and other beading supplies, and you will definitely not ever have to worry about having no place to choose from. Just make sure that you take your time and put some thought into your decision, because of course you want to get the best quality and value that you can.

When it comes to beading wire, there are a few different types that you have available to you. Copper is one of the most popular types of beading wire, and although it tends to work well with most designs and looks especially nice with earth tone colors, there is the issue of how it tends to darken and discolor with age.

Then there is galvanized beading wire, which is a dull silver color and which is harder than the more commonly used silver wire. Sterling silver beading wire is another of the fan favorites, namely because it is so universal. Sterling will tarnish however, and so it is best to keep it in zip lock bags or sealed containers when you are not using it.

Fine silver is the highest quality silver beading wire that you can get, and is made of 99.9% pure silver. It has fewer alloys and so it does not tarnish as quickly as sterling silver does.

As well there is gold-filled beading wire that you can use, which, although it has many layers of gold, is not actually made of pure gold, and this is important to remember because gold-filled jewelry is not nearly as expensive as jewelry that is made from real gold. The real gold beading wire is available in various karats, from 10-24 for example, and even different colors, but this wire tends to be the most expensive.

Soft Flex Beading Wire

Soft flex beading wire is a type of beading wire that is manufactured by the Soft Flex Company, and soft flex beading wire is one of the most commonly used beading wires in the world.

When it comes to buying soft flex beading wire, there are a few factors that you are going to have to take into consideration before you can make a final decision. One is determining what diameter wire you are going to need for your project, and the options are: .010”, .014”, .019”, and .024”. The larger diameter you go with, the larger and heavier beads you will be able to use.

You also need to understand the difference between soft flex beading wire and soft touch beading wire. Basically soft flex is the original line, and it was actually the first stainless steel wire to be knotted and it truly revolutionized the bead stringing industry. It is definitely one of your best options of all when it comes to beading wire.

Using small, tiny beads in homemade designs is called seed beading, and its popularity around the world may surprise you. Seed beads are commonly round, about a millimeter in length, and they have a small hole drilled straight through them. They are most often used for on and off loom weaving, and are usually black in color when they are used as spacers in beaded necklaces and bracelets, but that’s not the only type of seed bead that there is. All small, glass, multicolored beads can be considered seed beading, and these mass-produced colored balls can be woven into fabric to give it a nice, shiny, glossy feel.

Packaging

There are two different types of seed beading package sizes. The first is called a hank, which is about the size of a small Ziploc bag full of seed beads. Usually, these hanks have about twelve to twenty strands of beads inside of them. The second style of packaging is by grams, which to me is much easier to understand. However, selling beads by weight seems to be purely a Japanese trend.

Does Price Affect Quality?

When buying seed beading supplies it is a good idea to go straight to the company and buy direct, rather than buying store brand beads. Most stores brands like Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Kroger, Food Lion, and Piggy-Wiggly sell their own, cheaper beads, but for something that doesn’t cost that much to start with it makes no sense to save that extra few dollars by buying these cheaper knock-offs when really their quality is so poor that not even all the beads in the same pack may be the same size, let alone be without imperfections. Cheap plastic may be okay for your Boy Scout troops and your Craft Day at school, but when you are seriously using seed beading to create forms of artwork there should be no doubt in your mind on which type of beads to purchase.

The Ironic Wordplay Of Seed Beads

If I was an Agriculture teacher, I would tell my students that we were going to spend the class doing seed beading. Then, I would send them all out into the oak forest behind the high school to collect acorns. Using a power drill, I would show them how to make a neat hole through each of the acorns without crushing the outer shell. I’d tell them to thread the wire through, and when they were all done I would send my entire class to the art teacher’s room, to show her our seed beading techniques.

There are some potential crafters who shy away from beading necklaces once they see the size and number of beads used to make them, but a necklace project can be easily accomplished with a few simple tips and a few items they probably have around the house. Whether working from one of the many available patterns for beading necklaces that show the color, size and type of beads to be used, or simple free hand designs penciled on a napkin, perhaps the toughest part is getting started.

The first thing needed will be enough beading string for the appropriate length of the necklaces, plus a few extra inches for the beading tips and clasp. Using a towel on a flat surface, line up the beads in the order in which they will appear on the beading necklaces, being careful not to drop them on hard, flat surface where they can roll away. If the string being used is especially thin, a double strand can be used for added strength.

Some crafters will place craft glue on the first couple of inches of the string to make threading the beads easier. On one end, tie a knot either a simple overhand knot or a figure eight knot, trimming of excess thread. Then place a drop of glue on the knot to prevent it from coming undone.

Bead Tips Hold It All Together

Attach a clamshell bead tip to the knotted end by inserting the free end of the string and pulling it tight to the knot. Not so tight that it may break the string, but snug so that there is no extra space. The remainder of the beads can now be strung on the string on which the beading necklaces will be made. Do not forget the spacer beads if they are being used and double check the work every so often to make sure a bead or two was not missed.

When all the beads are on the string, attach the second bead tip, holding it snug with beading pliers while the knot is tied. Use a small drop of glue to keep the knot from unraveling. For beading necklaces the tips will have a spot on which to attach a clasp and once those are on, the necklace is ready to go. If the beads were pulled too tight during assembly the beading necklaces may be stiff and not hang properly, so caution against making them too tight must be exercised.