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Archive through March 26, 2009

Reality TVClubHouse Discussions: General Discussions ARCHIVES: Jan ~ Apr 2009: The Hobby Hall: All About Beading (ARCHIVES): Archive through March 26, 2009 users admin

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Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Sunday, March 22, 2009 - 10:27 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Findings is pretty much anything you use to finish off your jewelry (I usually say "end pieces" cuz that's all it is.) Crimp beads, crimp covers, clasps, split and jump rings, etc.

I've been meaning to mention, Lum, Bead Style magazine has a special edition mag out right now called Beading 101 and Beyond. It is awesome. It's all beading tips, has lists of tools and how/when to use them properly, lists of findings and how/when to use them. There's step by step instructions/pictures, organization ideas, and design tips. I've been beading for years and though a lot of it is aimed at beginners, I've found it quite useful. I'd offer to send you my copy but I tear out the pages and throw them into a binder because it's easier to lay flat when I'm trying to follow directions, lol.

Lumbele
Moderator

07-12-2002

Sunday, March 22, 2009 - 11:07 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lumbele a private message Print Post    
Wow, great info, War, thanks so much. I'll go looking for that mag, too.

Magnetic clasps would be especially great for Mum who has a hard time with closures (and for me now that I think about it). What about those rings and bar thingies for bracelets?

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Sunday, March 22, 2009 - 11:27 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
You are very welcome! I love this stuff and love talking about it. I think once you really get into it, you'll be surprised by just how much money you can save making your own jewelry. Plus you'll be able to make what you want. And it makes great gifts. The nice thing too is that you can get inspiration anywhere, from browsing stores and magazines to looking at what people are wearing and even watching tv/movies. You can make exact matches or you can do something similar or make up something on your own.

I've been replacing a lot of my aunts clasps with the magnetic ones so she can put her own jewelry on and off and doesn't have to wait for someone else to come along and do it. She loves them. I also use them a lot for the girls for the same reason.

The bar/ring toggles work goot for bracelets (and necklaces, though not as easy as magnetic.) I also like the hook and eye ones cuz they're easier to put on by yourself.

I have a lot of trouble with the lobster claw ones (that you have to push the little thing down to open the claw and slip into the ring.)

Crzndeb
Member

07-26-2004

Sunday, March 22, 2009 - 12:13 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Crzndeb a private message Print Post    
And I'm just the opposite of War...I have never used a crimp tool a day in my life. I use my flat nose pliers to squeeze the crimps. But that is just the way I was taught originally. I have also just started using crimp covers also and I really like the finished look it gives. I usually do my stringing with one end still attached to the softflex roll (or whatever you are using) of wire and then just cut the end when I'm done and then use good old scotch on each end until I add the clasps. The nice thing about beading is there is no wrong or right way as far as what you use to get a finished project. It's the fun of making something you love. I have a cross stitch project I need to finish, so I will probably put the beading down for a while and finish that. I have all the back stitching left to do which I detest, but have to face it. LOL!

And here's a little tip to be aware of if buying beads sold as quartz. If you see bubbles in the stone, it is not a true quartz. It's glass. Doesn't take away from the beauty, just know that it's not a true gemstone.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Sunday, March 22, 2009 - 10:16 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
I didn't know that about the quartz, Deb, but I don't use too much of it. It's the same with crystals, if there's bubbles in the crystal, it's not swarovski (there's a couple other ways to tell too.) Same thing, doesn't take away from the beauty, but there are times you want to use the real thing like if you're giving a more expensive piece as a gift or selling it and you wanna be sure you are giving them what you expect to be giving them.

Deb, lol, I've been working on a cross stitch project for over 13 years! It's a baby blanket I started when I was pregnant with Caleb, lol. Everytime there's a pregnancy in the family, I pull it out of the closet and work on it for a while before putting it back. If I remember right, I gave it to my sister when she was pregnant with her little one (who's now 18 months old.) Cross stitch isn't one of my favorite things.

I went to Michaels today. I actually did a good thing while there...a woman was looking at chains and complaining that they had very little that was real silver and how expensive it was so I told her about auntiesbeads and firemountaingem. Michaels probably wouldn't be too happy with me, but heck I'm a beader too and I know sometimes it's cheaper to buy online.

I finished the softball teams necklaces, they came out pretty cute.

a

b

While at Michaels I also picked up a couple strands of beads (they're on sale, 2/$7.) My neighbor girls been sporting a pretty and very simple necklace, it's just softflex wire and some silver plated, flat round pieces crimped on the wire. When I saw it and she told me how much she paid ($15) I just shook my head at her...told ya not to spend that much! Thinking about that necklace, I bought some beads and came home and made 3 necklaces (one for Kota, one for oldest niece, and one for Kota's bff.) The girls are really into the pink/black pairings these days and they loved their necklaces. I still have beads left over, not sure what I'll do with those cuz I think they're a bit too mature for my two 5 year old nieces. The really cool part about these necklaces is that unless you are looking real close at them, when the girls are wearing them, you can't see the wire.

c

Lumbele
Moderator

07-12-2002

Monday, March 23, 2009 - 2:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lumbele a private message Print Post    
This is indeed an expensive hobby. Just got back from Michael's - 190 bucks later. Dh came with me and gave me a beading book and a set of tools as an early b'day gift. So I should be all set. I'll be busy this week, but get ready for loads of questions and SOSs this weekend.LOL

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Monday, March 23, 2009 - 7:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Anything we can do to help, Lum, just ask.

I'll be honest and say I've never spent $190 in Michaels...but, that is only cuz I spread my spending around, lol. I may spend $50 in Michaels, another $40 in the bead store, and however much online. I usually set myself a monthly budget though if I'm planning something big or something is coming up like Christmas I'll hold off buying and spend my budget for several months at once.

It may be quite expensive, but once you make some jewelry for yourself and gifts, it'll become clear how much you really have saved.

Lumbele
Moderator

07-12-2002

Tuesday, March 24, 2009 - 9:09 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lumbele a private message Print Post    
Well, I don't intend to make a habit of it.LOL Those 190 included the tool set, a bead crimper, a bunch of stone and wood "beads", plus those little doohickeys you said I'd need and the book. Good thing we are having a snowstorm right now, so I won't be tempted to print out another coupon.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Tuesday, March 24, 2009 - 10:49 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Heh, I just got a bead mag yesterday in the mail and it had a coupon for Michaels, 15% off a whole purchase. Dangit! Could have used that the other day.

You should be set for a while really. You may find yourself wanting some new beads or needing to replace something like wire or crimp beads, but yeah probably not major spending stuff. My big times to spend are usually before Christmas and Kota's birthday (I do her jewelry plus I make some for the goodie bags.) The little trips, I spend what I've set aside for the month and when it's gone its gone, lol.

I did have a couple suggestions for you, Lum, but didn't think about them til this morning. First, you can find a lot of beading books (probably magazines too) at the library to check out. There are some great how to books and those with step by step projects but in all the time I've been beading, I've only found a handfull of books that I really want to keep. Mostly you can get what you need by borrowing them.

Second is about storage. There's a lot of bead cases out that are nice, but the best one I've used and loved, is a simple fishing tackle box. It has four clear cases on the bottom with the compartments in each that you can make various sizes and on the top is a large compartment that fits tools/wire/magazines. I've seen the same box at Michaels in a smaller size for twice the price. Darren bought mine for me for Christmas and was tickled half to death cuz he got it on sale for half price. I love the case cuz I don't work in any specific area and I can just pick the whole box up and move it all to whereever I want to work. It's even easy if I want to take it with me to my sisters or somewhere else.

Beekindpleez
Member

07-18-2006

Tuesday, March 24, 2009 - 6:17 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Beekindpleez a private message Print Post    
War...the softball team necklaces came out great. Very cool!

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Tuesday, March 24, 2009 - 10:40 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Thanks, Bee. They turned out pretty cute and the girls liked them. I did end up having to make one more for my middle niece, she wanted one to wear to the games, lol.

Lumbele
Moderator

07-12-2002

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 7:47 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lumbele a private message Print Post    
War, those team necklaces are made of what kind of beads, plastic, glass? And what did you use to attach those pendants? Are those the magnetic clasps?

The bottom necklace....is that what they call a "floating" design and what keeps those links "floating".

We have two little neighbours who will be moving away this year and those are so pretty, I am considering stealing the idea.

BTW, do boys wear bead stuff and if so, what?

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 9:08 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
The team necklaces are glass seed beads, either size 10's or 11's (that'd actually be a 10 or 1s with a degree sign but I'm not sure how to do that on the computer, lol.) The little angels are made with crystals (a large one on bottom, set of wings, smaller crystal and then a space bead as a halo.) They're on headpins and I made wrapped loops and then attached with a split ring.

The loops really are simple to make, but they take practice and I still end up redoing them twice cuz they come out crooked, lol. Basically, you just put your beads on the headpin (on one end it has some kind of cap to stop the beads from falling off) then use your round nose pliers to bend the excess wire over at the top. Use your long nose pliers to grab the wire and then wrap it around the wire part the beads are on. Those aren't the best directions, this has pictures.

I didn't use the magnetic clasps for the team necklaces, but only because I didn't have enough in my stash when I was making them.

I'm not sure if the second one is called floating, but it certainly fits the design. From any distance, the beads do look like they are floating, it's only up close that you really see the wire. Those necklaces were so easy to make! I think the hardest part for me was deciding on how much distance to put between each bead and still have the necklace be a good legnth for the girls (I went with roughly 1".) All you need to do is use a crimp bead and crimp it, then put on your bead, then a second crimp bead. Then repeat til you are done and add your clasp. That'd be a good necklace to make cuz you'll get lots of practice with the crimp beads.

Steal away, lol, I stole the idea of the second one from a necklace the neighbor girl was wearing and the angel I saw at the bead store. Most of the stuff I do is based on something I saw and thought, "hey, I can do that!"

Boys do wear beaded jewelry but they usually aren't into the real pretty stuff. Shells/stones and wood beads, sometimes the rounded gems but you have to be picky with the color. I made Caleb and my nephews necklaces using leather cords and dragon charms, very simple...just two hematyte beads (shiny black, round beads) on each side of the dragon and that was it. Caleb's not too big on jewelry but a couple of my nephews really like necklaces and bracelets made with the rougher looking shells and stones.

LOL, my 8 year old nephew who likes to bead....for Christmas I made the boys bookthongs and did them as boyish as possible. Nothing that was real shiny or pretty and used sports charms on the ends, but they were still more pretty than I'd do for necklaces for them. My 8 year old nephew couldn't figure out what the heck the book thong was so he just wrapped it around his neck. When I grabbed a book and showed him, he looked at it for a minute and informed me he didn't like to read and he liked it better as a necklace and wore it the rest of the night, lol.

I think it just depends on the boys. Like I said, most of my nephews like jewelry with shells and stones. Joey likes things that are a little nicer looking. Caleb is very picky. Other than the dragon necklace, the only jewelry he's ever worn is a bracelet he bought at the flea market. It's just a leather cord and has one bead...I think it's plastic but not positive...it's clear and has a tiny scorpion inside it (again, don't know if thats real or not.) I've been looking for some of those beads since he bought them...they are gross (to me) but the other boys love it!

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 10:54 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Hey Crzndeb or Bee or anyone who might know. I've been trying to learn how to stitch a spiral rope with seed beads. I don't usually do any type of weaving or stitching with beads but this looked really cute for spring jewelry for the girls. After doing about an inch, following the directions...mine looks totally sloppy and nothing like the few pictures the instructions show. Is it supposed to look sloppy until it's done? Is it better to use thread or some other kind of line than wire? I can't figure out if it's supposed to be this way or if I'm doing something wrong.

Beekindpleez
Member

07-18-2006

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 11:57 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Beekindpleez a private message Print Post    
War...sorry, but I have no idea. Maybe you could try it with larger beads and thread first to see how it goes??

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 12:07 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
I just tried with the bigger beads and thread and it's not looking any better, lol. I might not have the patience to do it, cuz it starts looking sloppy and I'm ready to start over instead of seeing it through to the end. I'm gonna have to put it aside for now though until at least later tonight which sucks.

Beekindpleez
Member

07-18-2006

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 12:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Beekindpleez a private message Print Post    
War...here's a tutorial YouTube:

BEADING

If you don't find what you want there, try typing "Stitch a spiral rope with seed beads" in the search. There were a whole lot of them

Crzndeb
Member

07-26-2004

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 12:44 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Crzndeb a private message Print Post    
War,

I have done ropes many years ago and used a thread called Nymo...it comes in sizes like B,C,D...etc. And many colors. I learned from a Bead and Button magazine. I will see if I can find it....I think it will look sloppy until you get it going for a ways. And the tension is important..tighter is better...LOL!

Lum

Seed beads are glass and can be either Czech or Japanese (the 2 best)...they come in different sizes like 6/0, 8/0, 11/0, 13/0, 15/0....etc. The beads are smaller as the number goes up...so a 6 is a bigger bead than an 8, and 8 bigger than 11. The degree sign that normally follows the number stands for "aught", which is a unit of measure. A lot of bead stores will sell these in tubes. A 10/0 usually comes on what is called a hank...several strands connected, but craft stores like Michaels may cut the strands and fill plastic bags. I'm not sure how Michaels sell their seed beads.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 1:32 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Michaels sells them in tubes. I actually had to look up the word hank the other day because I'd never heard it before. When I did I realized why, I've never bought (or seen) any seed beads like that, mine have always come in tubes or the little baggies. I thought that was really strange, while looking it up it seemed to be a pretty normal way to sell seed beads yet I'd never come across it.

The 15's are teeny tiny, but they look so nice. Even with my glasses, I usually have to pull out the magnifying glass to work with them.

Thanks Deb, I'll have to look for the nymo. And some seed beads in 11's and 8's (thats what size the directions say to use) in complimentary colors. Hehe, and yeah I noticed it doesn't stay too tight. I'm hoping to figure it out quickly cuz I really think the spiral rope will be cute for spring jewelry.

Thanks Bee! I'll check out the youtube later tonight. Have to get ready for a softball game in a few, doesn't start til 5, but we have to leave in about an hour to pick up sis and niece and get to the park early enough for the girls to warm up.

Crzndeb
Member

07-26-2004

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 2:03 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Crzndeb a private message Print Post    
I love Charlotte seed beads...they have a facet and just sparkle...I still need to send you some pics. You might have to take a trip to your bead store. Michael's is probably limited in their seed size selection.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 7:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Yeah, Michaels has what I think of as a basic selection or sizes and colors (probably what is popular and what people buy.) I usually buy the seed beads from the bead store, cuz believe it or not, she's cheaper on that. She sells them in larger tubes, all sizes/colors/brands so you get more for your money.

I'd planned to do some beading tonight but I think I'm too tired to try it. Think I'm going to go to bed early instead (and that is rare for me to say!)

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 10:41 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, I got the spiral rope! All 2 inches of it, but yep, once I got more on it, it stopped looking sloppy and now looks spirally!

I'm going to have to watch the video though, cuz while it's looking spirally, it doesn't look as full as the one in the directions. I'm wondering it that'll change too as I add more legnth? I was only practicing on a small legnth of wire (about 6") cuz I'm not doing this tonight, lol. I'm just waiting up for Caleb to finish up on his video game and thought I'd practice a little.

Even having just a little bit of rope, I can tell two things. First, this style will be totally cute for the girls in spring colors. And second, they'll take forever. May be closer to summer before they get them, lol.

Beekindpleez
Member

07-18-2006

Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 7:48 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Beekindpleez a private message Print Post    
Yay, War!!
Maybe they'll be "end of school" gifts.

I'm glad it's working for ya.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 11:49 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Heh, if it takes much longer they'll be gifts for my niece for her birthday in mid-June. I'm going to spend some time practicing with what i have in my stash before I head to the bead store to buy anything else for them. Maybe once I really figure out how it's done and get some practice, it won't take that long.

Doing something like that sure is different than simple stringing though! With stringing the hardest part is usually figuring out what colors and pattern you want and getting to it. I'm so not used to anything that takes a long time to do.

Sugar
Member

08-15-2000

Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 1:47 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sugar a private message Print Post    
Beekindpleez thanks for that link you posted. I didn't even thing to look for anything on You Tube!
I have a bad habit of getting all 'cited and spendin' all kinds of $ on things before really knowing what I'm doing or worse yet discovering a lack of talent. I then get discouraged and have boxes of stuff. I have lots of beads and have only been using the stretchy string which I like as I am a BBW but need to know how to use other things. I am looking forward to learning more from the you tube clips. I did find a bead store near here but I think the classes are a wee bit $.
I may have to set a laptop up in my craft room.