Tip for Making Your Own Seed Bead Patterns

Using seed beads for your projects be it jewelry, clothing or household items you will more than likely follow a pattern. A seed bead pattern is basically a set of instructions that guide you through your design. Seed bead patterns can be obtained either as downloads from specialist pattern websites or from craft stores and independent shops.

However if you have progressed beyond following patterns and would like to try out making your own but do not know where to start, here are some simple tips to help you along the way.

Understand the basics of bead work. This may sound obvious but before you go head first into pattern design ask yourself is your skill level good enough. Have you mastered the tools available in bead making to be able to produce an easy to follow pattern.

Settle on the complexity of design you want to make a pattern for. If you are a relative novice at seed beading maybe design a simple single thread design pattern first before entering into more elaborate designs for example a beaded bag or multi layered necklace.

Prepare your design. Using graph paper is a great way of planning your design, treating each square of the paper as a bead once complete along with the different colors it will give you a great idea how the design is forming. This method is also good for assessing the scale of your design.

Make note of your materials. Sorting out the amount of beads required and what size and color quantities along with the tools needed is essential when making a pattern. I prefer to make inventory notes along the way when designing my pattern this way you are not compiling at the end of the design which is much more difficult to keep track of.

Finally try out your pattern, give it a test run and see if any changes or tweaks are required. It is always best to soak test your pattern before unleashing it on the world, this means you won’t have to adjust the pattern when people are actively using it as this could spoil your reputation.

Picking the Correct Rosary Beads

Selecting your rosary beads should not be taken lightly. Due to the personal nature of what rosary beads represent it can be a very emotional process. Usually you would want to pick beads that will stay with you for the rest your life, so picking the right type of beads is important.

If you don’t know what rosary beads look like they are a string of beads in a circular shape that have a cross on the end. Each bead is represented of a Hail Mary grouped in sections of ten; you pass each bead through your fingers to count each Hail Mary you say.

Rosary Beads come in many different designs, as they are carried around all the time be most people they do experience a lot of wear and tear so picking the right material is important, here are some of the different styles you can have.

There are various Gemstones that you can use for rosaries, they each have their own different meaning, and some say that they possess mystical powers; it is certain that they do have a place in magical history.

The gemstone that is classed as the relaxing stone is the Moonstone, this is a great gemstone that represents tranquillity and peace of mind, a great choice for prayer.

The healing stone is Lapis Lazuli, this is a striking blue gemstone, it is a good stone to use as a bead for promoting creativity.

Jade is the March birthstone and it represents love, virtue and trust. This is a stunning green colored stone.

The February birthstone is the Amethyst gemstone. This is a beautiful purple gemstone and it represents inspiration and higher thought, it is also used as a healing stone.

Gold and silver are also a suitable choice for rosaries, like gemstones these precious metals have meaning as well. Gold is a the most popular metal it symbolises an open mind and is a representation of progress, be it spiritual or physical progress.

Silver is a great choice for representing the soulful person, for those who want to get in touch with the inner self.

Hopefully some of these possible choices will help you decide what you would like your rosary beads to represent; of course there are many more different metals and gemstones you can choose all with different meanings.

What are Seed Beads?

Seed beads are small beads usually made of plastic, glass or metal, they can measure from one millimetre and are used for jewelry making, clothing adornment, household decoration to name a few uses.

Who manufacturers these beads?

The Czech Republic are the biggest manufacturer, they produce glass beads, firepolish beads and also crystal beads. Other countries that are known for making seed beads are Japan and France. The French usually make their beads from recycled metals. India and China are rapidly becoming as productive in mass bead making as other countries but beware, the quality is not as good.

What styles of Seed Beads can you get?

Seed beads come in all types of textures and shapes. They can be transparent, translucent, opaque, colored, lustered or matte finished for example. Japanese beads are known for their cylinder shape which makes the bead not as rounded but more space for better design work. Charlotte Cut beads have parts of the surface cut to make the bead shine more, Charlotte Cut beads are also known as single faceted beads as well are 2 cut or 3 cut beads depending on how many surface cuts there are.

What size do Seed Beads go up to?

Seed beads come in various sizes, typically a size 11 bead is an inch in size, these sizes range from 5 to 24. A bead is measured before it is cut so if you have a bead that has been deemed as an inch in size chances are it is slightly less than an inch due to wastage from it being cut. Unfortunately seed bead sizes are not exact.

How are the quantities measured?

Seed beads are not measured by quantity; the logistics of counting out thousands of beads makes it impossible to be accurate. Instead the beads are measured by weight or a hank. A hank is a bundle of beads made up usually of 12 strands if it is a size 11 beads for example. Buying beads in a hank does work out for value than buying them loose weight. Czech beads are usually sold as a hank were as Japanese beads are not.

Tips on How to Identify Genuine Pearl Beads

Pearl beads are a beautiful accessory for making beaded jewelry, especially something like a necklace or a bracelet. However if you would like to use genuine pearls for you jewelry instead of imitations you need to know how to identify the difference so you do not get ripped off as the prices of real pearl beads is significantly more than fake pearl beads.

Here are some simple ways you can check if the pearls you are buying are real or fake.

Rub the pearls together. This is probably the easiest way of testing the authenticity of the pearls. Real pearls will feel grainy when rubbed together as they have texture. If it is smooth then it is likely to be fake as this would indicate that the beads have been coated with a pearl looking veneer.

The tooth test is a pearl bead is another way of testing if it is real or not. Simply rub the pearl against your teeth; it should feel like it has texture to it, if it doesn’t then it is fake.

The scrape test; If the bead is made of real pearls then you should be able to lightly scrape them with a blade like a pair of scissors. If the pearl is real then it won’t damage the surface of it as the luster of a real pearl goes right through the whole of the pearl and not just on the surface. This test is only recommended for fresh water pearls as sea pearls do not have the same density of luster as fresh water pearls. If the pearl is a fake this test will damage it so be careful with this test if you intend on returning the pearl beads to the store for a refund.

Shell beads that are sold as pearl beads can pass the rub test as they also have texture but they don’t have the luster that a genuine pearl bead does so will fail the scrape test. If you are nervous about applying the scrape test on a bead it may be a good idea to ask a professional as they can identify a genuine pearl bead from a fake usually just by looking at it.

Ideas for Seed Bead Patterns

Seed Beads are very versatile beads that can be used in all types of jewelry design and also adorn clothing and household items such as lamp shades. Seed beads are also very cost effective to use so are very popular with amateur and professional bead makers alike, but what can you do with them, here are a few of the seed bead patterns ideas you can use to create your designs.

Bracelet Patterns

Seed bead bracelets are very popular with jewerly designers, beaded bracelets never go out of fashion and they can be worn by both men and women. As they are small and relatively easy to make seed bead bracelets are a good entry level for first time pattern designers.

Mapping out your design is important, you want to make sure it looks good and also that you have the right amount and style of beads for it. Drawing a pattern is a great way of getting a finalised design, you can also chop and change the colors so they work especially if you are designing a bracelet to match an outfit. Once you have settled on a design then you can start the threading process.

Necklace Patterns

Seed bead necklaces have many different styles to consider, they can be funky, sophisticated, long and short. Try designing a choker as a starter, these tend to be smaller than a traditional necklace and require fewer beads to create. They also have the added bonus of being very popular especially with youngsters. You can then progress onto more traditional patterns; if you start building confidence you can start using more expensive beads like gold and silver beads to create high quality necklaces. Once you have mastered these you can move onto multi layered designs using multiple threads creating three or four tier necklaces.

Earring Patterns

Seed bead earrings are more difficult to create then other jewelry designs. Even though you are not using as many materials as other types of jewelry they do require an intricate approach, a steady hand plus plenty of patience. Earring designs range from pear drop, circular, diamond shaped and quirky designs such as triangular and wavy. Making earrings have a similar approach to necklaces and bracelets but you are working with less thread, tying knots can be fiddly and you will need to use paste to secure the earring hooks. All been said you should have some stunning looking designs however.

About Camilla Beads

Camilla beads are very popular as they make great alternatives to precious stones, especially if you unable to afford diamonds or rubies. They have many different varieties of designs in many different shapes and sizes.

With the different styles that you can find with Camilla beads it is obvious why these types of beads are very popular with jewelry makers amateur and professional. You can find just about any type of themes for these beads available. For example if you ever wanted to make a Disney themed bracelet for your child Camilla beads have numerous designs to choose from. The commercial aspect of Camilla beads makes them very popular with people who like to sell their designs for a living.

There are many varieties of Camilla beads mainly due to the different types of materials that they are made from. They are made out of things such as precious metals like gold, glass and crystals, Swarovski crystals are very popular. They are also made from colored stones which have close resemblance to expensive gemstones, this is the main reason why Camilla beads are popular, you can make expensive looking jewelry out of fairly inexpensive but high quality beads.

Even though you can use Camilla beads for pretty much any type of jewelry you will find that bracelets tend to be the most popular item of jewelry they are used for. Due to their design, varying color palette and chunky appearance Camilla beads are ideal for bracelets. If you are proficient in jewelry making you can always change your bracelet designs to match current trends and clothing. The beauty of Camilla beads is that they will be very high quality looking pieces each and every time due to the high standard of design that the beads are available in.

Beading Instructions For Beginners – Plan Out Your Design

Making a Bead Necklace: Think Out Your Design

This may seem like an obvious thing but a lot of beginners do not follow beading instructions and do not plan a design for their necklaces, they will get into the construction straight away without any thought and have to redo it all over again when something has been missed. So planning a design strategy from the beginning will save a lot of time later.

If you are making a symmetrical bead necklace and using different beads then layout the design beforehand, make sure you have the right amount of beads and all of the right design, careful planning will save another trip to the craft shop later.

Make Sure You Have All The Bead Parts

Beads are not the only items required for making a necklace, you will need the wire to thread the beads on to, wire cutters to trim the thread to the right length. Having the right amount of beads is important but also having crimp beads to finish them off along with the crimp pliers. Also finally having the clasp to hook the necklace once it has been finished is needed.

It is common to forget something when deciding to build a bead necklace so have a check list ready before you start. After a time you will have collected a lot of the parts needed and it will be second nature but if you are beginning you will need to build up your stock of parts. One way to avoid this issue is to purchase a bead kit which has everything you require along with beading instructions for constructing your necklace. But if you would rather go out on your own make sure you have everything first, remember plan now and don’t worry later down the line.

Beading Instructions for Beginners – Choosing the Right Kit

Choosing The Right Wire

Firstly you need to choose the right type of wire for your necklace, this is important. Two of the most popular types are Soft Flex wire and Tigertail. Tigertail is ideal for heavy beads as it is very rigid and you do not need to keep the shape whilst constructing, however it is more prone to kink up the wire. An alternative to Tigertail and a solution to the kink issue is Soft Flex wire, as the name suggests it is more flexible and unlikely to kink as much as the other type however Soft Flex wire is more expensive.

Crimping

To finish off your design you will need some crimp beads and crimping pliers. Crimp beads are make from metal but are soft enough to be shaped onto your chosen wire. This is so you can keep you beads in place and so they don’t fall off. Simply string one of these beads to the end of your bead line and flatten it with some crimp pliers, this will give it a nice crinkled look and won’t spoil the overall design of the jewelry.

There is a technique to using crimping pliers, nothing too complicated though. You can buy crimping pliers designed especially for making bead jewelry and this would be recommended if you think it is something you will do often. When finishing off a piece of jewelry simply place your crimp bead on the wire and crimp once so it squashes into a U shape, then crimp the U shape again so it looks more circular in shape, this way the bead will look more tidy and in keeping with the design.

This is really all you need for making beaded jewelry however you can also other accessories such as bead boards which are used to assist in constructing designs and also cutters for the wire you use especially the tougher Tigertail wire.

For High Quality Choose Chamilia Beads

If you remember charm bracelets and like the idea of customizing your jewelery then Chamilia Beads are for you. For those of you who are unaware of charm bracelets these are bracelets that allow you to attach little symbols to them, it is a very sentimental and personalised way of customising your bracelet and making it more a part of you. Chamilia beads work in the same way, you can choose either a bracelet or a necklace in whatever style you want (gold, silver, leather etc) and then add beads to them. Chamilia beads are seen as the modern day equivalent of charm bracelets because of their beautiful design and excellent art work and they also compliment most outfits they are worn with because they are interchangeable.

Chamilia beads come in many different textures and formats; from gold to gemstones to enamel to glass, creating a look with these types of beads is very easy due to the choice available. Design is also a big factor of these beads, the range of design is astonishing, you can create Chamilia jewelery themes such as Disney, a religious piece or just simple messages like ‘me and you forever’ or something less slushy maybe ha ha.

Many people make jewelery to raise funds for charity, the recent Japan disaster was the subject of one jewelery designer would made a range of limited edition Chamilia beads to sell to raise money for the disaster fund. They are also special designs for regular charities such as Breast Cancer and Save the Children.

Buying readymade Chamilia jewelery online can be a bit of a risk, as the company who design the beads are very high quality they protect the brand as best they can. As a result they only allow a certain amount of suppliers to sell their product online. If you would like to where to buy the official products from an official supplier check Chamilia’s website for a list.

As each bead is carefully designed and can be made from precious metals they are not cheap. These are top end quality beads and as such the price reflects the quality, however you are safe in the knowledge that you are buying the best and as such buying something that will be a special gift for a loved one. Like most precious metals such as silver and gold they need to be looked after as well, they may not be classed as an everyday piece of jewelery like glass beads for instance.

Want to Buy Waist Beads? Are They For You?

: Wearing Waist Beads

Who should buy waist beads? The biggest myth about wearing waist beads is that they only look good on women who are a size 0 and have a flat

stomach. This is a total misconception; women of all shapes, size and age can wear them and wear them well. There are women who have size 50” waists who buy waist beads. So you do not need to have a flat stomach, you should feel comfortable wearing them they are for your pleasure and not for anyone else. Feel confident wearing your waist beads, this is what they should do for a woman.

Waist beads were originally worn by women of Africa usually under their clothes. Waist beads are not just for decoration, they have a meaning too. In African culture they can have a range of meanings from healing, finding a mate and also coming of age. This art of decorating yourself dates all the way back in time, in Egyptian times waist beads were worn as a uniform for women usually by servants and dancers.

In some cultures waist beads are used for their healing powers. Depending on the type of illness you show various stones are use

d in the waist bead design.

Now in modern times waist beads are being adopted by more and more women. As our culture is more open to different fashion trends women are showing more skin than before and as a result this makes it an ideal time to wear waist beads. If you are not the type of person who likes to show off your stomach you can still wear them under your clothes, if is what makes you feel better. Think of it this way, you buy fancy lingerie but don’t put them on show for everyone to see so why not do the same with your waist beads.

Measuring Yourself for Waist Beads:

It is best to measure yourself on your bare skin and where the beads a likely to naturally fall. Make sure you leave some room on the measuring tape, not too tight but not too slack either. Also don’t suck your stomach in; measure just under your belly button, if you have a bit of a belly, measure underneath that instead. If you want to change the height of where the beads will hang adjust the measuring to suit. If you want to wear your beads over your clothes then measure your waist area with the most likely outfit(s) you will be wearing with the waist beads. It is best to measure yourself and not rely on manufacturer’s clothing labels as a size guide as these differ from designer to designer.

Where to Buy Beads Online