The Beading Gem

Toggle clasps are often attractive.  Why not make a pendant out of them with some simple and quick wire work? It will be a distinctive and unique design.  Stylish too.

Wire work can be frustrating.  It really does takes a lot of practice to do consistent wire wrapping.  Tucking in wire tails neatly?  That is another challenge too!

Remember the toggle clasp pendants I post earlier this week?  A reader wanted to know how the clasp stayed put.  So here is the quick and easy tutorial with the itemized material list from Prima Bead  as requested by the company.  Note I only had closed jump rings from my Prima stash so I had to cut them. Use open rings if you can and save the closed ones for other uses.

It always astounds me how creative some people are.  Not just how they manipulate their chosen materials but what inspired them in the first place.  Karole and Grady are a husband and wife team based in New Mexico.  Their Etsy store, Oropopo, reflects their interest in a wide range of materials but their cut leather jewelry are particular standouts.

It should not surprise you that there were many entries for the latest Modahaus giveaway!  These giveaways are by far the most popular. No wonder as so many of us struggle with jewelry photography.

When my best friend Debbie and I used to run jewelry design workshops back in Nova Scotia, we sometimes encountered beginners who would do the "deer-in-headlights" thing.  They would stare at their bead boards and didn't know how to proceed.  The first thing we did was to reassure them  everyone has some creativity. It just needs to be found and nurtured.

The herringbone or Ndebele stitch is a lovely weave for jewelry.  If you are a fan of this stitch then check out my favorite tutorials! The beautiful undulating herringbone bangle tutorial is by Larissa Gottschald, a reader of this blog,  over on her blog The Heart Beading.What a lovely variation of tubular herringbone!

I really like chain maille motifs because you can use one as pendant or make two for earrings.  Depending on the size of the motif, several linked together makes a great bracelet.  Here is a snowflake design tutorial by Noldolantë.  It is on the M.A.I.L (Maille Artisans International League) which is a great site for chain maille enthusiasts.  They share a lot of innovative weaves.

Individual beaded bezel cabochons are great as brooches or hung as pendants.  I really liked this easy tip from Beadaholique which hides much of the pin back underneath the ultrasuede layer.

Bling alert! Those of us who love our iPhones AND are beadaholics might wish to bling out the cases with crystals or add some beads with beaded cross stitch designs. I do not have any affiliation with Beadaholique except as an occasional customer but they do make great tutorials like these two which demonstrate how easy it is to customize an iPhone 4/4S case. No other model is available as yet.

I've featured some great wire wrapped cabochon tutorials before, but it never hurts to see another good one! Rhonda Chase has a new one on Instructables with excellent photos showing the formation of the wire bundles.

Boston based bead artist, Diana Grygo, calls herself The Lone Beader.  Not only does she bead alone, she also "prefers solitude while creating beadwork."  This probably gives her tremendous focus for her delightful bead embroidered creations.

Rough Collie

You know how much I like my Modahaus Tabletop Studios. But don't take just my word for it.  Helen Breil, a polymer clay artist and fellow member of the Grand River Bead Society bought one and the Steady Stead and loves it!  I took this picture of Helen at our January meeting. She had brought in her units so she could photograph designs by other members. 

Helen Breil with her Modahaus units

Aleshia of Beadiful Nights is one of my favorite beaders on Youtube where she shares many of her tutorials.  I have featured her before - see links below.  Here is another set from her collection if you haven't encountered her before.  Her Hugs and Kisses design is a really lovely version and lucky for us, she has worked it out for bracelets, earrings and rings! Please click on the video links to see them and also check out the About parts for all her material lists.

Hugs and Kisses Bracelet Video Tutorial

Not too confident about your wire work skills?  Never fear, there is always a way of getting the wire work look without too much effort.  This chain and pearls bracelet tutorial by Allison over at Dream a Little Bigger.

It's heart day today!  So let's have a look at how to make heart friendship bracelets.  This is a great technique for younger crafters in your life.  Have a look and maybe schedule some quality time with them? And maybe make some for yourself!

Keeping your fingers crossed you'd be taken out for a special meal tomorrow?  Then you will rock with this awesome pair of earrings.  Assuming you have red and white bicones handy, you could easily make them tonight all ready for Valentine's Day.

It's been over a year since my big move and I still haven't worked out where to teach locally!  But thanks to the internet, I have been and will be teaching internationally through my blog and with full length tutorials in Etsy.   So here is my first effort in the latter category - a humble beginning in a planned series of Toolerrific Tutorials.  Why Toolerrific?  That's because some of my most favorite tools are terrific and inexpensive!  

PDF Tutorial using the Wire Worker

Fabric rosettes do make lovely jewelry.  But Switzerland based Claudia Stern takes floral textile designs to new heights!  She originally trained as a graphic designer in her native Peru but the 2D art form did not satisfy her creativity so she studied jewelry design at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan, Italy.

Wow!  Last week's giveaway by the Bead Shop was extremely popular among readers.  Many were already fans of the shop citing great products and customer service.  Others, like me, drooled over their wonderful inventory and are glad to know where they can get Superlon and other knotting cords.  The kimono cord tutorial attracted some attention, too!

The most common way I see chain being used in earrings is either in a dangle or as tassels.  But there are other clever ways to incorporate chain into earring designs.  Just make sure you choose smaller linked chains.  The first five inspirational tutorials are from Prima Bead (update : the links from this site no longer work but the images should inspire).

Gold Leaf Chain

 My favorite has to be the Gold Leaf Chain Earrings shown above.  Somewhat fiddly to do but it is spectacular!

Summer Breeze Earrings

The Summer Breeze earrings is the statement design version of single chain dangles.  I like how the chain lengths and crystal colors varied. I'm thinking ombre maybe?

Swagging chains is yet another approach especially with multiple loop findings.

Chain Swag Earrings

Autumn Jubilee Earrings

Champagne and Smoke Earrings

Last but not least is this funky chain wrapped earring tutorial by reader Rosantia over on her blog, Bairozan.


Before You Go:

• How to Make Chain Tassel Earrings
• How to Make Statement Chain Necklaces
• Another Collection of Easy Chain Jewelry Tutorials

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Original Post by THE BEADING GEM
Jewelry Making Tips - Jewelry Business Tips 

I've come across some beaders who lament they cannot do the advanced wire wrapping for cabochons.   Well, there are always beaded bezels!  Even better if they don't take up much time.  That's why I really liked this easy single strand beaded bezel cabochon tutorial (no longer available).

Got an old chain necklace with simple charms that you don't wear much anymore?  Well, give it a good makeover and convert it into something very trendy these days - a slave bracelet.

Russian beader, Natalia Likso, has two wonderful beaded snowflake tutorials which could be used as pendants or Christmas ornaments.  Your choice. You will need to use Google Translate to read it in English.  The first one is my favorite.

Thick cord ( try the curtain section of your local fabric store) can be used to make bold, statement jewelry.  Quick too!  The only issue with it is they fray easily. So tape up the ends at least temporarily while working with it.

Highly talented UK based goldsmith, Annette Gabbedey,  makes exquisite contemporary bespoke (custom) jewelry.  She is inspiring in more ways than one. She is a shining example of someone who pursued her passion regardless of whatever disadvantages others might have thought she had. Annette was born without fingers.

I first came across the California based jewelry supplier, The Bead Shop, through their marvelous tutorials on Youtube.  I wrote about their Multi Patterned Leather Wrapped Cord Bracelet Tutorials  and Mosaic Tila Bead Headband and Bracelet Tutorials because they were such refreshing approaches to popular techniques and beads.

Herringbone Wrapped Bracelet- Fresh Berries

A trip - no, make that several trips - to the hardware store will be worthwhile for some awesome hardware necklace projects.  Just check out this latest crop of inspirational ideas.  Natalie and Rochelle of Holst and Lee shared this wonderful neon tassel necklace tutorial with Grace over at Stripes and Sequins.  The colorful necklace uses hex nuts and compression rings.  The necklace thins out to a slim cord at the back so it is easy enough to use regular cord ends.

Misty Spinner over on Brit + Co has not just one but 5 zipper bracelet tutorials.  Wear one at a time or all five for some serious arm candy. Some of the tutorials feature simple bracelets.  She used the right kind of cord ends and leather crimp ends to finish off the pieces well.