Beading Tips and Tricks

While we love teaching beading classes, we also know that a well-timed beading tip can be equally helpful to first-rate jewelry making. Here are just a few of the beading tips and tricks that we rely on. Clearly, have the right jewelry making supplies is a must!

Don’t ever use clear nail polish – Use Hypo-Cement

When finishing off prayer beads or some stretch bracelets it’s very tempting to reach for your bottle of clear nail polish to secure your ends. Use Hypo Cement instead. It’s a great product to always have with your beading supplies. Nail Polish and other glues dry hard and can break down your fibers. Hypo Cement dries with a nice flexible finish that will give your elastic or stringing material good movement when dry and still provide a strong secure hold.

No Fishing Line- Use Beadalon

Beadalon is another material you should always have in your beading supplies. It is a nylon coated beading wire. We have a post coming soon about our favorite string materials and we will go more in-depth on Beadalon.

Don’t crimp onto an open jump ring. Always crimp onto a closed/soldered jump ring

Crimping onto an open jump ring will allow your Beadalon to slip right through the opening. We don’t want that! Make sure you crimp onto a closed jump ring. Then attach your clasp with an open jump ring to the soldered one. Much stronger hold and it will also give your beaded necklace or bracelet better movement and wear.

Do leave some “wiggle room when you crimp your ends. It will make your piece nice and flowy

It’s very easy to pull your Beadalon too tight when crimping your piece but please resist the impulse. Leave a modest size loop around your closed jump ring- this will allow your beaded necklace or bracelet to move with you while wearing it. Another thing to be careful of is not to crimp so tight that your beads or gemstones aren’t flexible on your Beadalon. It’s ok if there is a very small space between your crimp and your last bead- this will also help with movement while wearing your beaded jewelry.

Do spring for precious metal beads and findings.

Using Sterling Silver and Gold Filled findings in your jewelry will cost a little more but it will be worth every penny. Plated metals are usually copper-based and once the plating wears off you will be left with a copper bead. That is fine if you designed your beaded necklace or beaded bracelet to be copper. Sterling Silver beads and findings may tarnish but you can polish them with a polishing cloth or jewelry cleaner.