Jewelry Making

DIY Jewelry, Beads And Patterns

Beading VISUAL Quick Tips Book Giveaway!

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I reviewed the wonderful little jewelry making book “Beading VISUAL Quick Tips” by Chris Franchetti Michaels yesterday. You can read the full review post here.

This book is full of instructions to help you make jewelry easily and today is YOUR chance to win a copy!

Leave a comment below with a funny story about bead stringing or a bead stringing disaster, something that having a good instruction book could have saved you from kind of story. On May 11th, I’ll pick one lucky reader to receive a copy this book.

Comments

  1. So, this isn’t really all that funny, but it’s all I got. Lol. When I first started working with seed beads and itty bitty swarovskis, I was terrified of my work breaking and everything falling all over the place. I remember very clearly working on a piece, and having it almost finished, and dropping it. I instantly thought “oh god, I’m going to have to find all those beads in the carpet”. Well, my thread managed to get caught in such a way that nothing came unstrung. I was amazed. So I picked the piece up, and in an attempt to figure out the “mystery” I started shaking it. Well, I’m sure you can guess what happened. I’m still picking beads out of various nooks of my house. I think that maybe if I had thought to secure the thread a few times throughout the piece, it might have helped a bit. I do that now, although I don’t think I would EVER shaking an unfinished piece again. 🙂

  2. Once, I decided to string a necklace on hemp twine. Not the tough stuff you use for macreme, oh no -that wouldn’t fit through the holes- but some soft, thinner stuff. There were to be parts where the string showed, you see, and I wanted that particular look and texture so badly I flused all doubts from my mind by force.

    I got to work. I was using largely jasper and hematite (both quite hefty) and it took me ages to do a simple beads-on-a-string necklace because the hemp was so moody and unwilling to go through the bead holes. Finally it was finished, and it looked grand. I picked it up and went to put it on. Two of the four strands of the necklace snapped immediately, spraying beads (for how hard they went on, they sure came off easy) everywhere.

    I didn’t touch that thing again for four years. Good news, though! I recently redid it, this time with tigertail for the stringing medium and chain used where the string would be exposed. Ta da: http://corvustristis.livejournal.com/31427.html

  3. I had several beading projects going a one time and my little one decided to try to bead also with out me knowing and when I went to work on the projects they where all tangled together from the little artist work.

  4. I was trying to make a simple bracelet and halfway into it I decided to pick up the whole thing while it was attached to the needle. Apparently I didn’t tie the knot thick enough and all the beads fell to my carpeted floor.

  5. My story is one of frustration. I picked up some wonderful books with some gorgeous projects that I wanted to make as gift. The only problem was the fact that they were made using a peyote stitch. I fought with that stitch for 3 weeks before I gave up and made some gifts using wirework instead. I could really use a visual tutorial so that I could take those designs again.

  6. Oh – how about starting with the stop bead and then stringing all your beads on, standing up to check the length and having all of them HIT THE GROUND because you didn’t realize you needed to LOOP through the STOP BEAD to hold all the beads?

  7. Oh, I’m another of the “beads all over the floor”…the problem is, you would think that after doing it once, I wouldn’t do it again, right? Nope…Now I put a big white towel on the floor under the left side of the table when I’m beading, LOL!

    emvark at gmail dot com

  8. I was working on a customized My Little Pony, and I made a beaded lattice for her mane. I came home the day after finishing her to find that the pony was on the floor with the beads scattered and toothmarks in the pony’s legs and head. My cat had decided that beaded ponies were a fantastic toy, and the beading string snapped.

  9. This is a book that was probably written for someone like me… I have very little experience with beading jewelly projects but for a birthday present, my daughter received a kit (she’s 11 years old)and I offered to help (I am rather crafty, or so I thought). Well, the instructions were in picture format and not very clear to us. The beading needle was unusually long, about 6 or 7 inches and somehow we managed to bead the needle into the necklace with the string tied at only one end. That will be an impossible necklace to wear indeed! Unless I get serious about beaded jewellry, I should stick to quilting and embellishing with beads!!

  10. I stayed with a friend and her family for a few months while I recuperated from an illness. I did a lot of beading, including stringing seed beads. Well, in my weakened condition and without a good bead tray, I must have dropped a lot of beads–it’s three years later and they still bring me baggies of beads they’ve found around the house!

  11. Hi,
    I am a jewelry teacher and wire wrapping is my passion, but I also teach Basic Beading.

    Recently I received an email for help regarding use of beading threads. I didn’t know the exact answer….BUT…I own this book and looked it through it and found the answer.

    This is a great book nicely organized and even if you don’t win it, I recommend adding it to your collections. You will find that you go to it…often.

  12. I never wanted to do beading, because the beads were so tiny and it seemed like it would take forever to make anything good, but a few years back, geckos made with pony beads were all the rage for summer camp crafting, so in the search for patterns for new animals, I found some peyote stitch patterns. To make a long story short, if you take the directions for an amulet bag made with seed beads and substitute pony beads, you end up with a very large purse. Maybe if pony beads weren’t so cheap looking, I would appreciate my purse more…

  13. I have a hard time getting the knot right to start a project. Inevitably this has led to many a time all the beads I worked so hard to string slipping off the end of my thread. My husband has started a collection of all the lost beads found in our coach and carpet. Some day I will make them into a beautiful necklace :).

  14. Am learning to make jewelry and would love this book. I need all the help that I can get…

  15. I have taken a couple of local classes that a neighbor teaches in the local Caribou Coffee. Usually its about 6 or 7 of us around a couple of tables at Caribou Coffee. Its almost a given that someone will come up and ask us about what we are doing. We then all get to “show off” our work-in-progress. Not too funny for us, but I can see how it might strike the customers of Caribou Coffee as odd to see a table full of crazy beading ladies making necklaces, earrings or bracelets sipping Mocha Coffees and chatting about what’s going on in their life. Thanks for the giveaway.

  16. I found a beading Loom with 10,000 beads at wal mart. I was sure I would never master that, so I spent two years in my spare time, sorting the colors in those big craft boxes, that promise they are “tight fitting”. While visiting my Sister, I ask my husband to get a few beading things and the box of carefully sorted seed beads, from the motorhome. He piled them every which way but up into a laundry basket. As he walked in the front door, beads hit the new tile floor with every step. (he doesn’t hear)I am yelling stop, stop as he picks up the craft box of 10,000 sorted beads upside down and open.
    The look on his face was priceless, as he said, “Look what you did”.we all got a good laugh.Thus my first introduction to the word “bead soup”. 4 yrs later every now and then, my sister finds a few beads in her vacumn basket. She calls them, “Lew’s Spirit Beads”. I am by nature a perfectionist when it comes to beadwork.”when I find a flaw, It becomes bead soup”. I will never sort beads by color again.

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Have you read?

10 DIY Elegant Halloween Jewellery Ideas For Adults

Halloween jewellery does not have to mean plastic pumpkin earrings, oversized orange beads, or novelty pieces that only come out for one night and then disappear into the back of a drawer until next October. Sometimes the prettiest Halloween accessories are the ones that whisper spooky rather than shout it across the room. A tiny skull charm on a beaded strand, a black spiderweb pendant with a bit of sparkle, a gothic choker, or pumpkin earrings made with wire and glass beads can feel festive without looking like you raided the kids’ dress-up box.

I have always loved the idea of grown-up Halloween jewellery because it gives you a way to join in the season without committing to a full costume. Handy when you have school pickups, work, dinner out, or, in my case, a dog who thinks anything dangling from my ears is clearly meant for his inspection. Elegant DIY Halloween jewellery is also a lovely excuse to use black beads, gunmetal findings, rich purples, smoky crystals, deep reds, antique brass, and all those moody little supplies we tend to collect because “they might come in handy one day.”

These Halloween jewellery tutorials are perfect for adults who want something handmade, wearable, and just a little bit dramatic. There are beaded earrings, wirework pumpkins, skull bracelets, spiderweb pendants, gothic necklaces, and a few pieces that could be styled beautifully with a black dress, velvet jacket, autumn cardigan, or even jeans and boots. Nothing too childish, nothing too throwaway — just clever handmade jewellery ideas with a spooky-season twist.

Elegant DIY Halloween Jewellery Tutorials For Adults

1. Glam Halloween Necklace Tutorial

This glam Halloween necklace is the sort of piece you can wear to a party without feeling like you’re in costume. The black, orange, and silver beading gives it a seasonal look, but the layered style keeps it polished and very wearable. It would look lovely with a plain black top or dress when you want your jewellery to do the decorating.

2. Halloween Multi-Strand Necklace With Skull Pendant

This skull pendant necklace has that perfect grown-up spooky look — a little gothic, a little beaded, and very fun for Halloween night. The multi-strand design makes it feel more like statement jewellery than a quick costume accessory. I especially like this one for using up seed beads in purple, black, gunmetal, or deep orange tones.

3. Spider Web Pendant And Earrings For Halloween

Spiderweb jewellery can go very novelty very quickly, but this project keeps it quite stylish with craft wire, glass beads, and a matching pendant-and-earring idea. It has enough detail to feel special, but it still sits nicely in that elegant Halloween jewellery space. Try it in silver and black for classic spooky, or antique copper for a more Victorian feel.

4. Creepy Halloween Bead And Wire Spider Earrings

These bead and wire spider earrings are wonderfully dramatic without being over the top. They use wirework and beads to create a proper little spider shape, which makes them ideal if you enjoy jewellery projects that feel a bit more sculptural. Make them in black crystal, smoky grey, or deep garnet beads for a more adult Halloween look.

5. Jewelry Making – Pumpkin Wire Earrings

These pumpkin wire earrings from CraftBits are a sweet Halloween and fall jewellery project that can easily be dressed up depending on your supplies. Swap the bright orange for copper wire, bronze beads, or tiny green glass accents and they suddenly become much more boutique-looking. They are quick enough for an afternoon make, which is always a win when October sneaks up on us.

6. Beaded Pumpkin Earrings

If you like seed bead projects, these beaded pumpkin earrings are a lovely seasonal make. The shape is cute, but the beaded texture gives them a more finished jewellery look than a simple charm earring. For an elegant version, I’d try muted pumpkin tones, copper seed beads, or even black and bronze for a Halloween evening outfit.

7. DIY Dripping Blood Earrings

These dripping blood earrings are definitely for the Halloween lovers who like a bit of drama. Because they are made with hot glue and nail polish, they are budget-friendly, but you can make them look more polished by using deep wine red, gloss varnish, or a subtle red glitter finish. They would be fabulous with a vampire-inspired outfit or a simple black dress.

8. Halloween Skull Bead And Tassel Drop Earrings

Skull beads and tassels are a brilliant combination for adult Halloween jewellery because they add movement without feeling too cutesy. This CraftGossip feature is a great starting point if you love earrings that feel festive but still wearable. Use black silk tassels, metallic skull beads, or deep jewel tones to make them feel more elegant.

9. Colorful Skull Bracelets

These skull bracelets are beginner-friendly, but they can easily be styled in a more grown-up way. Instead of bright rainbow colours, try black skull beads with hematite, smoky quartz, deep purple glass beads, or antique gold spacers. It is a simple strung bracelet project, which makes it perfect for jewellery makers who want something quick but still seasonal.

10. Beaded Bat Earrings Tutorial

For seed bead lovers, these beaded bat earrings are such a fun Halloween challenge. The bat motif is festive, but beadwork gives the design a more intricate handmade feel. They would be gorgeous in matte black beads with a tiny metallic accent, especially if you prefer Halloween jewellery that feels detailed rather than loud.

Styling Elegant Halloween Jewellery Without Looking Too Costumey

The trick with elegant Halloween jewellery is choosing one statement piece and letting it have its moment. A spiderweb pendant with a plain black blouse, skull earrings with a soft cardigan, or a beaded pumpkin bracelet with a rust-coloured sweater can feel seasonal without tipping into full costume territory. I love pieces like these because they let you enjoy Halloween in a way that still feels stylish and personal.

If you are making jewellery to gift, these projects also work beautifully for friends who enjoy Halloween but do not necessarily dress up. Pop a pair of earrings onto a handmade earring card, add a little black ribbon, and you have a thoughtful October gift that feels much nicer than another bag of sweets. Not that I am against sweets, mind you — I simply believe handmade earrings and chocolate can happily live in the same gift bag.