Jewelry Making

DIY Jewelry, Beads And Patterns

Book Review: Designing Jewelry with Semi Precious Beads

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semipreciousbead1Designing Jewelry with Semiprecious Beads: Stringing Instructions and Techniques for Necklaces, Bracelets, and Much More by Kim Gover
ISBN: 978-1-59668-104-0

Whatever your skill or interest level, you’ll find lots to inspire you in Designing Jewelry with Semiprecious Beads.  By adding a few gemstones to your jewelry designs, you can create a stunning piece that is affordable as well!

This book starts with info about the book, materials and tools and then a section on buying stones.

 

Chapter one:  The Stones.  This has a bead directory of semi precious stones by color. Each section describes characteristics like typical color and shapes of the stones, relative price point as well as some interesting facts on each.   This is a wonderful resource for beaders who aren’t familiar with gemology.   It also makes it easy to compare  each stones facts, colors, cost, suitable stringing companions, etc… to each other.  Its a great way for a new jewelry maker to learn about gemstones.

Chapter two:   The Directory.  There are over 75 earring, brooches, and bracelets projects from international designers for you to choose from.   This sections starts with a photo gallery called the “Project Selector” that is broken down into catageories – Necklaces, Earrings, etc…   I REALLY like this. I like being able to look over everything at once and then decide which I want to make first.   After the photo gallery are the projects that  are broken down by type.   Each project has great photography, well written step-by-step instructions, shopping list, and easy-to-follow stringing diagrams.

Chapter three: Core Techniques.  In this section are all the techniques you need to know to make the jewelry. There are step-by-step instructions such as stringing beads, wire wrappung, using headpins and crimping multiple strands. All with photos to help you master them.  Following this section is a resource guide.

The abundance of projects, as well as the gemstone directory makes it a great book for any jewelrymakers library.

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Have you read?

Beaded Halloween Skeleton Craft – A Spooky-Cute Bead Project For Halloween Decorating

If you like your Halloween crafts with a little bit of spooky charm and a whole lot of handmade personality, this Beaded Halloween Skeleton from CraftBits is a fun little project to add to your October crafting list.

This project uses simple supplies — white seed beads, black seed beads, 24-gauge wire or beading thread, scissors, and wire cutters — to create a small beaded skeleton that can be used for Halloween decorations, charms, party favors, or even spooky handmade jewelry. The original tutorial walks you through building the skeleton row by row, starting with a black bead at the top and working through the skull, body, arms, hands, legs, and feet.

What I like about this project is that it has that lovely “old-school craft book” feel. It is not overly complicated, but it does ask you to slow down and follow the bead pattern carefully. This is the sort of Halloween bead craft that is perfect for a quiet afternoon when you want something seasonal but not messy. No glue gun strings across the table, no glitter stuck to the dog, just beads, wire, and a little bit of patience.

The finished skeleton would be cute added to a Halloween keyring, made into a zipper pull, tied onto a treat bag, or hung from a mini Halloween tree. You could also make a batch of them for party decorations or classroom craft swaps. If you enjoy tiny seasonal makes, you might also like browsing the Halloween Crafts section on CraftBits for more spooky little projects to pair with it.

This is a good project for confident beginners who have used seed beads before. Younger crafters may need help with the wire ends and keeping the rows tight, but older kids, teens, and adults who enjoy bead crafts should find it very satisfying. I would suggest using a bead mat or a shallow tray, because seed beads have a special talent for rolling into the one place you cannot reach. Ask me how I know.

For supplies, small packs of black and white seed beads are easy to find, and Amazon is handy for basic beading wire, bead mats, and small jewelry pliers if you are building up a Halloween craft kit. If you prefer more unusual beads or want tiny skull charms to add alongside your skeleton, Etsy can also be a fun place to look for Halloween beading supplies.

This little skeleton is proof that Halloween crafting does not need to be huge or expensive to be fun. Sometimes the best seasonal projects are the small ones you can make in multiples, tuck into gift bags, or hang around the house for a bit of handmade Halloween mischief.

Best for: Halloween bead crafts, spooky handmade charms, beginner-friendly wire bead projects, Halloween party favors, and small seasonal decorations.