Seed beads

Seed beads let you create jewelry, necklaces, rings and also decorations like seed bead animals.
With their variety of colors and shapes and their qualities of transparency and shine, seed beads are a hit with young and old alike.

Seed beads are small beads in glass, metal or crystal, clear or opaque. They also come in mini size and are used in embroidery on clothes, for example.

Little hint Use beads from different sources thus different sheens for a 'rainbow' effect.

Must-haves for making bead rings are the 'spinning top' beads used at the center of each ring. In glass, plastic or crystal, the best known, due to their perfect regularity, are Swarovski's crystal beads, in production since the 19th century !

The faceted-type bead comes in useful for making jewelry designed to catch the light. They can be oval or round.

The threads to use
The threads support and hold the rings and jewelry. Nylon thread comes in various thicknesses and colors. It's strong, supple and discreet when in the clear form.
Metallic thread, also comes in different thicknesses and shades, also in brass and silver form (more expensive). They're good to work with because they don't loosen once they've been pulled tight. They give a stronger structure to rings. However, they're more likely to break than nylon thread.

What tools to use

Weaving seed beads

The indispensable cutting pliers, for cutting wires. If fine enough, the pliers can also be used to crush crimp beads and twist wire.

A small flat gripping plier can be useful for holding the wire while you're working.

Work in seed beads

If you're starting off, begin with this easy seed bead necklace : models adapted for kids and teens but which allow you to get some practice...
Next learn the weaving technique needed for seed bead rings and mini Bead animals.

Bead rings
A Magali creation

Another kind of Bead rings : the twist necklace, which can be adapted according to your taste and the beads you have to hand...and the bead ring ...for the same twisted effect...

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