Buy Supplies for Beadwork

If you’re new to beading, make note of the basic supplies to have on hand. These include bead cord, a bead board, an assortment of pliers, beading needles, a jump ring tool and a bead stopper.

Buy your beading needles--stock on on a variety of sizes so you have a needle that fits through the smallest bead.

Buy beading cord. You can find the thin, clear nylon bead “thread” that resembles fishing line. If you plan on using larger beads, buy thicker plastic cord. As you progress in your beading ability, start buying wire--memory wire and regular, thin beading wire.

Find a bead board, which is a lightweight plastic board that allows you to lay beads out as you plan your beading sequence. The bead board also has markings for measuring bracelet and necklace lengths. Find a bead board that has small compartments to hold beads and keep them from rolling everywhere as you work.

Include the different kinds of beading pliers. These include the 3-in-1 combination plier that contains the round nose plier for twisting coils, the groove that allows you to bend wires at a right angle and the cutter so you can cut/trim wire and findings. Find a memory wire cutter. Because memory wire is so resilient, you need a cutter that is extra-strong. Crimping pliers allow you to close and finish crimp beads and tube beads.

You’ll be using different kinds of cord, chain and wire to make your beaded jewelry. Beadalon wire is stainless steel coated with nylon. You don’t need a beading needle to thread beads with this wire. Use beading thread to make woven or knotted jewelry. This is also best for lightweight designs. You can find beading thread in polyester, silk, blends and cotton. Use leather and hemp to make simpler designs and knotted designs. Jewelry wire is easy to twist or wrap into place. You don’t need needles or knots when you use jewelry wire. The thickness of the wire determines the gauge. The thicker the wire, the lower the gauge. Find link chain which is available in a range of thicknesses from heavy down to fine. Memory wire retains its coil. This is a good wire for making bracelets, rings and necklaces. Monofilament--clear fishing wire, is excellent to use when you don’t want the wire to show through your beads. Jelly cord or stretchy cord is manufactured pre-stretched. This cord returns to its original size and needs no closure. This makes it ideal to use for anklets and bracelets. Tiger tail is a multi-strand, coated wire and is very strong.

Start small on the beads. Buy seed beads and pony beads. Seed beads are small and fairly inexpensive. Pony beads fall in the same category, but they are slightly larger. Don’t overlook the plastic or acrylic beads, which are a must for crafters of all levels. Look for bugle beads--these are the small “tube” beads. You can find a variety of lengths and colors.

As you become more skillful as a beading crafter, buy filigree beads and glass beads. Glass beads come in the Czech, European and hand-blown assortments. Buy fimo beads, which are clay beads available in different sizes and colors. Magnetic beads such as hematite, are said to contain healing properties. Spacer beads are the “focal” beads, usually made of metal.

Look for natural beads, made of bone, stone and shell. You can come up with one-of-a-kind creations, using leather, hemp or cotton cord. Don’t forget about the semi-precious gems and stones. Create an “earthy” look for your projects when you use these beads and stones. TOHO beads are Japanese premium glass beads, perfect for looming, embroidery and weaving projects. TOHO beads are uniform in their size. Use wood beads to set off unique jewelry items and can be finished in their natural tones or painted in vibrant, primitive colors.

As you make your projects, you want them to look professional. You want the recipients of your beaded gifts to be able to put your creations on so they can wear them comfortably. For this, you need the barrel clasp, which allows you to screw the two ends of a bracelet or necklace together. Buy a supply of cones. Use these to connect the ends of multi-strand items and hide the knots at the ends of your creations. When you use leather to string your beads, buy the crimp coil necklace end so you can use this to finish your project. The crimp springs closed over the end of the leather when you put it on. Your crimp beads and tubes help you to end a strand of beading. The crimp beads help you to attach clasps to your beading wire.

Double cup connectors (bead tips) help you connect to closures and hide knots.  Split rings or double rings work like a key ring and connect two loops together. Eye pins are perfect for making chains. They come with an open circle on one end. You can find them in different lengths and finishes. End crimps or connectors are great to use with ribbon, hemp or leather cording. Findings comprise a class of bead supplies that hold beaded items together such as necklaces so they can be put on and worn. Head pins are made with a rounded flat end and are made in different finishes and lengths. Jump rings are small metal rings that open and close to connect two hoops. The lobster clasp looks very much like a lobster claw. This is a sturdier version of the jump ring.

The magnetic clasp holds a necklace together only with magnetic force. These are easy for people to use as they put on and take necklaces off. Spacer bars help to hold multiple strands together, preventing them from twisting. Lay in a small supply of spring rings. These are opened and closed by pulling and releasing a small metal tab. The spring ring is hooked onto a jump ring in the assembly of a piece of beaded jewelry. Toggles consist of a toggle and an O ring. Each piece is crimped onto the end of bead jewelry so the toggle fits through the O ring to fasten it.  The trailer hitch is made with a round, donut-shaped piece fitting over a knob-shaped piece to close a jewelry item.

Don’t forget that you can make beaded earrings and for these, you need the earring findings. These include the lever back that opens so the earring can be put onto the ear, then closed. A hoop is a thin wire that is easily threaded with beads. Hoops come in different sizes and colors. The fish hook wire is a simple shape that slide through the ear. The ear post is also used for making pierced earrings. The post is slipped through the ear and secured with a small backing. Attach beads through a small hoop attached to the bottom of the stud. The ear clip is used for ears that are not pierced. This is made of two parts held together in a closed position by a small spring. The chandelier is used to hang beads in an eye-catching dangle.