Crimp Beads

Now that you have been practicing with different stringing techniques, you should be ready for creating the perfect finish.  While elastic, nylon, and silk can be knotted at the end, as I stated in the last post, nylon coated wire requires a special finish.

Crimp beads are some of the coolest and most useful little gizmos for stringing jewelry.  Basically, a crimp bead is a tiny tube made from metal.  To use one properly, you must have crimping pliers for closing them (see my earlier post "Getting Started - Tools" for more information).

Uses

Use #1:  Crimp beads have two main uses.  The most obvious use is to complete a newly strung necklace or bracelet.  The following video will demonstrate how to do so properly:

Use #2:  You may also use a crimp bead to create an illusion necklace, which is a design that allows you to suspend your beads individually on the wire.  The next video is a great how to:

Crimp beads can be purchased in gold, silver or copper metals, or in less expensive types of metal depending on what material you have chosen to work with.  They also come in different sizes, and you will need to experiment to decide which you prefer. You may purchase at one of the following links, or in your local jewelry supply store.

100 Gold Plated Crimp Tube Beads - 1.5mm -  $0.20

200 Gun Metal Finish Crimp Beads  -  2mm  -  $1.75

4 Grams Silver Tube Crimp Beads   -   2mm  -  $2.50

100 Solid Copper Tube Crimp Beads - 2mm  -  $5.50

200 Antique Copper Crimp Beads  -  1.5mm  -  $1.98

100 Antique Bronze Crimp Beads   -    2mm  -  $1.85

Here are some more examples of illusion necklaces by my fellow Etsy artisans.  Enjoy!

  

 

My shop:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/azazil29

Getting Started - Stringing Materials

Now that you are somewhat familiar with jewelry pliers, let's chat about the next important ingredient in your new jewelry creation endeavors - STRINGING MATERIALS.

There are tons of techniques out there for piecing jewelry together.  Necklaces are my most popular product, so I will use them as an example for today's post.  Some artisans choose to create strands of beads, while others like to separate them with wire techniques.  Then of course, there are more complicated techniques out there.  Since you are a beginner, let's start with what I believe is the most simple way to create a necklace - stringing.

First, it is important to understand the different materials out there for stringing beads.  Before choosing your stringing material, you must consider the type of beads you will be using.  How heavy are they?  How large is the hole?  With these two questions answered in your mind, you should then set out to use the most durable and lasting material that will support the beads you are ready to spin into something wonderful.


Elastic Stretch Cord
Elastic is a great material to use when you need your finished product to easily slip over a head or arm without a clasp.  It knots easily and can also be crimped if necessary.  Although I have been using necklaces as an example, elastic is usually better for bracelets because it cannot handle a lot of weight. Too much weight will cause the material to stretch and eventually give out.  This is not the highest quality beading material, but it does fill a niche when you need your jewelry to stretch, however, don't count on anything made from this material lasting decades.

Nylon Cord
Nylon is a synthetic fiber, and therefore, will not fray or stretch.  Although it is not the most durable material you can find, it's great for beginners because it is extremely malleable and you can do lots of fun things with it.  You can use light to medium heavy beads, and the necklace should hold up as long as you are not too rough with it.  Nylon is also great because it can be tied into a knot, which allows you to finish the ends easily and make knots between the beads for a fun look.

Nylon can be found in lots of colors and sizes depending on the type of bead you are using.  4-6mm beads can be strung easily with size #4 and smaller beads size #2.  Remember, the number size of the nylon gets larger as the nylon increases in girth (different than wire gauge).  This means, the larger your beads is, the bigger your nylon needs to be.  It generally ranges anywhere from size #1 to size #10.

Silk

Silk is a classic beading material, and is similar to nylon cord in characteristic, however, since it is a natural fiber, silk will fray and stretch.  Because of this, it should only be used for delicate beads, such as pearls.  Silk is a more expensive material than Nylon, and it comes in several colors and sizes #1-#8.

Nylon Coated Wire
This is one of the most durable types of stringing materials you can use.  It is extremely flexible (although tying it in a knot is usually not a good idea), and it can hold a lot of weight.  Again, it comes in all sizes and colors, however, it is often too thick for tiny bead holes.  Nylon coated wire is made of several strands of wire twisted together which are then coated with Nylon for protection.  The Nylon not only protects the wire from changing shape, but it also stops beads (such as crystals) from scratching the wire and making it less durable.  Nylon coated wire is more advanced than regular Nylon or Silk string because it requires a special method for closing the ends.

Although this stringing material can hold a lot of weight, if you do not finish it properly, the ends of your necklace may separate and fall apart.  (I will discuss these finishing techniques in a future blog post.)

I have included a few photographs of my fellow Etsy.com creators as references for you.  My biggest suggestion when it comes to deciding what type of jewelry you want to create is PAY ATTENTION TO JEWELRY THAT YOU SEE AND LOVE.  What is it made of?  How is it made?  Take a photograph and do some research.  You will find that beading is not extremely difficult, and you can make anything with the right material in hand.

My Etsy Shop

Getting Started - Tools

For those of you who are just beginning to create your own jewelry, you have probably already started experimenting.  If you're anything like me, you often make large purchases of crafting tools with the dream that you am going to learn how to do something new and incredible. First they sit on the dinning table enthusiastically waiting to become the next great work of art.  Maybe you play with them a little (or maybe not) before they are buried under an ever-growing pile of life that is eventually dissembled and shoved into nearest the closet with all of the other sad unused toys.

If you are one of the fortunate few who know better than to continue this chaotic cycle, then I suggest you first purchase beads and findings that are inexpensive so you can play with them without feeling guilty.  Once you have tried a few different designs and you decide that beading is definitely for you, then you can upgrade to better quality materials.

Beginner's Tools - Pliers
Most importantly, you need a set of nice jewelry making tools.  Without the proper tools, it is EXTREMELY DIFFICULT if not impossible to create a finished polished look.  The following are my favorite tools to play with.

Cutting Pliers

 

You will need cutting pliers for just about everything. They can be used for cutting wire, thread, and string or for cutting apart a new string of beads that you are ready to work with.  I very rarely use scissors for anything with this handy tool in my possession. The pair show here can be purchased here for $6.17 or you may find a better deal on any of the listed items at your local craft store.

Round Nose Pliers

Round nose pliers are used for creating loops. Whether you choose to work with eyepins or prefer to create your own metal findings with wire, this tool can be extremely helpful for creating even loops.  The nose is graduated so you can chose what size your loops will be. This pair can be found here for $9.75.

Flat Nose Pliers

This tool is great for closing loops or gripping wire.  They can also be used for flattening wire if needed.  I didn't appreciate it much at first, but it has become one of my favorite and most used tools.  The one pictured above can be purchased here for $10.75.

Chain Nose Pliers

I use chain nose pliers for opening loops or chain and for gripping, however, they have many other amazing uses that you can discover for yourself.  Make sure they have resistance and stay open (like the pair above) when they are at rest.  You will find this very helpful in your jewelry making endeavors.  The pair shown above can be purchased here for $28.00.

Bent Chain Nose Pliers

Bent chain nose pliers can be used for the same purpose as the regular chain nose pliers, but sometimes they are better for certain needs that may arise. I like using both pairs together at times.  This pair can be found here for $12.29.

Inexpensive Beginner's Plier Set

This set is only $20.84 here.

Other useful pliers for advanced jewelry makers:

Step Jaw Pliers - Used for standard sized loops

Nylon Jaw Pliers - Used for flattening or straightening wire

Loop Closing Pliers - These are self-explanatory

Crimping Pliers - Used for closing crimp beads

Gem Setting Pliers - Another self-explanatory pair

Split Ring Pliers - Used to open split rings

Hole Punching Pliers - Self-explanatory

View Jillian's Jewels at www.etsy.com/shop/azazil29

Getting Started - Hello World!

Ciao fellow readers.  This is my first attempt at creating a blog, so bear with me.  Why is it that the tech savvy generation finds it so easy to get started with one of these, and I seem to be blog challenged...  Well, despite my inaptitude, I really hope you will enjoy reading my posts. The Jillian's Jewels blog will be dedicated to jewelry making, jewelry supplies, jewelry links, helpful suggestions for making jewelry, my jewelry making experiences and anything else jewelry related I can think of.  My wish is that it is helpful for you, like so many others have helped me along the way.

Currently, I am really interested in making jewels with semi-precious stones, such as, Jasper, Agate, Pearls, Coral, Carnelian, Turquoise, and any others that are eye-catching, chunky, and just fun to wear.  So here it goes, I'm going to give away my number one secret on my very first blog: I shop for beads at www.giftsjoy.com.

About Gifts Joy:
This website is my favorite for shopping beads because it sales semi-precious stones at wholesale prices with no minimum order. You will also get a discount depending on how much you order, so you can save as much as 30% off the listed price. They also ship worldwide, which is very convenient for me while I'm living in Italy. If any of you know of a better place with such an easy-to-navigate sales website and great selection, please do leave me a comment!

Here are a few of the necklaces I currently have for sale.  Enjoy!

  

  

View my other items