Confession

Please come on over to my new website:

Jewelry Making Journal

I've got lots cool new things for you there - including
my videos, a unique tutorial, and Jewelry Business Insider interviews.

See you there!

- Rena Klingenberg

Confession

by Lynda Carson
(Spring Valley, CA)

seed bead wrapped hoops

Did everyone but me know about these incredible seed beads?! I confess that I always passed by the seed bead displays on the way to the pearls, stones, and crystals at my favorite supply stores. Never gave them a thought, because I never considered myself interested in the particular art form of bead weaving. But I do admire the many gifted beaders who excel at this time consuming and rich technique.

Surprise! With this new style of 'stacking' beads wit in a wire frame for earrings, I wanted something tinier to work with. Lo and behold, seed beads come in different sizes, are inexpensive, and are amazing colors! They are just perfect for what I'm currently doing. Never, say never when looking at materials for this work.

Question: What to do with the hundreds of these tiny critters when I've moved on to my next adventure?? Ideas from you, who are not bead weaver, but have found these useful in your work?

Thanks,
Lynda
Fresh Baked Designs

Comments for
Confession

Click here to add your own comments

Great earrings and ideas for others
by: Lee

Great idea to use the beads in the method that you did. Both sets look great. As for the leftovers you can donate them to a school arts program or senior center.

Using seed beads
by: Rena

Thanks for this interesting post, Lynda! I've also said "never!" to jewelry components I've later fallen in love with!

Regarding seed beads, I like to use them for interesting spacers in designs that have larger beads.

Also, when you're creating something that involves fine-gauge wire, including one or more seed beads in random spots can really enhance the design.

And have you seen some of the incredible work Rochelle Hughes has shared here? She uses Swarovski crystals, but seed beads could also be used:

Goldfish Necklace, Ammonite Ring

Whimsical Wire Mermaid

Wire Woven Flower Set

Also Aili Horna-Butkevica's Cameos with seed-bead frames.

Dianne Culbertson makes her own end-caps with seed beads.

I have also seen people cover a surface with adhesive and then roll it in a bed of seed beads as an easy way to apply a lot of tiny beads quickly (not sure how well the beads stay on with wear and tear, though).

Another cool thing about seed beads: You can store literally a ton of them in a very tiny space! :o)

To pick up dropped / spilled seed beads: Cover a vacuum cleaner hose with nylon pantyhose and run it over the spill area. The tiny beads will get sucked up against the pantyhose, and you can drop them into a dish or other container.

Also see Tricia Dutton's tip for scooping up seed beads out of your beadboard grooves.

Looking forward to seeing more offbeat seed bead ideas and tips! :o)

Seed Bead Uses
by: Barbara

Like Rena, I use seed beads as spacers, especially in more casual designs where silver or gold might look out of place. I also sometimes use multiple strands of seed beads of either a single color or mixed shades with a single, large focal component. The simpler seed bead strands allow the focal to really take "center stage." A variation of that is to space mid-sized, related semiprecious beads along the multiple strands of seed beads to create a piece that is lighter in weight than one composed of all stone beads and still have that knock-out focal in the center.

Barb W.
Zephyr Creations

Thanks for the many ideas
by: Lynda

Your ideas and referrals to the work of other designers has given me a lot to think about regarding the many uses of seed beads.
Thanks so much!

Click here to add your own comments