Create beaded necklaces, bracelets, and other jewelry with a professional look and finish. This delightful beginner's guide presents step-by-step instructions and helpful illustrations that walk you through the basics of making beaded jewelry. You'll learn how to use various pliers, crimpers, and wire cutters, and choose the perfect beads and string for your projects. In no time at all, you'll be stringing together your own pieces, complete with clasps, rings, and cones. For all levels of beaders and crafters who are interested in learning how to make jewelry by stringing beads. Carson Eddy is the owner of The Boston Bead Company, with stores in Cambridge and Salem, Massachusetts. The Boston Bead Company offers an extensive calendar of classes and in-store demonstrations and maintains an online resource center, beadOpedia. Co-author Rachael Evans has been a bead buyer, manager, and jewelry designer at The Boston Bead Company over the course of 12 years. Co-author Kate Feld has worked as store manager and is currently the staff designer of The Boston Bead Company. EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Learn to create stunning earrings, bracelets, and necklaces by matering a few basic techniques. Then all you need to transform a collection of beads into one-of-a-kind jewelry are stringing materials, findings, and some simple tools. Carson Eddy, Rachael Evans, and Kate Feld, longtime bead enthusiasts who design and teach at the Boston Bead Company, describe clearly, with step-by-step illustrations, how to master the methods and choose the right materials for success with any project. Introduction Chapter One: Bead Basics Bead Sizes - Bead Shapes - Bead Holes - Bead Materials - Glass Beads - Crystal Beads - Gemstones - Metal Beads - Natural Beads - Plastic Beads - Bead Treatments Chapter Two: Stringing Materials Flexible Beading Wire - Natural Stringing Materials - Man-Made Stringing Materials Chapter Three: Findings and Clasps Bead Tips, Crimps, and Ends - Rings and Clasps - Caps, Cones, and Spacers Chapter Four: Beading Tools Beading Pliers - Beading Cutters - Design and Specialty Tools Chapter Five: Jewelry Planning Jewelry Length - Bead Quantity - Beginning Your Project Chapter Six: Stringing Techniques Crimping with Flat Nose Pliers - Crimping with Crimping Pliers - Using a Tube and Bar Clasp - Using Coil Crimps - Using Fold-Over Crimps - Using Ribbon Crimps - How to Open and Close Jump Rings - How to Use Split Ring Pliers Appendix: Mohs Scale of Hardness Index

Mode of access: World Wide Web