Beading

Beaded items are very popular nowadays. In shopping malls, department stores or designers’ stores, we will not fail to find lots of beautiful beaded items for sale such as bags, purses, bracelets, necklaces, wall hangings, cushion covers, etc. A lot of people find beads not only attractive but irresistible. Beads come in many different shapes, sizes, textures, colors and designs. Designers of accessories, jewelry, and interiors make use of the richness of their colors and the diversity of their shapes to create astounding pieces. Items made with beads are indeed captivating and useful. People use completed beading items such as bracelets and necklaces as accessories to enhance their appearance, while beading items like wall hangings, cushion covers, etc are used to decorate their homes. Fabrics with beads could help to add to the decor of homes.

Beads have been valued for centuries. Since early times, people have been acquainted with beads, primarily in the form of berries, seeds, stones and shells. Later, beads came to be manufactured from clay, glass, metal and crystals and, more recently, acrylics and plastics. People have been involved in beading for a very long time. They enjoy selecting beads and combining them to form an attractive piece of work. It is a very popular form of craft work for both old and young. Some do it for work, others do it for hobby. People enjoy beading because they find it extremely rewarding. It offers them an opportunity to unleash their creativity and helps to enhance their lives. There are those who believe that beads can become an obsession. Some say that it could be addictive. Nonetheless, it is indeed satisfying to use beads to make beautiful masterpieces for yourself, for your home, or even as gifts for your friends.

The beauty of beadwork is its versatility. There is a wide range of beads you can choose from the market. An extensive range of beading supply is available. You can select the types, shapes, sizes, colors and textures of the beads to create the pattern you want. Besides, there is a wide spectrum of beading techniques that can be applied to beads - wiring, threading, weaving, sticking and embroidering. You can choose to use the method you like. Beading techniques could be either threadless or threaded. Although there are relatively few ways of uniting beads without thread, such as with glue or tile grout, however, there are hundreds of ways involving the use of thread. As each completed item would be a result of your own selection, creativity and skill, you will certainly derive great satisfaction from your work.

Beading is considered an economical craft work. You do not need a special workshop. You only require a table, good lighting, some beading equipment and selected beads. With these, you can design and make really exciting pieces of beaded items. You can even create a piece of jewelry that will become a family heirloom!

The basics of beading are easy to learn. There are many resources available with step-by-step beading instructions to enable a starter to learn doing beading projects. When you have learned the basic techniques, you can go ahead to create even more pieces using a multitude of your own ideas. This could be as simple as changing the colors on one of the beading patterns you have learned or using beads of a different size. You will be surprised at how much these small changes can alter the look of the original piece. The possibilities of creating new designs are endless. You can attempt to test your design after creating it. If you find that your idea doesn’t work, you can take it apart and try a new one. Beading is fun and interesting. Be adventurous, always experiment and you’ll enjoy it.

If you want more information about beading, you can consider getting the following e-books:

#The Complete Bead Guide
From this book, you will learn:-

*Which types of beads have protective or healing properties
*Where to find bead sources near you no matter what country you live in
*Where to see the best beading tradeshows in the country
*How different beads are made and what processes are used to make them
*How to quickly and easily identify various types of beads
*What length is a #5 bugle bead? Use the charts in the book to quickly help you choose which shapes and sizes you should use in all your beadwork projects
*Tips for choosing the right types of string, thread and wire (includes a section on types of threads to avoid)
*What types of devices to use for creating knots
*Which needles are best for certain types of beadwork
*Where to find lots of FREE bead patterns - complete with instructions!
*Using beads in Knitting and Crocheting projects
*Beading stitches and techniques
*How to store and care for your beads
*Includes a glossary of bead terms, reference lists and directories

You will also obtain the answers to the following questions:

*When silver beads are purchased, should every bead have a sterling silver impression?
*What is the secret in making the crochet beaded rope necklace?
*Can you use different size beads from the one given in a pattern?
*What is the best and easiest way for a beginner to get started?
*How can you make selling your jewelry easy?
*Are there any machines to make different shape beads like rondelle beads?
*What is it that makes beads which were produced decades ago so valuable if production of the beads has not stopped?
*Where can I buy glass beads that look like animal, angel, and things like that?
*How do I select color schemes that work well together in any beading projects?
*How can I tell the difference between a bead that peels and the one that does not?
*What exactly are shell pearls? What are they composed? Are they man-made?
*Which is the most valuable bead in the world? How much is it?

#Beading for Beginners
From this book, you’ll get to know:-

*How to select the right kind of beads for bead stringing
*Of the hundreds of tools and organizers that are available for beading, which ones you need and which ones are a waste of money
*6 types of basic beading tools - and what to look for before you buy them
*The three main types of hand type beading tools
*13 common types of beads - how to select the beads that are right for you and your project
*How to string beads - six factors to consider when stringing beads to ensure a beautiful finished project
*8 beading techniques - include step-by-step and easy-to-follow illustrations
*How to use both twisted wire needles and English beading needles
*6 tips for buying beads
*How to perform wire wrapping
*Bead-weaving and jewelry-making project ideas

#The Ultimate Bead Lover’s Guide
The things you’ll learn from this book include:

*How to quickly and easily get started in beading without spending a fortune
*How to create your own gorgeous beading projects using the techniques the professional beaders use
*Discover how to choose the right beads, equipment, etc
*Learn all about how beading began
*Details about the different beads, how they’re made and what they’re made from - and the best beading projects to use them for
*All the insider tips on choosing the right thread, string or wire for your project
*What all those numbers and symbols on beads mean
*Detailed instructions for all the most popular beading stitches
*A detailed glossary of all beading terms
*How to get the best knots in the right place
*Using crimp beads the right way
*Working out how many beads you’ll need for your next piece
*Learn how to choose the right fastening for your piece
*Pages of resources designed to demystify beading forever
*The tiny adjustment that will make finishing your pieces a breeze
*The truth about peyote stitches
*The information you need about how to use wire in your beading
*Needles - all the inside information on which size to use and when to use it
*Learn how to choose equipment that does the job properly and lasts
*Tips on mixing different sized beads together

Happy beading!

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