Making Bracelets

[Ballerinacaz]

Whenever I make bracelets they always look really tacky and cheap because all I can think of is just threading beads on to thread. Can someone help me with some ideas of how to make more proffesional looking ones?

[benchaddict]

Hi Caz,
What do you want to do? do you want to stay with beads or do you want to work with metal. Or both.

You could thread some silver wire through each bead and makes loops at each end which you can use to join on to the next link, and so on till you have the length you need.

Have a look at Kiwi jewels in the bracelets section and look at these
Just a different way of stringing beads together. I am sure there will be plenty of ideas from members here.

Light Blue and Champagne Pearl Bracelet

Garnet and Pearl Bracelet

Search the internet for ideas of which tecniques you like and then ask some more questions.Good luck,
Ruth.:)

[Peter]

It depends on how far you want to go to be different, in all honesty every man and his dog is threading beads and swaros onto fireline and beadalon these days. I would suggest learning at least a few basic weaving stitches and incorporating them in your designs - it will increase the 'individuality' of your piece no end! :)

[Selina]

If you go onto Fire Mountain Gems web site they have a gallery with loads of pictures of bracelets, earrings, necklaces etc, you might get some ideas from there, Selina

[mymiyel]

There are so many different things you could do. Something like the design of your jewellery will have to come from you - a lot of the time you'll find an idea just appears in your head.

Maybe you could spend some time drawing and doodling designs and seeing where they take you. Or get some beads together in complementing colours and play about with them on a bead mat or design board.

And like the others have said, are there any other skills you'd like to learn? If you just trail through something like Etsy you will see loads of different styles and ways to make jewellery and maybe that will give you an idea of what you'd like to create and what skills you'd like to learn. You'll always have strong reactions to things - whether you love them or hate them.

Hope this helps. Sorry if I sound lecturey. I don't mean to.

[Beadservice]

It can look very effective making charm style bracelets.

You can buy loose chain and cut it to length, remember to select a link that you can get a head pin through.

Add a lobster catch, and them pin lots of beads to the links.
You can have real fun mixing the colours of beads or adding charms, and it's a really good way of using up odd beads you may have.

Debbie

[Adam Hunter]

From a beading point of view why not try some more usual beads - perhaps as an accent add a gold or silver bead sounds expensive but you can pick them up for £1-£2 for silver if you look on the internet.
Really adds a touhc of class, and a point of difference. Try MOD EDIT - ALL YOU HAVE DONE IS ADVERTISE YOUR COMPANY, THIS WON'T BE TOLERATED. they've got some great silver beads set with CZ, good qualtiy and not expensive

[Poppy4lee]

I would suggest learning at least a few basic weaving stitches and incorporating them in your designs

You make it sound soo simple, then I look at your designs and they're stunning :first: . Now, I've got all my bits and bobs but something is missing ...oh yes - talent, lol.

[Peter]

Aww...........fanks! :) Most of it is easy though, it's just been made to sound complicated by the beadweaving mafia! If you can sew a button on a shirt you can bead! :D

[beadstudio]

Feel free to have a look at my site (in my signature) let me know if you want instructions on how to make anything.
Would be glad to help! :)

Also have a look at beading mags and search google for tutorials on beading, there are loads!

And I have to agree Beadsages' are amazing!:D

[Chris W]

Hi Kaz,
I get my inspiration from the gemstones I use because they are my starting point, sometimes good ingredients don't need a fancy approach. The thing is to develop a sense of your own style based upon what you enjoy and appreciate. I have evolved my designs around what people actually want to buy and wear comfortably, every woman has a unique taste which makes it an interesting challenge.
They are sometimes influenced by what celebrities are wearing so it can be a good idea to watch out for trends.
I like to make charm bracelets because they are a great way of using up all the odd stones you have left.

[Poppy4lee]

Feel free to have a look at my site (in my signature) let me know if you want instructions on how to make anything.
Would be glad to help! :)

Also have a look at beading mags and search google for tutorials on beading, there are loads!

And I have to agree Beadsages' are amazing!:D

I looked at the gallery your site, wow, you have some really lovely pieces :D Thank you so much for your offer of help, I'm just dabbling, at the moment, I think I'm a bit too ham-fisted and impatient. I think I'll have to leave the making of gorgeous pieces to you professionals!

[RenataHarris]

I agree with Chris- it depends on the beads.

I have recently tried:
stitched pendants, crimp beads to make floating designs, strands woven together, crochet, twisting the wire between beads, stitching like using a ladder stitch to place beads vertically.
you could also separate beads with eyepins and jump rings in between- havent tried that yet but want to, just dont have the beads!!
Also you could try knotting in between beads
Crochet - you wrap the wire around some pliers then pull off slightly and thread the end of the wire through the loop in a sortof knot (i think this is how it is done without a crimping tool anyway...)
With small beads you could try braiding.