Beadalon Blog

One of the best places to get started making jewelry is by making stretch cord bracelets. Beadalon has two fantastic types of stretch cord to choose from  - Elonga and Elasticity .  To get started, all you will need are 3 things: 1. Stretch Cord 2. Scissors 3. Beads. Easy enough! But you know I'm going to take it to the next level with all kinds of add ons!  First things first, what is the difference between Elonga and Elasticity, and which should you choose?  Elonga  is miniature, multi-fiber elastic ribbon that is very supple.  It has a built in warning - once it begins to wear it will start to split, which is easy to see and replace.  Elasticity is a  soft, single strand elastic, all purpose cord that is strong and stretchy.  Elonga is available in 3 diameters - .3mm (.012in), .7mm (.028in), 1.0mm (.039in) - in white, and in 12 colors.  Elasticity is available in 3 diameters - .5mm (.020in), .8mm (.032in), 1.0mm (.039in) - and 5 colors - Rose Gold, Satin Silver, Satin Gold, Bl

One of my favorite jewelry making techniques is making Chain Maille! Not only is it meditative, relaxing, and therapeutic, but it provides a great foundation for embellishing with beads to make beautiful jewelry.  Purple Chain Maille Earrings Instructions available in the Learning Center! Getting started with Chain Maille can definitely be daunting. There's a lot to learn at the outset - a new set of vocabulary, a new group of materials, new concepts to grasp, but the good news is that you really only need 2 tools to get started making chain maille. You'll need two pliers - chain nose, flat nose, bent chain nose pliers - any combination that works best for you. And one technique - opening and closing a jump ring. If you can open and close a jump ring, you can do chain maille! The Beadalon Snub Nose Chain Maille Pliers are perfect for making chain maille! The first thing to know is the "anatomy of a jump ring". There is an inner diameter (the distance between the ins

  Beadalon has added 3 new colors of French Wire - Rose Gold Color, Vintage Bronze Color, and Vintage Silver Color! When added to the .925 Sterling Silver, Silver Plated, and Gold Color already in our catalog, there are 6 total colors to choose from! Not only that, but we also have French Wire available 5 sizes - from Fine to XX-Heavy to best fit the stringing material that you'll be covering.  Beadalon French Wire ,  also known as 'Gimp' and 'Bullion' is used to cover and protect bead cord from friction and breakage at the clasp area. French Wire is especially helpful for fortifying  silk beading cord  and giving designs a professional finish. You can find full instructions for adding French Wire to a traditionally knotted pearl necklace here .  Of course, I can't just use French Wire for its original intention. I've been using it in all kinds of designs from memory wire (shown above) to bead stringing, to wire work. I love the way it adds extra shine and s

By now, we all know the formula for proper crimping: wire diameter + corresponding crimp bead or tube + right size crimp tool = well constructed jewelry, but did you know that there are many other ways to finish off designs strung on beading wire? Whether you are not a fan of "traditional" crimping, you are looking for a different look, or just like to change it up a bit, consider these alternatives for finishing off strung designs. 1. EZ Crimp Findings - These findings are available in Silver Plated and in Gold Color, and in several designs - including one with a lobster claw attached.  These are one of my favorite findings in the Beadalon catalog. They are great to use if you struggle with using crimp beads or tubes. They accommodate beading wire up to .024 diameter (although .018 or smaller is easier to thread through), and close easily with either the EZ Crimp Pliers  or the rounded jaw of the Standard Crimping Pliers . Just like when you crimp with a crimp bead, you need

This is one of my favorite designs in the Beadalon and Artistic Wire design collection, and now that Spring has arrived in full force, it's the perfect time to revisit the Coiled Wire Daisy Bracelet . The original design was made with Silver Plated Artistic Wire, and I took the technique and used it with  MultiColor Artistic Wire  to make earrings. Coiling shows off the variegated colors of this wire so well, and earrings are a quick and easy project to use this technique. I've updated the original instructions for the bracelet, and if you check out this Facebook Live Video , you can make the earrings along with me. I used the Professional Coiling Gizmo with a mandrel for the Deluxe Coiling Gizmo - easier coiling for me - and a new way to use tools that I have in my workshop. Do you combine tools in interesting, useful ways to make beading easier and more efficient? Let us know in the Jewelry Making with Beadalon Facebook Group . If you make this project and post it on your

  Make Earth-Friendly jewelry with RePEaT braided jewelry cord made from 100% recycled plastic bottles - even the packaging is made from recycled cardboard, and the plastic cover is actually a baggie that you can use to store beads, needles, scraps and more! There are 10 colors and 2 sizes - 1.0mm and 1.5mm. It is a braided cord that has a beautiful sheen, and is ideal for making slide bracelets, necklaces, and anklets. It is also a great material for making Kumihimo braids.  Check out the Facebook Live video  where I debuted RePEat cord, and went through the Make It Take It Project we did at the MOJO Show in Tuscon. I love this project because it uses so many of the tools and supplies that I have in my workshop including Flat Artistic Wire , the Triangle File , the 2 Hole Punch , the WildFire Cord Cutter  (my favorite tool for cutting and sealing the ends), and more. If you don't have the specific pieces and parts, not to worry, it's a very versatile technique that you can