Beadalon Blog

When I think about projects using Elasticity Stretch Cord, I generally think about simply strung stretch bracelets. In this Facebook Live, Wyatt shows us something different - how to use his Signature Knotter Tool to create knots in between lava beads using a double strand of 1.0mm Elasticity.

The limited edition, numbered,  Signature Knotter Tool has a handle made from zebra wood and an antique brass finish on the mechanism. There are only 1000 available, so if you'd like to own a little piece of Wyatt's heart, you should definitely jump on the opportunity to purchase one!

I love finding different ways to use my favorite materials! What a great way to create a different look using material that you likely have in your stash. Knots also help create a more secure bracelet because if your bracelet happens to break, your beads won't go flying everywhere.
Materials:
Collapsible Eye Needle
1.0mm Black Elasticity
Wyatt White Signature Knotter Tool
Large Hole Beads that will fit thr…

Making French Beaded Flowers is how I got started in earnest in the beading world, and I love revisiting this technique as often as I can. Making a beaded Poinsettia Wreath is a perfect holiday project and once you learn the basics, you can make all kinds of beaded flowers for all occasions! Doing Facebook Live projects lets me take my time and answer individual questions, but we do have a YouTube Video that shows the project without all the extras.

Materials:
24 GAUGE GREEN ARTISTIC WIRE24 GAUGE RED ARTISTIC WIRE 24 GAUGE GOLD ARTISTIC WIRE
14 GAUGE COPPER ARTISTIC WIRE
28 GAUGE COPPER ARTISTIC WIRE
Size 11 Seed Beads IN RED, GOLD, GREEN Floral Tape
Tools: BENT CHAIN NOSE PLIERS
NYLON JAW WIRE STRAIGHTENER
CUTTERS
SPIN N BEAD QUICK CHANGE TRAYS
SPIN IN BEAD JR.

Instructions
Make the Center:
1. Use the Spin-n-Bead to string up gold seed beads onto the 24 gauge Gold Artistic Wire.
2. Measure out an inch of beads and turn it into a loop leaving about 6 inches of wire from the end.
3. Turn 10 loo…

The Ring Weaver Tool by Kleshna Handel makes 4 sizes of rings, but in the hands of master wire worker Wyatt White, it's so much more! These wreath earrings are perfect to wear to get into the holiday spirit and to gift to your favorite holiday friends!

Originally, when we taught how to use the tool, we used a criss-cross weaving technique. With more and more practice, Wyatt came up with a new way of wrapping wire around the pegs which is not only faster, but also a little easier. You can either wrap to make an "innie" loop, or an "outie" loop. In the Facebook Live, we demonstrated the "innie" technique. Stay tuned for more information and additional projects on both of these techniques!

To make Holiday Wreath Earrings:

Materials:
Ring Weaver Tool by Kleshna
24 Gauge Green Artistic Wire
24 Gauge Red Artistic Wire
Earwires

Instructions:
1. Start at the "hash mark" with about 2 feet of 24 Gauge Artistic Wire. Wrap the end around the first pin cloc…

The holidays are approaching quickly, and I am in a flurry of gift making! These are my go-to earrings for gifting this year. They are super simple and fast to make, and serve as a foundation for so many different embellishment techniques.

To make the earrings, you'll need:

2 Quicklinks
Diamond Ball Chain
Diamond Ball Chain Ends
Chain Maille Jump Rings
Ear Wires
Memory Wire Cutters
2 Chain Nose Pliers
Memory Wire Finishing Pliers

Instructions:

1. Use the Memory Wire Cutters to make a cut in the QuickLink.
2. Bend each end back in the 2mm side of the Memory Wire Finishing Pliers.
3. Cut 4 pieces of Diamond Ball Chain about 1/2 inch long (7 balls).
4. Add a Diamond Ball Chain End to each end of the pieces of Diamond Ball Chain.
5. Use small jump rings (20 gauge 7/64") to attach a piece of the Ball Chain to each of the loops.
6. Connect the ball chain ends together at the top with another Jump Ring and attach it to an Earwire.
7. Repeat the steps to make the second earring.
8. Embelli…

Whenever Product Manager and Education Director, Wyatt White, joins us for Facebook Live it's always a fun time! This Facebook Live is full of tips, tricks and ideas for ways to take finishing your jewelry to the next level.

We featured lots of products including Bead Bumpers, EZ Crimp Ends, and Memory Wire.We're offering a special coupon code for 20% off of our featured tool kit (and my current favorite!) the Shimmer Pliers until Wednesday, November 20, 2019.



Bead Bumpers were originally introduced to help reduce the abrasion between pearls and beads for people who preferred stringing rather than knotting. There are three different varieties - small oval 1.5mm, large oval 2.0 mm, and square 1.7mm; and 5 colors - black, white, satin silver, satin gold, and clear. As with so many of our products, the more we used them, the more uses we figured out for them!

One of the most important advantages of Bead Bumpers is that they allow you to string your bracelet or necklace snug, but …

We were so lucky to have Sandra Lupo join us in the Beadalon Studio to demonstrate a gorgeous stacked cone bracelet using her Conetastic Tool.

Sandra is an amazingly talented metalsmith, beader and inventor who designed the Conetastic Tool. The original tool comes with three mandrels and make cones about 1" long. She also designed two additional mandrel sets - the Hourglass Mandrels and the Inverted Mandrels. Full instructions are included in each of the sets!






Sandra shared so many great tips for getting the best cones from the Conetastic. Even though I have been using it for years to make cones (I like to use them as tassel toppers), I learned some extra tricks to take my cone making to the next level:

- use 20 gauge wire and work right from the spool
- hold the tool in your non-dominant hand, and use your dominant hand to guide the wire
- wind away from you, not towards you
- start with a quick turn of the wrist to lock the wire in place on the diagonal
- hold the tool so that…