Beadalon Blog

We're thrilled to introduce our new Artistic Wire® Chain Maille Rings made especially for use in chainmaille designs. We worked closely with chainmaille expert and Beadalon Design Team Member Lauren Andersen to develop rings that are the perfect size and temper for a variety of chainmaille patterns. These jump rings are precision cut and system matched for diameter and color consistency. The accurate inside diameters retain design aspect ratios and the consistent shape maintains consistent geometric weave. Rings can be opened and closed using the regular or bent Chain Nose Pliers. Each package contains an ample supply of jump rings to create many fashionable designs. For easy reference, eight of the most popular chainmaille weaves such as the Byzantine, Turkish Round, Foxtail and more are noted on the back of each package, along with the sizes needed and quantity of rings to create the weave.  -Yvette Rodriguez Beadalon Advertising, Travel & Event Coordinator

Thank you for reading, following, and enjoying the Beadalon Blog! We love sharing it with you and look forward to reading your comments. To say thanks, we're holding a prize drawing for our Google "Friend Connect" Followers. The randomly selected winner will receive a package of fun samples including Katiedids™ Creative Components, Artistic Wire®, and Beadalon® 49. If you aren't already following us, click on the Followers link in the sidebar to sign up!   We'll announce the winner here on the Blog on December 23rd, so be sure to check in. Our Blog is a coordinated effort. Thank you from all of our contributors: Design Team Members: Lauren Andersen, Fernando Dasilva, Katie Hacker, Margot Potter, Leslie Rogalski John Fritzinger, Marketing & Art Director Meredith Roddy, Sales Executive Yvette Rodriguez, Advertising, Travel, & Event Coordinator Wyatt White, Director of Education & Product Manager

I am very excited about getting an advance copy of my book, Modern Expressions. I love it! This project has been my baby for the last 14 months and now that it is a reality, I feel like another journey begins. I'll be making appearances, doing signings and teaching workshops in a variety of venues over the next year. Here's the official description:  Inside Modern Expressions (F+W Pubs 2011) you will find chic necklace, earring and bracelet designs that turn heads with their fashion-forward sensibility. This book goes beyond instruction for creating striking pieces and helps you see clothing options to pair with the jewelry, with a how-to wear sidebar accompanying at least half of the projects. All of the projects feature modern components provided by major manufacturers (such as Beadalon), so locating supplies will be easy and painless. Pre-order it on Amazon ! -Fernando Dasilva, Beadalon Design Team Member www.modern-expressions.blogspot.com

Have you checked out the December issue of Crafts 'n Things ? Whether you need to make a quick gift or want to discover a new crafting passion, Crafts 'n things is a great source of inspiration! Each issue includes ideas using a variety of techniques, including beading and jewelry making. Check out the regular "Girls' Night In" feature and invite your girlfriends over for a little crafting therapy, food, and fun! The Beadalon Design Team regularly contributes to Crafts 'n things. For this issue, I designed a topaz pendant necklace using my Katiedids™ Creative Components. - Katie Hacker for Beadalon Katiedids™

Beadalon product manager Wyatt White has been making jewelry for 20+ years and recently authored two booklets on wireworking with German-Style wire, Beginning Wire Wrapping and Wire Wrapping: Component & Stone Setting . We asked him for some wireworking tips to share. Here are his top 5 tips: 1. Use German-Style Wires to create stylish designs and to practice your wire-wrapping skills before using more expensive wires like Sterling Silver or Gold-filled. 2. Straighten the wire before you begin the project. Use light tension to pull the wire through the tips of nylon-jaw pliers. 3. Use precision pliers, such as Beadalon's Sparkle Tools or designer black-handled pliers. Use flush cutters so the ends have a nice, flush cut. 4. The wire gauge affects the design outcome. Use larger gauges if you want the wire to be the star, use smaller gauges if you want the stone or bead to the be the focus of the design. 5. Add zing to your projects with twisted wire. To achieve a twisted...

ANCHORS AWAY 2011 April 11-16 Beadalon is proud to sponsor the The Creativity Cruise with SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS! Sail the Eastern Caribbean, with ports of call in Nassau, Bahamas and Key West, Florida. Enjoy five pampered days and nights filled with crystal, fun, and surprises galore! All classes are held while at sea, giving you the freedom to shop, relax, or enjoy one of our many exciting excursions when we drop anchor. The workshop package includes four SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS classes with world-renowned instructors and CREATE YOUR STYLE with SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Ambassadors:     * Lilan Chen, Contemporary Wirework Artist     * Fernando da Silva, Designer, Author and Beadalon Design Team     * Wyatt White, Instructor and Product Manager for Beadalon     * Stephanie Dixon, Canadian Instructor and Designer     * Linda Hartung, Designer and co-owner of WireLace® and Alacarte Clasps™     * Debra Saucie...

Here are some ideas for other items you can make with Beadalon's Artistic Wire jump rings using one of my favorite chainmaille techniques, the European 4-in-1. You can find complete instructions for the European 4-in-1 weave in my new booklet, Basics Of Chain Maille, published by Beadalon. I call this a “Bottle Dress.” I used several different sizes of 18-gauge jump rings in non-tarnish silver. By using different size jump rings, I did not have to expand and contract the weave. I added gold bells around the bottom edge and larger red Christmas bells at the points. For this purse in progress, I'm using 18-gauge size 11/64” Artistic Wire Jump Rings in non-tarnish silver. I hope to have this completed by Christmas!! Here is a coaster I made with 18-gauge size 7/32” Artistic Wire Jump Rings in natural copper. To complete this coaster, you can cut a piece of felt the same circumference as the chainmaille and sew them together. Many years ago, I made a coif using...

Beadalon is a proud corporate sponsor of the popular television show , Beads, Baubles & Jewels. The first episode of the 13th season begins airing today in some markets! Each episode features Katie Hacker and guest artists who share how-to projects, beading techniques and design inspiration. To find your local television listings, enter your zip code at Beads, Baubles, & Jewels  website . Visit the Beadalon Design Workshop for selected videos.

Spiral Maker Use colorful spirals to embellish jewelry, scrapbooks and paper crafts! It's easy to make consistent spirals when you use a Spiral Making Tool, as product manager Wyatt White explains in this fun video. Step 1: Use small pieces of the diameter wire you intend to make the spiral as a washer on the three screws. Step 2: Tighten wing nuts and insert the same gauge wire into the device. Step 3: Center the wire in the center hole and insert the twister handle so the wire is inside the slit on the handle. Step 4: Twist the handle until the desired size of coil is reached (maximum of 16.0mm 5/8”) Tip: count the number of turns to re-create the same size coils for multiple coils, or perfectly matching earring dangles. - Beadalon Blog Team