Beadalon Blog

Wyatt and I spent a beautiful Saturday celebrating the beginning of the Main Line Bead Society Bead Shop Hop at two of our local bead shops. I went to Studio 36 Bead Shop in Pottstown, PA for a Facebook Live, and Wyatt went to Blue Santa Beads in Media, PA for demonstrations. Seventeen stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Virginia are participating in the three week event coordinated by the Main Line Bead Society and Sponsored by Beadalon. Participants have the opportunity to win swag from each shop, including a grand prize valued at $500! Wyatt showing the Baby Jewel Loom. Wyatt, expert knotter, demonstrating the Beadalon Tin Cup Knotter Tool. New friends bonding over a love of beading! Lisa from Studio 36 makes the most beautiful painted acrylic flowers and leaves ! Her process is a secret, but the results are spectacular!  I showed her how I use the Beadalon Tying Station to make an adjustable sliding bracelet. We have written instructions posted fo...

Memory Wire is steel wire, either stainless or carbon, that holds its shape. You can find all about Memory Wire on the  Beadalon Memory Wire Page  including all shapes, sizes and finishes. There are so many designs that you can make with it, and so many different ways to finish off your designs.  The two most important tools to use with Memory Wire are the Memory Wire Shears and the Memory Wire Finishing Pliers . Never (say it with me) never, ever use your nipper tool to cut Memory Wire - always use Memory Wire Shears! After you've strung up your design, you have a lot of options for finishing it off. In the Facebook Live video, the first technique that I show is making a loop with the Memory Wire Finishing Pliers. When you turn the loop, make sure you hold the wire as far down in the jaws of the pliers as you can so you don't bend the tips of the tool. Another good tip is to come back with your Chain Nose Pliers and bend your loop back a little bit so it looks more li...

Have you ever wanted to make a Beaded Bead? Stitching up beads using circular beaded netting is so versatile and you can make so many different variations! This project uses increases and decreases to create a netted beaded bead. For this particular bead, you need: (8) 3mm bicone beads (16) 4mm bicone beads (8) 6mm beads (4) 8mm beads Size 15 seed beads Delicas If you want to change out your bead shapes or sizes, all you need to do is change up the counts of your size 15s in the even rounds. It took me a while to get my counts the way that I liked them, so just stick with it until you're happy with the results. The materials can stay the same, though. You'll use: WildFire  (I like .006 Green) Needles (I like the WildFire Needles - make sure you flatten the tip of your WildFire with a pliers before needling your thread) WildFire Cord Cutter Beadalon's Instant Pendants are the perfect finding to showcase your beautiful beads! Click here for the step by s...