Beadalon Blog

This week's Facebook Live focused on this innovative gem - the Bracelet Knotter Tool designed by the amazingly talented Katie Hacker . Katie joined us for this Video and it was so fun to have her back working with the Beadalon Team! The tool works by holding a bangle bracelet in the foam pad secured to your work space with the acrylic C clamp. If your desk is too thick or doesn't hold the tool as you'd like, you can use a Tacky Bead Mat (another great use found!) to hold it in place. The foam pad holds your bangle tight enough to knot around it, but gently enough that it won't mar the wire or crack any beads that you have added. Katie originally designed the Knotter Tool to help her hold Cup Chain Bangles in place while she did macrame knots around them. I love discovering other, new ways to use it! The Katie Knotter Tool is definitely one of those tools that you didn't know you needed, and once you have it, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it...

Beads, Baubles & Jewels Series 1400 is now airing on selected public television stations nationwide. Beadalon has been a proud corporate sponsor of the show since it started seven years ago. The theme for the season is "Assembling the Elements," so we're focusing on projects that feature special findings, beads, stringing materials and other components. We're bringing all of the elements together to create dynamic jewelry deisgns. It's my second season as host and we have a lot of exciting guests, including Beadalon Design Team members Lauren Andersen and Leslie Rogalski! You can see a season overview, download project sheets for each show and find local viewing times at BeadsBaublesandJewels.com . For videos from past seasons, visit the Design Workshop at Beadalon.com -Katie Hacker Beadalon Design Team Member www.KatieHacker.com

I went to JTV's Jewel School last month and visited with Margot and show host Katie Rooke. They sold out of memory wire kits in less than an hour! It was a pretty amazing experience and I had fun seeing the show from the other side. My pal Margot Potter is the new director of education for Jewelry Television® Jewel School™ . You've probably seen lots of Margot's projects here on the Beadalon blog and site. She's a talented designer and a prolific author! Now, she's heading up the educational videos and blog on JTV's Jewel School site. She also sits in on the Jewel School shows on JTV, where viewers can call in to buy the latest and greatest products for beading. Beadalon has put together a lot of new product collections that JTV is selling during their Jewel School shows. Over the next few months, you'll see members of the Beadalon Design Team visiting the set of Jewel School to show viewers ideas and techniques for using the kits. There ...

This is the workshop I taught at CHA last month. It was so fun to see those crafty ladies make this project! They were up bright and early at 7am on Sunday morning to cut, glue and bead their way to personalized jewelry. Give it a try! Making Personalized Jewelry with Katiedids™ Creative Components By Katie Hacker for Beadalon Necklace Katiedids 2-hole 25mm round component #356B-530 18 rose 6/0 Toho seed beads .018" diameter SilveRose™ Beadalon 7 # JW03SR-0 Silver 4mm round solid ring #314B-166 Silver fancy bail #327B-035 Silver (thin) head pin #312B-013 Silver lobster clasp #315B-007 Silver extension chain #324B-010 4 silver #2 crimp beads #JFC2S-1.5G 4 silver crimp covers #349B-010 Optional: 12mm acrylic dome, paper image & dimensional glaze or resin Earrings 2 Katiedids 35mm rectangle #356B-514 12 rose 6/0 Toho seed beads 2 silver (thick) head pins #312B-113             2 silver round/oval hinge earrings #308B...

Here's a quick idea for an interchangeable pendant. The bail clips onto ribbon, chain or any type of stringing material so you can easily switch the pendant out. Attach one to the front of a handmade card for a quick, last-minute gift! 1. Start by passing a head pin outward through the upper two holes on a Katiedids™ Creative Component #356B-526. 2. Make a wrapped loop to attach the head pin to a removable bail #353B-010. 3. Cut a 4" piece of .015" diameter Beadalon 19 silver color and pass it under the head pin. 4. String fifteen SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS 4mm black diamond rounds onto the wire and pass the other wire end through the beads in the opposite direction to form a circle. Press the beads down into the channel on the component. 5. Use E6000 to glue a crystal flower into the bezel in the center of the component. Katie Hacker Beadalon Design Team Member www.KatieHacker.com

Girl with a Pearl By Katie Hacker for Beadalon Necklace .015" diameter silver Beadalon 19 JW14S-0 silver medium curb chain 340B-030 silver elongated cable chain 340B-010 12 silver #1 crimp beads JFC1S-1.5G 12 silver lines crimp covers (variety pack 349B-101) 12" freshwater pearl strands: 5x6mm amethyst rice, 5x6mm white rice, 6mm white potato, 6mm amethyst potato, 8mm white potato 2 white 12mm round glass pearls 4 silver 8mm jump rings 2 silver 18mm bead rings silver 3-loop end bars silver 3-loop end bars with clasp/extension chain attached Bracelet 2 loops of bracelet-size memory wire 32 silver eye pins leftover freshwater pearls from the necklace: 5x6mm amethyst rice, 6mm white potato Earrings 2 silver 25mm kidney ear wires 308B-310 2 silver medium ball head pins 312B-253 2 white 12mm round glass pearls 2 silver 18mm bead rings Tools Round nose pliers Chain nose pliers Wire cutters Crimping tool Memory wire cutters For the necklace 1. Cut a 8" length of bea...

Your Beadalon Blog Team is on the road again! We're heading to Los Angeles for the Craft & Hobby Association Winter Conference & Trade Show AND the To Bead True Blue Show in Tucson. Watch for updates on our Facebook page, with full reports, photos and trend-spotting here on the blog when we return. We love going to the shows because it's a great place to meet you face-to-face. Please drop by our booths to see new products, ask questions and meet designers Lauren Andersen, Fernando Dasilva, Katie Hacker and Wyatt White. Craft & Hobby Association Winter Show Los Angeles, CA January 29 – February 1, 2011 To Bead True Blue Tucson, AZ January 30 – February 4, 2011

Beadalon has been a proud corporate sponsor of Beads, Baubles & Jewels since its beginning seven years ago. The show has a fresh, new look and Design Team Member Katie Hacker is now the host. Each show features a magazine-style format with intriguing projects and techniques from a variety of guest experts. Beads, Baubles & Jewels is available on public television stations nationwide. To find viewing times in your area, enter your zip code at BeadsBaublesandjewels.com . Of course, you can watch Katie's Beading Lessons anytime in the Design Workshop at Beadalon.com . The newest series is also now available on DVD from Interweave Press! 

Several of our Beadalon Design Team members are teaching workshops using SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS and Beadalon products at the CREATE YOUR STYLE event in Tucson , Jan. 31-Feb.4. Seats are still available, so register now! Encrusted Cuff by Fernando Dasilva Feb. 1, 1-3pm Learn how to customize a machine stamped suede bracelet using SWAROVSKI Flat backs and accent components to create an alluring fashion statement. Combining gluing and stringing, you will create a design that is delicate yet fierce, with an option of two color palettes. Comet Anemone Bracelet by Leslie Rogalski Feb. 2, 9am-noon Learn a fun and popular fringe technique as you create this lush, glittering bracelet. Easy to stitch SWAROVSKI Round or Xilion Beads size 4mm and size 8 seed beads make this project come together quickly. Fringes are added to beads strung on wire and finished with a stylish clasp. Modern Patina by Katie Hacker Feb. 3, 9am-noon An ancient color combination gets a modern update in this j...

Sadly, my wire-wrapping journey has fallen by the wayside as my muse and my time are lacking these days. That doesn't mean I'm not still enjoying being surrounded by beady things all day! Beadalon offers thousands of products, and I find myself drawn to different ones for different reasons. My list of favorites seems to change all the time, but right now, these are my Top 5 Faves: 1. WildFire Beadweaving Thread I love all beading techniques and I love learning new things, but the thing I enjoy the most is stitching with seed beads. The WildFire Beadweaving Thread is my favorite thread. It's super strong, the color does not come off on my hands when I work with it, and it doesn't fray or split. Some tips: use dedicated, super-sharp scissors to cut it, and before you try to thread it in your needle, mash the end flat with chain nose pliers.   2. Sparkle Tools These are the perfect size for my small hands and the perfect tools for everything that I need. Customers ...

Last week, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Pat Sloan, the host of FaveCrafts Radio . There were a bunch of great guests from the craft world, including Mark Montano, Cathie Filian, Amy Barickman and Amy Anderson. It was a fun warm-up for the Craft & Hobby Association Winter Conference & Trade Show that takes place in Los Angeles later this month!   Of course, I talked about beads, jewelry making and Katiedids™ Creative Components. FaveCrafts.com invited me to participate because they have lots of my jewelry making project sheets in their collection of how-to's. Our Beadalon Design Team has contributed tons of projects to their archive of free, online projects. Have you checked them out yet? From the FaveCrafts website: FaveCraftsRadio is hosted by BlogTalkRadio and featured Host Pat Sloan. This lively lifestyle program treats listeners to creative ideas and featured guests and reporters who offer creative tips, project ideas, product reviews, tips about ...

We're proud to announce the newest member of the Beadalon Design Team: Leslie Rogalski! You may already know her as the former editor of Step By Step Beads magazine and Beading Daily , and have seen her work published in countless other beading magazines. Leslie brings her expertise in beadwork and her style of creating beautiful bold designs using symmetry, balance and order. We're excited to have her join the team! “I love to play with materials and techniques, and to invent new designs. In every medium from seed beads to wire, my construction style is about architecture and balance, symmetry and order. My passion for making jewelry is as much about the journey and the process – it’s a meditative escape from the world – as the end result. I can spend days on a single design or complete something satisfying in under an hour. Making wearable art is sheer joy for me, and I am happiest when I can ignite the same passion in others.” Read more about Leslie, what inspir...

As we count down to the New Year, we’re already looking forward to seeing you! Here are a few of the places you’ll find us in the first couple of months of 2011: Craft & Hobby Association Winter Show Los Angeles, CA January 29 – February 1, 2011 To Bead True Blue Tucson, AZ January 30 – February 4, 2011 Craft Hobby & Stitch International Birmingham, UK Feb. 20-22, 2011 Going to Tucson? Check out the classes at CREATE YOUR STYLE in Tucson 2011 . Several of our Design Team Members will be teaching classes using SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS and their favorite Beadalon products.  

Chain Maille Lady Lauren Andersen and Katie Hacker Your Beadalon Design Team members have been on the road! Chain Maille Lady Lauren Andersen and Sleepless Beader Leslie Rogalski recently joined Katie Hacker on the set of Beads, Baubles & Jewels. Here’s a sneak peek! Lauren on the set of Beads, Baubles & Jewels Katie Hacker and Sleepless Beader Leslie Rogalski

Wishing you a very happy holiday season from all of us on the Beadalon Blog Team! Our randomly selected Google Friend Connect winner for the Beadalon gift pack is: Until We Bead Again, Beth Murr. Congratulations, Beth! Please drop us a line with your shipping address: sales@beadalon.com . For complete instructions for the pictured wire snowflake ornament by Katie Hacker, please visit the FaveCrafts.com Blog [http://www.favecraftsblog.com/meet-and-make-snowflake-ornament-from-katie-hacker/]

It's officially December, so what better time to break out the holiday inspiration? I found these mint candy glass beads at a recent bead show and knew they'd make quick, cute earrings. Beadalon's plated ball head pins and 25mm kidney ear wires make it super easy to whip them up as last-minute gifts. I recently participated in a blog hop where I showed readers how to make some creative packaging for the earrings, too:     To make the house, you'll need these supplies from Sizzix: House, 3D Pro Scoreboards Die by Eileen Hull; 12x12 white matboard, and a Big Shot Pro die cutting machine. The house is really easy to assemble and then it's just a matter of decorating it however you choose. I added striped srapbooking paper and red glitter glue. I used a beading awl to poke holes in the front of the house to display my earrings. -Katie Hacker for Beadalon Katiedids™ www.KatieHacker.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...

Wire wrapping is going strong and you have more choices than ever when it comes to different wire shapes, strengths and colors! While many people are familiar with the terms that relate to sterling silver, it isn't always so clear where other types of wire fall in relation. This chart shows a scale of hardness, based on comparison to sterling, gold-filled and non-tarnish brass wire. Dead Soft is the most easily manipulated type of wire, while Full Hard has the most body. Half-hard is in the center of the spectrum. Beginners are typically advised to start out with the softest wire because it's easier to bend. This prevents frustration and also allows the beginner to more easily correct mistakes. Precise wire wrapping requires wires toward the harder end of the spectrum. Artistic Wire  is available in 55 colors and 13 diameters. Non-tarnish brass resembles gold and will retain its finish and shine due a proprietary non-tarnish finish. Tinned copper, bare copper, and bare br...