Steve Manik asked:


Purses are beautiful and wonderful things, the most decorative extension of who you are and what you are wearing. A purse somehow indicates what you are feeling and what you will be feeling. Beaded purses perhaps indicate that better than other purses. Beaded purses may be an oddity or they may be vintage. A beaded purse is generally a plain normal purse which has been made colorful and stylish by use of specially placed beads of various colors.

One of the popular beaded purses is a coin purse. These mini purses are useful for a bit of change and few dollars. These small purses are not meant to carry weight and you may carry a lipstick or two of you are hard pressed. These coin purses are cost effective. They are normally adorned with lions and tigers.

Another is the novelty beaded purse. These novelty purses are of various sizes. They have numerous styles, fashions and designs. A tiger purse will have shape of a tiger head and the complete head will be beaded. There are all sorts of animals you may use. Along with that there are some which are made just for fun. Some of these novelty purses have unusual designs like Flemings and sailboats.

Designers handbags are also decorated with beads. These beads can either be made of glass or crystals. Designer handbags take lot of care in placing these beads and they want to assure you that these beads will to come away. Almost all designers utilize beads.
The beaded bags provide a unique style to your outlook. The price range of beaded bags starts from quite low to priceless bags. Beaded purses and bags have been around for hundreds of years. There are any number of beaded bags in museums around the world. This shows haw much beaded bags are loved throughout the world.

If you are feeling adventurous, you may make one for yourself. You can easily do it if you try. There are designs available to help people make beaded bags which will make you feel proud once you have made it. There are also means to make your own designs. The most simple method is to make a cloth bag and then add beads at appropriate places. Nothing is too little or too big for your beaded bag.

Beaded bag are beautiful to look at and appear delicate, but if you take good care of them then they last for years. If beads of inferior quality have been used they may discolor in course of time. As with everything do a little research before purchasing. It is wiser to spend a little time now than a lot of money later. You can search on internet also if you have decided to buy. Make sure that you are not taken for a fool.

Beads can either be stringed to purses or stuck on them. Sometimes the handle of the purse is stylishly beaded and it gives it a different look. There are purses which are adorned with pearls. The material used for making these purses is leather or good quality fabric. Pearls which are naturally obtained give a look of elegance to the purse.

Bead purses are available in various price ranges. The quality of material used and the cost of beads are important factors in deciding price of purse.



JERRY

AuntiesBeads asked:

Per customer request, I am going to demonstrate how to use beading chain and crimp end caps. www.auntiesbeads.com

DANTE

Steve Manik asked:


Beaded items are quite popular these days. In shopping malls, departmental stores or designers stores you will find lots of beaded items for sale like bags, purses, bracelets, necklaces, wall hangings, cushion covers etc. Beads are not only attractive to some people but they just can’t resist buying them.

Beads are of many different shapes, sizes, textures, colors and designs. Designers of accessories, jewelry and interiors utilize the richness of their colors and their different shapes to make astounding pieces. Items made with beads are indeed useful and captivating. Items such as bracelets and necklaces are used by ladies to enhance their appearance, while beading items such as wall hangings, cushion covers etc. are utilized to decorate homes. Fabrics with beads add further décor to your home.

Beads have been valued for hundreds of years. From olden times people have used beads in the form of stones and shells later on they were manufactured from clay, glass, metal and crystals and more recently acrylics and plastics. People have been associated with beading for a long time. They like choosing beads and combining them to make an attractive piece of art. It is a very popular form of craft work for young as well as old. Some do it for work while others do it for hobby.
People do beading work because it is extremely rewarding. It gives them a chance to show their creativity along with enhancing their lives. There are some who nourish the notion that beading can become an obsession and is addictive. Still it is very satisfying to make beautiful pieces for yourself, for your home or even as gifts for your friends by utilizing beads.

The beauty of bead work lies in its diversity. There is a large range of beads to select from market. A large range of bead supply is available. You can choose the types, shapes, colors, sizes and textures of beads to create the design you desire. Then there are wide range of beading techniques which can be used on beads: wiring, threading, weaving, sticking and embroidering. You may select any method you like.

Beading techniques can be either threadless or threaded. Though there are few ways of joining beads without threads like glue, but there are hundred and one ways of joining beads with thread. You get extreme satisfaction after each item created by you is completed.

Beading is supposed to be a cost effective crafts work. You don’t require a special workshop. You just need a table, good lighting, some beading tools and your chosen beads. With these you may make exciting pieces of beaded items. You may also make jewelry which will become a family heirloom because of its beautiful finish. The basics of beading are easy to learn.

You can try your designing a new creation. If you don’t like it, you can take it apart and try a new design. Beading is fun and interesting. Be adventurous, always keep on experimenting till you succeed, you will enjoy the experience.



MALCOLM

lain_xiii asked:


I need to make a stockpile of ornaments for this year’s xmas tree and I am having trouble finding patterns for things like beaded dragonflies, spiders, butterflies, flowers lady bugs and so on. Please help! Any patterns are appreciated!

STACY

Cliffie asked:


This is actually for my wife, but I’m helping her do research.

There seemsto be a wide variety of prices for the basic beading hand tools. I can’t see them in person since we are going to mail-order, but I want to know if the cheap sets will do the trick.

Any experiences or recommendations are welcome.

FEDERICO

Suzie Goldie asked:


There are just a few basic beading tools that you need to get you started:

Beading Tool #1: Wire Cutter

Wire cutters are an essential in jewelry making, because you will be using various kinds of wire. You will want to get a small pair of wire cutters that can cut through things like headpins. They should be small, because the work you will be doing is small. If the wire cutters are too big, you will not be able to cut the wire close to the project.

Beading Tool #2: Glue

Many jewelry projects require that you use glue, but you want to make sure you purchase glue that is specially designed for jewelry making. White or craft glues will not adhere correctly, but beading glue often gets into the delicate details of a project.

Beading Tool #3: Tweezers

As you continue beading, you will find that you are using very small, delicate beads. A pair of tweezers will help you pick up small objects that you just cannot do with your hands.

Beading Tool #4: Scissors

You will need scissors for many beading projects, but be sure you purchase the kind that is specially created for jewelry making.

Beading Tool #5: Round Nose Pliers

While you can find round nose pliers at any hardware store, it is often better to buy them in a craft or beading store, because these are made especially for beading. Also, you should look for round nose pliers that have a spring in the handle, because they are more comfortable and convenient for beading. The round nose pliers are used for making round or circular pieces of wire.

Beading Tool #6: Flat Nose Pliers

Again, you can find these tools in most hardware stores, as their uses range from beading to auto repair. Yet buying them in a craft or beading store will assure that they are made for jewelry. These pliers should be soft inside the nose, and they will be the primary pair of pliers with a flat nose used in jewelry making.

As you beading expertise progresses you will need other tools like Ez-Beaders and hand tube beaders. You will also find yourself in need of organizers for your beads.



HERMAN

Krista QQ(www.123giftfactory.com) asked:


Foreword: In 2009 you’ll see more bright and natural colors in fashionable beads jewelry…



Spring of 2009 is right around the corner and there’s no better time to plan for the upcoming bead jewelry trends than right now, before the 2009 spring and summer seasons really begin! Predicting future fashion and jewelry trends is always a little bit of a game, but I’ve been reading a lot of fashion magazines, listening to my customers that visit my bead jewelry display table and generally talking to people about what they are looking for. There are some definite trends for 2009 and here are some of the things I’m hearing:

Colorful and Natural

I have seen some emphasis on “nature” influences which sometimes shows itself in the materials such as wood or stone beads use in jewelry, but I’ve also seen a lot more “flower” and “leaf” shaped beads and pendants on the scene. Any sort of botanical or organic looking jewelry pieces or beads are still popular from what I’ve seen. I don’t make much, but I’ve actually had people asked me if I have anything that has “natural warmth”.

Big and Beautiful

It sounds like the days of dainty shiny pieces of metal jewelry are gone for the moment and the big and colorful gemstone jewelry and beads are still pretty hot right now. People are still asking for more “chunky” jewelry, sometimes with larger stones and crystals that catch the eye, sometimes with asymmetrical patterns or at least oddly cut beads and gemstones.

Cocktail Rings

If you’re shopping, wearing or making rings, consider “rings with bling!” Cocktail rings are generally over-the-top diamond or gemstone rings that are overly colorful, shiny and, yes, sometimes a bit gaudy. But that’s part of the fun! These go along with the bright and bold bead jewelry you might be wearing and could even match or compliment it with similar gemstones or beads. You can make cocktail rings with gemstone beads, crystal beads or just about any other shiny materials.

Charms and Pendants

Again, going with the bold and bright bead jewelry, what stands out more than a beautiful chain that meets with a large bold diamond or gemstone charm or pendant on the end?

Modern Metals

Yes, natural and chunky are in, but there is still room for metals in beaded jewelry, especially when it is sleek and modern looking or even mixed with natural materials like wood and stone beads. There are always people who like the more “modern” beads and jewelry as opposed to the more traditional bead jewelry designs. You can buy modern beads for jewelry making or you can go for a more unique look and actually make

beads jewelry out of hardware washers!



Silver and Gold

Silver has been popular for the last few years and that will probably continue, but you’ll also see more gold and even two-tone chains and metals being used in both beads and jewelry pieces. Some of those silver and gold Trollbeads are excellent examples of mixed metals being used as a charm or pendant in bead jewelry pieces.

Faux Foreign Influence

I’m still seeing a lot of Asian and Moroccan influences in fashion, home furnishings and even jewelry. The influences don’t have to be completely genuine or “realistic” but that sense of something coming from a foreign country and past time are still popular. Even the big chain stores are catching this vibe and a lot of their house wares and jewelry give off that “Pier One” vaguely Indian or Eastern Orient vibe. When you’re creating bead jewelry necklaces or bracelets you could think about using dark wooden beads (natural) and mixing it with large metal Oriental looking coins and rings with a hole through the center to bring in the foreign feel!

Colorful

You’ll want to think about bright and bold, but remember that natural element! Neons and wild synthetic colors are not popular, but bright natural colors definitely are in, both in clothing and jewelry fashion. Once again, I have to turn to the color experts at Pantone who have picked out the trendy colors for 2009. Don’t forget to look at the 28 page Adobe Acrobat guide there! It’s fun and inspirational! I’m thinking about printing a few of the pages out and hanging them around my beading area for inspiration when I’m creating my jewelry.

Last, if you have seen any other bead jewelry trends for 2009 that I missed, pls don’t hesitate to let me know…



HERSHEL

Molls914 asked:


I bought a beautiful off-white dress that has black beads all through it to wear to a fancy semi-formal xmas party. It’s very vintage looking. It comes just below my knee. Is off white a bad color to wear in the wintertime? I plan on bringing a black pashmina with me so if I get cold I can wear that too. Any thoughts?

RUDY

Karen Lincoln asked:


Beads have become part of our lives, and these are used in various things such as the jewelry that we wear, or on other decorative things in our homes such as table mats, bed covers etc. The greatest part of using beads, is that you can get creative and create your own beading designs and decorate different things that you use. You can decorate a hand bag with beads, and thus making it really attractive. When you work with beading, you need to have patience, time and creativity. If your doing beading in a professional capacity, you need to be precise, so that your beading designs look neat and intricate.

If you’ve understood the simple basics of beading, you can work on varied beading designs, be it simple designs or more complex such as Peyote designs. Geometric and floral patterns are simple beading designs. Creating, animals or huge table cloths, is a lot more complex.

Majority of bead work is done with thread. However you can get innovative and use different materials with beads. Wires have become increasingly popular, mainly because its so easy and flexible to work with. Attractive hair pins and clips, with bead work is done using metal strips. To do this, you need to bend the metal as by doing this the beads don’t fall out. Create a loop by attaching the two ends of metal. You can use aluminum strips, which are extremely thin and workable to create dangle bead earrings. If you stick both ends of the strips by folding one on top of the other, you can make beautiful pendants.

Beads made of glass or wood, or transparent plastic can be used to make bracelets. Bright colors make jewelry more attractive. You can also use large beads to make a chunky bracelets which are quite popular with teenagers. It’s actually very simple to make a bracelet. Just thread some beads together, add a hook at the two ends of the threads, and you have an attractive bead bracelet. Using rubber instead of thread is also something unique and creative. However one thing that you need to be mindful of, is taking care not to stretch the rubber while your putting in the beads. Only when your wearing the bracelet, can the rubber be stretched. It’s advisable to make a rubber bracelet by using the rubber that fits the size of your wrist.

Floral designs are another common feature amongst beading designs. Various flowers such as daisies, roses etc can be made. Also, you can use smaller beads to create small leaves, adding to the attractiveness of the beading designs. These can be rather complex, and you need to be a little patient while creating these beading designs.

Beading involves creating loops of beads or parallel lines of beads. The square, the peyote and the loom are the patterns that are formed. Designs are made from these patterns, which are then used in a myriad of different forms to create beading designs. These beading designs look rather complex, which is not really the case. If you use a beading kit, you can learn to create various types of beading designs. Or you can also copy existing designs to learn different techniques. While beading is relatively simple, it does require some practice and a whole lot of patience.



MERVIN

rscwhite asked:

Beading by Machine This video class shows 10 variations of a simple machine beading technique. These ideas, as well as the little notion the “Beadle”, were developed over a two and a half year period. This is only the beginning of the exciting variations that can be achieved with this technique. Goto www.threadpaint.com for more info and to www.quiltstream.com for more videos!

HUBERT