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The Bead Shop

30/07/2020
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The Beginners Guide to Jewellery Findings…

Before the Basics… ‘Jewellery findings’ are the bare bones of any piece of jewellery. The term ‘findings’ is a collective way to describe any individual component that falls under this category. Jewellery findings are used to link, hold, or secure jewellery items together to create a complete piece of jewellery. Choosing which beads you like is often the easy part. Selecting the right findings, however, can be a difficult task for any beginner. So, here is a full guide to all your jewellery findings and what they can be used for to... Read More

16/07/2020
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Guide To Jewellery Making Tools for Beginners

If you are reading this for the first time chances are you have decided to embark on a new hobby. You have scanned the internet, created boards on Pinterest and drooled over handmade jewellery designs on Instagram. So many possibilities, so little time.    If this sounds familiar to you, then firstly – welcome to the exciting new world of jewellery making. We want to make your entrance as smooth as possible. Good news! It isn’t necessary to spend money on lots of fancy tools. Invest in good quality basics... Read More

05/02/2020

How to Make a Matubo SuperDuo Czech Beaded Bracelet

Learn to create this cute weave and produce a stunning bracelet or necklace, using Matubo SuperDuo Czech Beads. Our large range of colours offers so many design possibilities. Whether you prefer complementary colours or like to experiment with contrasting shades, both will give you an equally stunning look. Step 1 Take 2 x 60cm lengths of Beadalon 7 Strand jewellery wire. Fold the wire in half and thread a trigger clasp onto the centre of the wires. Gather the wires together and thread a tube crimp onto all the 4... Read More

04/02/2020
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The Perfect Way to String Semi-Precious Stones.

Mala beads were traditionally used for Buddhist prayer recitals and consist of 108 individually knotted beads. Mathematicians during the Vedic understood the number 108 to hold cosmological significance. Religious mystics believed it to represent spiritual completion and was, therefore, a sacred number. Garlands strung with 108 beads were used as a counting tool when repeating mantra during meditation, and many traditional prayer necklaces feature larger beads at significant marker points, to indicate a halfway. In recent times, the mala has been adopted by health and wellbeing communities, yogis and fashionistas.... Read More

Kids Crafts | Beads Online 23/06/2016
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Top 5 Kids’ Crafts to Keep Them Busy This Summer

Entertaining kids in the summer months can be challenging, particularly on those rainy days when playing out isn’t an option. We recommend stocking up on craft supplies and having a few of these rainy day activities in the bank for when the storm clouds roll in. Buy beads online in bulk and you’ll have enough to keep your little ones entertained whatever the weather. Button bracelets These are an easy and fun way to teach sewing techniques, and they’ll have a fun and colourful bracelet to wear at the end,... Read More

31/05/2016

The Beginners Guide for Creating Beaded Festival Jewellery

Festival season is just about to begin, so we have decided to bring you a number of different tutorials on how to make jewellery perfect for any festival. One of our favourite looks that you are almost guaranteed to see at any festival is the boho-chic look, which can be easily achieved with beaded jewellery, especially when stacked on top of each other. One of the easiest pieces of festival style jewellery that you can make is a beaded bracelet. Not only are these suitable for jewellery making beginners, but... Read More

kumihimo bracelet 13/05/2016

Kumihimo Braiding: A History

Kumihimo continues to surge in popularity with crafts lovers all over the world, and we’re not surprised: evidence of Kumihimo braiding dates back to 7,500 BC, so there’s plenty of inspiration to draw from. From making a simple, colourful bracelet to creating a Kumihimo necklace with integrated pearls and crystals, there’s a lot you can do with braiding if you use the right Kumihimo supplies.   To learn more about the tradition, let’s dive into the history of the ancient Japanese art form to truly learn to love it. Kumihimo... Read More

Beads Online | The Bead Shop 04/05/2016
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5 Steps for Embellishing Your Clothes with Beads!

Beads aren’t just great for creating jewellery. You can also customise your outfits by embellishing them with beads and sequins. Not only is it incredibly fun and easy, allowing you to feel like a real fashion designer, it also gives you a great reason to recycle that old jumper or skirt!   What do I need? Beads of your own choice (make sure they can go on a 40C wash) Pencil Paper Tailor’s chalk Ruler An old piece of clothing Cotton thread A beading needle Scissors Step 1: First decide... Read More

22/04/2016

Semi-Precious Stones and Their Meaning

Here at The Bead Shop, you can find a wide range of gemstones and semi-precious beads that can be used to customise or create your own jewellery. The use of semi-precious beads as an ornament dates back thousands of years. Most famed were the Ancient Egyptians who embelished jewellery for noble men and women with lapiz Lazuli, Obsidian, Garnet & Carnelian to name a few. Craftmen working with semi-precious could be located across the globe; Turkey, Greece, France all favoured these exotic natural materials. Semi-Precious Stones have remained popular and... Read More

Make Tassels 24/03/2016

How to Make Tassels

A fun way to liven up your handmade jewellery is to attach little tassels to them. Nope, they don’t just look good on curtains and tablecloths, they’re great on jewellery as well – especially now festival season is coming up! Unfortunately tassels can be quite expensive, but not to worry: every DIY-fanatic will know that they’re very fun and super easy to make! Follow our tutorial below to see how you can create your own. We’ve chosen for embroidery floss because it comes in hundreds different colours and textures, so you... Read More

11/02/2016

All you need to know about Jewellery Making Tools

If you have a creative mind, jewellery making can not only be a superb hobby, but it can also be a great stream of revenue; either on the side or as a full time job. Whilst many jewellery makers stick to creating pieces for their own persoal use, once you have become more experienced, you can pass them on as gifts, or to sell.   With all its benefits, jewellery making can be fun. However, as you start to try and experiment with more difficult pieces, it can become a... Read More

22/01/2016

Top Tips for Jewellery Making Beginners

Starting out in jewellery making can be daunting, especially when everyone around you seems to be making expert Kumihimo braids and you’re still learning the basics. However, everyone has to start somewhere, before they become experts in their field. So, to give you a helping hand in getting through the first few hurdles, we have searched high and low to find some of the best tips for jewellery making beginners to get you on a roll, straight from the experts. Start with the type of jewellery that you enjoy the... Read More

15/01/2016

Up and Coming Spring Colours to Work into Your Jewellery Designs

With spring not that far away, it is coming up to the time for us to start thinking about updating our winter wardrobe to something a little more vibrant. To help give you direction, we have sought out some of the most important colours for Spring 2016, according to Pantone, and how you can incorporate them into your jewellery designs. These colours are “influenced by the world of art”, focussing on colours that are calm and reflect the beauty of the world’s natural resources. Out of the top 10 colours... Read More

04/01/2016
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The Benefits of Making Your Own Jewellery

If you’re tempted to start the New Year with a brand new hobby, beading could be perfect! In this post we’ll share some of the main benefits to making your own jewellery. Therapeutic Jewellery making can be an incredibly therapeutic hobby that can help you to unwind after a long day. Whether you make a Kumihimo bracelet using Swarovski beads while watching your favourite soaps on TV or you prefer to sit in silence while you create a beaded choker, jewellery making can be a really relaxing way to pass... Read More

28/12/2015

How to Make Beaded Hoop Earrings

        When it comes to doing your Christmas shopping, there’s always that one person who is impossible to buy for. Sometimes it can be a real struggle to find the perfect gift for them. The good news is that you may be able to tackle this problem by making your own gifts instead. If you’re new to the world of beading, making jewellery yourself may seem like a real challenge, so we’ve created this step-by-step guide to get you started. You’re welcome! Let’s start by making these gorgeous... Read More

21/12/2015

Important Tools For Making A Kumihimo Bracelet

If you’re new to the world of Kumihimo braiding, it can be tricky to know where to start. Here are the most important tools you’ll need: Kumihimo Braiding Disk A braiding disk is an essential part of the Kumihimo process. There are three different types to choose from, including 6” round braiding discs, 4.25” round braiding discs and 6” square braiding plates.  Kumihimo thread Although there are a wide variety of cords to choose from, Superlon Bead Cords are one of the most popular options amongst enthusiastic Kumihimo bracelet makers. It’s easy... Read More

Handmade Jewellery Christmas Tree 10/12/2015

8 Handmade Alternatives to the Traditional Christmas Tree

For many people, the Christmas tree is a vital part of the festive season and the tree-decorating process itself can be a really exciting activity. However, if you’re trying to save money, be kinder to the environment, or you simply fancy getting creative, why not make your own? Here are just a few handmade alternatives to the traditional Christmas tree we know and love.     Necklace Tree What better way to showcase all your handmade jewellery than to display them in the shape of a tree? We’ve fallen in... Read More

Swarovski Crystals 13/11/2015

3 Ways To Use Swarovski Beads

If you like your jewellery to be stylish and sophisticated, Swarovski beads could be the perfect addition to your jewellery making toolkit. These high quality beads are durable and attractive, allowing you to create stylish and high quality pieces that will stand the test of time. There are a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colours to choose from. If anything, you might struggle to decide which ones to use! Necklace For that world famous Swarovski quality and shine, Swarovski crystals can be the perfect statement-making addition to a necklace.... Read More

06/11/2015

A Beginner’s Guide to Beading

Whether you’re a jewellery addict looking to make your own personalised creations or someone hoping to make money by selling handmade bracelets, there are plenty of things to take into account when venturing into the world of beading for the first time. Here are just a few of the key things to consider:  Learn some basic skills Whether you’re planning on working with traditional beads or crystal-like pendants, most projects require a few basic skills. For example, you’re likely to need to know how to open and close a jump ring and... Read More

28/10/2015

Essential Jewellery Making Tools

Whether you’ve started making jewellery as a hobby or you’re a jewellery-making pro, it can be a good idea to create your own beading tool kit so you always have everything you need to hand! Here are just a few of the tools we use on a regular basis to make our own jewellery: Pliers Pliers are a must for any beading project. However, it’s easy to get confused by the various types available. Flat nose pliers, round nose pliers, chain nose pliers and wire cutters are some of the most... Read More