Ever catch a glimpse of a beautiful bracelet, earrings or necklace and compliment on it only to find out they made it themselves?  People can make amazingly gorgeous jewelry with just a bit of beads and wire. Guess what? You can too!  This is also a great project to do with your grandkids!

Here’s how to get started:

It’s fairly easy, and common, to get into a crafting mood head to your local bead store and spend gobs of money only to get home and not know what to do with what you purchased.  Instead of going to the bead store and buying everything that looks good,  like a kid in a candy store, consider going with a project in mind.  A bracelet for example, is a good beginner beading project to start with.

Make a list of what you’ll need.  This may require a bit of research.  For example a power bracelet is a great place to start.  Power bracelet supplies include:

• Elastic Cord
• Beads Of Your Choice
• One Bead With Three Holes
• Scissors

It is important to make sure the cord fits through the hole in your bead. Finishing the bracelet, making sure the beads don’t fall off the moment you slip it onto your wrist, is the final step. With a three holed bead the process involves pushing the cord through both sides of the three holed bead and up through the top.  The final step is to tie an overhand knot, trim the ends and voila!

Other project options are wire jewelry, hemp jewelry and earrings of all shapes and sizes.  Once you have a project decided upon and a list of supplies, then it’s time to head out to the local bead store.  Some project supplies, like the three holed bead, can be difficult to find. There are many online options to locate those hard to find supplies. Or if you are determined to make your project, and are willing to compromise on some of the supplies, then variations can generally be suggested and purchased at your local bead store.

For example, using the power bracelet supply list: If the three holed bead is unavailable, a two holed bead can be supplemented, using an alternative tying method. It’s done by looping one of the cord ends through the end bead and then pulling it up and through another bead before making a knot. It leaves the string exposed so choosing a string that matches your beads is recommended.

Once you get started creating beaded jewelry it’s hard to stop!  There are so many beautiful projects to create and a seemingly endless supply of stunning beads. Start small, plan your projects well and be willing to ask questions and make adjustments as you go.  Enjoy!