Making jewelry is an interesting craft to pursue, and when beginning any new hobby or craft, it is often best to start slow and allow yourself a chance to grow into it at your own pace. The old saw recommending that one learns to walk before they run is applicable in a number of crafts. Any new craft projects which are too difficult or involved and become frustrating are soon dropped or left behind. Perhaps the simplest and easiest way to get involved with jewelry making and the world of jewelry arts is in the field of bead stringing. For the most part, bead stringing involves working with a variety of pre-made beads which are polished and ready to use with the holes already drilled so that they are ready for use. Stringing of beads typically involves running a thin metal wire or nylon filament string through the holes in the beads to assemble a necklace, bracelet or anklet. The piece is finished by adding some sort of clasp piece at each end which allows the loop to be opened and worn.
This simple craft of bead stringing has become tremendously popular, and bead stores offering a huge variety of materials have sprung up all across the United States. The stores offer hobbyists interested in the art of bead stringing virtually everything they could possibly need in the practice of their craft. These types of stores are found in most larger cities as well as mail order businesses based on providing service through the Internet. While there are some exceptions, most of the materials are comparatively inexpensive. The affordability and ease with which one can take up this hobby has made it literally assessable to everyone. The beautiful products which can be so easily created are what have made this craft so explosively popular.
Beads are available in natural materials that range from inexpensive to very valuable beads made of precious materials such as high-quality natural Emerald. A variety of metals are available from shiny but inexpensive chrome through copper and silver to 14 karat gold. A large number of inexpensive man-made materials, such as glass or painted ceramic are also available. Various objects, including crystals, seashells, coins or other items can be used in the center of a necklace or bracelet as a focus piece. The vast number of potentials and possibilities are dizzying.
This indescribable variety allows the bead stringing hobbyist to create an infinite number of patterns and associations in the jewelry crafts with which they create their works of art. All that is really needed is an eye for design and some patience to assemble the beautiful jewelry piece envisioned in the design stage.
In the last decade, literally thousands of folks have gotten into one aspect of bead stringing or another. For many of these folks it is become more than just a simple hobby or craft, but an artistic passion. For some it is even become a significant business opportunity as they are able to sell some of the beautiful pieces which they produce. If you are interested in starting a jewelry related craft, bead stringing may well be the very best place to get started.
Photos and other additional information on bead stringing can be found on the author's website at:
Chris Ralph writes a monthly series of articles on small scale mining and prospecting for the ICMJ Mining Journal. He has a degree in Mining Engineering from the Mackay School of Mines in Reno and markets his own line of gemstones and jewelry. His web home page can be viewed at: http://nevada-outback-gems.com
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