Tutorial Tuesday

Tutorial Tuesday: Aloe Vera Pendant

I created a quick video tutorial to share how I made the Aloe Vera jewelry design pendant with Soft Flex beading wire, Jesse James Beads focal bead and Superduos from my beading book, Seed Bead Revolution.

P.S. I love how much this jewelry design mimics a dreamcatcher! 🙂

Seed Bead Revolution Now Available on Amazon

Seed Bead Revolution is available for order through Amazon and  SoftFlexCompany.com.

A Journey into using unusual shaped seed beads in unique ways

The seed bead sector of the jewelry making industry is churning out new shapes and sizes of seed beads with a variety of hole configurations.

Authors Sara Oehler and Kristen Fagan wrote this book to show how these new and innovative beads can be used to create jewelry using Soft Flex beading wire rather than thread or cord. The projects are easy to intermediate, but they are unique enough to capture the interest of even the most advanced beader. Most projects can be completed in one sitting.

  • 32 projects
  • Foreword and bonus project by Nealay Patel
  • Most projects show two colorways
  • Projects use SuperDuos, SuperUnos, Tilas, Half Tilas, Rullas, Dragon Scales and More!
  • Learn how to crimp in a variety of ways, braid, kumihimo, patina metal and weave with beading wire.

Can I just tell you how excited I am that our book, Seed Bead Revolution, has finished shipping pre-orders! After three printed proofs and multiple edits, Sara and I finally signed off on the final Seed Bead Revolution and the pre-orders are on their way to Soft Flex Company headquarters in California to be shipped. We can’t wait for you to receive your pre-order copies!

Thank you so much for those of you that already placed your order. We are excited to see the designs you create. I hope you share your projects and the arrival of your books in the mail with me! Use the hashtag #seedbeadrevolution on social media for me see your images.

Seed Bead Revolution is available for order through Amazon and  SoftFlexCompany.com.

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Tutorial Tuesday: Agate and Crystal Set

Natural fire agate is a vibrant, colorful, often banded variety of Chalcedony Quartz. Like all agates, it has protection energies. It can aid memory, including recall of past lives. It can assist one in finding the right mate. It is also a stone of protection in general and from anger, jealousy and fear. In addition it can help with manifestation of one’s desires, and brings good luck.  

At first I wasn’t sure about pairing orange with these light sapphire blue crystal squaredelle spacer beads, but they are really pretty together. It turns out orange and blue are BFF’s!

Photo Credit: TheTrendSpotter.com

Materials

Necklace Instructions

1. Cut 24″ of beading wire. Squeeze open a bead stopper and attach to one end of your wire.

2. String one crimp tube and one crystal bead.

3. String one squaredelle and one agate bead.

4. Repeat step 3, eight more times.

5. String one squaredelle, one crystal and one crimp tube.

6. Measure 9 inches from one end and crimp tube with regular crimping pliers to hold beads in place.

Click for crimping instructions.

7. Bend the design into the natural necklace shape as shown above and crimp the tube on the other side of the beads to hold them in place. Remove bead stopper.

(Tip: If you lay your design straight and crimp you crimp it too tight and will not be able to wear it in the natural curved shape)

8. String one crimp tube and half of the toggle clasp. Pass the wire back through the crimp tube and crimp. Repeat on the other side for the second half of the toggle clasp.

Bracelet Instructions

1. Cut 8″ of beading wire.  String one crimp tube and half of the toggle clasp. Pass the wire back through the crimp tube and crimp.

2. String one crystal bead.

3. String one squaredelle and one agate bead.

4. Repeat step 3, eight more times.

5. String one squaredelle and one crystal.

6. String one crimp tube and the other half of the toggle clasp. Pass the wire back through the crimp tube. Bend the design into the natural bracelet shape and crimp.

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Tutorial Tuesday: Boho Stone Necklace

I love chunky gemstones and had been eyeing a short strand of Lapis gemstone beads. I finally bought them for myself and am so happy I did! Soft Flex Company carries a wide range of short strand beads which allowed me to grab some really high quality beads at an affordable price. They are usually one-of-a-kind so, be sure to grab them when you see them! The shorter strand also forced me to dream up a design using less beads. Since chunky gemstones can get heavy, using less beads kept the design nice and lightweight. This long bohemian necklace is light and airy and with the fun pops of color, it’s perfect for hot summer days. I made a second necklace using cherry quartz beads for the tutorial below.

Materials

Instructions

1. String five turquoise heishi beads onto a gold head pin. Using a pair of chain nose pliers, create a right angle above the last bead leaving 2mm of space between the top of the bead and the bend in the wire. Using a pair of round nose pliers, bend the wire into a loop. Cut off excess wire. Repeat 4 times so, you have 5 dangles. 

2. Cut 7″ of beading wire.Add a bead stopper on one end. String one cherry quartz beads and one spacer bead. Repeat 10 times. String one more cherry quartz bead. The length of beads is about 4″.

3. String one 2x2mm crimp tube on the wire end without the bead stopper. Loop your wire back through the crimp tube forming a small loop and crimp. Cut off excess wire. Repeat on the other side after removing the bead stopper. For step by step instructions on how to crimp with the magical crimping pliers, click here.

4. Cut one 2″ length of chain. Count the links and find the middle. My chain piece had 19 links so, I attached the middle dangle first onto link 10. Next, attach 2 dangles to the right and 2 dangles to the left of your middle dangle, skipping one link in between them. So in my 19 link chain length example, you have dangles attached to links 6, 8, 10, 12, 14.

5. Cut a long length of chain (24″-30″) depending on how long you would like your necklace to be.

6. Using chain nose pliers, open each jump ring and attach one to each end of the long chain segment. Next, slide the looped ends of the gemstone strand to each of the jump rings and lastly, add the small chain segment with the dangles to each of the jump rings and twist the jump rings closed.

The long length allows you to omit the clasp and place the necklace over your head.

Have fun making it in all sorts of color and gemstone shape combinations!

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Tutorial Tuesday: Desert Vibe Wire Wrap Earrings

Tutorial Tuesday is a blog series where I share a do-it-yourself jewelry tutorial.

It’s been awhile (a whole year in fact!) since, I’ve shared a Tutorial Tuesday design with you. I was inspired to create these desert vibe beauties by the “Tempting treasures wire frame earrings” designed by Bonnie Riconda in the August 2016 issue of Bead&Button Magazine.

Materials

Tutorial

1. Flush cut 5″ of 18 gauge wire, straighten and smooth the wire with nylon jaw pliers.

2. Using round nose pliers, make a look on each end, with the loops facing each other.

3. Bend the strand of the wire softly up from the middle and line up the two loops at the top. Form wire into a teardrop shape.

4. Place the wire form on a block and lightly hammer it with a nylon hammer to work harden the wire. Do not hammer the loops when they are overlapped. Separate the loops, hammer and squeeze the loops back together they are overlapped again.

5. Repeat steps 1-4 for the second wire form.

6.  Cut 36″ of 26 gauge wire and wrap it three or four times around the top left of the wire form. 

7. String the number of beads needed to reach the other side of the form and secure by making several wraps. Repeat this step with your desired beads, adjusting the number of wraps needed based on the size of your beads. I strung: 3 shell heishi, 3 citrine rondelles, 7 shell heishi, 7 turquoise heishi, 5 citrine rondelles. 

8. Trim and tuck the wire tail, pressing it close to your form.

9. Repeat steps 6-8 for the second earring.  

10. Cut 2” of 20 gauge wire strands and using Wubbers make your ear wires. Watch the video DIY Episode 7: How to make Ear Wires using Soft Flex® Craft Wire and Wubbers Pliers on our YouTube channel.

11. Open the loop of an ear wire, attach it to the two loops on the earring form and close the loop. 

12. Repeat steps 10 and 11 to complete the second earring.   

 

Tutorial Tuesday: Swarovski Cosmic Triangle Necklace

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Tutorial Tuesday is a blog series where I share a do-it-yourself jewelry tutorial.

Since I had another one of these beautiful Swarovski cosmic triangle crystals I had to make a matching necklace to this knit bangle tutorial I shared earlier this month. I just love the richness of the champagne color paired with smokey quartz, gold and red wire.

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Materials

Soft Flex .019 Beading Wire Red Coral – 8″
Swarovski 6mm Round Smoked Topaz – 4
Swarovski 20mm Cosmic Triangle Ring Golden Shadow – 1
Gold Spacer Beads – 2
Gold or Brass Colored Chain – 18″
5mm Brass Jump Rings – 4
12mm Antique Brass Lobster Claw Clasp – 1
2x2mm Gold Filled Crimp Tubes -4
Magical Crimping Pliers
Chain Nose Pliers
Cutters

Instructions

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1. Cut 54″ length of Soft Flex beading wire in red. Wrap the end of your beading wire around one side of the triangle crystal and back through a crimp tube. Leaving one wire tail long enough to string your beads on, crimp using the magical crimping pliers. Trim excess wire on the shorter tail. Click here for magical crimping instructions.

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2.  String 1 crystal round, 1 gold spacer, 1 crystal round and 1 crimp tube. Create a loop with your beading wire feeding the end back through the crimp tube. Crimp using the magical crimping pliers. Trim excess wire and push strand to the one corner of the triangle.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 on the  other corner of the triangle.

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4. Using your chain nose pliers, open the jump rings and attach a jump ring to each strand loop and to your chain. At the back of your chain attach 2 more jump rings and your lobster claw clasp. 

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Tutorial Tuesday: Swarovski Crystal Knit Bangle

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Tutorial Tuesday is a blog series where I share a do-it-yourself jewelry tutorial.

Check out this beautiful Swarovski cosmic triangle crystal! The richness of the champagne color paired with smokey quartz, gold and red wire gives  the design a feeling of bold elegance.

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Materials

Instructions

1. Knit a 5″ length wire cage with Soft Flex beading wire in red and a 5-pin knitting spool. using using Style 1 in the instructions found on Soft Flex company’s website. Click for instructions on how to knit with beading wire. Leave at least a 2″ tail of wire at the beginning and end of your knitted wire cage. 

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2. Once your knitted wire is approximately 5″ in length, remove the knitted wire from the spool. One by one, drop (12) crystal round beads inside the knitted wire cage unstrung. 

3. Weave your wire tail through the knit loops to close it up. I go through the loops a few times to make sure the end is secure. You will now have a closed knit wire cage with a one strand wire tail coming out each end.

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4. On one tail end of your knitted cage, string 1 crystal round, 1 gold spacer, 1 crystal round and 1 2x2mm gold filled crimp tube.

5. Wrap the end of your beading wire around one side of the triangle crystal and back through your crimp tube. Crimp using the magical crimping pliers. Click here for magical crimping instructions.

6. Repeat steps 4&5 on the other side of your knitted cage. Since the finished design will stretch, you do not need to attach a clasp.

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7. Cut 16″ of craft wire in bronze, thread about 2″ of wire through the knitted cage and wrap around a couple of times to secure. Now, take the longer end and continue to wrap around the cage until you have created a cone that covers up the ends of the knitted cage.  Repeat on the opposite side.

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Tutorial Tuesday: Art Deco Macrame Bracelet

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Tutorial Tuesday is a blog series where I share a do-it-yourself jewelry tutorial.

 Although I love the feeling of original Soft Flex beading wire, I decided to give Econoflex hobby beading wire a try for a cheaper option plus, the bright colors of Econoflex wire are so pretty.
Materials
Silver Jump Rings – 2
Instructions

1. Cut two 12″ strands of Econoflex craft beading wire and anchor them into a notch on the top of your mini macrame board.

2. Cut one 50″ strand of Econoflex craft beading wire – this will be your knotting strand.

3.Create 20 knots using the Half Knot Spiral method below.

  • The right wire goes over the two center wires, then under the left wire. 
  • The left wire goes under the two center wires, then comes up through the hole and passes over the right wire. 

4. Pick up one silver cube bead, remove the two center wires anchored at the bottom of your macrame board and string the bead them and up to your last knot.

5. Wrap your knotting wire around the bead and continue your Half Knot Spiral pattern below the bead creating another 20 knots. 

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you reach your desired bracelet length, keeping your clasp size in mind.  

7. Add a 3mm crimp tube and crimp around 1 jump ring using the mighty crimper. Attach one side of the toggle clasp to the jump ring. On the other end of the bracelet, add a 3mm crimp tube and crimp around 1 jump ring using the mighty crimper. Attach the other side of the toggle clasp to the jump ring. Click here for crimping instructions.

Tutorial Tuesday: Soft Flex Kumihimo Bracelet

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Tutorial Tuesday is a blog series where I share a do-it-yourself jewelry tutorial.

Materials

Instructions

You will need 10 strands of beading wire, approximately 20″ length for each strand, in assorted colors. If you have 10ft spools of Soft Flex beading wire you may work directly from the spool otherwise, cut your wire strands. I didn’t feel the need to use bobbins with my cut wire strands.

Gather your wires and slide a 3mm crimp tube on one end of your cut wires or the end not attached to your spool if working from the spool. Slide your crimp up the wire strands leaving a 4″ tail and crimp using your mighty crimping pliers. The crimped wire side will go into the middle of your Kumihimo plate. Click here for crimping instructions.

Set your plate up to have 6 beading wire strands across the top and 4 beading wire strands across the bottom.

Watch Anne Dilker’s Square Kumihimo video for instructions on the braiding technique used
Continue braiding with the technique shown in the video above until you have about 2″ of braided wire and at least 4″ of excess wire left. Remove your wire from the Kumihimo plate. If working from the spools you should now cut the wires free from the spools making sure each strand has about 4″.

Gather the wire and slide on a 3mm crimp tube and crimp using the mighty crimping pliers at the base of your finished braid. Click here for crimping instructions.

Choose one wire strand on each side of your braid to be your stringing wire to complete your bracelet. Trim all other wire strands as close to the crimp tube as possible as shown below.

On one side of your braided centerpiece, string 1 fire polish bead, 1 seed bead, 1 fire polish bead, 1 seed bead and continue to repeat until you have 8 fire polish beads and 8 seed beads. You may need to adjust the number of beads used based on the final design size needed.

Add a 2mm crimp tube and crimp around 1 jump ring using the magical crimper. Attach one side of the toggle clasp to the jump ring. Click here for magical crimping instructions.

Repeat you bead stringing on the other side of the braided centerpiece, 1 fire polish bead, 1 seed bead, 1 fire polish bead, 1 seed bead and continue to repeat until you have 8 fire polish beads and 8 seed beads. You may need to adjust the number of beads used based on the final design size needed.

Add a 2mm crimp tube and crimp around 1 jump ring using the magical crimper. Attach the other side of the toggle clasp to the jump ring. Click here for magical crimping instructions.

Lastly, create a bead dangle using your headpin and 1 fire polish blue bead and attach it to the jump ring connected to your toggle bar. Click here for instructions on how to make a bead dangle.

Note: My design had one strand side longer then the other so, my design turned out slightly asymmetrical with on side having 5 fire polish beads and the other 11 fire polish beads.

Below is another variation you may want to try. This bracelet uses the same braiding pattern on the entire bracelet and introduces beads in the middle.

I followed the kumihimo braid that is shown in the video and when about half the bracelet was braided I strung beads onto the two wires that were held on the sides of the kumihimo board and then continued the braid. Again, I strung beads on the next two wires that were on the side of the kumihimo board and then continued to braid. I repeated that process until I was happy with the center and then continued to braid the second half of the bracelet without adding any beads. Because I used cut wire, I was able to slide a bead on whenever the wires where on the side before braiding them back in.

Tutorial Tuesday: Double Strand Macrame Bracelet

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Tutorial Tuesday is a blog series where I share a do-it-yourself jewelry tutorial.

Materials:
Instructions
Cut the black beading wire into two 12 inch lengths. Fold one 12 inch piece in half, push the looped end through one side of the Swarovski twist link connector, fold it over the connector and pull the rest of the cord through the looped end. Repeat this  on the other side of the twist link connector. These strands will be anchored and remain stationary. Lay the design on your macrame board or table with the strands vertical and tuck the strands into the grooves.Cut the red beading wire into two 36 inch length. Center one 36 inch length of red beading wire under the two anchored black strands. Begin the 1st half of your square knot by fold the right wire over the middle strands and under the left wire. Pull the left wire under the right and middle strands and through the loop on the right side. Slide wire knot close to your connector and pull tightly.

Finish the 2nd half of the square knot by folding the left wire over the middle strands and under the right wire. Pull the right wire under the left and middle strands and through the loop on the left side. Pull tightly and repeat the steps – right, left, right, left, right.

Note: if you feel your bracelet start twisting you may have knotted two right sides or two left sides in a row – simply remove the knot from the wire and fix direction. 

Continue knotting until the desired length for one half of your bracelet is reached keeping your clasp size in mind. Pick up your second 36 inch length of red wire and repeat the square knot on the other of your bracelet.

 Once your strands are at the desired length, string a 3x3mm crimp tube to each of the strands ends and thread through the clasp. Before you crimp, check that the size length is correct and that the strands are straight.  Once your happy, crimp the 3x3mm crimp tubes using the mighty crimping pliers. Click here for standard crimping instructions.
Now, let’s make the second strand of this bracelet. Cut two 8″ strands of black beading wire. Thread one strand through one side of the black crystal connector. String a 2x2mm crimp tube onto both ends of the black beading wire and even out the tails. Crimp the wire in place using the magical crimper. Click here for magical crimping instructions.
String one red crystal on one wire and one red crystal on the second wire. String a second 2x2mm crimp tube onto both ends of the black beading wire and crimp about 1/2″ apart from the first crimp.
String one red crystal on one wire and one red crystal on the second wire. String a second 2x2mm crimp tube onto both ends of the black beading wire and crimp about 1/2″ apart from the first crimp.
String one red crystal on one wire and one red crystal on the second wire. String a second 2x2mm crimp tube onto both ends of the black beading wire, loop one strand of the black wire around the clasp and back through the last crimp tube, crimp and trim excess wire.
 Repeat all the steps on the other half of the bracelet. For added interest, I attached the second strand on opposite sides of the macrame square knot strand.

Tutorial Tuesday: Woven Triangle Necklace

 

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Tutorial Tuesday is a blog series where I share a do-it-yourself jewelry tutorial.

My creative co-worker Sara Oehler originally created this design in Tucson last year. It has been showcased in our booth for the past year and people always love this design – including me! I have wanted to make my own as soon as I laid eyes on it. Since it’s such a popular design, I wanted to share the tutorial with you, our lovely Soft Flex wire fans and hope you’ll give it a try.

 

Materials

 

Instructions

Cut a 20″ piece of Soft Flex beading wire, attach your bead stopper to one end and string 12 SuperDuo beads through one h ole.Now, attach the bead stopper to both ends of wire to hold your beads on the strand.
Cut a second 24″ piece of Soft Flex beading wire – this will be your bead weaving strand of wire. (Note: Using a long strand of wire is key. A short strand of wire will make this design unnecessarily hard. I learned that from trying a shorter wire the first time around.)
String one 2x2mm crimp tube onto the 16″ bead weaving wire strand and crimp near the end of the wire. Use the wire strand side not crimped and string through the bottom hole of the first SuperDuo bead, string through one hole of a new SuperDuo bead, then string through the bottom hole of the second SuperDuo bead. Continue this pattern until you have 11 new SuperDuo beads strung in between the 11 beads in the row above. String through the final SuperDuo bead from the original row 12 beads. String one 2x2mm crimp tube onto the end and crimp as close to the last bead as possible.

Test that your crimp is secure and not slipping then, trim excess wire on both crimp ends.This completes your second row of beads.

Design notes: You will need to manipulate and bend your completed woven SuperDuo rows to allow you to only pass through one bead at a time on the third row and so on. This third row is where the longer beading wire begins to come in handy. After you string a new bead and go through the bottom hole of the next bead your wire will curl in a circle, just wiggle your wire through. The slight wire bend will not affect the final design.  

String one 2x2mm crimp tube onto the bead weaving wire strand and crimp near the end of the wire. Use the wire strand side not crimped and string through the bottom hole of the first SuperDuo bead. Next, string through one hole of a new SuperDuo bead, then string through the bottom hole of the second SuperDuo bead. Continue this pattern until you have 10 new SuperDuo beads strung in between the 11 beads in the row above. String your wire through the final SuperDuo bead from the second row of 11 beads. String one 2x2mm crimp tube onto the end and crimp as close to the last bead as possible. Test that your crimp is secure and not slipping then, trim excess wire on both crimp ends.

Continue with this bead weaving pattern until you have a total of 12 rows and have crimped one final bead at the bottom of the triangle.

Attach a jump ring to each end of your toggle clasp. Remove the bead stopper from each side of your necklace. String a crimp tube onto one end, wrap wire around one jump ring and crimp. String a crimp tube onto the other end, wrap wire around the other jump ring, adjust necklace to your desired size (I chose 18″) and crimp. Trim excess wire.

Using the same pattern, you can create two small triangles and make matching earrings!

Tutorial Tuesday: Evil Eye Talisman

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Tutorial Tuesday is a blog series where I share a do-it-yourself jewelry tutorial on Soft Flex Company’s blog.

Throughout history, man has made many forms of talismans designed to ward off bad luck and in Turkey, the tailsman is the Nazar Boncuğu (evil eye). I picked up this evil eye pendant at the 2014 Bead&Button show to give to one of my best friends to display in her home. It is said that when an evil eye cracks, it has done its job of protecting you. I gave it to her this weekend. I wasn’t sure if she had one already but, her mom assured me that you cannot have too many!

 

Materials:

Cut a 24″ piece of white string or cord and feed it through the pendant hole evenly. Grab both string pieces, wrap around your finger and tie a tie at the base of the pendant.

Put a dab of glue on the end pieces of the string to stiffen it and make it easier to thread through the dichroic beads. String 1 dichroic bead onto one of the strings and then holding both strings make a knit close to the bead. String 1 dichroic bead onto the opposite strings from the first and then holding both strings make a knit close to the bead. String 1 dichroic bead onto the first string again and then holding both strings make a knit close to the bead.

Put a dab of glue around the knot of the string and cut off excess string. Attach the jumpring to the final knot.

Cut a 10″ strand of black Soft Flex beading wire and feed through the jumpring. Then string 1 large silver spacer bead, 1 Samunnat clay bead and 1 small silver spacer bead. You should have two wire ends coming up from the last spacer bead.

String a 2x2mm crimp tube on each wire end. Loop your wire back through the crimp tubes creating the top loop and crimp. (Note: You just need one crimp to securely make a top loop, I choose to use two for the symmetrical look). Cut off any excess wire. For step by step instructions on how to crimp with the magical crimping pliers, click here.

 

Lastly, using 10″ of colored silk ribbon tie a bow through the jumpring between the string and beading wire to finish it off.