Stringing Jewelry Tutorial - For Beginners

This easy beginner tutorial will teach you have to string beads to make a bracelet.  You can use this tutorial to make necklace or anklet as well.

Materials and Tools:

• ·         Beads (I used about 24, about 8mm beads)
• Clasp (I used a toggle clasp)
• Beading wire
• 4 crimp beads
• 4 crimp covers
• Needle nose pliers or crimp tool
• Wire cutters

Step #1

Cut a piece of beading wire.  To get the size of the bracelet just about right, measure the wire around your wrist, add a few extra inches and cut.  With the toggle, the bracelet should fit correctly.

A note about beading wire:  you’ll find different “strands” of wire.  I used a mid-range 19 strand wire.  The more strands, the stronger the wire and the better the bracelet will hold up. 

Step #2

Lay out the design for your bracelet.  You can use a jewelry design tray or put your beads on a towel or a piece of felt so your beads don’t roll around.

Step #3

Put some tape at one end of the wire to keep the beads from sliding off.  There are also special tools you can purchase called “bead stoppers” you can use.

 Step #4

Slide your beads on the wire in the order you designed.

Step #5

I like to use 2 crimp beads on each end of the bracelet for extra security.  Slide a crimp bead, a regular bead and a crimp bead.

Step #6

Slide one end of the clasp onto the wire.

Step #7

Bend the end of the wire and thread it back through the crimp bead, bead, second crimp bead and then through the next bead or so.

Step #8

Slide the beads relatively close to the clasp.  Use needle nose pliers (or a crimp tool – more on the crimp tool later) and smash the crimp bead flat. 

Give it a little tug to make sure it’s closed properly and securely.

Step #9

Grasp the crimp bead so that the nose of the pliers is in the middle of the flattened crimp bead.

Then bend the crimp bead in half and push it together.

Step #10

Repeat for the other crimp bead.

Step #11

Put the crimp cover around the crimp bead.

Step #12

Use needle nose pliers to pinch the bead cover closed.  It should look like a round bead.

Step #13

Repeat for the other crimp bead.

Step #14

Slide up all the beads.  Cut off the excess wire from the end.  (Remember, you should thread the wire through one or 2 extra beads first.

Step #15

Remove the tape and repeat for the other side of the bracelet.

 

Enjoy your new bracelet!

 Crimp Tool

Crimp tools can make closing crimping beads easier. 

To use, place the crimp bead in the groove further from the end.  Then place the crimp bead in the groove closest to the tip of the pliers and close to fold over the crimp bead.

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Want to use wire guards in your stringing projects?  Click here for a video tutorial.

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