Resources For A Beaded-Flower or Jewelry Artist

Just a few decades ago, getting all the beads and other materials you wanted or needed for your beaded flower, bead jewelry projects, or even kids' friendship knot bracelets was a bit of a challenge.

Why would that be so? Well, some colors of beads were available only at certain times of the year, such as some pinks. This would be due to weather conditions where the beads were produced; sudden popularity of a certain color of beads in the clothing industry; the relative slowness of the ordering and shipping processes before the Internet; and other factors.

The Internet has radically changed the way that millions of people do business, and ordering and fulfillment can occur very much faster than before. Artists no longer have to depend on a local art or craft store, or an expensive specialty store, for their raw materials, and they don't have to take the time to travel to these stores. The closing of stores such as these could seriously deter the artist, too.

Beads are available from more global sources, as well. Previously, most beads used here in the U.S. were shipped in from Czechoslovakia, but now we have easy access to the exquisite Japanese beads as well.

We don't have as much control over the weather, however, so some bead colors may still be scarce at certain times of the year.

With a few clicks of a mouse, an artist can now buy everything they need for their projects and have them sent right to their door. Sources are centralizing, as well, so an artist needn't click all over the web to find what they need. A very popular central source for UK beaders is jillybeads, for example.

Basic visual French beaded flowers instructions and demonstration in making beaded flowers can be hard to come by. To fill this need, I have produced two tutorial DVDs to teach you how to make beautiful beaded flowers, even if you're a raw beginner. Please feel free to visit my own site at http://www.rosemarykurtz.com to purchase my bead flower tutorial DVDs and my own patterns. The purchase page is here. You can also get them from my etsy store, here.

Purchasers are welcome to email me at any time for clarification of techniques or patterns. I am devoted to helping everyone learn how to make beaded flowers!

Thanks! New posts coming soon.

What's A Bead Stringer?

A bead stringer, or beadspinner, is a tool used by bead artists to quickly and easily string beads on thread or wire. Basically it's a bowl with a hollow dowel through it, having the dowel supported by a pike on a stand.

What's this kind of tool used for? Well, beads are sold by bead shops loose in bags, in vials, or strung on hanks or master hanks. Getting the beads onto a length of thread or wire can be a tedious job if done by hand, especially if you're using Swarovski beads or other odd-size or odd-shape beads. The bead spinner or bead stringer makes short work of the project.

Personally, I make beaded flowers, which can take up to thousands of beads to complete. Even a smaller project, like friendship knot bracelets, can take so many beads that stringing by hand can be a real roadblock. In this age of automation, even a low-tech tool like a bead stringer makes sense and is a great investment.

Many artists have also made their own bead spinners out of materials that are readily available for less than the cost of a commercially-produced spinner. You may have everything you need at home right now. You can google the instructions for this project and make your own spinner in an afternoon's time.

How do you use a bead stringer or bead spinner? If you are doing beaded flowers, you will have to know how to use beading wire. Pour your beads into the bowl of the spinner. Open your spool of wire, and make a hook out of the last two inches of the wire. Dip the open end of the wire into the beads, and hold the end just under the surface of the beads. Slowly begin to spin the tool. It will take some practice to find just the right spot for the wire, and the right spinning speed.

Once you have found the right combination, you'll be delighted to see the beads http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifjump onto your wire.

If you are doing a project where the beads have to be put on string, simply thread a needle with your string, and use the spinner in the same way.

Having a bead spinner will make your bead projects go 10 times faster. Search for "bead spinner" and you'll find several places to buy one, or the instructions to make one. Happy beading!


Please visit my website at rosemarykurtz.com for more information and to purchase my tutorial DVD's and my own patterns.

See my store at etsy

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See my own videos on Youtube