Basics Of Bead Stringing And Attaching Clasps: Design And Assemble Your Own Jewelry, The Complete Insider’s Guide

By Warren Feld

Learning Bead Stringing Is More Than
Putting Beads On A String And Tying On A Clasp

There is an art and skill to stringing beads. First, of course, is the selection of beads for a design, and the selection of the appropriate stringing material. Then is the selection of a clasp or closure, appropriate to the design and use of the piece.
You want your pieces to be appealing.  You want them to wear well.   You want someone to wear them or buy them.    This means understanding the basic techniques, not only in terms of craft and art, but also with considerations about architecture, mechanics, and some sociology, anthropology and psychology.   
In this book, I go into depth about: (1) Choosing stringing materials, and the pros and cons of each type, (2) Choosing clasps, and the pros and cons of different clasps, (3) All about the different jewelry findings and how you use them, (4) Architectural considerations and how to build these into your pieces, (5) How better designers use cable wires and crimp, as well as, use needle and thread to string beads, (6) How best to make stretchy bracelets, (7) How to make adjustable slip knots, coiled wire loops, and silk wraps, (8) How to finish off the ends of thicker cords or ropes, so that you can attach a clasp, (9) How to construct such projects as eyeglass leashes, mask chains, lariats, multi-strand pieces, twist multi-strand pieces, and memory wire bracelets, (10)  How different teaching paradigms – craft vs. art vs. design – might influence the types of choices you make.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Warren Feld Jewelry
• Release date: Apr 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798986535432

Warren Feld

For Warren Feld, Jewelry Designer, (www.warrenfeldjewelry.com), beading and jewelry making have been wonderful adventures. These adventures have taken Warren from the basics of bead stringing and bead weaving, to pearl knotting, micro-macrame, wire working, wire weaving and silversmithing, and onward to more complex jewelry designs which build on the strengths of a full range of technical skills and experiences.

Book preview

BASICS OF BEAD STRINGING

AND ATTACHING CLASPS

Design And Assemble Your Own Jewelry

The Complete Insider’s Guide

By Warren Feld

BASICS OF BEAD STRINGING

AND ATTACHING CLASPS

Design And Assemble Your Own Jewelry

The Complete Insider’s Guide

By Warren Feld

Learning Bead Stringing

Is More Than

Putting Beads On A String,

And Tying On A Clasp

Warren Feld Jewelry Publisher

www.warrenfeldjewelry.com

© 2023

BASICS OF BEAD STRINGING

AND ATTACHING CLASPS

Design And Assemble Your Own Jewelry

The Complete Insider’s Guide

by Warren Feld

Published by

Warren Feld Jewelry

718 Thompson Ln, Ste 123

Nashville, TN 37204

www.warrenfeldjewelry.com

COPYRIGHT © 2023, Warren Feld

All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by United States of America copyright law and fair use. For permission requests, contact: Warren Feld, [e-mail], 615-479-3776.

Cover by Warren Feld

ISBN: 979-8-9865354-4-9 Kindle

ISBN: 979-8-9865354-3-2 Ebook

ISBN: 979-8-9865354-5-6 Print

Disclaimers: This book and its content provided herein are simply for educational purposes. For those aspects of jewelry making and design and the business of craft which require legal or accounting advice, the information provided here is not a substitute for that advice. Every effort has been made to ensure that the content provided in this book is accurate and helpful for my readers. No liability is assumed for losses or damages due to the information provided. You are responsible for your own choices, actions and results.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023903969

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

2. MATERIALS AND TOOLS

3. WORKSPACE

4. THREE TEACHING APPROACHES

5. THE DESIGN PROCESS

6. CHOOSING CLASPS

7. CHOOSING STRINGING MATERIALS

8. TWO COGNITIVE PHENOMENA

9. TYPES OF CLASPS

10. TYPES OF STRINGING MATERIALS

11. JEWELRY FINDINGS

12. HOW TO CRIMP

13. STRINGING WITH NEEDLE AND THREAD

14. ELASTIC STRING AND STRETCHY BRACELETS

15. MAKING SIMPLE AND COILED WIRE LOOPS

16. ATTACHING END PIECES TO THICKER CORDS

17. MAKING SIMPLE AND FANCY ADJUSTABLE SLIP KNOTS

18. SILK WRAP

19. EYEGLASS LEASH AND MASK CHAIN

20. LARIAT

21. MULTI-STRAND PIECES

22. TWIST MULTI-STRAND PIECES

23. MEMORY WIRE

24. FINAL WORDS OF ADVICE

THANK YOU AND REQUEST FOR REVIEWS

ABOUT WARREN FELD

OTHER ARTICLES AND PUBLICATIONS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

For Jayden Alfre Jones

Jewelry Designer

Life Partner

Most people start their jewelry making careers by stringing beads. I am no exception. I began stringing beads in the late 1980s. I have to admit, I was clueless. I didn’t know what stringing material to choose. The prevalent material at that time was either fishing line or dental floss. Also strung things on leather cord. I didn’t know what clasp to use. I primarily used lobster claws. Sometimes barrel clasps. About the only thing I knew about beads was that I had to coordinate the size of the hole with the thickness of the stringing material I was using. Did not fully understand how to attach a clasp to the stringing material I was using.

Needless to say, for the first 3 years of my jewelry making career, most things I made broke.

After that third year, I began taking in repairs. I got to see how other people made things, what broke, where they broke, and under what circumstances they broke. This was my education. I began formulating ideas about good stringing and bad stringing. I tested these ideas out.

As I became more and more familiar with materials and techniques, I began to teach bead stringing in 1998. A shout-out to all my students since then. They have challenged me. Enlightened me. Encouraged me. I could not have written this book without each and every one of them.

My partner Jayden always pushed my limits. Experimenting with new materials. Practicing new techniques. Merging techniques within the same piece. I am forever grateful. She launched my career. I would have never found jewelry design without her.

As you learn and practice the techniques in this book, try to be as reflective and what is called metacognitive of all the design, manipulation and construction choices you make with each piece. Pay critical attention to how you approached unfamiliar or problematic situations. Carefully develop your Designer Tool Box of fix-it strategies. These will carry you a long way, empowering you as a bead stringer and jewelry designer.

OTHER BOOKS BY WARREN FELD

CONQUERING THE CREATIVE MARKETPLACE:

Between the Fickleness of Business and the Pursuit of Design

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How dreams are made 

 between the fickleness of business 

 and the pursuit of jewelry design

This guidebook is a must-have for anyone serious about making money selling jewelry. I focus on straightforward, workable strategies for integrating business practices with the creative design process. These strategies make balancing your creative self with your productive self easier and more fluid.

Based both on the creation and development of my own jewelry design business, as well as teaching countless students over the past 35+ years about business and craft, I address what should be some of your key concerns and uncertainties. I help you plan your road map.

Whether you are a hobbyist or a self-supporting business, success as a jewelry designer involves many things to think about, know and do. I share with you the kinds of things it takes to start your own jewelry business, run it, anticipate risks and rewards, and lead it to a level of success you feel is right for you, including

Getting Started: Naming business, identifying resources, protecting intellectual property

Financial Management: basic accounting, break even analysis, understanding risk-reward-return on investment, inventory management

Product Development: identifying target market, specifying product attributes, developing jewelry line, production, distribution, pricing, launching

Marketing, Promoting, Branding: competitor analysis, developing message, establishing emotional connections to your products, social media marketing

Selling: linking product to buyer among many venues, such as store, department store, online, trunk show, home show, trade show, sales reps and showrooms, catalogs, TV shopping, galleries, advertising, cold calling, making the pitch

Resiliency: building business, professional and psychological resiliency

Professional Responsibilities: preparing artist statement, portfolio, look book, resume, biographical sketch, profile, FAQ, self-care

548pp.

Kindle, Print, Epub

___________________________________________

SO YOU WANT TO BE A JEWELRY DESIGNER

Merging Your Voice With Form

So You Want To Be A Jewelry Designer reinterprets how to apply techniques and modify art theories from the Jewelry Designer’s perspective. To go beyond craft, the jewelry designer needs to become literate in this discipline called Jewelry Design. Literacy means understanding how to answer the question: Why do some pieces of jewelry draw your attention, and others do not? How to develop the authentic, creative self, someone who is fluent, flexible and original. How to gain the necessary design skills and be able to apply them, whether the situation is familiar or not.

588pp, many images and diagrams Ebook , Kindle or Print formats

The Jewelry Journey Podcast

Building Jewelry That Works: Why Jewelry Design Is Like Architecture

Podcast, Part 1

Podcast, Part 2

___________________________________________

PEARL KNOTTING…Warren’s Way

Easy. Simple. No tools. Anyone Can Do!

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I developed a nontraditional technique which does not use tools because I found tools get in the way of tying good and well-positioned knots. I decided to bring two cords through the bead to minimize any negative effects resulting from the pearl rotating around the cord. I only have you glue one knot in the piece. I use a simple overhand knot which is easily centered. I developed a rule for choosing the thickness of your bead cord. I lay out different steps for starting and ending a piece, based on how you want to attach the piece to your clasp assembly.

184pp, many images and diagrams Ebook, Kindle or Print

___________________________________________

SO YOU WANT TO DO CRAFT SHOWS:

16 Lessons I Learned Doing Craft Shows

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In this book, I discuss 16 lessons I learned, Including How To (1) Find, Evaluate and Select Craft Shows Right for You, (2) Determine a Set of Realistic Goals, (3) Compute a Simple Break-Even Analysis, (4) Develop Your Applications and Apply in the Smartest Ways, (5) Understand How Much Inventory to Bring, (6) Set Up and Present Both Yourself and Your Wares, (7) Best Promote and Operate Your Craft Show Business before, during and after the show.

198pp, many images and diagrams, Ebook, Kindle or Print

___________________________________________

1. AN INTRODUCTION

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[You might be interested in this material in Video Tutorial format. Visit my online school, SO YOU WANT TO BE A JEWELRY DESIGNER. Check the video tutorial on BASICS OF BEAD STRINGING AND ATTACHING CLASPS.

https://so-you-want-to-be-a-jewelry-designer.teachable.com/

https://so-you-want-to-be-a-jewelry-designer.teachable.com/p/basics-of-bead-stringing-and-attaching-clasps]

Jewelry design is a life lived with wearable art. My name is Warren Feld. I have been making jewelry for over 35 years. I am here to share some of my jewelry designing experiences and insights with you about all aspects of bead stringing.

Learning to string beads and make jewelry takes a little work.

Some understanding of the pros and cons of the materials you will be using.

Some understandings about what clasp or stringing material works best when.

Some insights into architectural considerations, particularly in building in support or jointedness into your pieces.

And some practice.

In this book, I am going to cover a lot of material about stringing beads and making necklaces and bracelets.

I will go into depth about:

Choosing stringing materials, and the pros and cons of each type

Choosing clasps, and the pros and cons of different clasps

All about the different jewelry findings and how you use them

Architectural considerations and how to build these into your pieces

A wide assortment of bead stringing techniques, the how’s, the required materials, the design considerations

Most people begin their jewelry making hobby or career by stringing beads. Stringing beads on a cord is not difficult, but it does require a thorough understanding of the pros and cons of the various parts and stringing materials you will use.

On our bead stringing journey, I will teach you about several different bead stringing techniques. In particular, you will learn how better designers:

Use cable wires and crimp

Use needle and thread to string beads.

Make stretchy bracelets

Make adjustable slip knots, coiled wire loops, and silk wraps

Finish off the ends of thicker cords or ropes, so that you can attach a clasp

Construct such projects as eyeglass leashes, mask chains, lariats, multi-strand pieces, twist multi-strand pieces and memory wire bracelets

Your Goals As A Bead Stringer

As a bead stringer, you want your jewelry to be beautiful and appealing. Yes, you want your jewelry to look good.

And, also, you also want your jewelry to be satisfying to the person who wears it. It must be comfortable. Drape well. Move well.

You want your jewelry to reflect the purposes your customer wants to wear it in the first place, but also, you want the jewelry to be appropriate to the context within which it is worn.

Last, of course, you want your jewelry to be durable over time.

The Two Most Important Choices Up-Front

There are two important choices you will make up front when beginning each project. These are the most important choices you need to make, because these will impact the beauty and functionality of the piece the most. These two choices are:

Choice of clasp

Choice of stringing material

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Why This Book Is A Must-Have For You

As a bead stringer, with each piece, you often have to make choices, between often conflicting goals, to get the best outcome.

For example, to create the most beautiful piece, you might have to sacrifice some functionality.

And conversely, to get the most functional piece, you might have to settle for something less appealing.

Or another example, a piece might look good when sitting on an easel but be a disaster when worn, as the stresses and strains of movement or poor construction do not hold up.

I can relate to your challenges.

Learning bead stringing is more than putting beads on a string and tying on a clasp. Successful designers need to bring a lot of knowledge to bear, when creating a piece of jewelry. There is a literacy and fluency and flexibility which is learned over time.

Jewelry designers have to know some things about:

Materials

Techniques

Some art theory and concepts

Some architecture and physical mechanics

Some sociology and anthropology and psychology

Even some things about party planning

In my explanations about how jewelry is made, and the pros and cons of various materials and approaches, I reference all these things so that you will have more insights and understandings about bead stringing and jewelry design. This book takes a comprehensive look at the things you need to know to string beads and make jewelry.

I discuss how to…

Choose stringing materials, and the pros and cons of each type

Choose clasps, and the pros and cons of different clasps

Make architectural considerations when creating a clasp assembly

Set up your workspace

Select tools, materials, adhesives and other supplies you will want to have on hand

Organize the overall design process

Use the different types of jewelry findings

Crimp the way better designers do

Use needle and thread for stringing

Use elastic string to make stretchy bracelets

Make simple and coiled wire loops

Attach end pieces to thicker cords

Make simple and fancy slip knots

Make a silk wrap

Make eyeglass leashes, mask chains, lariats, multi-strand pieces, and twist multi-strand pieces

I go slowly, step-by-step, demonstrating how to implement each step. For many projects, I offer an exercise for you to try.

I will guide you in learning the basic mechanics of various bead stringing techniques. But I want to go beyond the basic mechanics.

I want you to have a great degree of management control over the interplay of stringing materials, clasps and other jewelry findings, and the bead and component materials used. I want you to some insight of the architectural and mechanical issues which come up, and how to solve them.

Lots of good stuff.

I’m excited to get started, and I know you are too.

2. MATERIALS AND TOOLS

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3. YOUR WORK SPACE

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Every bead stringer needs to decide which part of the house or apartment will be taken over. Every work space has to have enough room to lay out your projects and store your tools and materials.

You will need at least a 3’ x 3’ flat surface on which to work,

and have all your supplies, tools and work-surfaces within easy reach.

Good lighting and comfortable seating is a must.

If you like to work with music or the tv on, then these should be easily accessible where you are working.

If you do not want to be disturbed, let those family or friends or roommates know.

You will need to have some organization, but do not have to spend a lot of time going to the extreme. Clutter and disorganization is distracting. This can prevent you from making progress on important projects. You do not want to have to spend a lot of time looking for things. And you do not want to have a lot of things lying around which you are never going to use. You do not want to have a lot of half-finished projects lying around.

Types of Tools To Have On Hand

Initially, you will want to have these tools available in your work space

chain nose pliers

round nose pliers

side cutter or flush cutter

flat nose pliers

crimping pliers

scissors

ruler

awl

tweezers

bracelet and necklace sizing cones

bead stoppers

bead board

needles

bees wax

work surface

lots of containers of different sizes and with lids

pads of paper and pencil

camera

bic lighter

Materials To Have On Hand

Initially, you want to have these materials on hand:

assortment of beads and jewelry components

assortment of clasps

crimp beads, crimp covers, horseshoe wire protectors

cable wire

assortment of jump rings, soldered rings, head pins and eye pins

jeweler’s adhesives – e6000 and/or beacon 527

NOTE: Jeweler’s adhesives dry like rubber so the bond acts like a shock absorber. They dry clear. The adhesive does not expand after it dries. The bonds are long lasting.

Usually we avoid glues like super glue, which dry like glass, thus the bonds are fragile like glass, and break like glass. The jeweler’s version of super glue is called g-s hypo cement. There are some uses for these glues, but not many.

We also avoid other glues, which dry white or yellow with age. Or the adhesive bonds are not long-lived, or where the bond increases in volume as it dries.

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Good organization involves 4 things:

Inventory

How you organize, track and replenish it

Work space

How you creative productive areas for work, business and creative reflection

Bookkeeping and accounting

How you manage your finances

Business logistics

How you manage the other business aspects of what you do, including things like

researching places to buy or sell, marketing and promotion, shipping, social media presence

Divide Your Area Into 3 Spaces

It’s a good idea to divide up your work area into 3 spaces.

Separate the areas in which you create, from which you do business-type things, from which you reflect, think and relax.

Keep good records of your design ideas and finished pieces, with some written description, sketches and photographs.

Try to computerize some of your inventory and sales tracking, using either spreadsheets or apps you can purchase online.

4. THREE DIFFERENT APPROACHES

FOR TEACHING JEWELRY MAKING

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As a jewelry designer, you will confront a world unsure whether jewelry making is

craft, art, or its own special