Beaded Necklace Designs, Beaded Jewelry Design

For me, the obsession of beads started pretty early on, not to mention jewelry. I was born and raised in Tempe Arizona, so going to the annual Tucson Gem Show was pretty much the norm. I've always had a rock obsession, but that show is what started the healthy but costly obsession of semiprecious stones and beads overall. I mean who doesn’t love rocks and semiprecious stones; it’s like candy, right?

Shortly after graduating from art school for photography, I returned back home to Arizona. Pretty soon after I started working at a bead store and I was fortunate to learn all about beaded necklace designs from a master - Julie was the co-owner of Another Bead Please and we got along splendid. She taught me beaded necklace designs in many different forms - from the stringing of multi strands, wire wrapping, knotting with silk cording, and well good ol’ chunky da funky!

There is so much that goes into designing and constructing beaded necklace designs. As a designer I think about style, colors, flow, metaphysical intentions, composition, wearability, and craftsmanship.

When designing, some makers draw things out first, others lay things out on a bead board (like image below), and then there’s always the organic style. I'm personally a very organic maker, meaning first and foremost, I design with what calls to me, then I play with composition, juxtaposition, and esthetics. However, depending on the design the bead board can be really helpful.

Since we’re talking about beaded necklace designs, thought I’d share some - get some visuals into the mix, right!?!? I love this Kyanite and Brass Beaded Necklace, isn’t she pretty? A definite statement piece thats stranded on tigers tail, crimped at the ends to attach a toggle clasp. The stringing of beads is one of the oldest styles of beaded necklace designs, you gotta love it.

click image to view on our site 

Next up is the fun you can have with introducing chain into a beaded necklace design. This Sterling Silver Garden Book of Flowers beaded necklace design is so adorable. It’s the classic wire wrapping that attaches all the elements - the chain, the apatite semi precious beads, and the pendant. For all you garden lovers, it's like wearing a bouquet around your neck. It’s a bundle of love! 

click image to view on our site 

And why not get creative with using two different style of chains? These two chains are connected by kyanite (semi precious stones) wire wrapped on sterling silver wire making for an awesome beaded necklace design. A creative design no doubt, especially with the mixed metal chains - sterling silver and copper. I love the fabulous movement it has to it, mostly from the copper chain.

click image to view on our site 

While beaded necklace designs are tons of fun, so are beaded bracelet designs. I’ve been adding more of these to the Jester Swink collections, appreciating the delicate look of beads, knots, and creating a slip knot giving sizing flexibility for bracelets. Oh oh, and let's not forget those fabulous little dangles you can add!!

So, knotting can certainly be tricky, but with the right tools (i.e. needle nose bead knotting pliers) you'll become a pro in no time. The trickiest part is getting each knot really close to the bead, knowing that silk, nylon, and other materials tend to stretch over time. That's why the tightness is so critical.

I love this beaded bracelet design with apatite, white and ebony wood, and brass. You can see how adorable the little dangles are - especially when you're wearing them. 

click image to view on our site 

And then there's my newest fav, beaded wall hanging designs, but we’ll save that for another day. :)

Well thats it for now, I hope you all enjoy one of the lushest New Moons of all year - Tues 6/28 at 7:53pm PST!

xo,

Rae