CBJ01 pp18-21 Floral Seed Bead_Beading 24/03/2010 11:21 Page 18
BEADS SEED BEADS BEADLINGS
floral
JUDITH HANNINGTON DESIGNER o make simple flowers requires a selection of seed beads and some 34-gauge beading wire. This wire is very flexible and fine enough that it doesn’t draw attention on a finished beaded piece. Handily, it can be cut using regular scissors.
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GETTING STARTED We have used size 15/0 beads for the projects featured here.
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DELIGHTS
These delicate, beaded flowers are perfect for springtime jewellery or for creating a special gift. They are simple to make and can be combined with your favourite findings and other techniques to create a variety of jewellery pieces. Judith Hannington shows you how Seed beads (or rocailles, as they are commonly called) are available in four standard sizes, and 15/0 is the smallest. Larger beads can be used, but the wire will be more prominent in the final design as it will have further to travel around the beads, especially when finishing off the ends. I
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chose yellow and green beads for a springtime-inspired feel, but you can use any colour to suit the recipient or occasion the piece is being created for. The main thing to bear in mind when working with such fine wire is to not allow kinks to form in it – these kinks will
become a weak point in the wire, which will break when under tension. There is no way to remedy kinked wire and it is advisable to start a project from scratch with a new piece or you run the risk of your beaded creation falling apart when the weakened wire eventually breaks. Small designs work
best when using this beading technique for jewellery making, especially if they are to be hung as earrings or pendants, due to their delicate nature. Larger designs should be used on chunkier base findings, as illustrated by the ring and bracelet projects where a large focal bead in the centre of the piece is glued to