Making beads with your own hands: how to assemble beads onto a thread and secure the clasp

Shambhala is experiencing a rebirth: once these bracelets were extremely popular, and now they have returned to the leading positions in the list of fashion jewelry. Their popularity is based on the successful combination of aesthetic appearance and sacred meaning embedded in each knot. It was believed that such a bracelet was able to protect the owner from any extraneous negativity, be it a bad look, a thought or a real enemy.

During the story, we will tell you about the history of the bracelet and its origin, introduce you to the meanings of color, and tell you how to choose stones that match your horoscope for free.

It is noteworthy that weaving a shamballa bracelet is not difficult even for a beginner. Before you dare to create wicker structures, we recommend mastering the square knot: on its basis you can make bracelets of any complexity. We have collected the best master classes and videos, armed with which you will understand how to weave a shamballa bracelet. Let's get started!

How to make beads with your own hands: tips for beginners

There are many different patterns and techniques for making jewelry, but they are not enough for a good result. To make bead necklaces with your own hands, follow these simple tips:

There is no need to limit yourself in the choice of material. You can use either ready-made elements made of glass, wood or stone, or improvised means, such as foil, plastic and buttons.
To beautifully assemble beads, calculate the length of the cable or fishing line in advance, and then attach the elements to it to understand the approximate number of elements required.
If you plan to collect large beads on a fishing line, also stock up on decorative items of smaller sizes. This way you can diversify the design and fill the missing space on the cable or thread.
You should not take on complex techniques right away. To start, buy regular beads, cable, end caps and a clasp. Try to make the simplest jewelry, and then move on to complex ones.
If you are interested in jewelry made from polymer clay, we recommend that you first take a master class for beginners on working with this material. Remember that special equipment is required for baking and processing workpieces.
If you notice that the thread has begun to “shag” during the process, it is better to replace it with fishing line or jewelry cable. Otherwise, the finished beads will quickly tear.
The clasp should be in harmony with the style and color scheme of the beads.

You can simply string beads on a thread and tie its edges. But if you want to make a durable decoration, use special locks.

https://youtu.be/IedEZdl7Soo

Tips for choosing weaving material

Threads, cords and beads

First you need to choose the materials you will work with. Almost any thread is used to weave shambhala: floss skeins, threads for weaving fishing nets, ropes, knitting yarn and waxed cords are used.

In this case, you need to focus not only on the appearance of the selected material, but also on how it behaves in operation: for example, leather cords look very rich, but the knots on them are difficult to tighten. Thin cotton threads are easy to tie, but during use they quickly become unusable.

Most often, bracelets are woven from waxed cord . It is not as slippery as others, so the knots do not unravel during operation. The ends can be easily secured by burning them over the flame of a lighter. In contrast, cotton lace quickly loses its aesthetic appearance, and you also have to fasten its ends with glue.

When choosing beads, you need to focus on the width of the hole: it is important that it is large enough, so ordinary beads will not work - you will not be able to string them on a cord. Typically, one bracelet requires 5-7 beads, but there are examples of amazing designs that use just one bead.

You can order them in any online store, and if you have some time to spare, you can order the beads on Aliexpress.

Machine

Behind this term lies a very simple device that will help you quickly and easily weave a bracelet with your own hands. The weaving machine is a simple board into which two nails are driven at a distance of 25-30 cm.

To use the machine, you need to tie one end of the lace to a nail, and string the selected number of beads onto the free area. We also tie the second end to a free nail. In the end it should look like in our example.

Now you need to cut another thread, which you will use to make knots. We fix it on the one that is already on the machine, and you can work.

Even if you do not have the opportunity to make such a loom, you can learn how to weave shamballa at home without it. It is enough to secure the working thread in any convenient way, be it a pin or a stationery clip.

Advice from the experts

We also recommend taking note of tips from experts that will help you in your work:

For a bracelet in one row, the length of which is 18.5 cm, you will need 12-15 beads. If you plan to decorate in two rows, then this amount is doubled.
One bracelet will require a cord length of 1.5-2 meters. The exact length depends on both the circumference of the wrist and the number of beads used.
To prevent the ends of the threads from becoming fluffy and interfering with your work, you can lightly singe them over a fire, or coat them with colorless varnish.

To get started, these tips are enough, and you will become familiar with the rest of the nuances as you work.

Making beads for a child with your own hands

Making jewelry is a great way to spend time with your child in a fun and rewarding way. The main thing is that for this you can use common materials at hand and not spend extra money.

DIY children's beads are also made from buttons. Take a handful of products and a couple of pieces of strong thread at least a meter long. The fastener is made in the form of a loop on one side and a button on the other. DIY beads made from buttons can be of any length and color, the main thing is that the child likes it and is safe.

You can also make beads for girls from plastic or foil. You will need:

scissors;
a thread;
beads made of plastic or food foil;
acrylic paints.

If plastic beads are sold ready-made, then you need to make them yourself from foil. Make several identical cuts of material and roll it into a tight ball. Then string the beads onto a thick thread and attach the clasp.

Master class on weaving a simple bracelet

To create a simple shamballa bracelet with your own hands you will need the following materials:

9-11 beads with a diameter of 8-12 mm;
2 beads with a diameter of 6-8 mm;
nylon thread 30 cm long and 0.8 mm thick;
two pieces of nylon thread 1.2 mm thick, 1 m and 60 cm long, respectively.

Before starting work, make sure that all beads can be strung on the selected thread. The work is carried out in stages, using a square knot.

Secure a 30 cm long thread to the pillow with a pin: this is our base. The meter thread is the working thread, we pass it under the warp so that 50 cm remains on each side, and tie the first flat knot.

Next, for reference: the working thread on the left is No. 1, on the right - No. 2.

Step 1 . We draw thread No. 1 over the warp. We pass No. 2 above No. 1 and under the base.

We draw No. 2 up to the left, into the loop of thread No. 1: it turns out that No. 2 passes under No. 1. Tighten.

Step 2 . Now No. 1 is on the right and No. 2 is on the left. We draw No. 1 over the base. We pass No. 2 above No. 1, and under the base. We pass No. 2 up into the loop to the right of the warp thread.

We tighten it. The first square knot is ready.

Step 3. Using the same principle, we knit 4 more knots or more if you are planning a long bracelet. We move the bead to the last knot, tie another one, fixing it in one place.

Step 4 . We move the next bead and fix it with a knot again. We do this until all the beads are attached to the bracelet.

Step 5 . We finish weaving with the same number of knots as at the beginning. We tighten the working threads as much as possible, cut and fix the knot above the flame of the lighter, at a distance of approximately 3 mm. You can use glue.

Step 6 . When the main part of the bracelet is completed, remove the pin. Making a sliding clasp.

Pay attention to the photo: to make the fastening, you need to fold both ends of the thread as shown in the example, insert a 60 cm long piece under them.

And tie a flat knot with this segment.

In total, about ten such knots will be needed to hide the warp threads. Secure by melting the ends.

We check whether the bracelet moves along the main thread to adjust the size.

Place a bead on each loose ponytail and tie knots to prevent them from falling off. Melt the knots. The bracelet is ready!

Important! When placing the tips on the glue, you must be very careful not to overdo it with the glue. Otherwise, it can get not only on the lock, but also on the tails along which it must move. If the structure is glued together, then it will no longer be possible to wear such a bracelet.

By the way, instead of ordinary beads, you can use personalized beads with letters. In this case, you can collect any name and weave a bracelet with any inscription.

You might be interested in learning “How to determine your bracelet size.” In the article you will find tables of wrist sizes for men and women with average standard values.

Benefits of homemade beads

When making stylish jewelry, the master himself controls the work process, has the opportunity to independently select the decor and draw up an assembly diagram. There are also a number of advantages to independent creative work:

Large selection of models. Ready-made diagrams, photos and video instructions for work are freely available.
Creating original beads does not require special skills and abilities - any novice needlewoman can learn the craft.
Every mother has the opportunity to give a teenage girl a beautiful necklace made according to an individual design (for prom, for New Year, for a friendly party).
When working together with a child, both masters - both parent and child - will receive a lot of pleasant impressions.

Making beads is always a creative, exciting process that captures the master’s attention from the very first minute.

Wooden balls

Natural wood blanks purchased in advance can be decorated in accordance with your own preferences and taste.

A simple scheme for making beads yourself involves sequential stringing of prepared balls; you can use balls of different sizes or alternate colors and designs.

Homemade beads

Children will especially enjoy this work. You just need to give them instructions in advance on how to make jewelry from beads. For modeling, polymer clay or salt dough is suitable, into which you can add different dyes and get a multi-colored material.

You can first mix two or more shades, but not until the color is uniform. You need to get a mass with streaks and smooth transitions from one color to another.

You can sculpt balls, disks, ovals, cubes, cylinders. You can create sushi beads. To do this, take several multi-colored pieces of clay or salt dough and make flat cakes. Stack them and wrap them in a roll. Then use a thread to cut the roll into circles. Their center will be rainbow.

The molded beads need to be pierced with a toothpick and placed in the oven for baking. After cooling, coat them with colorless varnish.

Set of tools

Here is a list of tools you may need to make beads. For convenience, the list corresponds to the order of production, from the workpiece to the final part of processing:

Secateurs - necessary for cutting thin branches of fruit trees;
Wood saw - can handle thicker branches or other pieces of wood;
A set of knives – one small but sharp knife may be enough, but it’s better when there are several of them;
Drill and set of drills - electric or manual, it doesn’t really matter. Drills should be of small diameter, maximum 3 mm, but smaller is better;
A set of needle files - useful for the second stage of processing. If you don’t have one, a nail file may also work;
Sandpaper - you can limit yourself to two brands. For primary processing, P80-P120 is suitable, and for finer processing, grade P180-P280 is needed;
Fishing line - you can use any diameter at your discretion, the main thing is that it is strong enough and not too thick, this can ruin the beads;
Fastenings - it is better to purchase them in a studio, or make them yourself;
Sealant - will be needed in case of small natural defects or those caused during processing, it will also extend the life of the decoration;
Acrylic paints are most often used, but oil paints will also work. You can replace it with varnish if you do not want to darken the structure.

Bead layers

Most of the DIY photo beads that are popular on the Internet are made from seed beads. From glass beads, beads and decorative stones you can make string pendants and more complex pendants with several rows.

The algorithm in both cases looks similar:

Prepare fishing line, beads (preferably large), scissors, matches.
Tie a knot at one end of the fishing line.
String the beads in a certain order (alternating colors, shapes and sizes).
When the required length is reached, secure by tying a knot.
Repeat the action several times.
Burn the ends protruding from the nodules by holding them over an open flame for a few seconds.
Gather the beaded strings into one bead.

Beads made of pearls are also collected, with the only difference being that the pearls are clinging in a random order and in one row.

To create more elaborate patterns, it is better to use special patterns.

Paper flowers

For one-time use at themed parties, you can make so-called leis or Hawaiian beads.

There are two manufacturing options here: string store-bought artificial flowers onto a string or make buds from paper napkins.

For those who like to save money, the second option is more suitable:

Prepare several packs of multi-colored napkins, a needle, scissors, and thread.
Fold several napkins together and cut them in two.
Take one half and string it with a needle like an accordion onto a thread.
Form a flower.
Repeat the action until the desired length is reached.

The main thing is to remember that the brighter and more saturated the colors, the more interesting the patterns, the better the decoration will look. Also, special attention is paid to the length - the beads should be below the chest line.

First steps

Before visiting a retail outlet with goods of the relevant theme, you need to carefully consider the style, materials and design of the products. This will protect you from unnecessary spending.

A visual inspection of the basic wardrobe will help you decide on the direction of your activity. It is necessary to decide for which set of clothes the decoration will be made, decide on its design and source material.

We recommend reading:

DIY hairpins: step-by-step guide + instructions. 100 photos of finished hair jewelry. Master class for beginners
DIY brooch - the best step-by-step instructions with description. Photos of finished products, as well as a master class for beginners
How to weave rubber band bracelets with your own hands - a review of the best weaving patterns. TOP 100 photos of different methods and beautiful weaving patterns

You can look for ideas for creativity in the collections of famous designers or on thematic websites. Having thought through the appearance and material for work, it is recommended to draw a sketch.