Category: Tips & Techniques

Tips & Techniques

Link Bead Necklace

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Had some inquiries about the Link Bead necklace that I tossed a picture of up on Facebook.     The pattern for a bracelet is here: http://blog.johnbead.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Link-bead-LR-copy.pdf The pattern for the bracelet calls for 3 x 24 beads, and says it is 8.5 inches, but figure a part of that is the clasp – so say the bead portion is 7 inches, if you wanted to do a 21 inch necklace – then you would need about 225 beads. A tube is about 40 beads. The necklace is an ombre effect, shading from white to clear to cream to antiqued …

Tips & Techniques

Swarovski Launch – Just one more

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Theses are the videos that I couldn’t get to upload last night. Some of them are as long as 30 seconds! The video shows the sparkle much better. We could make some assumptions that the appeal of Swarovski comes from movement – that static pictures alone do not do it justice. Hope you get some inspiration from these!  

Tips & Techniques

A Sneak Peek at the New Swarovski Update – Part 3

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Ok – here we go with part 3 of impressions and tidbits from the Swarovski launch. Next up is the “Metallic Cap Pendant.” This is a pear-shaped drop bead, with a light chrome effect on a large portion of the pendant, over about 1/3 of the top, giving it the appearance of having a metallic bead cap custom fitted. The coating is just on one side, so it looks a bit more ethereal from the back. Still cool, however. Currently – just in Lt Chrome, nothing in gold. Now here’s a thing that has some cool potential. The pointed chaton, …

Tips & Techniques

A Sneak Peek at the New Swarovski Update – Part 2

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continued … A new shape in the fancy rhinestones. This is the Imperial cut – which is based on the (fairly) famous Asscher diamond cut. Famous to folks who go around remembering the names of diamond cuts, that is. Here you can see that Swarovski is inspired to create cuts to represent all the famous traditional – and some of the new – diamond cuts. While you aren’t likely to get yourself Swarovski stones for a wedding ring – there is no reason why you can’t have a really nice cocktail ring without breaking the bank. Maybe cocktail ring needs …

Tips & Techniques

A Sneak Peek at the New Swarovski Update – Fall/Winter 2018/2020 – Part 1

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We got our sneak peak at the new Swarovski products that are coming up. This will be the Winter 2019 collection – because they are always a year ahead. This gives the designers time to get stuff made and out there and be on trend.   I apologize for the photography – I shot this on my phone in a darkened conference room. Some are photos of the powerpoint slides, so the perspective is a little skewed. The actual Swarovski images will come along soon enough – along with the actual products, which aren’t even here yet – so this …

Tips & Techniques

Test Results – Firing the new Lab Created Gems

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At the beginning of August – we added some Lab Created Gems for use in Metal Clay. A couple of the gals here who work with metal clay extensively wanted to double check that the stones would handle the heat without significant colour change. To test them, they were placed into a kiln and fired, without being embedded in metal clay. For the first firing, the gems were placed into a cold kiln. Ramp rate (speed of temperature increase) was set to full (as fast as the kiln will go), the temperature was set to 1650 degrees Fahrenheit (the hottest …

Tips & Techniques

#stretchybraceletobsession

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We’ve had so many requests for these instructions – that I’m posting them here again! How about Stretchy Bracelets! Those of you following us on instagram and facebook may have observed that I have something of a #braceletobsession. I’ve been making bracelets on elastic, and wearing them stacked. Ive been finding this a good way to justify my even older obsession with stone beads! You can use them by themselves, add an accent bead in metal or even lampwork, or add a tassel or charm dangle. Make a bunch ? they are fun and relaxing to make and wear! Making …

Tips & Techniques

Swarovski Colour and Size Charts

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Need a colour chart? Or a size reference? Download a pdf chart and print it for free! Swarovski Table of sizes – from PP 1 to SS 76               Swarovski HotFix Flatbacks Colour Chart Swarovski No HotFix Flatbacks Colour Chart             Swarovski Crystal Bead Colours   Swarovski Fancy Stones (non-round rhinestones – not flatback or hotfix) – available shapes and colours Bead Shapes and Available Colours Swarovski Crystal Pendant – Available Shapes and Colours. (Pendants have a hole front-to-back or side-to-side – beads have a hole all the way …

Tips & Techniques

Floating Display Frames

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I just want to rave on about these floating display frames. I didn’t get a lot of space to talk about them the other day when we rolled them out – so I just want to show you them in more detail – because I think these things are the bees knees. The first time I saw them was in a Swarovski promotional package – there was one of their big, honking crystal pendants, floating in space. Ok, I thought – that’s cool, but a vacuum formed package is kind of a luxury for the regular person like me. Then …