Anyone ever make Glass Beads for Jewelry?
By byfaithonly
@byfaithonly (10698)
United States
August 19, 2007 2:41pm CST
I've never done this until this last week and have been researching online for tips and tricks, ideas, and how to make glass beads. I've seen some beautiful examples and dream of someday creating pieces like these but right now I feel like I'm making 'junk'. And wasting a lot of glass :(
So, is there anyone on myLot who has or does make glass beads for jewelry? Do you have any tips or suggestions?
For the rest of mylot - do you have a craft, hobby, or business related to jewelry?
4 people like this
7 responses
@squaretile (3778)
• Singapore
20 Aug 07
I've never done that! sounds cool. how do you even make glass? I"ve heard that glass is composed of the same basic material as sand. which is hard to imagine. I'm thinking high heat must be involved.
i recently made a beaded bracelet though. am going to start a discussino about that soon!
2 people like this
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
21 Aug 07
It's pretty cool actually. You purchase the glass in 'rods' of different colors and then yep you got it - heat. Heat the end of the glass rod then apply it to a hot metal rod (mandrel). So far my bead are very very 'rustic' looking but it is fun and I think the more I do the better I'll get at it.
@cutepenguin (6430)
• Canada
19 Aug 07
I took class in this once through the community centre, at a glass working studio. It was fun, but very difficult to get the results I wanted.
2 people like this
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
19 Aug 07
I'm thinking about checking into a class myself. You should see the mess I made last night - was supposed to be a black bead with a white flower on it. Yea right, bead broke loss so was flopping around as I tried to do the flower and it ended up a black blob with white smudges on it :(
@kelly60 (4546)
• United States
20 Aug 07
I have never made the glass beads, but I have seen some really beautiful ones. I wish that I could make them. I have made jewelry before, mostly beadwork. I used to sell some of the things that I made at some of the various craft sales. It has been quite a while since I have done much with them. After a long break, maybe I should try my hand at it again.
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
21 Aug 07
:( I was really hoping someone could give me some pointers - you are right though when researching online I've seen some gorgious beads - one was selling for $15 - that's for just one bead but after trying it myself I can understand why. We were really hoping my daughter would get into that end of the jewelry making but she moved out and isn't talking to me at all and pretty upset with her father - my business partner.
@maribea (2366)
• Italy
22 Aug 07
hi my dear friend, I am back here after a while and I am happy to read from you. I don't know a thing about making glass jewels...I wish I knew in order to help you with this new business but anyway I am sure that little by little you'll succeed!!! Here in Italy there is a long and old tradition in glass craft..You see Venezia is the country of glass and in Murano they are artists..so we all have those little glass jewels called Murrina..that it means a little thing made in Murano, the island in Venezia where they started this ancient glass tradition. Of course you don't need to have all these skills in order to create beautiful things and I am sure that you have a good taste...and a strong will!!! So good luck my friend and let me know how things are going!!!1
@joyce959 (1559)
• Philippines
20 Aug 07
Hi Faith... I had not done jewelry out glass beads myself. My sons had some school projects before doing bracelet and necklace from beads. The just have a pin and needle and insert the beads into it until a bracelet is formed, tying the end.
Sad to say I'm not really an artistic person to have jewelry making as a hobby or business. I know there are lots of talented people who are into it. I just buy from them. :D
@jbrowsin66 (1321)
• United States
21 Aug 07
I think I'd be afraid I'd burn myself! I did see a crafter selling her jewelry and she called it "glass", but it looked to be more of an acrylic to me. She made larger "blobs" about the size of a quarter or larger, and in different shapes, then glued the jewelry parts to them and they became pendants. She had used several colors and I think just let them swirl on their own and never knew what she'd really end up with. Try that instead of being so precise and creating a flower, etc. I remember thinking at the time I had NO idea how she did this!
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
21 Aug 07
LOL - we artistic crafters LOVE you people who just buy them :) ((((((((((((joyce))))))))))))
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
21 Aug 07
jbrowsin66 - That sounds interesting. The fire part does make me nervous and I didn't start until I got a good pair of saftey glasses and make sure the flame is far from anything that might catch on fire - it is fun though seeing the glass turn into a molten glob and then harden as it cools.
@wooitsmolly (3613)
• United States
19 Aug 07
I have never made my own, but I once saw a television show where a woman was making glass beads. I thought it was really cool. She was making little cats, mice, and fish. I also thought it looked really hard to do. Good luck, and I'm sure you will get much better with practice :)
1 person likes this
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
19 Aug 07
I've been making sure to watch HGTV every day this week hoping someone will do a deminstration. LOL my 16 year old son stepped in the other night - decided he stinks at beads but made a couple really cool snakes, eyes and all :)
@cjsmom (1423)
• United States
22 Aug 07
I haven't made glass beads for jewelry but I used to make really cool earrings out of anodized aluminum. If I had the money I would purchase the few pieces of equipment I would need to make them again and sell them online, etc. I used to love doing that.
