I'm hoping to identify these trade beads, hopefully their place of origin or possibly age. I'd like to use them to make a necklace but i want to make sure im not going to ruin something of significance. I'd like to be aware of the materials I'm using. I think they might be jasper possibly African but i have no idea

I’ve been experimenting with these beads and strung a few bracelets to see how they work together. The first is bold multicolor with a red pendant, the second is pastel crackle glass, and the third is softer matte pastels.

Would you want to use beads like these in your own bracelets? What do you think of the style—are there particular colors, shapes, or finishes you love, or is it not really your cup of tea?

Besides bracelets, what else would you make with them? These bracelets are just my take, so I’m curious about what you’d create and what you’d pair them with.

I’m exploring whether to offer beads in this style, so honest feedback—including what doesn’t appeal to you—would be really helpful!

Hi everyone! I'm not very crafty or creative, but I'm trying to make some beaded bracelets for hospice patients this holiday season. I'm having a lot of trouble making anything that looks elegant enough to give. Does anyone have any product recommendations or Amazon links for what I should buy? The 6mm bead kits and stretch string I have aren't gift worthy. Thank you!

This bracelet I made is all about texture. I hop it does the work. And look at that looped edge 😁

After countless hours buried in books, he’s finally graduated! He may have lost track of time (and perhaps his mind a little 😅), but he’s proudly wearing his graduation cap!

Another pair of brass thimbles peyote stitched into earrings with 13/0 cut Czech Republic beads.

I'm trying to follow along to a looming tutorial, but I realise that the spacing between the the threads is quite large for the beads (and needle!) that I'm using. Will this still hold okay once I get started, or will it be too loose as I progress?

I don't mind rethreading a loom, but I'm wondering if the one I have has gaps that are too wide for the thread and beads. In which case, can I adjust the sizing, or should I get a different loom for this project?

Sorry for more of these fellas it's just one of the first things I made originally! I wanna do up a pattern for people if there is any interest. Let me know!

Some of you might know that I started beading berries a few months ago and haven’t been able to stop. I also started making moldy berries which I love! Because I keep making them I thought I might as well try and make an Etsy but it might as well be a dead page 😂 am I being delusional please be honest

11/0 czech preciosa beads, free-handed :)

pattern by me!
peyote stitch, 11/0 czech preciosa beads

Update:

Thanks to the advice and suggestion below I ordered her:

https://www.threadabead.com/6798/2/a4-padded-beading-board-and-lid-grey-ruler-by-threadabead

with a blue insert. Looking forward to giving her something sturdier so she isn't worrying about the board bending wrong every time she moves, sets it down, or picks it up. Thank you everyone!

Edit:

Thank you so much for all the wonderful suggestions! I'll definitely be looking into the links and suggestions you all provided! 😄

My wife has recently got into beading this year. She tends to bead with small beads and makes these cute animals, coffee cups, and others.

She's been working on custom designed stars as a Christmas gift but the tray or Kat she uses is a flimsy beadsmith plastic mat.

I was hoping to find something sturdier and higher quality thats made of wood or metal, still has the felt type of topping with a lid or cover that can slide on and off.

Any recommendations?

Ive tried digging around but amazon, Walmart, etsy, Google, and beadsmith didnt turn up what I was looking for.

Where can you buy it in bundles rather than yards

Does anyone have a hummingbird pattern they would be willing to share?

I’d do a few things differently but I learned a lot and am ultimately pleased with the result!

The subject is musician Phoebe Bridgers from her Lost Tour taken by photographer Wes Ellis.

My afternoon tea today ☕🫐💙 A little box of blueberries to brighten up my day! ✨

I weave large-scale tapestries, usually around ~200 beads wide with Toho 11/0 rounds and I’m usually quite speedy. I decided to try using the shedding device on my Mirrix for the first time for my current project and it’s upsetting me to no end, am I missing something?

Not only did it take about 5x longer to warp and set up, but it is totally impossible to get the beads positioned inside the shed or keep my rows looking straight. I know there’s bound to be a learning curve, but I can’t imagine how this is actually supposed to speed things up. I can normally string and weave a 200 bead row in 10-15 minutes and the shedding device has easily doubled that.

What am I missing? I’d like to give it a real chance before re-warping my loom without it, but every row is only pissing me off further…..

Hi everyone! I've been making beaded jewelry—ranging from rings and bracelets to necklaces and more—and I'm wondering about the business side of things.
For those of you who make a profit from your beadwork:
•Is there a real market for handmade beaded accessories, or is the profit margin too low considering the time spent making them?
•Where do you find the most success running your small business (Etsy, local craft fairs, Instagram, local markets)?
•How do you price your items to fairly account for both materials and your time/labor?

Any advice, realistic expectations, or success/failure stories would be super appreciated!
😊

Getting closer and closer, i'm thinking of adding white highlights to make the octopus stand out more, but there will be lots of pearls as the final touch, any thoughts?

Hi everyone! I'm looking to source lobster clasps and jump rings in gold plated stainless steel, but whenever I find something that looks decent I see at least one or two reviews that they tarnished quickly. I know that gold filled findings would be the way to go, but not sure it is feasible cost wise for me right now in terms of cost vs price of finished goods. Anyone have sources in Canada that they buy from that are tried and true?

Edited to add — I’m reading good things about PVD! Any sources for these?