Knowledge of basic beading and jewelry techniques are needed for the actual construction of making a beaded necklace or a beaded bracelet or beaded earrings. After learning and making beaded jewelry accessories with the many varieties of assembly techniques there is a tendency to specialize in one technique and adding embellishments that trademark it to be our style.

The next step is to broaden our talents and start becoming a jewelry designer or a beading designer. Inspiration for this aspect of making custom made jewelry came about because adding, deleting, changing or requests from friends, family, and customers wanting customized handcrafted jewelry.

Confidence is on your side and you trust your craft skills and quality of workmanship. You feel ready to meet the next challenge.

What is involved in designing beaded jewelry?

1. Jewelry basics – total understanding of assembly, tools, beads, fasteners and clasps.

2. Complete a final sketch or drawing of the complete jewelry project – to be approved by the client.

3. There needs to be a list of color choices and combinations which will be used in the jewelry project.

4. Decide on what types and shapes of beads will be used.

5. Take accurate measurements of neckline, wrist, and finger.

Step number two requires much time and thought to create the final outcome. A warning needs to be mentioned. Do not set your self up to be let down. Prepare yourself for a reject by the client. If designing is new to you, it can hurt very much because of our heartfelt creative investment.

The client is not rejecting you, they are rejecting the design, and you will need to address the changes or deletions in the design to make the client happy. Remember that the client trusts you. It is just a matter of communicating the outcome.

It is absolutely amazing how the mind can summon things stored in our brain gathering pieces stored here and there in the tissue matter and bring forth a kaleidoscope of thoughts which has our conscious mind waking us up with ideas.

After many ideas pop out of our head like soap bubbles, we reach out and catch the bubbles which hold the magic photo of what is needed for the design.

Logic steps in and decisions are made as to what to keep and what to toss out. The ideas that you wish to toss out will be tossed into a notebook for a later date.