Secrets to Polymer Clay Project 3: Slab-tastic Earrings
Learn how this trendy pattern-making process makes mass-producing details a breeze. Simply roll out your base, create your design and cut!
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Secrets to Polymer Clay Project 2: Swirls and Jewels
Learn how to marble, twist and blend clay colors to create eye-catching patterns. Then take the detail a step further with jewels and pearls.
How to Use Cab-Tite and Wrap-Tite Settings
Learn about the easy-to-use Cab-Tite™ and Wrap-Tite® settings that give professional results fast.
Secrets to Polymer Clay Project 1: Strata Beads
Christi Friesen leads us through the first project in the Secrets to Polymer Clay series--strata beads! Learn how to use simple canning and layered slices to easily form mesmerizing patters.
Finishing Memory Wire Jewelry
In this video, we'll explore two stylish methods for completing your Memory Wire jewelry: adding chic ball ends or crafting elegant loops.
Protecting Tools with Tool Magic®
Learn how to protect your wire-working projects from mars and scratches with Tool Magic®. This handy video shows how to coat your tools and keep designs pristine.
Using Twisted Beading Needles
Twisted beading needles offer some major advantages when creating strung jewelry designs. Here are the points you need to know when using these unique and handy beading needles.
How to Set and Remove Faceted Gems
Using your gem setting pliers the right way will make the job easier and reduce the risk of marring your stones and settings.
Making a Wrapped Loop and Double-Wrapped Loop
Use the double wrapped-loop technique to attach a pendant or charm to a soldered loop on a chain for a secure finish. Link double wrapped loops together to create your own chain then finish with your choice of clasp.
How to Use Snap-Tite® Settings
Transform your favorite faceted stones into beautiful pendants with Snap-Tite® settings.
Product Spotlight: Czech Glass
Czech glass beads are known over the world for exemplary craftsmanship and vivid color. Explore the beauty and glory of Czech glass beads, including fire-polished, lampworked, cathedral and pressed.
A Guide to Torches for Jewelry Making and Metalsmithing
Learn about the importance of torches in jewelry making and small metalsmithing projects including soldering, annealing, enameling and even firing metal clay. Follow along with Patti as she shows the different torches we offer and how to pick the best fit for your needs.
Kato Polyclay™ - The Skinner Blend Technique
The Skinner blend technique has revolutionized the process of blending colors. Learn how to create this gorgeous look with this instructional video.
How-To Use Bead Stoppers™
Want a tool that keeps beads from falling off your jewelry wire or thread? Learn how to use a bead stopper in this how-to video from jewelry artist Katie Hacker.
Using Crimp Covers
Crimp covers provide a professional and stylish way to finish your jewelry. Learn the proper way to use them in this video tutorial and instructions.
Knotting and Knotting Tools
Knots are a key skill for jewelry makers. These videos and tutorials show a range of knots and knotting tools to keep jewelry designs secure and stylish.
How-To Use the Speedy Stringer™
Want to save time and energy on complex beading projects? This video shows you how simple and efficient stringing beads can be with the Speedy Stringer.
Using Crimp Ends with Cording
Crimp ends are an easy, effective way to finish off cord jewelry designs. Watch this instructional video starring jewelry-making expert Tammy Honaman to learn more.
How to Use the Adaptable Eyelet and Rivet Tool Set
Learn how to attach eyelets and/or rivets to metal sheet in this helpful video.
Learn How to Create a Polymer Clay Leaf Cane
Join us for this easy-to-follow polymer clay tutorial and master the art of making a stunning polymer leaf cane using the Skinner blend technique. Discover the secrets behind crafting intricate and beautiful leaf canes that will add a touch of nature-inspired elegance to your polymer clay projects.
Using The Bead Knotter™
Knot pearls and beads quickly with The Bead Knotter.
Rock and Jewelry Tumbling Videos
Learn the basics of rock tumbling and how easy it is to polish rocks with Rose as she demonstrates how to use the Lortone rock and jewelry tumbler.
How To Use a Cord Tip (Glue-in Style)
Join Arbel as she demonstrates how to use glue-in style cord tips.
How To Use Cord Coils
Cord coil ends are an easy and quick way to securely close a cord necklace.
How to Use the Wire Twister
For round wire, fold it in half and place the looped end over a nail or in a bench vise to anchor it. For square wire, use a single strand and secure one end in the vise.
How to use Bezelite and Bezelite-Style Settings
Bezelite settings give a great professional look to your faceted stones. They come in sterling silver, gold-filled and "vermeil", in earrings and pendant findings.
Setting a Cabochon with a Bezel Pusher and Burnisher
Learn the art of setting cabochons with precision using our high-quality bezel pusher and burnisher tools.
How to Use a Wire Donut Bail
Turn a gemstone or glass donut into an eye-catching pendant with donut bails.
Using Split Ring Pliers
Split ring pliers make it a snap to use sometimes-challenging split rings. Watch as jewelry designer Arbel demonstrates how to use this handy tool.
How to Use Glue-on Bails
A drop of glue is all you need to turn flat-backed components into attractive pendants and drops. Jewelry-making expert Tom walks you through the process.
How to Make a Briolette Wrapped Loop
Not sure how to incorporate briolettes into jewelry? This instructional video shows how to add a loop to briolettes for use in any design.
How To Use a Wide Eye Needle™
Learn about the Wide-Eye Needle™ with jewelry expert Tom Triplett. Discover how these strong, flexible needles work with various threads and bead sizes.
Setting a Cabochon with a Bezel Roller and Burnisher
Setting a cabochon into a bezel setting can be difficult to do without warping the bezel. Let jewelry designer-artist Tammy Honaman show you how to get fantastic results in this instructional video.
Filigree Clasp
A clasp with an open, filigreed surface, like a metallic lace. Can include Box Clasp and Fishhook Clasp styles.
Karat
Discover the essence of gold fineness through its standard measure—the karat.
How to Use Bead Cones
Cones are a great, professional way to end multi-strand designs. This video shows how to utilize them in your jewelry creations.
How to Use Molding Compound
Want to make replicas of some of your unique stations or duplicate hard-to-find vintage buttons.? Learn how to use molding compound to recreate even fragile items.
How to Set Up a Beading Loom
Not sure how to set up the threads on a loom for weaving? In-house jewelry designer Rose shows you just how easy setting up a loom--or warping--can be.
How to Make a Right-Angle Weave
A versatile stitch for jewelry makers, right-angle weave can be used with seed beads, crystals and more. Learn this stitch with these step-by-step instructions.
How to Make Jewelry Findings with Wire
In this video, you'll learn how to make your own ear wires, jump rings, head pins, eye pins, clasps, bails and more.
How to Use Easy Cast® Resin for DIY Jewelry Making
Join Patti as she shows you how to create custom pendants with resin and other crafty supplies.
How to Create a Ladder Stitch
This set of instructions—complete with animated visuals—explains the single-needle ladder stitch process in a simple, understandable way.
How To Crimp a Crimp Bead/Crimp Tube
Crimp beads are a vital finding in many jewelry designs. Learn how to properly use them with crimping pliers in this instructional guide and video.
How to Create Tassels
Tassels are all the rage in jewelry and accessories. Learn how to create your own custom tassels with the Beadalon® tassel maker and threading of your choice.
Stitching and Wire-Working Techniques
This informative resource contains videos and illustrated instructions on several stitching basics, including loom work, ladder stitch, herringbone stitch and more.
Make Two Styles of Christmas Tree Earrings
In this video, you'll learn how the same Celestial Crystal® Christmas tree drops can be used to create two different earring designs.
Bracelet
Classic rose-gold hues form an elaborate lattice framed by regal burgundy and purple for a bracelet that is as intricate as it is breathtaking.
Freshwater Pearl
Pearls created by a farmer, who inserts a "seed" of mother-of-pearl into a freshwater oyster. The pearl oyster will coat the seed with nacre, creating a pearl.
Bail
A metal loop that is used to attach a chain or cord to a pendant.
Knapping
Find the definition of "knapping," a stone-carving technique.
Zinc
Zinc is a pure metallic element commonly used in metal jewelry components. Zinc is found in alloys such as brass or used as an anti-corrosion coating.
Zebra Wire
Delve into the world of Zebra Wire™ copper wire, exploring its production, applications, varieties and gain insights into its maintenance and care.
Zodiac
Discover the history of the signs of the zodiac in this informative EncycloBEADia® entry.
Eyepin
A length of wire, usually straight, with a pre-formed simple loop at one end.
Eye Beads
Decorated to resemble an eye, these beads date back to antiquity and have symbolic meanings. Often used in amulets.
Oxidization
The process by which the outermost layer of metal changes in color and consistency due to exposure to oxygen, creating a Patina.
Wire-Wrapping Pliers
A pair of pliers with designed with a stepped round tip, in order to make consistent 4mm, 6mm and 8mm loops or jumprings.
Wire Guardian
A horseshoe-shaped loop of metal used to protect beading wire, thread or cord from fraying through contact with metal components such as clasps or links.
White Metal
Alloys with heavy tin or lead content, such as pewter. Also called Britannia metal or tin plate. One of the most commonly used metals in costume jewelry.
Vitrail
Vitrail is a translucent color-coating effect that is vacuum- sealed onto the reverse side of glass and crystal beads, creating a kaleidoscope of color.
Venetian Bead
A glass bead in the style of the glass artists of Venice. Venetian glass beads are famous for their color, craftsmanship and quality. Also called Murano glass.
Twister Clasp
A hinged clasp which is hooked through each end of a continuous necklace, or opera-length pearl strand, changing it into a twisted choker necklace.
Torsade
A popular choker-type, multi-strand necklace in which the strands twist around each other.
Torpedo Clasp
A low-profile clasp with a threaded closure, which is twisted or screwed to open and to close. See also Bead, Barrel and Screw Clasp styles.
How to Bead a Daisy Chain Stitch
Follow along with Rose in this step-by-step video as she teaches the daisy chain seed bead stitch that is perfect for creating cute DIY bracelets and necklaces. This fun, beading technique is a must-try!
Terminator
Find the definition of "terminator" for a professional finish on jewelry designs.
Tempering
A heat treatment used for metals and glass. Tempering is used to toughen steel and change the breakage effect in glass.
Tailored Jewelry
Jewelry constructed entirely of metal and without stones. Introduced by Alfred Phillippe, who drew for Trifari.
Tin
A pure metallic element, listed on the periodic table as Sn (an abbreviation of Stannum, which is Latin for tin). Tin resists oxidization and corrosion, so it is commonly used in metal jewelry components. It is found in alloys such as bronze or genuine pewter. Tin is also used as an anti-corrosion coating over steel, in solder and in some batteries.
Bakelite
Find the definition of "Bakelite," which was enormously popular in years past.
Bugle Bead
Tube-shaped glass bead in the same scale as seed beads, and often created by the same manufacturers.
Beggar Beads
Multicolored agate necklaces worn in historical times by beggars, as it was commonly believed that agates attracted wealth.
Bead Weaving, On-Loom
Seed beads are woven between the warp threads on a Beading Loom to create a design or pattern that becomes a flexible "fabric."
Bead Weaving, Off-Loom
Weaving techniques adapted to create a flexible "fabric" out of seed beads and thread using a needle and thread.
Beading Wire
Discover the essence of beading wire: its benefits for jewelry making, exceptional qualities and crafting potential.
Beadswax
A mixture with a beeswax base, used for bead-based inlay work.
Bead Reamer
A manual or electric tool used to smooth or enlarge the drill hole in a bead. Specialized reamers are available for other materials. See Pearl Reamer.
Beading Hook
Find the definition of "beading hook."
Bead Embroidery
Using traditional embroidery or sewing stitches to attach beads to fabric, leather or other surfaces. Commonly used to embellish clothing, shoes and home décor.
Bead Loom
A frame designed to hold multiple strands of thread parallel. A piece of thread strung with seed beads is run between every other thread to create a pattern.
Bead Cap
A bowl-shaped component used to "cap" one or both ends of a bead to add visual interest. Mostly decorative, but also prevents beads from rubbing together.
Bead Clasp
A bead-like clasp that has a magnet, screw, tab insert or bayonet closure. Can include Barrel, Bayonet, Box, Magnetic, Screw and Torpedo Clasp styles.
Bead Board
Flat surface used to design jewelry by offering a single or multiple channels. Some may be soft silicone, others may be flocked, for a no-slip surface.
Bicone
A bead shape, most commonly seen in Crystal Passions®, of two cone shapes joined at the wide bases.
Backstitch
A type of embroidery, sewing and needlework stitch where individual stitches are created in the opposite direction to the direction of the seam.
Aurora Borealis 2X
The AB2X effect has twice the coating of the AB effect, covering the entire crystal. The iridescent rainbow effect is seen on all sides, for the utmost sparkle.
Bugtail
1mm satin cord.
Heishi
This Pueblo Indian term is synonymous with thin, uniform, disk-shaped shell, gemstone and metal beads that are center- drilled and strung in a row.
Brown-Plated
Find the definition of "brown-plated," a special finish for metal components.
Gold-Finished
Also called Gold Color or "washed." The base metal is brass or steel and the product is electroplated with a non-standardized thickness of gold.
Focal Component
Find the definition of "focal component," a major element in jewelry design.
Carbon Steel
A type of steel that contains carbon, with other alloys making up a trace portion. This term is also used generically to refer to steel that's not stainless.
Briolette
A briolette is an elongated, pear-shaped stone covered with bands of triangular or rectangular facets, usually with a pointed end and without a girdle.
Vermeil
Vermeil items are made of sterling silver, electroplated with gold. Vermeil has an equivalent of 2-1/2 microns of 24Kt gold.
Titanium
Neutral gray, lightweight metal. After manufacturing into the desired shape, such as earposts, the base metal titanium can be anodized into six colors.
Bridge Jewelry
A category of jewelry generally thought of as the "bridge" between fine jewelry and costume jewelry. It may use vermeil, gold-filled or sterling silver metals and semi-precious stones such as amethyst, citrine, turquoise, jade, topaz, cultured freshwater pearls, garnet and others. Most bridge jewelry is artisan-made, but it can also be mass produced.
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