Above: a necklace that will always make me think of summer, made of vintage beads from French General.
Craft materials are some of my favorite souvenirs. A few years back I went to LA, and discovered the craft fantasia that is French General. Beads, fabric, books, French General do it all.
But buying is easier than making. While I bought plenty of amazing vintage beads, I didn't feel secure enough in my jewellery-making skills to make my bead dreams into bead reality.
Until now, that is. Lately I'm dreaming of summer and jones-ing for a project that will help me get through February in New York. Beads to the rescue!
Materials:
- Necklace clasp
- Jump ring
- Thread - the kind of thread I bought had a needle attached. Read this exhaustive rundown of thread- the kinds of beads you use will influence your choice of thread.
- 2 crimp beads
- Beads of your choice!
- Styrofoam tray
- Slender sewing needle
- Knitting needle
Here's a video showing how I learned to finally bring all these great elements together in a necklace that will always make me think of summer days in Silver Lake.
Thinking about trying some bead-stringin'? The bead stringing techniques page on About.com is where I turned for guidance, but the internet is full of beading fanatics who want to share their craft.
And check out French General for loads of vintage supplies, inspiration and even a charm club!
Don't forget to tell us all about your own bead-stringing adventures in the comments!
