Beaded Jewelry

Are you in the mood for wearing pieces of beaded jewelry?  Well, the practice of using beads for self-adornment began at least 45,000 years ago, and guess what, the fabulous trend still radiates in any generation.  From religious rites in South Africa to Hollywood stars, beaded jewelry can be a fashion statement of a generation, or signifies individual style.

Beaded jewelry comes in thousands of designs and creates varied looks for your.  Whether you go for the classy glass beads designs or the funky fimo beads, whatever mood you want to create, beads make almost anything possible.  There are several types of beaded jewelry available in the market that range in prices (from the very affordable wood beads to the expensive Pandora beads or Swarovski crystals) like bracelets, necklaces, anklets, and even earings

The history of people's desire to wear beads began since time immemorial.  At the tomb of King Tut (of Egypt) was found jewelry with beads made from semi-precious stones that adorned his slipper.  This find was dates to be 4,000 years old.  Moreover, a latest find from an archeological digging site includes the crude version of beaded jewelry (made from ancient shells) worn by a human ancestor, which is estimated to be 75,000 years old.

There are ready-made pieces of beaded jewelry as well as custom-made ones.  Pandora jewelry allows bead-lovers to assemble their own jewelry like bracelets or necklaces to create a look distinct to you.  A regular Pandora bracelet can cost around $1,800. 

Moreover, there are several beads fabricated from glass, wood, seed beads, ceramic, semi-precious stones, pearls, pure gold, and diamonds.  Jewelry crafted from beads also serves varying purposes.  In indigenous cultures, beads are used in rituals.  On the other hand, beads are also thrown on the street during occasions like a Mardi gras.

Making Beaded Jewelry

While its fun to buy a ready-made jewelry, having your own creation is equally worthwhile.  All you need is some creativity and patience.  Eventually, it will grow to become a hobby.  Aside from the beading necessities like beads, thread, and needle, the hobbyist can make use of other materials to come up with unique and beautiful beadworks. 

Making jewelry out of beads also involves several techniques, which you may practice like stringing and wire-working.  A few types of strings like nylon, metal wires, twine, and silk threads may be used.  Wires are used for beaded jewelry items like necklaces, earrings, and hairpins, as well as to attach clasps.  The advantage of wearing jewelry made of beads is the variety it offers.  You can choose from the expensive combo of gold and silver, corals or pearls, to the inexpensive accessories fabricated from plastic and wood.

To enhance the effect of beads, different stitching and knotting techniques may be used as well.  Whether wearing them for your own, or giving them as gifts, beaded jewelry items almost always enunciate self-expression and style.