Preciosa Crystal Beads & Jewellery Making

 

Preciosa crystal colour of the year - Emerald

Preciosa Crystal Beads & Jewellery Making

 Another jewel in the Czech crown is the perfectly cut Preciosa crystal.  Generations of crystal cutters have devoted themselves to producing a unique stone of quality, respected throughout the international market.

Preciosa Czech Crystal Bicone Beads

The brand was officially registered in Bohemia in 1915, although history tells us that the glassmaking in the Jablonec region goes back to the 14^th century.  In the 18^th century the art of crystal cutting and polishing were brought to North Bohemia by the Fisher Brothers.  Soon after the first factory specialising in the manufacturing and export of Bohemian chandeliers was established, many of which were sent to Royal Courts.  World War II halted production, but in 1945 seven crystal factories and 18 small firms around the Jablonec region merged, forming the Preciosa company, which was officially established in 1948.  Since then, the Preciosa company has grown and developed, now encompassing Preciosa Inc, Preciosa Chandeliers, Preciosa Figurines Ltd and Preciosa Ornela Inc.

Preciosa Czech Crystal Bicone Bead, Sapphire

To reach perfection, Preciosa use only the most High-Tech machinery and genuine, pure Czech Crystal sourced in an ecological way, meeting all environmental standards. When you buy a Preciosa product you can be assured that it comes from the heart of Bohemia and cut in such a way it will not lose its’ shape or brilliance.

Preciosa Czech Crystal Bicone Bead, Amethyst

The Preciosa Fashion Jewellery Stones come in 43 colours, some traditional, but many designed by Preciosa themselves, unique to them as a supplier, reflecting the latest seasonal trends.  These colours catch the light perfectly and truly enhance the sheer quality of these beads.  In fact, their glass bead range has such a high reputation, that Preciosa  are classed as the leading producer of glass seed beads (rocailles).

Preciosa beads can be applied by gluing, clay modelling, sewing, beading, stringing, wiring, knotting, knitting and crocheting.

International Craft give the crafter an opportunity to purchase the Bicone Preciosa Czech Crystal Beads.  Bicone is a three dimensional shaped bead (think of two cones back to back), in a variety of colours and shades.  The beads come in three sizes, 4mm, 6mm and 8mm.

Preciosa Czech Crystal Bicone Bead, Jet

To view all the Preciosa Czech Crystal Bicone beads at International Craft, CLICK HERE

International Craft Giveaway

Hot bracelet trends 2013

Beadalon Stringing Wire

Beadalon, in the USA are, undoubtedly, the leading manufacturer of flexible bead stringing wire.  Beadalon manufacture their own wire, strand and cable for stringing and have done for the past 30 years, with a factory operating 24 hours a day.

The new wire products, produced in-house, include the first Kink-free titanium wire, silver plated and 24 carat gold wire.  These come in addition to the metallic and satin coloured wires that Beadalon are renowned for.

7 Strand Beadalon Gold 30ft

Beadalon have the largest range of colours, wire flexibities, spool lengths and diameters.

In 2009 Beadalon acquired Artistic Wire for wires that are permanently coloured.  These include coloured copper wire, non-tarnish brass, non-tarnish silver and non-tarnished silver plated for jewellery and crafts.  The two products complement each other well and are manufactured easily side by side.

Beginner Thing-a-ma-Jig

How is a Beadalon wire different?

A Beadalon stringing wire is composed of many tiny wires twisted together and nylon coated.  The flexibility of the wire depends on the number of strands used, ie a larger number of strands equals greater flexibility.  There are three sizes, 49 strand, 19 strand and 7 strand, 49 strand being the more flexible.  Beadalon recommends that if you are new to stringing, a 19 strand is ideal.

Design Tips for Beadalon Wire

Use the largest diameter wire that will fit through the smallest bead hole.  Too small a diameter, then you risk abrasion of the wire.  The wire should be comfortably snug.

Increase bead spacing –  this will help reduce abrasion.  Bead bumpers are small squishable beads that can be used at either end or within the pattern, giving a tight look whilst giving the beads more space.

Choose a wire with the appropriate breaking strength dependent on size and weight of the beads.  Beadalon 49 is the most flexible wire, therefore ideal for jewellery that will go through a lot of wear and tear ie bracelets.

Choose the right type of flexibility for your particular design and how you want it to look.

Beadalon Big Eye Beading Needles

Use wire guardians to reduce abrasion at the clasps.

Occasionally, Crafters may feel that their beading wire is stretching.  In these cases the wire is not stretching but gradually untwisting.  This could be a result of using a wire that is too small in diameter or stringing the beads together too tightly.  Use Scrimp findings for maximum strength and bead bumpers in between crystals and glass beads to maximise protection.


Find Beadalon on Facebook (7,508 likes).


For all your Beadalon requirements, visit the International Craft website

Top 100 Craft blogs to follow in 2013

An infographic by the team at CouponAudit

Jewellery Makers - Are you Selling on Etsy Yet?

Etsy.com is a vibrant community ecommerce website of 15 million buyers and craft related  businesses.  If you are just starting out, Etsy is an easy and cost effective way of introducing your brand to a ready made and like-minded audience.  You can sell handmade, Vintage or supplies.  To gain more experience, you can use the online Labs and engage with other sellers.  The online community puts you in touch with other artists and entrepreneurs, informing you of events near and far as well as the opportunity to gain valuable information from the more experienced.

InternationalCraft.com

specialise in jewellery and craft supplies, with Etsy providing a wide variety of categories to enable the Crafter to sell their creations, including fine jewellery, personalised, eco friendly and display accessories.

This is a worldwide marketplace where you can choose your region, language and currency.  There are no membership fees.  A small fee is paid for each item that is listed for up to 4 months.  When the item is sold Etsy take a 3.5% commission on the sale.

Your own profile allows you to show a shop banner, photos and give your story to your potential customers.  Etsy.com allows your business and creativity to grow at your pace.

Of course, the Etsy way of selling allows for a lot more flexibility in your working.  You don’t have to be tied to a traditional shop, you can work from home, fit your selling around your childcare needs and work in the evenings if it is more suitable.

“I was instantly hooked on the idea that I could make a living doing what I loved most while staying home with my newborn.” – Seven Ply

There is a rich collection of Blogs, featuring craft ideas, selecting sellers to feature, inspiring writing from mentors in the craft industry, party ideas and weddings to name a few.  Another valuable source of information and interest.

Etsy are prominent on Social Media, with nearly 2 million followers on Twitter and 1 1/4 million likes on Facebook.

The website Etsy.com is modern and easy to navigate.  When you click on a product you see a larger image, full product description, delivery and payment options, how many other items the company have in their store and a little synopsis of the company itself, for example this bunny toy Etsy Product Page.  There is also a contact link, add to favourites and links to their social media.  So, even if the customer does not want to buy that item, there is an opportunity to browse that company’s products easily.

Etsy.com is a great site for weddings, including its own Registry which you can manage, featuring unique gifts for that special day.

Craft Wire Jig Boards at International Craft

International Craft  provides all the tools and supplies you need to create your own jewellery or craft business, Etsy.com is the stepping stone you can move to next to make it a success.

Swarovski in Fashion, Art and Modern Culture

Swarovski crystals are such a versatile and essential part of any craft persons’ materials.  Swarovski themselves have proved that their brand are at the forefront of fashion, art and modern culture, from the clothes and accessories through to stage and screen design.  There are even gigantic pieces of art, large enough for people to walk inside, made entirely from the crystals.  The beauty of light catching the crystal and the colours it produces is intoxicating.  International Craft  appreciate the magic of these crystal beads and feature a range large enough to satisfy any craft designer.

Some of the more recent high profile events featuring Swarovski include:-

Creatures of the Wind, New York Fashion Week, Winter 2012/2013

Designers Chris Peters and Shane Gabier use Swarovski Elements as an extension of their designs.  The pastel colours within the jewellery complemented the clothes perfectly.  This is the third year the designers have used Swarovski.

‘Oz- The Great and Powerful’ – Disney

Witch in 'Oz'
(pic courtesy thehollywoodnews.com)

Oz  is a blockbusting sequel to the 1930’s Wizard of Oz, where the focus this time is on the power of the witch.  The costume designer, Gary Jones, uses thousands of Swarovski crystals within the costumes for ultimate impact.

85^th Academy Awards, 2013

Swarovski had a large part to play in this year’s Oscars.  The stage design featured a sparkling curtain made from 80,000 Swarovski crystals, designed to catch the lights, reflecting the old time glamour of Hollywood.

At this link on YouTube you can see Derek McLane explain the reasoning behind the huge Swarovski presence at the Oscars.

London Fashion Week, September 2012

Philip Treacy designs feat.
Swarovski Elements
(pic courtesy iamcatwalk.com)

Designer Philip Treacy,  renowned for his hat designs, uses African influence and the clothes of Michael Jackson to create a stunning show at London Fashion Week.  Swarovski Elements gave the finishing touches in the form of hats and gloves (remember Michael Jackson’s famous glove?)  along with African style jewelled accessories.

These are just some of the ways in which designers have used the Swarovski crystal to take their creations to a new level and for the craft person the design opportunities are endless.

For more on the Swarovski crystal beads at International Craft, click here.

What are Freshwater Pearls?

Freshwater Pearls are created using fresh water mussels who live in a non-saline water found in lakes, rivers and ponds.  The pearls are produced mainly in China using a farming technique.  Japan and the US can produce them too, but on a much smaller scale and pollution has played an unfortunate part in the demise of the industry in these areas.

Freshwater Pearl Beads (white/cream)

When produced on a large scale Freshwater Pearls have to be referred to as ‘fresh water cultured pearls’ as stipulated by the US Federal Trade Commission.

China is believed to have harvested pearls from as early as the 13^th Century and now produces 1500 tons of the freshwater pearls with the Hyriopsis cumingii mussel and several hybrids.  Outside of Asia, a pearl farm in Tennassee was able to cultivate the freshwater pearls.  However this became unsustainable and is now a tourist attraction. 

The farming technique is a process involving the grafting of a donor mussel carried out by a technician, this can be carried out up to 50 times per shell.   The Chinese prefer to use the triangle shell which is the Hyriopsis as although the volume of pearls are lower, they are considered of better quality.   The molluscs are returned to the fresh water where they are tended for 2 – 6 years.

Technicians using the traditional farming
technique (pic courtesy of Wikipedia)

More information on the freshwater pearl industry can be found on the forum of Pearl-Guide.com,  'Innovation continues in Chinese Freshwater Pearl Culture'.

How are they processed?

At a first-stage factory the harvested pearls  are cleaned and sorted by size and shape.  At the processing factory they are pre-treated in a warm and cold chemical solution and bleached.  If the pearls have a strong colour, they do not get bleached.  The pearls are then drilled and polished with a wax and cornmeal mixture.  To keep the pearls in good condition for onwards sale they are placed onto temporary strands and matched into hanks (a composition of 5 – 10 temporary strands).

What is their appeal?

Freshwater Pearls appear in a wide variety of natural colours and shapes.  They are less expensive than the salt water variety and are popular with young people and designers because of this.  They are solid and durable, giving a longer life with more resistance to chipping, wear and tear.

Freshwater Pearls (silver/grey)

For a wide variety of freshwater pearls at International Craft and more information, CLICK HERE