There a hundreds gadgets in the beading world.
They all claim to make your beading life so much better and easier. It is really hard to figure out what you actually do need.
Today, I am going to talk about a few very useful tools that will aid your jewelry making and designing processes but that won’t break the bank.
Bead Mats and Design Boards
A bead mat is a flat surface that is used to hold your beads in place while you work and prevents them from rolling around.
They can be made of different types of cloth, sticky rubber, foam or other similar materials
Bead Boards also serve the same purpose. They are lined with a bead mat material but also have an edge or lip to prevent beads from falling over the edge.
You don’t have to be sitting at your table or desk with these boards.
Most bead boards are really pricey and are not the best fro travelling.
The Bead Buddy is a portable bead board. You can leave your work and close the lid. When you open it up everything is right where you left off.
A jewelry design tray is quite different from a bead mat or beading board.
Design trays come in many forms, used for specific design tasks.
There are separate boards for necklace design, bracelet design, earring design and even bangle design.
These trays are usually made from plastic, with a flocked coating. The have ruled measurements, design channels and compartments to hold the beads for the project.
Basic Jewelry Tools
No matter what type of beading technique you’re using, you are going to need a few basic tools to make your projects and add the finishing components (Findings).
Findings, are components such as jump rings, clasps and ear wires. They do require specific tools made for jewelry making.
For example, the pliers you may find around your house, have teeth or grooves on the inside that will scratch and damage your findings.
These tools can vary in price from a few dollars each to upwards of 60.00 plus for a great pair of cutters or pliers.
I got a kit like the one you see here in the very beginning and I still use every tool that came in it, three years later.
Let me bread down for you exactly what are the “Must Haves” and you can decide for yourself how much you want to spend on these tools.
- Chain Nose Pliers
- Round Nose Pliers
- Flush Cutters
- Crimping Pliers
If you plan to make jewelry, these are the tools you should invest in right off the bat.
You will use them over and over again, on nearly every project you make.
I adore the bead tweezers with the little shovel head. I use it to clean up my beads off the mat. It makes cleaning up your work space a breeze. I use it countless times a day.
The bead reamer is a tool used mostly for working with pearls, that are soft and have notoriously small holes. It can also be used to break a bead out of your design, should the need arise. I rarely use mine but I am sure glad to have it on hand when I do need it.
I love this little tool kit and recommend it for beginners.
Later on when you gain experience, you will want to invest a little more money in task specific tools, especially a good pair of cutters.
For more on Pliers and cutters, you can check out the my articles in Jewelry Tools.
Finally, you will need a way to cut your beading threads.
If you are using Nylon or Silk threads, you don’t need much more than a sharp pair of scissors.
But if you use the braided threads, such as Fireline, you might want to think about investing in a thread burning tool.
This type of thread is very hard on your scissors and will dull even the best brand in no time.
Personally, I keep some cheap Fiskars on hand with a set of scissor sharpeners but I also have the exact burner you see here.
I use both methods for normal tasks, but I use thread zap to end my threads. You can also use the zap to burn in any stray ends the scissors occasionally leave behind.
Measuring Tools
As a jewelry maker, you need multiple ways to measure.
First, you need to measure for sizing. A soft tape measure, with both inches and millimeters is the perfect tool for this job.
The soft tape measure can wrap around the neck, wrist and finger to provide you with the exact amount of bead work you will need to make for a project.
Most options will have inches on one side and metric on the other.
As you work, you need a way to measure the project and keep track your your progress.
I like these Self Healing Cutting Mats and keep one on my desk.
I simply place my bead mat on top as I work, and I have a quick ruler in place right on my work area.
It is much easier than having to reach for a ruler or tape measure multiple times per project.
If you are just joining Bead Weaving 101 make sure to check out my other articles on Beading Techniques, Needles & Threads and Adding a Stop Bead.
Now that you understand the basic terms and have the tools and supplies you need to get started, we are ready to dive into the basic bead weaving stitches and variations.
Check out my Bead Stitch Basics Videos to jump ahead in Bead Weaving 101.
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