Lampwork: making glass beads with your own hands. Beads for jewelry - types and examples of use What beads are made of

22.01.202127.05.2017

A bead for jewelry is one of the elements for creating jewelry, which is basically spherical in shape with a hole. It is difficult to imagine modern jewelry without beads.

But the bead is not always round! Today, arts and crafts stores offer us craftswomen a huge selection of beads.

Variety different forms, materials and sizes.

The shape of the beads is:

round.
triangular.
square.
rectangular.
oval.
trapezoids.
thorns.
drops.
bicones, etc.

What are beads made of?

There are natural (natural) materials and artificial origin.

Let's consider natural ones.

Initially, man created jewelry from those things that were at hand. For weaving, natural materials were used in the form of wood, stone, bones, nuts, acorns, seeds, and seashells.

Most often, wooden types of beads are made from red, bamboo, palm or rosewood. They are obtained by grinding from natural bars. Various shapes are cut out using a knife or a special machine. Craftsmen easily create samples with a rough, smooth, porous surface. Wooden beads can be in natural form or painted. The most common shapes of wooden beads are round, barrel-shaped, cylindrical, multi-faceted. Wood allows you to create large beaded jewelry that perfectly complements an ethnic or African style wardrobe. Today, undyed natural beads are used to make baby slings, lacing strings and other educational toys for children. Wooden beads look good on male hand in a bracelet or headband.

Due to its natural origin, a stone bead can have a wide variety of shapes, colors and textures. Beads from precious minerals: sapphire, ruby, aquamarine and others. No less interesting bead jewelry can be obtained from semi-precious materials - jade, cat eye, amethyst. The special properties and structure make it possible to use stone beads in the most exquisite jewelry, and the products are obtained in unusual colors. Jewelry made from natural stones and beads looks expensive and rich. Natural beads also include beads made from bone, pearls, plants, shells, corals, etc.

Artificial beads

All types of beads made from artificial materials have a unique history or unique manufacturing technique. Glass, clay, metal, plastic are subjected to a complex processing process, which makes it possible to give an ordinary material an unrecognizable appearance and create exquisite jewelry from beads.

Due to its transparency and color effects, glass is an excellent material with which to produce high-quality and amazingly beautiful bead jewelry. There are subtypes of glass beads (-transparent beads with the effect of broken glass inside, - artistic view beads with a pattern - transparent beads with edges).

Let's tell you more about Swarovski beads - the famous Austrian brand Swarovski (Swarovski) are beads made from industrial crystal, i.e. glass with a high lead content - up to 24%. They are called “crystals” for purely marketing reasons. Their difference from simple faceted beads is that the more lead, the brighter the glass shines and sparkles, but the maximum lead content requires precise weighing of the components, their utmost purity, careful selection of the ratios of the remaining components of the glass, as well as the complexity and quality of the cut. The Swarovski company creates its glass using a proprietary composition, which gives such brightness and play of light in the crystals. Also, no one has such a range of colors and shades as Swarovski. The cut of the crystals is perfectly even, you will never find the slightest mismatch of lines or uneven color! This explains the great demand and price of these crystals in the form of beads and rhinestones.

Plastic beads are the most affordable and at the same time effective material. More often plastic decorations Beads come in transparent or brightly colored tones. Plastic beads are produced by casting - they are practical, lightweight, but at the same time suitable for stringing on twisted, very heavy cords. Today, these types of beads are the most common among jewelry makers, especially in beading techniques. The price range depends on the quality of the material; more expensive products are particularly durable.

This bead is made from clay, which gives the product the most unusual shape and any color scheme, but at the same time retains enough heavy weight. A clay bead is obtained by two production methods, or more precisely, by the process of treating its surface. It can be unfinished or with finishing - coated with special pigment paints, most often during the process of adding a coloring agent to the clay, due to which the ceramic bead decoration has good durability.

Executed from various alloys metal, have a variety of shapes and colors. By using such beads in your work, you will undoubtedly dilute the product and add some kind of boldness. Metal beads look great in bracelets and pendants. It is better not to expose such jewelry to excessive wetness and moisture. etc. There are various techniques from simple to very complex.

In our store you will find many necessary goods for needlework! A large number of accessories, materials and tools to create your splendor. Buy, choose, create, don’t be afraid of experiments and new ideas. After all, it’s especially nice to give jewelry made by yourself to your loved ones or to wear it yourself! Happy creativity.

This is an almost magical hobby, and passionate people can no longer refuse it - it attracts so much and gives positive emotions. For those who want to get into lampwork, there are two ways: make a workshop at home or go to a studio where you can rent a space.

For a home workshop you will need the following equipment:

annealing furnace

propane tank

oxygen concentrator or oxygen cylinder (preferably a concentrator)

oxygen-propane burner

hood (kitchen hood will not work)

Tools:

spatula

scalpel

tweezers

glasses to protect against bright yellow radiation

Materials:

mandrels of different diameters (metal rods)

mandrel coating separator

glass (usually sold in sticks - these are called "rodas" or "darts")

In any case, it is better to get a master from professionals to find out all the details and avoid the mistakes of lampworkers. And yet it doesn’t matter where all this is done - at home or in the workshop, the result can be this:

These beads are made by hand using the “galaxy” technique - they really look like some kind of cosmic formations. One such galaxy is enough to decorate it with silver fittings and get an exclusive pendant that no one else will ever have, because it is almost impossible to repeat the pattern. You can make beads in exactly the same shades, but they will still be slightly different.

Although this is not so important, because from different beads you can make quite original bracelets and other handmade products:

Or this bracelet

How beads are made

In order for them to turn out beautiful and different, you need glass rods - it is from them that various beads and figures are made. The sticks look like this:

The technician turns on the oven to warm up, then turns on the burner and the magic begins. The stick is placed in the flame, the glass becomes fluid, and it is wound around the mandrel. When one revolution is completed, a small bead is obtained. If you wind another layer and another, you will get a huge ball.

And in this photo there is an almost finished bead in the flame of a burner. I must say that the first time it doesn’t turn out very smooth, but the second or third time it will turn out exactly right. In addition, the master prompts and helps if necessary. At home, of course, you will have to do everything by trial and error, but over time it will work out too. It takes about 10 minutes to make one bead.

After the liquid glass has turned into a product, it is placed in the oven for several hours. And here are the finished beads on the mandrels, already taken out of the oven. They need to be removed and cleaned from the separator that covers the mandrels

Or you can make monsters like these or something else - here there is room for your imagination to run wild.

The most unusual item for a beginner in a workshop is a burner. Fire bursts out of it in a powerful stream, which strives to burn. Therefore, first you must be given safety instructions and given special glasses through which you can calmly look at the fire and how your bead begins to take the shape you give it. While the bead is hot, it can be adjusted with various tools - spatulas, etc. Tweezers are used to make figurines - to pull out glass.

And now it’s ready - your first creation, melted in the fire and hardened in the oven, is born. And you, who became a real lampworker.

Now this hobby is gaining more and more popularity all over the world, and this area has its own recognized masters who have reached great heights. They make products that are amazing in their beauty and elegance. Looking at them, it is impossible to imagine that they were made by a person. Moreover, every master admits that he still has room to grow - there is no limit to perfection.

Lampwork is a technique in which glass is thermally processed and melted. During combustion, it appears on the glass art painting. A lampworker with his own hands using a mandrel can create incredibly beautiful works at home.

Lampwork is a technique in which glass is processed thermally

For beginner craftsmen you need to choose simple circuits work, since lampworking is not the easiest activity. This is due to the fact that it requires the master to fully concentrate on the process. When working with hot glass, it is important to be careful, because the temperature required for such work is about 1000 degrees Celsius.

Lampworkers often create their own beads to work with. Although novice craftsmen can purchase ready-made ones. If you want to try, let's start learning.

Gallery: lampwork (25 photos)

Lampwork: lesson for beginners (video)

How to make a bead for lampworking: the easiest ways

Regular round bead

Glasses for beads are sold in the form of multi-colored sticks. Sticks come in different sizes and different qualities.

Master class on making lampwork beads for jewelry:

The tip of the glass rod should be well heated. When the stick becomes soft, you need to twist it onto a steel knitting needle to form a disk.
The disc should then be melted using a torch. There's no need to rush here. The bead should have indentations inside.
As a result, after a few minutes, the molten stick will take the shape of a ball.

Beads can be very simple

Bead with dots

For such a product, it is important to prepare a very thin stick.

Work plan:

The bead is put on a stick and heated on a burner. When it is hot enough, you can remove the stick from the heat.
Take another stick. Its tip heats up.
Then holes are made on the bead with the hot tip of a stick. It is not recommended to make too many holes.
Periodically, the bead with holes needs to be heated on a burner to prevent it from cooling.

The work is painstaking, but worth it

What equipment do you need for lampworking: sticks, burner, etc.

The burner is the main and main tool in this creativity. Burners for lampworks can be classified by type of combustion and type of gas. Most often, craftsmen use two types of gas: oxygen and fuel.

What can oxygen be used from?

From the air. The temperature of such combustion will not be high.
From an oxygen concentrator. It gets oxygen from the air. The hub is a universal option in lampworking, but its cost is quite high.
From an oxygen cylinder. Working with such a cylinder is very dangerous, because it is explosive.

In addition to the burner, it is also important to prepare:

Knitting needle. Molten glass will be applied to the spoke.
Frith. This is glass chips.
Busin.
Separator for metal.
Graphite spatula. It will be needed to form lapwork.

Beads using lampwork technique: master class at home

Marine lampwork:

First you need to form a preparatory bead. She must be white. Material length – 3 cm.
The material is aligned on the knitting needle to form an even cylinder.
Then you need to lay out transparent glass on the sides of the white cylindrical bead. After this, a second layer of glass is laid out.
Take aquamarine. It should be placed on transparent glass.
The glass should completely melt into the white material. To do this, it is important to tighten the knitting needle over the burner all the time.
It is important to twist the knitting needle in one direction! The material is heated evenly over the entire surface. The knitting needle is removed from the heat when the material begins to drain. You need to get not just a round ball, it should resemble a rugby ball in its appearance.
After the spiral is completely formed, the bead should cool completely.
Then it is covered with aquamarine. This time a light aquamarine should be used. One layer is enough, but if the artist wants to get more extensive work, light aquamarine can be re-laid.
Now fusion occurs.
Less than half of the figure is covered with ivory.
Now you can start decorating the product. A stripe of twist is laid out along the border of aquamarine and ivory. Next, a silver stringer is laid out along the ivory.
At this stage it is necessary to fuse the material evenly. The alloy must be symmetrical, so the bead should be turned in one direction.
After this, the material is cooled and pressed.

You can create real masterpieces using the lampwork technique

Tip: To remove tool marks on the finished piece, you need to polish the bead.

A professional way to create glass beads for lampworking

The work should consist of the following successive stages:

The first step is to prepare your work surface. The work area should be cleared, so unnecessary items should be removed. Only the materials necessary for lampworking are left on the table.
A burner is mounted on the table. It is important to follow the manufacturer's instructions.
The equipment should be laid out so that it is convenient for the technician to use it. This is a very important point, since the master can be injured if he tries to reach a tool located far from him near the burner.
Now you need to start preparing the knitting needles. Use a wire wool to clean the knitting needle. It will be easy for it to envelop the metal.
Dried spokes should be inspected for cracks and damage.
A lit match is brought from below the burner to turn it on. The flame should be cone-shaped, so the burner needs to be adjusted. If the flames flow in different directions, you need to reduce the gas a little.
Now you need to choose the color of the future bead. With your right hand (for right-handers) you take a stick of the corresponding color. It should be slowly introduced into the fire. It is important to follow this rule, since sudden heating can cause the glass to quickly burst. It's all about the sudden temperature change.
You need to hold the tip of the stick on the fire until its tip begins to melt.
To round the bead, the glass must rotate in one direction for a minute.

At the end of the work, the hot bead must be immersed in cold water and kept there until it cools completely.

In this article we will talk about beads for creating jewelry with your own hands, their main types and methods of use.

A bead is a three-dimensional decorative element of various shapes with a through hole for fastening on a thread. They vary in shape, size (from a few millimeters to several centimeters) and material. Beads of various shapes have found the widest application in needlework: from traditional (making jewelry) to designing floral arrangements, embroidering clothes, etc.

Beads come from Chinese, Czech, Japanese and American production. As a rule, they differ in the material of manufacture, durability of the coating and price. The cheapest are Chinese beads; most often they are found on sale. Czech beads are more expensive, but their quality is much better. They are also quite well presented in stores. Japanese and American-made beads can only be found in specialized handicraft stores.

Material of manufacture

The cheapest ones are plastic (acrylic) beads.

Their biggest advantage is their inexpensive price and light weight. The biggest disadvantage is the unstable coating, especially for Chinese opaque beads (for example, imitating pearls or with electroplated). As a rule, such beads are not used by craftsmen to create jewelry, since they greatly “cheap” the appearance of the product. However, they can be successfully used for the manufacture of children's, theater or other stage decorations or costumes.

Light weight of beads and low price in this case- a significant plus, since embroidering costumes often requires a huge amount of beads, and the costume will not be very heavy, and also inexpensive. often used in needlework as an additional decorative element.

Acrylic beads imitate more expensive ones glass beads, outwardly they are very similar. Glass beads are typically used to create jewelry. They look much more expensive than their acrylic counterparts. They are valued for their ability to refract and transmit light, resulting in sparkling jewelry.

But it’s worth remembering that glass is a heavy material, so jewelry made from it weighs a lot. In addition, they are quite fragile and must be handled very carefully.

Types of bead coatings for jewelry

Modern manufacturers offer acrylic and glass beads with various types coatings Transparent beads, without any additional coating, can be made from colored acrylic or glass. Glass beads - especially those with edges - refract light very beautifully.

Transparent beads with shiny coating They have a thin film on top that reflects light.

Beads with petrol or rainbow coating have a characteristic color tint on the surface. Very often such beads are marked "AB" (from the Latin Aurora Borealis - " northern lights"). Beads coated with gasoline shimmer in the sun with all the colors of the rainbow.

Look unusual transparent matte beads. They do not refract light, so they do not sparkle, but they look like natural stones and they look very noble.

Opaque beads Several types are also available. There are very simple ones, without any additional coating. You can find beads of various colors and shapes on sale.

Opaque beads can also have a shiny or iridescent (gasoline) finish.

The rainbow coating looks very beautiful on the beads dark shades, resembles the northern lights in the night sky or the starry sky.

I would especially like to mention galvanic (metalized) coating . Beads can be covered with it completely or partially. It may be glossy. This coating is unusually bright and highly shiny. These beads look beautiful in New Year's compositions or jewelry.

This type of coating can also be matte. It is more suitable for jewelry, as it is indistinguishable from metal in appearance.

Eat beads imitating . Moreover, you can find very high-quality beads that are visually difficult to distinguish from natural ones.

I would especially like to mention in the article beads imitating pearls.

This is probably the most popular type of bead. They are used to create jewelry, trees, topiary, bouquets, embroidery of clothes, etc. These beads come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors.

And of course, speaking about glass beads, one cannot fail to mention the famous beads from the Austrian company Swarovski (Swarovski). They are different durable coating, ideal shape, as well as unusual flowers and textures.

Due to the fact that these beads have an ideal shape, they are very easy to weave into jewelry - they turn out incredibly beautiful and even. Jewelry with Swarovski beads looks very “expensive”, so these beads are used by craftsmen of the highest level.

But the price of such beads is 3-4 times higher than that of similar glass beads from other manufacturers. In addition, many beads have “sagging” in the area of the hole. Sometimes they have to be removed manually using a nail file. From my own experience I can say that they are not inferior to Swarovka beads. They have good coating durability, smooth shapes, excellent transparency, and they have a rich color palette. Therefore, such beads are perfect for creating beautiful jewelry.

And if you don’t take the specific shades of Swarovski beads, then Czech beads are comparable to them in quality and appearance. In stores you can find both glass beads and beads with various effects: “broken glass”, air bubbles inside, multi-colored, rough, etc.

The next material from which beads are made is metal. Despite the material of manufacture, even large metal beads very light. But openwork beads are quite easy to damage, wrinkle or even break, so you need to work with them quite carefully. But, unfortunately, without a special protective coating (for example, Tsaponlak), metal beads quickly darken from contact with the skin.

Such beads rather act as an additional decorative element in jewelry, and are rarely used independently.

No less popular and beads made of natural stone. They meet the most various forms, sizes, colors - everything is limited only by the natural characteristics of the stone.

But you can divide all stone beads into 2 large categories. The first one is processed stones, most often they have a clear geometric shape and smooth polished surface.

Stone beads are most often used to make jewelry and weave trees. They are too heavy for embroidering clothes. Stones are valued for their naturalness. Jewelry with them looks exquisite, so they are very often counterfeited.

It's worth remembering that modern technologies make it possible to make almost exact copies of stones from synthetic materials, and it is very difficult for a non-specialist to distinguish a fake from an original. Therefore, it is better to buy natural stones from trusted sellers.

In addition to stones, beads are also made from other natural components. This is primarily a tree. Wooden beads are lightweight and durable. They can be printed with different patterns and colors.

Such beads are most often used to create jewelry in ethnic style. In addition, they are often braided with beads.

Also to natural natural materials include beads made from shells, mother-of-pearl or coral.

They are mainly used to make jewelry. The cost of such beads is high (especially from high-quality pearls), but products with them also look elegant.

Above we talked about factory-made beads. But there are also unique beads, some in a single copy. This handmade beads. Of course, such beads are created for jewelry. Most often they act as the main decorative element. They are made from the most different materials and in the most different techniques. By combining them, you can create incredibly beautiful and whimsical beads. Their undoubted advantage is the ability to create exactly the kind of bead that is needed in this decoration. But the price of such beads will be significant.

There are several basic techniques for making such beads. This glass beads using Lampwork technique, Lampwork (English lamp - lamp, burner + work - work). They come in all kinds of colors, shapes, sizes. But such beads will be heavy and fragile, and no two beads will be exactly alike, since this is handmade.

Beads from polymer clay. It is easier to work with this material than with glass, since the beads are not so heavy and fragile. But these beads are not transparent. Color, shape, size - it all depends on the imagination and skills of the craftswoman.

Wool beads - very light, pleasant to the body, you can immediately feel the warmth from them.

But they have one significant drawback - they are very afraid of moisture and do not dry well after getting wet. In addition, due to the porosity of the material, they absorb sweat and retain odor.

History knows of cases when gold, people into slavery, expensive furs and even land were given for beads! This is not surprising, because in ancient times beads were endowed with many symbolic and sometimes mystical meanings. They were used as a talisman, personifying luxury, power and wealth, and were used in witchcraft. They were used to treat various diseases and were used as currency.

And only since the Middle Ages, beads acquired the status of independent decoration. Fashionistas and fashionistas began to wear them for celebrations, and after a couple of centuries, beads became an item of daily wardrobe. These days, almost everyone stylish woman there are beads.

But what if you want to have this beautiful accessory, namely the ones you want are nowhere to be found and perhaps they don’t even exist, or their price still remains equal to a gold bar? There is a solution - make the beads yourself!

Today there are many resources where you can find diagrams where it will be shown step by step production DIY beads.

Books, magazines, public pages and websites on the Internet - all this gives scope to the imagination, charges with inspiration and makes it possible to create your own unique design.

What kind of beads can you make?

Beads, pearls, amber, clay, stones, wood, glass, polymer clay, everything is used, even sand! But before you choose the material, you need to decide on the theme of the accessory.

So, shells, stones, glass, and amber are better suited for a marine style. There is nothing better than pearl beads for going out. For everyday outfits, you can use beads made of felt, wood, clay, and beads.

We will look at several options for making beads. Below you will find photo instructions on how to assemble beaded beads.

Beads are a readily available material that is also easy to work with. So, what you will need for production:

thread (or thin fishing line)
accessories
needle
beads

Also, in addition to beads, you can string practically any additional elements that you want onto the thread.

Measure the thread or fishing line to the desired length (calculate a small distance for attaching the fittings to the ends of the thread). Thread the thread or fishing line into a needle of a suitable size. Please note that not only the eye of the needle should be comparable in size to the thread, but also that the width of the needle and its tip should be narrower than the hole in the beads.

String the beads onto the thread using a needle in the order you want. When all the beads are on the thread, remove the needle and fasten the fittings to the ends of the thread. Or you can tie two threads into one knot (if you have a long thread, or you use a stretching fishing line, or an elastic thread). Your beads are ready!

You can also use a thread with beads strung on it as a working thread for crocheting. In such cases, you get very beautiful openwork beads, collars or necklaces. Experiment and you will be surprised to see what unique jewelry can be made from ordinary beads!

On the Internet you can watch a master class on how to make beaded beads in the form of an openwork necklace.

Polymer clay beads

The good thing about polymer clay is that you can mold it into almost any shape. In addition, as a rule, polymer clay is painted in very bright colors, which will make the beads a noticeable element in your outfit.

You will need:

polymer clay
awl (or thick needle, toothpick)
needle for threading beads
accessories for securing thread ends
oven

Make blanks for beads from polymer clay. Use your imagination! Balls, stars, diamonds, squares, hearts - any shape that can be pierced to thread thread into it.

Carefully make a through hole in each workpiece. Try to maintain the originally intended shape, as the clay may become wrinkled during the piercing process. According to the instructions, bake your beads in the oven.

Using the same principle as in “beaded beads”, thread the thread through a needle and string the cooled beads onto it. Secure the ends of the thread with fittings.

Fabric beads

A huge variety of fabrics will allow you to create beads for each of your outfits.

What you will need for production:

Fabric (desired length of beads doubled; you can use scraps of fabric)
Thread for sewing on fabric for future beads and a needle
Foam blanks (can be of any shape, you can use cotton wool or pillow stuffing instead of foam blanks)
Crochet hook
Accessories

Measure the length of the desired beads on the fabric. Draw a rectangle from it. Calculate the height based on the workpiece with which the beads will be filled.

If you have foam blank, then you need to attach it to the edge of your line of the desired length, and bend the fabric so that both of its edges touch, and the workpiece is inside this “pipe”. Fold the fabric back, measure the height, and add 1 cm to sew the edge.

Cut the measured rectangle. Fold it in half, and departing 1 cm from the edge, sew on a machine or by hand from the wrong side with a regular running stitch, from start to finish, the entire strip of fabric. You should end up with a through “pipe” of fabric.

If you were sewing by hand, then before tying a knot at the end, pull the needle inside the “pipe” and turn it inside out, right side out. If you sewed on a machine, then use a pin.

After you have turned the “pipe” inside out, you can fill it with blanks. Start from the very edge, so it will be more convenient for you to distribute the workpieces.

Inserting one piece from the very edge, sew it on both sides so that the piece is in a separate cell. Continue this way, inserting the blanks using a hook or any other object convenient for you. Sew all the blanks so that they are each in their own cell.

Insert and sew the last piece. Secure the ends with hardware. Designer beads are ready!

Beads, like any accessory, are influenced by fashion. Therefore, you can create and wear beads from different materials, because some of them will always be in trend.