DIY Network

Roll-up Beads From "Jewelry Making" episode DJMK-208

The bead-dazzling final result!

Louise Duhamel shares her technique for using plastic straws to create beads.

Materials:

Drinking straws
Undyed muslin or cotton
Acrylic paint
Rubber stamps (optional)
White glue
22-gauge copper or silver wire
Beads and charms
Yarn (optional)
Wire cutters
Needle-nose pliers
Small paint brushes and paint sponges

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1. Cut the straws into pieces sized from 1 – 2" long (slightly longer than the finished bead)

2. Tear -- but don’t cut -- the muslin into strips ½ - 2" wide and approximately 6" long.

3. Wet the muslin strips in water and wring them out.

4. Paint onto the muslin in colors you like. If want to add a stamped image, do so now, but only on the end of the fabric which will show.

5. Paint white glue onto the fabric leaving approximately ½ - 1" unpainted with glue at the starting end.

6. Roll the fabric onto the straw, leaving a bit of the straw showing at one end for you to hold onto. Let it dry thoroughly, preferably overnight, so that it is entirely dry. You can do a lot of beads to this stage and embellish them later.

7. When fully dry, remove the straw.

8. Paint some metallic paint on the two ends of the fabric bead. It helps firm up the fibers.

9. Cut wire into pieces 6-9" long.

10. Bend a small loop at one end of a piece of wire (to prevent the beads from coming off). Add beads.

11. Roll the beaded wire around the straw/fabric bead and add a final loop to hold it in place.

12. Optional: wrap a piece of interesting yarn around the bead and tuck the ends under the beaded wire to secure.

13. Thread beads onto necklace cording or wire.

RESOURCES :

Belle Armoire
Art to Wear Magazine
Website: www.bellearmoire.com

GUESTS :

Louise Duhamel
E-mail: enchante@adelphia.net
Website: www.LouiseDuhamel.com