Gemstones

Diamonds

If you're fortunate enough to be able to use gemstones in your designs or you're interested in using them, buying them or you just want to know, below is a short list of the best-known gemstones and a little bit about them:

Diamonds- the hardest substances on Earth. It can only be cut with diamond or diamond powder. There are various types. A diamonds color can range from yellow, brown, green (rare), blue, reddish to orange black. It is very rare. And, produces an optical effect that emanates a strong luster. Some famous diamonds are the 'Hope' Diamond, the 'Tiffany' Diamond and the 'Star of Africa' Diamond.

Ruby- "ruber" Latin for red color. Pure red with a hint of blue called "pigeons blood" is the most desirable, but varying degrees of red are also available. It is the hardest gemstone after diamond and very expensive. Some famous rubies are the 'Edwardes' ruby and the 'Peace' ruby. Of the Corundum Species.

Rubies

Sapphire- "blue" in Greek. Corundum gemstones of all colors, except red (rubies) are called sapphire. Sapphires have the same hardness as a rubies. A few famous sapphires are the "Star of India" a star cut sapphire, the "Midnight Star" a black sapphire and the "Star of Asia" a star sapphire. Also, of the Corundum Species.

Sapphires

Emerald- Greek "smaragdos" or "green stone". The most precious of the beryl group. It's color is incomparable. Of the Beryl Species.

Emeralds

Aquamarine- Latin "water of the sea". Dark blue is the most desired, but can also be found in light blue, dark blue and blue-green. Of the Beryl Species.

Aquamarine

Spinel- a group of related minerals. Greek "spark" or Latin "thorn". May occur in all colors, the most desired being ruby-like red.

Spinel

Topaz- the most common color is yellow with a red hue, but the most valuable being pink to red-orange.

Blue Topaz

Garnet- Latin for "grain", because the rounded crystals look like red pomegranate seeds. All colors are common, but the most popular are red pyrope and almandite.

Garnets

Zircon- Aramaic "golden colored". It has a lustrous and brilliant sheen. Includes all colors. The green zircons and those with a cat's-eye effect are the most prized.

Zircon

Quartz- Slavic for "hard", includes: Rock Crystal, Smoky Quartz, Amethyst, Amethyst Quartz, Citrine, Rose Quartz, Aventurine, Blue Quartz, Cat's-Eye, Tiger's-Eye and Hawk's-Eye.

Tiger's Eye

Rose Quartz

Citrine

Amethyst

Chalcedony- all cryptocrystalline quartz: Carnelian, Bloodstone, Agate, Onyx, Jasper, and Petrified Wood

Bloodstone

Agate

Carnelian

Petrified Wood

Opal- Sanskrit "stone": White Opal and Black Opal

White Opal

Jade- Spanish piedra de ijada or "hip stone". It was thought to protect  or cure the wearer from kidney disease. Mainly green, but all other colors have been found, as well.

Jade

Peridot- Arabic faridat "gem".

Peridot

Tanzanite- named after the African country of Tanzania. It's commonly found as ultramarine or sapphire blue. In the light it appears amethyst violet. Of the Zoisite Species.

Tanzanite

Hematite- Greek "blood". When cut it becomes red. When it is polished it becomes metallic and shiny.

Hematite

Pyrite- Greek "fire". If stroked against something it produces a spark. Also known as "fool's gold".

Pyrite

Moonstone- A white shimmer similar to moonshine with a luster. Of the Feldspar Group.

Moonstone

Labradorite- named after the Labrador peninsula in Canada where it is found. Lustrous metallic tones of blue and green. Of the Feldspar Group.

Labradorite

Rhodonite- Greek "rose colored". Appears rose-red to yellowish with stripes.

Rhodonite

Turquoise- means "Turkish stone" after the trade route to Europe from Turkey. It is usually interlaced with brown, gray and black veins.

Lapis Lazuli- Arabic and Latin "blue stone". It is composed of several other minerals including lazurite.It appears as the color lazur blue, violet and greenish-blue with spots.

Lapis Lazuli

For a more comprehensive look at gemstones and their varying colors, shapes and sizes try these books on for size:

Gemstones (Smithsonian Handbooks) by Cally Hall
Gemstones of the World: Newly Revised & Expanded 4th Edition by Walter Schumann
Gemstone Buying Guide, Second Edition: How to Evaluate, Identify , Select and Care for Colored Gems by Renee Newman

Metric Equivalency Chart

Sometimes when beading or making jewelry you'll run into a pattern that uses metric measurements rather that the U.S. unit of measurement. In that case, below is a chart to get you started with conversions from inches to centimeters and yards to meters. For lengths exceeding 30 inches and 10 yards or all half numbers see the links below.

Inches to Centimeters

1-in 2.5 cm
2 5.1
3 7.6
4 10.2
5 12.7
6 15.2
7 17.8
8 20.3
9 22.9
10 25.4
11 27.9
12 30.5
13 33.0
14 35.6
15 38.1
16 40.6
17 43.2
18 45.7
19 48.3
20 50.8


Yards to Meters

1 yard to 0.91 meters
2 1.83
3 2.74
4 3.66
5 4.57
6 5.49
7 6.40
8 7.32
9 8.23
10 9.14




World Wide Metric at http://www.worldwidemetric.com/measurements.html
Unit-Conversion at http://www.unit-conversion.info/metric.html

Beyond My Beading

From time-to-time I scour the web for beading ideas from other sites. And, recently I found a few that I really adore. These are probably some of the most unique jewelry accessories I've seen in awhile. So, here are links to those sites. Have fun, beading.

1. Heaven of the Heart Necklace by LangLang Inspiration
2. Pretty Please Dear Jet Fringe Earrings by StyleHive
3. All Wired Up Earrings Photo 8 by All Wired Up
4. Tree of Life Cuff Bracelet by mybellebijoux
5. Rainbow of Pendants at Beadingdaily.com
6. Beaded Napkin Ring by Chillipit

 Additionally, a few beading books that you might enjoy are...

1. Teach Yourself Visually Jewelry Making and Beading  by Chris Franchetti Michaels
2. The Best Little Beading Book by Wendy Simpson Conner
3. Big Book of Beautiful Beads: Over 100 Beading Projects You Can Make by Kp Books
4. Beadwork Creates Beaded Rings: 30 Designs by Beadwork
5. Beaded Bracelets by Bead and Button Editors

Lastly, I love bracelets. So, if I've hit a rough patch in my design ideas or I just need inspiration I'll frequent these sites for help:

1. Vintaj Gallery at Vintaj.com
2. Beadage Gallery at Beadage.net
3. Etsy Handmade Bracelets at Etsy.com
4. Handcrafted Bracelets at Flikr.com
5. Pearl Bracelets at Novica.com

Needles

What makes beading needles unique is that the eye of the beading needle is almost as narrow as the shaft.  The size of the needle needed depends on the thread size, the number of passes needed to make the beadwork and the technique used.

English beading needles are long or short in length 3" through 6" length and is used for loom or weave work. The sizes range from #10 through #16. The higher the number the thinner the needles, i.e. #10 is the thickest , whereas #16 is quite thin. Use needles a size smaller than the seed beads to be used, i.e. for size 11/0 seedbeads, use a size 12 needle.

#10 thicker needle                     6/0 to 11/0 seedbeads
#12                                            8/0 to 13/0 seedbeads
#13                                          11/0 to 15/0 seedbeads
#15                                          15/0 Charlottes
#16 thinnest (very elusive)      16/0 to 24/0 seedbeads

*Note: Hybrids are also available in size #12 longs for loomwork and #12 sharps for bead embroidery

*Note: When using tiny beads and these thin needles also have good lighting and a magnifier handy.

Big Eye or Small Big Eye needles have larger holes in the center of a flexible shaft. These are used for loomwork, macramé, crochet, thread changes and on-loom and off-loom weaving.

Twisted Wire Needles are twisted stainless still needles with large collapsible eyes/loops for threading at one end. Thin and very flexible--collapse to fit through beads. And range from short to long lengths with weights being heavy, medium and light. These needles are meant for stringing and transferring beads, not for piercing fabrics.

Bead size vs twisted needle size

2-3mm beads or pearls---------- light needle
4-8mm-------------------------- light-medium or medium-heavy needle
8mm or larger--------------------heavy needle

For Beginner's

When I first started beading, I didn't have anyone that could show me how to do the various bead techniques, layouts or how to plan a project. So, what I did was spend a bit of money on books and magazines with wonderful and exquisite designs and ideas, but still I was just beginning and I spent more time than not upset at the outcome of the jewelry or sadly, I'd wear it and it would come apart some how. Looking back, it's all funny and enlightening, but my goal here with this blog is to teach what I've learned and give to those that are interested, an opportunity to share the joys of beading and jewelry making as I still do.

The first area I'd like to address for those that want hands on visual adds for travel or just for laying up in bed to sort through and plan are a few books and magazines that have inspired me through the years.

The New Beader's Companion: Expanded and Updated by Judith Durant and Jean Campbell- it is truly a remarkable book that details on bead types, loom and off-loom techniques, the type of materials a beader needs on hand most of the time, glues, needle sizes, embroidery techniques, knitting and crocheting with beads, knotting, macramé, etc.

The Beader's Bible by Claire Crouchley- a masterfully detailed companion that offers several hundred bead weaving diagrams to make pictures with beads for making barrettes, chokers, bracelets, brooches, key rings, bags, greeting cards, curtain tiebacks, napkin rings, etc.

Bead Loom Bracelets by Klutz- an excellent way to start simple with loom design and still turn out remarkably stunning bracelets.

Bead Rings by Klutz-uses tiny beads and thin wire to make rings. The illustrations are easy to follow, thus making the pieces that much more exciting to make.

BeadStyle Magazine- a perfect choice for beader's of all levels for inspiration, the latest trends and jewelry making techniques classic and new. 

Bead and Button Magazine- provides jewelry making techniques for intricate beaded jewelry as well as, jewelry made with buttons. 

Lastly, in any bead section of a craft store or bead store there are thin paperback booklets, such as, Bead Basics by Design Originals, Born to Bead and The Need to Bead by Hot off the Press and others with 10-20 project instructions by many of the industries leading bead-smith's.