DIY beads from scrap materials

Jewelry for women is one of the ways to express themselves. With the help of beautiful beads, you can create a charming highlight in your image, bringing something bright and original to it. It is not necessary to buy expensive beads in the store. You can make them yourself from scrap materials. No special skills are needed: just a little imagination and a bit of your own desire. Read on to learn how to make beads at home.

What can you make your own beads from?

If you are faced with the question of what you can make beads from with your own hands, then the choice is quite wide. These can be natural materials, fabric, polymer clay and many other things. Let's get acquainted with the main ones.

From ribbons with beads

A necklace in which the beads are intertwined with a delicate satin ribbon looks feminine. It should be created in stages:

• thread the needle. The thread will become the basis of the future necklace;
• take the tape and pierce it through one of the edges;
• put on the bead;
• wrap the ribbon around the beads on one side and pierce them again with a needle;
• repeat the steps and make sure that the ribbon, like a snake, alternately goes around the beads.

Made of wood

Wood is the most beautiful material that nature gave us. Beads of different diameters and shapes are made from it. The classic option is round beads, but beads in the shape of cubes and other polygons look no less aesthetically pleasing and very original.. Wooden blanks can be purchased at most craft stores. They can be used both in their original form (all that remains is to string them on a thread) or decorate them. This can be done in the following ways:

• varnish;
• paint and varnish;
• crochet or knit;
• cover with napkins using decoupage technique or cloth;
• cover with polymer clay.

From beads

Beads are small beads that look very elegant on the neck. The best option is to string beads onto several threads and weave them into a braid. This way the decoration will be more noticeable and will attract the attention of others.

Advice! You can also create more complex weavings from beads. This can be done using schemes that are widely distributed on Internet resources.

From fabric

You can make fabric beads in different ways:

• cover wooden, plastic, foam blanks with fabric;
• place the finished balls on a strip of fabric about 8 cm wide, twist it into a rope and tie something between each ball;
• Pull small strips of fabric onto a thread and form approximately equal beads.

From yarn

This option is suitable for needlewomen who know how to hold and use knitting needles or crochet. Using your favorite technique, tightly tie the pre-prepared balls. The knitting should not be too lacy so that the base does not fall out. Don't forget to secure the threads tightly.

From papier-mâché

Making beads using the papier-mâché technique means spending virtually no money. They are made from scrap materials, for example, newspapers. Making them will take a little longer, but the results are worth it. You need:

• tear the paper into small pieces, place in a container and pour boiling water over it;
• leave it for about 3 hours and then stir until smooth. All the paper should swell;
• transfer the mass into a tight bag and squeeze;
• add 1 tbsp to the paper pulp. l. PVA and 1 tbsp. l. paste (wallpaper glue), mix, if necessary, add more glue so that the mass slightly sticks to your hands;
• mold the beads and leave for 1-2 days at room temperature until completely dry.

After these manipulations, you will need to decorate the beads: putty, paint and varnish.

From polymer clay

The miracle of modern needlework is polymer clay. This is a plastic material of synthetic origin, with which you can sculpt any figures as if from plasticine. The advantage of polymer clay is that it hardens at a temperature of just over 100 °C.

There are a great many ways to sculpt beads. The easiest option is to roll ordinary balls of different diameters. After some training, you can master more complex techniques. For example, by mixing clay of several colors you can create a gradient. With its help, it won’t even be difficult to imitate expensive natural stones!

Important! Before baking, do not forget to make holes in the beads so that you can string them on them later. They can be made using a toothpick or any other thin stick.

From salt and flour

Almost every person has been familiar with “mukosalka” since childhood.Yes, the same salted dough from which we made various fakes. Polymer clay is not a cheap material, so we recommend practicing on a flour sander. Besides this The material is absolutely safe for small children who put everything in their mouth.

The dough recipe is quite simple:

• 1 cup flour;
• 1 glass of salt;
• water.

Mix all ingredients, slowly adding water. The dough should be plastic and should not stick to your hands.. For softness, you can add a little butter or starch. The mixture can also be colored using paints or food coloring. Another option is to color ready-made beads.

After you have molded the beads you need, you can go one of two ways:

1. leave them until completely dry. This method may take several days;
2. burn in the oven. Do not set high temperatures so that the beads do not change color.

After making the beads, they can be painted and coated with acrylic varnish.

Paper

It won't be difficult to twist cute beads from thin paper strips. This must be done using the quilling technique. Cut sheets of colored paper into thin strips and roll them into small overlapping tubes. Glue the ends so they don't fall apart.

From food materials

A good way to spend your time with children is to create beads from food materials. This is great for developing children's fine motor skills. Can be used:

• pasta (with holes);
• beans, peas, nuts, dry fruits. You will have to tinker with them and drill holes to string them on a thread.