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Bead Soup and Small Changes

by Judy Larson
Years ago, I got together with a group of friends where we pooled three sizes of our orphan beads-and boy did we have a lot! You never realize how much you have until it is all in front of you! Anyway, we decided to make bracelets and/or necklaces to wear with our summer white t-shirts and white shirts. I made multi-color 4mm, 6mm, and 8mm necklaces and love wearing these pops of color "Bead Soup" necklaces. Bonus: The fun and laughter we shared is remembered every time I wear them.
Instructions
Oh, and if you were wondering we had tons of beads left over.

Of course, none of us wanted to take them home. The whole point was to clean out our bead stashes, not add more!

In the end, we split them up. And it's a good thing we did.

Those "few" beads okay, let's be honest, we each took home a snack bag full ended up being just what I needed to make small changes to the three bead necklaces I made.

Tastes change, and so did my coloring when I gave myself the gift of going grey.

When stringing the beads, we had a rule: whatever bead you pulled from the bowl had to be used in that order unless two beads were the same or very close in color.

That was tough for those of us who like things balanced in color, shape, and size.

Thankfully, the beads were sorted by size and shape.

I'm still happy with the 4mm and 6mm bead necklaces.

But the 8mm bead necklace didn't work for me visually anymore it didn't complement my skin or hair.

Some beads stood out too much from the rest, so I decided it was time for a change.
The first major change I made was switching from 7-strand to 49-strand wire for all three original necklaces, as well as the new one.

This simple upgrade made a big difference they drape better, and I no longer have to deal with wire kinks.

The second change was to skip flattening the crimp tubes or using crimp covers.

Instead, I used Magical Crimping Pliers to shape the crimp tubes.

It's easier, saves time, and gives the necklace ends a much cleaner, more polished look.

Before pulling out any beads for replacement, I laid out new bead options in the groove next to the necklace beads on the bead board (see first photo).

After inserting the replacements, I realized even more beads needed to be swapped out (second photo).

The necklace was no longer a "Bead Soup" piece it became something that felt much more me.

And I didn't have to buy a single new bead!

Of course... the beads I removed replaced the ones used from the snack bag, so technically, I didn't use up any beads at all!
Pro Tip: It is sometimes easier to see where changes should be made in a photo than in person.
Judy Larson's Bead Soup and Small Changes - , Wire Jewelry Design, Design, changing from 7 strand to 49 strand wire on the three original necklaces and using it on the new one
Judy Larson's Bead Soup and Small Changes - , Wire Jewelry Design, Design, measure them together
Judy Larson's Bead Soup and Small Changes - , Wire Jewelry Design, Design, insert the beads into the chain
Sometimes, just small changes can make a design more interesting.

Since there were still tons of leftover beads especially more 4mm than 6mm I decided to mix the two sizes for a bit of added interest.

Each 6mm bead was separated by three 4mm beads (see first photo).

The mixed-size version is shown next to the all-4mm version in the second photo.

And what do you know!

As much as I love my other necklaces, the subtle difference in bead sizes made this version my favorite (third photo).
Nothing remains static in my household.

I wonder what the new iteration of these necklaces will look like in another five or ten years!
Judy Larson's Bead Soup and Small Changes - , Wire Jewelry Design, Design, add a bit of interest to mix the two
Judy Larson's Bead Soup and Small Changes - , Wire Jewelry Design, Design, The mixed size version is shown next to the 4mm version-second photo
Judy Larson's Bead Soup and Small Changes - , Wire Jewelry Design, Design, designing with beads

Materials

Soft Flex Beading Wire--Medium--.019
BDC-419.00
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $15.50
  • Gold Club Price: $11.63
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Wide variety of Beads - sizes, shapes and material
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Tools

Wire Wrapping/Beading Work Station
G16-43
  • G16-43
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  • Price: $87.97
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4-1/2 Inch Magical Crimping Pliers for Bead forming - Pack of 1
G16-36
  • G16-36
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20 X 15 Inch Padded Work Mat
MAT-620.00
  • MAT-620.00
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10 Compartment Clear Plastic Organizer Case
G20-22
  • G20-22
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  • Price: $4.97
  • Gold Club Price: $3.73
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  • Category: Design
  • Technique(s): Design

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