Organizing Beads for Easy Jewelry Making

by Dale Armstrong
Question:

Dale, how do you organize your beads? I'm now doing it by color. Do you have any suggestions?

-Ni in Columbus, Ohio
Instructions
Answer:

The choice is yours, Ni! Most WS Faculty members and I separate beads by color. Some mix crystals and stones in the same container or drawers, while others keep crystals and glass separate from natural stones.

I arrange mine like a rainbow: white/clear on top, with one drawer for crystals, the next for stones, then reds from light to dark, followed by pinks, orange, browns, amber, yellows, greens, blues, violets, and blacks.

This way, when working with a color palette, it's easy to find what I need. I pull out the drawers with the colors I want, play with them, and then put them away.

In some drawers, I use small "Tic-tac"-style containers or miniature zip-loc bags to separate sizes and shapes. This also helps me see when I'm running low on an item.

In the article Setting Up Your Jewelry Making Work Space.

WS Faculty member Mary W. Bailey shares several organizing and storage tips, with photos.

Answer contributed by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Materials

Beads
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Tools

12 Bead Containers - Organizer
G20-13
  • G20-13
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $6.97
  • Gold Club Price: $5.23
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Containers
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  • Category: Storage
  • Technique(s): Storage