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©2008 Janice Therese Mancuso |
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Some Great Ideas |
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Glass Bead Designs |
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Add sparkling glass beads to wind spinners, and other shapes to create beautiful one-of-a-kind gifts to give or keep. |
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The beads needed to complete a project will vary, based on the design; size of the piece; the colors, sizes, and shapes of the beads; and how many beads you want to use. All the projects below were made using 26 gauge gold wire. Needle-nose pliers were used to twist the wire into curly shapes. The twisted wire adds contrast to the beads and also prevents the beads from sliding.
You must have some degree of beading knowledge before you attempt to make these designs. |
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This looks like a wire shape, but it’s actually a glass heart. It’s very difficult to work with, but very beautiful when completed. The beads are on both sides of the glass and the wire intertwines to keep everything in place. Start at the top, threading the wire through the opening for the hanging loop. Extend the wire about five inches through the opening, then bring it through the opening again to secure it. Add a bead or two. Trim wire and twist to keep the bead in place. (See green bead on top.) |
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The wind spinner has clusters of beads spiraling along its curves. The basic technique is the same, but the beads are grouped into three or four and the wire is twisted just to keep the beads in place. |
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The angel is a wire form, with the beads running vertical to form the gown and freeform for the wings. As with the other designs, the colors of the beads were chosen with the recipient in mind; and a special heart-shaped bead was added. To the right, another beaded glass heart design. |
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photographs ©2008 jtm |
