Tips & Techniques

Easy Bead™ Board

Information courtesy of Darice

Easy Bead BoardEasy Bead™ design board simplifies beading necklaces and bracelets. Easy Bead™ helps you measure and adjust bracelet and necklace lengths during the design process.

1. The numbers printed along the outside Easy Bead™ channel measures necklace length in inches up to 34" (86 cm) long.

2. The guide lines along the inside of the Easy Bead™ channel are used to align beads for multi-strand necklaces.

3. Easy Bead™ storage compartments offer easy access for jewelry findings, beading needles and thread. Separate bead styles, colors and sizes for placement.

4. Removable Lid.

5. The three multi-strand Easy Bead™ channels located along the outside of the design board are used for design preparation and bead placement.



Easy Bead™Designing Instructions

1. Determine the length of finished necklace. Divide the number of inches in half. Locate that number along each side of the outside channel on the Easy Bead™ design board. (Example: for a 24" necklace, locate the 12" mark on each side of the outside channel.)

2. Starting at the "0" (the center of your necklace), design necklace in channel to desired length. HINT: Metallic beads make great spaces between prominent beads.

3. Thread beading needle, tie odd bead to the loose end to prevent from pulling out. Do not cut thread. You will be pulling more thread from the spool through the eye of the needle as needed.

4. Starting at one end of the necklace, count five beads from the top of design, and start stringing beads at the sixth bead. At this time, two threads will be pulled through the beads of the necklace. See picture below.

5. When you reach the end of the necklace, loop thread through desired clasp and bring the needle back through all off the beads including the five left on the opposite side. Loop thread through second half of clasp and bring the needle back through the first five beads.

6. At this point, pull thread to snug beads close together and tie knot between the fifth and sixth bead. Trim excess thread and place a small amount of glue on the knot to prevent it from untying.

This technique will hide knots and will reinforce the necklace with four strands of thread. The technique must be altered when using thicker threads

.Starting at one end of the necklace, count five beads from the top of design, and start stringing beads at the sixth bead.