Back in 2004, after seeing my friends make beautiful items, I wanted to learn how to make beaded jewelry too. I found several beaded bracelet kits from Mill Hill on an auction site. This gave me all the instructions and beads I needed to give the craft a try at a very low cost.
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| My Garnet Bugle Burst Bracelet |
I was able to complete the bracelet in just four hours. The directions were fairly clear, though it would have been nice to have more explicit instructions on how to make loop knots. I followed the diagram, but I'm still not sure I got it just right.
For a first attempt, I was quite pleased. After a few more tries, I learned to handle my tension more consistently. The red bracelet (above) came from the kit.
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| Jeanne's bracelet made with craft beads |
The following month I made a bracelet for each of my daughters. I used craft beads from my stash. The bead quality was inferior when compared to the Mill Hill glass beads in the kit. They were much more irregular and the diameter of the holes in the beads varied widely. Since I used beads I had on hand, my color combinations left something to be desired, too.
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| Julie's bracelet made with craft beads |
The more I worked with the beads and the pattern, I could feel my skill, proficiency, and confidence growing. The thread tension became more uniform, the knots holding the beads to the clasps became less noticeable, and the bracelets went together more quickly.
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| Jodie's bracelet made with craft beads |
Overall, beading was a good experience and I've continued to make pretty, sparkling projects in the ensuing years.
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