Glass Craft Beads

Glass craft beads are used to make different types of jewelry, like necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings have been utilized for making decorative pieces for many centuries. In ancient times stones, shells and animal horns were used for making decorative and creative pieces. The most common use of glass craft beads is for making jewelry. Craft beads are made of various materials like glass, metal, terracotta wood, plastic, stone, bone, ivory, ceramic fiber, shell, coral and gemstones. But the most often used for designing crafts is made of glass. You can make many different shapes with your glass beads like oval, cylindrical, square, heart, flower, tube, diamond and teardrop. You can choose also the color you wish for your glass beads like red, green, blue, yellow and brown.

In making glass craft beads, you will use different kinds of materials and equipments in making these beads. You will need all the necessary materials like wires, threads, needles, soft glass, matches, kiln wash, vermiculite, mandrels and rods. The equipments you will need are torches, pipe cleaners, metal container and fire extinguisher. Choose the glass bead that is widely available like acrylic beads. Acrylic beads are said to be most popular and least expensive glass craft beads. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Another is the fire polished beads, these are glass craft beads made in Czech Republic. These beads are polished by heating them over flame until they melt, giving them a bright, smooth and shining appearance.

Glass craft beads are processed under lamp working method. This method is ideal for mass production of these beads. They are simple and easy to do regarding glass manipulating. This method uses a gas-fuelled torch to melt down glass rods. It uses a torch to the heat the glass until it melts and then wraps the material around the heated mandrel to form the base of the bead. Once the bead is done it typically goes right in to a kiln process. Depending on the type of glass, to begin the next process which is annealing you has to wait few more hours before starting these. Annealing the glass prevents it from cracking due to extreme heat. The duration of this process depends on the thickness and type of glass used. When beads are cleaned of all bead release, it is now ready for jewelry or craft designing.

Glass craft beads are used for decorating handicrafts, fashion accessories, decors and even clothing. Try exploring different kinds, colour and shapes for your glass craft beading for it is surely fun and enjoyable. Let out the creativity in you and start creating your own craft.