Using Semi-precious Beads in Clothing

How use semi-precious stones, freshwater pearls, and crystals in your garments

Beads are often used in everyday life items that aren’t considered to be pieces of jewelry. When I think of beads that are used outside of jewelry I think of either home décor or clothing.
Most notably beads can be found on evening wear or wedding dresses. Adding beads to a special occasion dress or outfit like crystal just add some sparkle to the outfit and work to highlight certain areas by catching and reflecting the light, giving the outfit, and the person a sense of glamour. Pearls are often also found on wedding dresses as they give the dress some visual texture, and they just look so good with lace!

Beads can also be found on everyday items of clothing like tops, dresses, and even pants. They work to dress up a piece of clothing a little more, and give the consumer yet one more reason to buy that special item of clothing.
Adding beads to clothing is not all that difficult. It is often quite fun to do, and the sense of accomplishment once you are done and the piece looks amazing is well worth it. My suggestion when adding beads to an item of clothing that are going to be permanently attached to the garment is to work with a smaller sized bead. Three millimeter crystals , or size ten seed beads work well, as a rule I would not go much above four millimeters, but ultimately it is going to come down to the type of garment you are working on, and the bead that you want to use and if it will be a good fit. Three millimeter crystals , are a favorite as they are a perfect size and they give both a fun sparkle and some colour to the piece.
When sewing the beads on, work with embroidery floss, preferably the colour of the clothing item so that your stitches will disappear. Embroidery floss comes with six strands so I suggest pulling the strands apart, and sewing the beads on with either two or thee strands of the floss. Embroidery floss will be stronger then regular sewing thread, but you could also use something like nylon if you prefer.

If you want to add something to a dress, top, skirt or jacket with out making it permanent there are a few things that you can do. Not making your changes permanent will have a few benefits, the first being that it will make the item much easier to wash- with no fear of looking any of the beads in the bottom of your washing machine, and the second being that it will give you the ability to give a garment multiple looks. First you can embellish a separate piece of fabric with stones, pearls or crystals , and then using snaps or hooks you can attach the fabric to the item of clothing that you are wanting to add it on to. Another thing to do is securely attach clasps to your item of clothing, at the shoulders for a top or dress, or main seam lines for other garments, and then create strands or 'faux necklaces'. Once you are done, finish them off with soldered rings on both ends, and then you can mix and match them onto your garment.
With all of these many different techniques to try out, there are endless possibilities for the person that just simply can’t get enough of beading.

Designing with Sardonyx

In the Ancient Roman Empire, sardonyx was an especially treasured gemstone, and was often used by the elite for making wax seals. Its smooth texture didn't stick to the wax, so it was a natural fit in that role. Romans also used its wonderful visual personality for ornament and high fashion: the esteemed general Publius Cornelius Scipio was reported to frequently sport large quantities of the stone.

With such an eye-catching visual personality, it's easy to see why. Sardonyx is characterized by the brilliant deep red bands that distinguish it from normal black onyx. Both are members of the chalcedony family. Sardonyx is thought to help its wearer cultivate positive energies, while dispelling other negative or unwanted energies.

Click here to browse Sardonyx at Stones and Findings

Designing with Sunstone

Sunstone, known to the scientific community as aventurine feldspar, is famous for its spangled golden brilliance. It is the official state gemstone of Oregon, where sites of sunstone abundance have actually been opened to the public. Even though Oregon residents and commercial enterprises have harvested countless tonnes of the gem, it still remains in wealthy abundance. If you like, you can go hunt for your own sunstone finds there.

Long, long before sunstone deposits were discovered in the USA, the mineral was of indispensable aid to Vikings who, surprisingly, used it for navigation. This is due to an amazing natural property of sunstone known as polarization; sunstone's metallic inclusions reflect light in a stunning blaze of colour that changes depending on what angle the stone is facing in relation to the source of light. So on foggy or overcast days when the sun was not directly visible, those Nordic sailors of old simply pulled out their handy piece of sunstone and rotated it until they saw the tell-tale gleam. From this they could gather their bearings and sail in an informed trajectory.

Tested navigational benefits and awe-inspiring beauty aside, sunstone has been thought to aid digestion, help with rheumatism, and increase strength and vitality.

Click here to browse Sunstone at Stones and Findings

Designing with Moonstone

Possessing the unearthly radiance of the moon, this stone is known worldwide as an absolute delight. It is especially famous for a distinctive and uncanny three-dimensional shimmering play of light called 'adularescence'. This process is scientifically explained by the reflection of light off of internal mineral inclusions, but anyone who has seen the trademark brilliance of moonstone's glimmering lustre knows that all words and explanations fall short of.

Still, to be impacted by the experience of moonstone's magic gleam is to gain some understanding of the rich mystique surrounding the gem. In classical Indian folklore, moonstone was thought to bring its bearer future premonitions and lucid dreams. The ancient Romans theorized that moonstone was actually made out of frozen moonlight.

Moonstone is frequently cut en cabochon to showcase its lighting effects, and requires a skilled lapidary to do the job properly. It is a relatively soft stone, so care should be taken when wearing and handling. Moonstone is believed to strengthen intuition, cultivate insight, aid fertility, nurture loving kindness, and balance yin and yang forces.

Click here to browse Moonstone at Stones and Findings

Lava Beads

What are Lava Beads?
by: Paula Gheorghiade

Lava beads refer to beads that are made from volcanic material, cut and faceted into a variety of shapes and sizes. Lava beads are very lightweight, and most tend to float since they are made of hardened magma and ash. As a result, they can only be produced in areas where volcanic material is available. Depending on the area and the mineral content of the lava, the lava beads will either be very dark in colour and close to black, reddish-brown or reddish grey. Stones and Findings carries a selection of black Lava Beads in a variety of shapes.

Designing with Lava beads is very easy and fun. Due to the dark colour of the bead, you can virtually add any other colourful bead, crystal or freshwater pearl in a combination that works for you to create stunning classic or funky summer pieces. I love to take a funky strand like the Diamond Cube Lava Beads and add some beautiful Red Coral for contrast and you’ve created a fun and versatile piece. Feel free to also add some sparkly Crystal pieces , or small sterling silver or gold filled beads for some shine.

No matter what design you come up with, Lava Beads are bound to be a success due to their unique look and feel. They will complement any funky, colourful or sparkly jewellery bead. So click here to view our selection, and start designing with Lava Beads today!

Abalone Shells

  What are Abalone Shells?

Abalone refers to the small to medium sized sea mollusks and snails, that have low and open spiral shells. The shells of abalone are oval in shape, with an iridescent nacre lining the inside. This beautiful colour variation and shine on the inside of the Abalone shell is what makes abalone shells desireable. Abalone shells have been popular for hundreds of years, due to their beautiful iridescent colours, used and prized in religious ceremonies. Abalone shells are also desirable as adornments, decorative items in jewellery, button and inlaid furniture. Abalone shells are harvested for both food and their shells, with some countries strictly regulating this practice, to prevent illegal activities. Some countries that harvest abalone shells include Africa, Australia, South America and the Orient.
Abalone shells are very popular in New Zealand and Australia especially in jewellery designs. The beautiful natural iridescent blue and green colour provides a great focus to any jewellery design, whether it is an earring, necklace or bracelet. The blue and green iridescent colour of Abalone shells is sometimes dyed to create an even more stunning effect. This dyeing process, if it is high quality, should set the colour within the shell so that it will not transfer onto any other beads or articles of clothing.

The natural abalone shell is becoming increasingly popular in North America, as more and more designers are mixing this higher end shell with sterling silver chains, sterling silver components, gold Vermeille and gold filled components, as well as semi-precious stones. This look is worn year round, with many designers and consumers no longer reserving wearing shell jewellery during the summer months. The more colourful and dyed abalone shells tend to be more popular in the summer months, and especially when combined with cruise wear and colourful summer dresses, either in the city or on vacation.

Click here for a great selection of shells available at Stones and Findings and get inspired to design with Abalone today!

Sterling Silver Beads

Silver Beads

Silver Beads allow for great accents to Jewellery Making. They come in all shapes, sizes and forms, and from different countries. Silver Beads make great accompaniment for Semi-precious Stone Beads , Fresh Water Pearls and crystals, because of the contrast in lustre and texture. Silver Beads is an effective and inexpensive way to add accent to earrings.

Shiny Silver Beads

Some of the best shiny Silver Beads come from Italy. They are machine made, and are seamless. Italians are known for their laser cut Silver Beads. They reflect light like a funky disco ball. Satin Silver Beads add a feeling of luxury. However, satin Silver Beads are difficult to clean once they have tarnished. Most Italian silver is plated or coated for anti-tarnish. Chinese factories produce excellent Silver Beads, but usually they are not coated in lacquer and tarnish faster than Italian Silver Beads.

Antique Silver Beads

Some of the best antique Silver Beads come from Bali. This style of antique and intricate Silver Beads is famously known as Bali Beads. However, many similar Silver Beads are made in India, but some still call them Bali Beads, when they are in fact, not made in Bali at all. You can tell the difference between Silver Beads made in India from those made in Bali. Bali silver is generally better quality, and more intricate. Generations of Indonesians have been making Silver Beads in their homes. The craft has been passed from generation to generation. Indian Silver Beads have come on the market in the past decade as a cheaper alternative, however, their quality has been improving and they are gaining a larger share of the Silver Beads market.

Shiny Brushed Silver Beads

Indians have been making brushed hollow Silver Beads, which have become very popular with the North American Jewellery Making crowd. They are modern, and lend an update look to the venerableSilver Bead. These Silver Beads work very well with Silver Chains and crystals and stones. They lend a clean look to balance colours and unusual shapes.

Hollow-form Silver Beads

Some of the most interesting hollow-form Silver Beads from Isreal. Stones and Findings carries a large variety of Isreali hollow Silver Beads, to see a sample: Sterling Hollow Bead. Instead of casting from a rubber mould, Silver Beads is made in was, lightly painted in a conductive paint, and sat in the plating tank for hours. A heavy layer of Silver is formed on top of the wax shape. The wax is then melted and dripped out of a hole in the Silver Beads. What you're left with is just the Silver in the Silver Bead. It is a much more labour intensive process, and will cost more per gram then solid Silver Beads. However, the bead requires a lot less silver. Hollow Silver Beads are less expensive, thus cost effective for larger shapes.