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.

What is Crystal?

Derived from the Greek word krystallos, which has been translated as 'clear ice,' crystal refers to some of the most impressive and bizarre mineral outgrowths found in nature. Seeking to emulate these wonderfully strange and beautiful forms, man has successfully produced glass crystal since George Ravenscroft established his innovative glasshouse in London, England, in 1673. Mixing lead oxide with molten glass during the heating process, Ravenscroft was able to create a glass of unprecedented sparkle and consistency.


The more lead oxide that is added to the glass, the more refractive and visually stunning the finished product will be. However, this comes at the cost of dramatically increased rigidity, and the crystal therefore becomes much harder to blow. At this stage, crystal is usually manufactured by an incredibly skilled and coordinated team of glass blowers- from 4 to 7 people working in synchronized fashion- and takes a tremendous amount of physical strength, breath control and stamina.

After the initial shaping of the crystal object or bead, it is soaked in an acidic bath that effectively removes any imperfections from the exterior. The crystal then enters the cutting phase. Because the crystal is so amazingly hard, diamond-tipped wheels are required to cut flat facets into the surface. For shallow engraving and/or imagery, small, slow-moving copper wheels are used in a procedure that can take hours to perfect the crystal bead or object surface.


No two crystals are identical, and through a long, multi-stage process, the final product is accomplished by an experienced and creative team whose craft is still being refined after centuries of development.


Click here to browse Crystals at Stones and Findings

Back to School Sale! July 28-August 31!

For those students out there, here's a sale just for you!
With a valid student ID, you can purchase from Stones and Findings with NO WHOLESALE MINIMUMS!

And for those of you who still want in on the sale, we're giving 5% off of all regular priced Pearls, Crystals and Stones with every purchase of $150 or more!

Wow your teachers with your bedazzling jewellery!
Stock up now!

New Color Search Option!

For anyone who's been shopping at Stones and Findings recently, be happy to hear that we have a new Color Search option!



http://www.stonesandfindings.com/colourSearch.php

You can now click on a color and find exactly what items we carry that will match that specific shade! And if you were thinking of colors within that tone, you can select "partially" this color and find the large array of stones, pearls, crystals and components that will cater to your needs!

Feedback is welcome!
Hope you enjoy!

Sterling Silver Bead Caps

by C.S.




Sterling silver bead caps greatly help add interest to beads, pearls and crystals alike. It has a different sheen and texture from these components, and because of the casting capability of sterling silver , pattern possibilities are endless for sterling silver bead caps.




There are many countries which make sterling silver bead caps. The most prolific producing countries are Indonesia (Bali), India and Israel. Stones and Findings carries many unique sterling silver bead caps made in Israel . The patterns are different from Bali, which favours patterns made with dots and scrolls. Israeli patterns are more organic, with more focus on leaves and marquis shapes. They also have Roman influences. I like the premium metal composition of Israeli sterling silver.



Sterling silver is 92.5% silver, and the rest is an alloy of other metals to make the silver harder. In the case of our Israeli sterling silver, the factory adds much more expensive metals to make them tarnish resistant. The exact ingredient is a highly guarded secret. However, the result is an obvious and superior sheen, with tarnish resistance. Israeli sterling silver bead caps are more expensive than Bali and Indian caps because of the more expensive metals used, and Israeli labour is more expensive. However, the superior quality and uniqueness of Israeli sterling silver bead caps is readily apparent and well worth extra expense. They are more rare and are prized by higher quality jewellery designers.



Sterling silver bead caps are great way of framing pearls and crystals, and to give them a finished look. The antique look of certain caps can help soften and bring a more organic touch to the cleanness of crystals. Everyone designing simple short earrings should consider adding sterling silver bead caps for an added twist.

There are specialty long sterling silver bead caps that are called cones . These work to hide the knotting of multi-strand bead necklaces. You can do this by creating the individual strands, and then to gather them with either an eye pin, or using sterling silver wire. You pull the strands through and secure them by wire wrapping a large loop through the other hole. Cones are also useful in creating an elongated look for a round bead. You can use this for earring drops, or, my favourite, a pendant. This can be attached to a toggle that can lock in the front, or as tassel end for a long necklace. Possibilities are endless.

An intriguing look can be created by stacking different types of sterling silver bead caps together, and hanging a pearl or crystal from it. This can create a pagoda type of look. You can also thread identical sterling silver bead caps together, facing each other. This can create a bead effect, provided that they are not too thin, or they have ridges that will help lock themselves to one another. If you can do any soldering, you can create your own hollow sterling bead.

Sterling silver bead caps have been around for a very long time. It is a classic look with many updating possibilities. See what you can come up with.