#bead chains

Pet Paradise Beaded Animals - Part One

Previous Post: Pet Paradise Bead Kit

I’ve made the first five animals from the bead kit, and I thought I’d take the time to talk about the making of each. I noticed that the instructions don’t say how much cord to use per animal, so I’ve mentioned that below.

I used the beads that came with kit but my own cord, as the holes in these beads are wider than most pony beads, and the box image shows a thicker cord in use, not the narrow rattail that came with the kit. I thought the beads would sit better on thicker cord. The beads are not quite uniform, so they don’t always fit flush in each row, giving the creatures a clumsy look. I plan to remake some of these with my own beads for this reason.

The instructions do not say how to properly tie off the animals when finished. With the gecko, you can knot at the base of the tail, but for the other creatures, I learnt that you’re better off to take one end of the cord, thread it through the second row of beads from the bottom, and then take that end and the end from the bottom row and knot them together. Using a sewing needle makes it easier to run the cord through the second row of beads.

Gecko: 1 metre of cord works easily. This isn’t any different from the standard tutorial. My kit didn’t have the metallic green beads on the box front, so I used metallic gold. I hope I picked the right replacement colour, as my beads have two colours not shown on the box and are missing one.

Frog: I’d use no less than 1.25 metres of cord. I made this identically to the box image save for the last row, where I threaded the cord through all the beads instead of just some of them. I think this looks neater. The legs with one bead skipped are a little awkward, and I’m honestly not sure this is a necessary step. This isn’t too much different to the gecko in thread patterns. After the frog and gecko, there are eight green beads left over.

Penguin: 1 metre of cord works well. This is the easiest animal here, as you’re beading simple rows without additional limbs, so I’d recommend doing this one for the first non-pattern creature. I made no changes to the pattern.

Ladybird: 90 cm of cord is enough, as this is quite a small design. I had to change the pattern because the one on the box has rows that go from five beads to seven beads, and adding two extra beads per row made the beads bunch up horribly. (I’ve seen this on other patterns as well; I don’t like it.) I only go up or down one bead per new row on my version, which lessens the bunching and looks much nicer to me. Please note that this ladybird is much smaller than the pattern I linked on the first post.

Bunny: 1.25 metres of cord at minimum, but you may wish to go up to 1.5 if you want a lot of play in the cord for the final knot. I struggled to tie mine. My only change to the pattern was to swap a white bead for a pink bead for the feet, as the structure of the feet is almost identical to the ears, and I wanted them to look a little more distinct.

So far, I’ve had enough beads in all colours save for the one missing colour. The penguin was easiest to make, but I like the frog the best. The wider animals are really good for rolling flat between palms.

(If proper tutorials for any animal here are wanted, let me know and I can add it to the eventual to do list.)

Image description under read more cut:

Pet Paradise Bead Kit - Chemist Warehouse, $6.50 AUD.

No online listing is available.

This is currently on half-price sale; the full price is $12.99 AUD. If you’re after a kit to get you started on making animal-themed bead fidgets, I think this is a pretty decent way to begin--with one big proviso.

If you buy this, don’t throw out the box. Or do what I did, which was to cut off the front panel (easier to store) and then recycle the rest. Don’t throw out the box, because if you do, you won’t be able to make the animal fidgets.

Despite the back of the box saying “easy to follow instructions”, the instruction sheet only tells you how to thread a single row of beads. If you’ve made any of these before, it’s not so difficult to look at the images on the box and copy them, but if you haven’t, you’d be lost. If you do what I tend to do and open the kit, recycle the box and then go to make the bead fidgets some time later, you’d be beyond lost with no image references. The instructions aren’t easy to follow and there are no real, specific instructions for copying the animals on the front, rendering them useless.

I’ve previously posted tutorials for the beaded gecko and the beaded ladybird. There are also more tutorials on this reblogged post, which have options for butterflies. I would make these first, using those tutorials, just to get the feel of how to thread the beads together. Only then would I copy the other animals from the front of the box.

I have to say that I do like that the kit comes with a storage box. Everything fits within it and it makes it easy to store the beads. It also comes with a good array of colours, and the metallic beads are gorgeous. For the sale price, it isn’t a bad way to start, since you get everything you need but scissors and instructions.

I plan on making the animals in this kit, so I can later discuss things like if they provided the right amount of beads and how easy the animals are to make from copying the box image.

I do like this kit, but I was expecting to get clear instructions on how to make the different animals--it’s most of the reason I bought it, as I have plenty of beads already. If you have no beading experience, it is still a good way to get started, but the lack of instructions provided is absurd.

Image description under read more cut:

Ultimate Beaded Lanyard Tutorial

Apologies for the lousy second photo, but this was too long to photograph without a mirror and my mirror is nowhere near a window!

I’m aware that this sits in the because I can category of crafting, but this is what happens when I decide to make a wearable roller bead lanyard with a bead ring on the end and then attach a beaded gecko to that ring. I really like it! While I find that while this is a little long for walking around in, the gecko sits on my knee such that I can roll it without dropping it or holding it. It’s pretty functional, doesn’t require me to clench or grasp it to use, and it offers me several different ways of stimming with the beads. Plus it’s easy to shorten by using fewer beads for the lanyard part, if you’d rather wear a shorter version.

Components

Regular pony beads in whatever colours you like (I used 87 different beads)

Rattail cord (you’ll want about 3 metres)

A giant pony bead or a wooden bead (the hole needs to be large enough to hold four strands of cord)

A couple of star or flower shaped beads for the top of the lanyard and the end of the gecko’s tail (if you’re fancy)

Thread and a sewing needle for a few overstitches (or glue)

Clear nail polish or glue for finishing the end of the lanyard and the knot on the gecko’s tail (this keeps the cord from unravelling)

Instructions

First, make a bead ring, a roller bead fidget/lanyard and a beaded gecko using these linked tutorials. Don’t try to put these together - just make one of each so you’re familiar with the process of making them. This tutorial assumes you know how to make each of those three things. It will not make sense if you don’t learn those three tutorials first.

Second, make the lanyard. I cut 1.5 metres of cord (taller people may want it longer still), folded it in half, threaded two pony beads on each end and then threading both ends through a star bead (but any pony bead will do). This just finishes the top of the lanyard nicely. I shifted those three beads down the cord, leaving enough space to pull the lanyard over my head, before I added however many beads I wanted in the normal way of a roller bead lanyard before leaving the usual gap of unthreaded cord. I then threaded on four beads (three rounded pony beads and one giant pony bead or wooden bead) over both ends of the cord (in the way you normally finish a roller bead lanyard) and cut the cord. Dab the cut ends of the cord with clear nail polish or glue. Do not knot the ends. Put the lanyard aside.

Third, make the bead ring in the normal way (threading beads onto a split ring).

Fourth, make the gecko in the normal way. Instead of using a new split ring, I slipknotted the cord for the gecko (I use 1.1 metres of cord) around the bead ring I made, halfway between the beads.

(I diverge from the linked tutorial in that I add a fancy bead like a star or a flower at the bottom of the tail, just because I like how it looks. I also use slightly smaller pony beads for the gecko’s claws, because I think that looks a little better. Neither of these things is necessary, though. I also seal the knot at the end of the tail with clear nail polish to make it a little sturdier.)

Firth, I join the bead-ring-and-gecko fidget to the lanyard. I push the beads at the bottom of the lanyard up to the bottom-most woven pony bead, wrap the cut edges of cord around the top of the ring and sew or glue them together, forming a closed loop of thread. Make sure the edges of the cord, the ones sticking up past the ring, are not longer than the length of your large bead - the purpose of the giant bead is to hide the cut edges of cord!

(If sewing, you’ll want the thread to go in and out of all four pieces of cord, sewing them to each other so they firmly hold the ring. I then coat the sewing with clear nail polish or glue. If gluing, make sure all four pieces are firmly glued to each other.)

Sixth, side the large bead over the four sewn or glued pieces of cord, hiding the join of the lanyard cord around the bead ring gecko - and that’s it!

Mine took less than an hour to make, was quite easy on my hands and only required a tiny bit of handsewing.

Image description under read more cut:

Here’s a tutorial for a roller bead ladybird fidget/keychain, similar to the lizard/gecko tutorial I’ve featured before. It looks even easier to make, as it only requires threading the cord back and forth in straight lines, no threading-back for legs or limbs.

[image description: four red and clear plastic packets of blue, light blue, red, pink, light pink, white, black and purple pony beads; a bright-coloured children’s jewellery making kit labelled “Jewelry [sic] Personalised” containing various-coloured plastic beads both rounded and crimped; and a “Super Craft Pack” containing coloured foam pieces, glue, beads, plastic cord and pom poms.]

Now we’re up to the “Things With Which To Make Stim Toys” section! At least half of my purchases are about the odds and ends for making things, something that’s also important for people to know.

So, my craft haul from Toyworld Highpoint!

Mixed Pony Beads:

$1 AU (was $2 AU) a pack. Eight different colours. Of course I bought four of them. I probably should have bought even more for that price.

Children’s Jewellery Making Kit:

$3 AU. I didn’t buy this for the high quality of the beads - the round beads are actually pretty awful. I wanted the crimped beads in the top right-hand corner of box, as I use them for finishing the knotted ends of beaded lanyards and chains, and I haven't been able to find them anywhere else. I wouldn’t use the other for stim toy making, because the holes in the beads are too small for rattail cord or anything but very fine hat elastic.

Super Craft Pack:

$2 AU (was $4 AU). I bought this for the opaque pony beads, which I have already turned into a lanyard. I have no idea what I’ll do with the rest of it, but I’m sure there will be a stimmy use for foam pieces one day.

Bracelet is a versatile wear fashion attachment, while anklets add a touch to a body part that is often overlooked. Various kinds of bracelets and anklets could make it simpler to navigate your options at the jewellery store. Bangles can be worn in stacks and usually made of metal, unlike Cuff bracelets which usually are a bit wider and can be made of metal and leather. Given the inflexibility and thickness of the cuff and bangle bracelets, they're not adapted for wearing as anklets.

Tennis bracelets

A timeless accessory, tennis bracelets go well with casual or dressy clothes. The timeless setting was developed to highlight the beauty of its diamonds and metals. Tennis bracelets are thin, flexible and comfortable to wear. Diamond versions can differ in quality and carat weight.

Charm Bracelets

Normally a metal chain decorated with bracelets or baubles. Bracelets are a way to mark events and things, such as a brand-new baby's arrival. Their charms and these bracelets are perfect for passing down adding mementoes. The charms may be made from metals such as gold and sterling silver, from lots of different substances into glass or gemstone.

Bracelets may be ornamented with bells charms or jewellery, but bracelets with many charms can be a bit uncomfortable to wear on the ankle or wrist. Leave some spots open so there is room to add new charms for years to come.

Gemstone and pearl bracelets

Gemstones create a colorful and somewhat more casual belief than diamonds. Bracelets can be of different types like some with a single stone, some with a mixture of colours and cuts, or with vividly coloured gemstones in contrast with diamonds.

Pearls are more fragile than most gemstones. You may also find ankle bracelets adorned with gemstone or pearls, but as with diamond tennis bracelets, you would like to be sure to choose a style that fastens securely and won't get caught on furniture, clothes or anything else.

Chain bracelets and anklets

Bracelets and anklets shaped by straightforward chains are both an understated way to include elegance to virtually any outfit for any occasion.

Common string styles are:

Anchor chains: Double links of unformed dimensions are connected to create a heavy, sturdy appearance.

Bead chains: Small metal balls are connected by bits of wire between the beads.

Box chains: Square links are interlocked to present a boxy design. Very thin models of box chains are popular, specifically for displaying pendants.

Curb or Cuban chains: In this design, the links lie flat and the string might be thin or very wide.

Byzantine chains: Layered links are interlocked in some complex pattern to form a rope-like design.