Jewelry Tutorial, Paper Bead Rolling
Wide Euro Style Paper Bead Tutorial
Apr
I just love the look of the smooth rounded large hole beads you find on expensive charm bracelets. So much that I showed you how to make them in a previous tutorial. In this tutorial, I’m going to show you how to make a thicker, fatter version of those beads so you can have some variety in your bracelet.
Wide Euro Style Paper Bead Supplies List:
-
Judikins Diamond Glaze 8oz$17.99 - Paper Bead Roller with 3/16″ Slotted Pin (Purple)$13.99 – $14.99
- 4mm Bead Cores ———https://amzn.to/2WNANuo
- Aileene’s Tacky Glue ———https://amzn.to/2uR7yLa
- Brother ScanNCut CM350 ——— https://amzn.to/2tpYEUz [Amazon]
- Brother ScanNCut DX (Newer Version) ——— https://amzn.to/2EdYh5v [Amazon]
You can use the white glue, but I use Aleene’s tacky glue for putting in the bead cores.
Choose a Paper for the Paper Beads
This style of paper bead looks good when done in both solid colors or patterns. If you choose to go with solid colors, you can use colored cardstock, or you can use white paper and paint it after it’s rolled
If you want a multi-colored or patterned paper bead, it’s best to choose a pattern that has highly contrasting colors in a small pattern. If
There is one caveat you’ll need to know – if you choose a paper that has a white core, you’ll need to color the edges before you roll them or the white will ruin the look of your bead. Unfortunately, a lot of patterned papers have white cores. I’ve linked a video in the description where you can see my best technique for getting rid of those white edges.
To get a paper bead that looks exactly like the ones I’ve made here, you’ll need to choose a paper that is a 65lb weight. If you use a paper of a different thickness, your bead may turn out fine, but it will have a slightly different shape than mine. Don’t be afraid to experiment! That’s part of the fun in making paper beads.
Cut the Paper Strips
You will need to cut three different strips for each bead. Here are your sizes:
- Strip one is 5/8th of an inch at both ends.
- Strip two is 5/8th of an inch at one end, and 3/8th of an inch at the other.
- Strip three is 3/8th of an inch at one end. And 1/8th of an inch at the other.
If you have a Brother ScanNCut and you’d like the template for this type of bead, you can purchase it from paperbeadrollers.com. The link is in the text below this video.
Roll the Paper Beads
For this project, we’re using the 3/16″ diameter bead roller. If you’ve purchased your rollers from Paperbeadrollers.com, that’s the one with the lavender end. It’s important that you use a tool that is the same diameter as the metal bead cores we’ll be adding in step 5. The 3/16 inch roller corresponds to a 4mm bead core.
Begin with strip one. You know you have the right strip because the ends are the same size. You may want to pause a second and let the glue get a little tacky before you begin to roll so that it stays in place. Make sure all of the edges line up exactly. These beads are more difficult to adjust after the fact, so I try to get my wrap exactly right as I’m rolling.
Now we’ll do strip 2. Glue the wide end down, the width should match strip one exactly. Make sure to keep the strip centered as you roll.
Glue the end down and add strip three. Again, glue the wider end down. Keep this one centered as well. Glue the tip down.
Pop the bead off of the roller. Ideally, the sides of your bead are as smooth and straight as possible. You can even use the colored end of your bead roller to tap the strips into place a bit. Allow your bead to dry and glaze.
Glaze the Paper Bead
I’m using Judikins Diamond Glaze to make these beads hard and shiny. Squirt some into your palette. Place the beads on a bamboo skewer and use your paintbrush to apply the Judikins Diamond Glaze or whatever glaze you prefer. I like to use a flat edge brush because it gives me more control when I’m glazing near the bead core.
On the thinner version of this bead, I do two coats of glaze. But this bead has a wider, smoother surface and I think they look better with three coats of glaze. Go ahead and apply all 3 coats, allowing the glaze to dry completely in-between.
Insert the Bead Cores
Our bead is dry and beautifully shiny with the three coats of glaze. Now we can insert the 4mm bead cores (grommets). I am using Aileene’s tacky glue for this. You can use regular school glue if you’d like, but I feel like the Tacky Glue is a little bit stringer.
Apply a thin line of glue around the bead hole, and be sure to get some inside the bead so that the core stays in place. You can wipe off any excess glue if you’d like. If you get any glue bunched up in the center hole of the bead, you can use your bamboo skewer to clear it out. Allow the glue to dry completely and now you have beautiful Euro Style beads to make yourself a gorgeous piece of jewelry.
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