Making Paper Beads - resource list

Many of you have asked me for a list of resources for getting started with making your own paper beads, so I've compiled my favorites here. I also have several brand new cutting templates and files in my Etsy store, and will continue to add more as I design them!

This has been a really fun hobby for me, from start to finish... from designing and tweaking templates to creating finished jewelry to wear! Bead rolling is very relaxing and inexpensive, and it's very portable as well. I hope this post will be a helpful resource for you!

SUPPLIES

PAPERS

Use it all! In the photo above, there are beads made from a college brochure, colored cardstock, printed cardstock, cheap white cardstock, acrylic painted papers and more. I've used magazine and book pages, scanned keepsakes, watercolor paintings... there are so many possibilities.

Different weights of paper will yield different results. Some of the beads above are made with more than one cut piece rolled together (either at once or end to end). Part of the fun will be experimenting to find out what works best for you.

Most of the cardstock I use is 65# - 80# cover (176 - 215 gsm). I bought this pack of 72 sheets (12"x12") and I've been really pleased with the quality and results - great price too. If you use cardstock, you'll get best results if it has a solid core (same color all the way through - like the red and yellow beads above).

Printed cardstock with a white core will show a little white at the cut edge. It's not a bad look and some of the white will fade when the beads are sealed, but you may prefer not to have it showing. You can use an alcohol or acrylic marker to color the cut edges, if you want to take the time. I bought some Posca acrylic markers (I like the 8mm broad chisel tip) that make a nice edge. (Some sealants may cause solvent markers to bleed, so if you use them make sure your color matches the paper well.)

Patterned papers may not give you the results you expect! Check out Kelly's video here for a sampling of what patterned papers look like when they're rolled up. Also, sometimes ugly papers make pretty beads!

Junk mail and catalogs can make great bead papers! Look for pages that have a top-to-bottom print, a gradient, or a wide border at the top and/or bottom. These were made from a college brochure.

For the gel printed beads, I use a clay coated cardstock. It is 210gsm, so a little less than 80# cover weight. These ones are generally my favorite, just because of the handpainted look and custom colors.

If you're going to paint your beads with craft paint, you can use cheap white cardstock. These ornament beads are done with the 110# index weight (199gsm) cardstock from Walmart and painted with 2-3 coats of craft acrylic paint. You can also use alcohol inks or acrylic inks or watercolors to color them - lots of options! Just be sure to use a medium that won't bleed when you glaze the beads.

ROLLERS

I started off using an 1/8" dowel rod as a roller - you can really use anything cylindrical. I chose 1/8" because I have a large number of eyelets in that size which make perfect cores! If you want to use something you already have as a roller, you can try toothpicks, knitting needles, bamboo or metal skewers, coffee straws, etc. I did have trouble with the dowel pieces snapping after a while, but they're not expensive to replace.

Google research led me to PaperBeadRollers.com, and I will recommend that site as a wonderful resource for all things paper beading, from tools to templates and tutorials! The bead rollers Kelly sells (above) are handmade and very sturdy. They have a wooden handle and a pin for rolling - the pin has an narrow slit where you insert the end of your paper strip to hold it in place while you roll. There are a variety of sizes and sets to choose from.

I've also got this set of rollers and tools made in Germany by PaperBeadPatty - these are also handmade, and come in a variety of sizes and sets! I highly recommend both of these companies!

From both sets, I used that smallest 5/64" or 2mm roller the most, followed by the 1/8" or 3mm.

There are other rollers on the market which I have not tried - a machine style with a ball handle for easy gripping and turning, one with a shaft that easily pushes a finished bead off the pin... and variety of others that have smaller barrels. If you have issues with your hands or wrists, I'd stick with the ones pictured above, which have larger, shaped handles.

CORES

Eyelets or grommets can be pushed in to the bead holes before or after sealing for a finished or more decorative look. I've purchased the 1/8" size at Eyelet Outlet and they have excellent prices there.

They carry other sizes as well - the only guideline for these is matching the core size to the size of your bead roller. Note: Pandora style beads have a 5mm core.

The tool set from PaperBeadPatty I showed above has a pair of tools (the 2nd two from the left) that are used to help press an eyelet into a tight hole.

ADHESIVE

My go-to adhesive for beads has been Elmer's Glue-All (I have this extra strength one). I keep the Elmer's in a needle tip bottle and add a little water for better flow. It dries matte and pretty quickly, and doesn't make your fingers sticky.

Glue sticks are another great option, whichever brand you have on hand. I just grabbed one of the kids' school glue sticks (the purple washable from Elmers) and it worked nicely.  I just have a tendency to leave the cap off a glue stick and ruin it completely, so that's why I don't use it all the time!

SEALANT

Many bead makers use PC-Petrifier to harden and seal their beads. This product is actually a wood hardener, and it can either be brushed on the beads or you can dip the beads into it directly.

I buy the gallon size and keep a smaller amount in a pint jar. I dip strands of beads directly into it, then hang them to dry. The manufacturer recommends letting the product cure overnight.  For me, five coats of the PC-Petrifier is perfect. I dip my strands quickly the first time to coat and lock in any loose dye in the paper, and let them dry overnight. I wait 3-4 hours between the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th dips, and then let them dry overnight again after the 5th dip.  After several dips it builds up a nice gloss.

I do not use any other products to finish my beads. Others prefer a couple of coats of Minwax Polycrylic or another brand of polyurethane gloss (either alone or over the hardener). You can brush on the finish, or dip the beads into it and allow them to drip dry. If you use both the hardener and the gloss finish, 2 dips in each one produces a nice finish.

Another product that is highly recommended is called Vibrance Glaze, and it's sold by Janice Mae - her site is another good one for supplies and inspiration. You can follow her on Facebook here.

Another option for sealing is a heavy embossing enamel - like a chunky embossing powder. I tried the Ranger brand (UTEE) - I liked the smoothness of the coating, but found it a little hard to get an even coverage. It also seemed to dull when handled.

BEAD SHAPES

VARIATIONS

The shape of the finished bead will vary based on the shape of the strip, the thickness of the paper, the diameter of the roller, the length and width of the strip, and the number of layers rolled at once.

A long triangular strip is the most common shape for beading, as it's very easy to cut by hand or with a trimmer. When rolled, the tip can be centered for a "bicone" shape, aligned to one side for a cone, or offset to one side for a teardrop. The beads above were made with identical triangular strips. Here's a video showing how you can get several different finished bead shapes using the same strip. The strips I used in the video are 1" wide by about 12" long, cut from 65# printed cardstock.

I hope that is helpful!

Here's a graphic I found online showing how different bead shapes can be achieved using different shaped strips. Once you master the triangles, it's fun to branch out and try other styles!

Even the non-triangle shapes can be varied... one of the cutting templates I designed includes a corset shaped bead - here are several different results using the same shape!

CUTTING 

BY HAND

Triangles are very easy to cut by hand or with a guillotine cutter. Determine the width you want to cut, and mark that increment down one side of the paper (for example, if you want your beads 1" wide, measure in 1" increments all the way across). On the opposite side, measure in at half your increment, then proceed as before (so measure in and mark at 1/2", then mark at 1-1/2", 2-1/2", etc).

TEMPLATES

Other shapes may be more difficult to cut. Check Etsy or do a Google search for printed or downloadable bead templates for sale. These can be traced, printed or photocopied right onto your bead paper and cut out by hand. Stencils are also available.

CUTTING FILES

If you have an electronic cutter, you can purchase cutting files for your bead strips! 

I have a brand new collection of my own unique templates - you can find them in my Etsy store here! Each of my designs comes in 3 formats, so you can use them on any electronic cutting machine or print a pdf as a manual cutting guide. Instructions are included as well. I hope you like them! The Corset Combo set is a favorite, since it cuts 3 different shapes on one sheet of paper.

DIES

I ran across a set of cutting dies from The Stamp Doctor that are designed specifically for paper beads - they're a great option for scraps or printed papers, since the outline style die allows you to perfectly center a design element or pattern for your bead before cutting. I've varied these slightly by adding a straight rectangular core to the center. I'll share more about these dies another day! Most of them are 1" wide and 6" long.

On that same page you'll find other dies that can be used for flat style paper beads or pendants (tutorial here). The prices are great, and bundle pricing can be requested!

You can also purchase paper strips for rolling into beads - check out my friend Gina's store Bellie Beads for lots of shape options!

DRYING STATION

If you choose to brush glaze onto your beads directly, you'll probably use toothpicks or skewers to prop them up to dry in a foam block. Since I dip my beads to glaze them, they need a place to drip dry.

My dipping station is a little rustic, since it was made from scraps we had around the garage. Many of the designs you'll find online are similar in structure - they have a bar at the top with several dowels or hooks to hang strands. There is a drip tray at the bottom.

My station is tall enough to accommodate up to 14" of beads on each strand. Each of my fishing line hangers is about 18" long, and has a fishing weight on one end. I fill the strand, and then put a binder clip at the top to hold the beads on - the clip also acts as a hanger while the beads are drying. The finished beads shown here are below

Dipping stations can be made from something as simple as a cardboard box, or out of PVC pipe. There are lots of ideas and instructions on Youtube.

STORAGE

For now I'm storing my beads in these containers by Darice. The sections have a rounded front, so the beads are easy to remove and you're not chasing them into corners. Others store their beads in strands on fishing line, or in small baggies.

PROJECTS

I have really enjoyed working paper beads into my jewelry designs. Memory wire wrap bracelets are fun to make...

...as well as earrings...

For inspiration, search Pinterest for paper bead jewelry, or follow #paperbeadjewelry on Instagram!

COMMUNITY

FACEBOOK GROUPS

Believe it or not, there is a really amazing community of paper bead rollers online! Here are some groups I've joined on Facebook.

Paper Bead Fanatics

Paper Beads Etc. Facebook Group

Paper Beads Born Pretty

The membership spans the globe, which I love. Lots of questions and answers and photos and compliments are exchanged - such a kind group of crafters!

YOUTUBE CHANNELS

There are lots of beading tutorials on Youtube! Here are a few of my favorite dedicated channels:

Paper Bead Rollers

Bellie Beads

Squeakerchimp

Janice Mae

I hope this collection of information has been helpful! If you have more questions or if additional videos from me would be helpful, please let me know in the comments and I'll do what I can! Happy rolling!

Taylored Expressions - new blender brushes!

Today's an exciting day for Taylored Expressions - they are launching their new Blender Brushes! These have been designed and customized with the paper crafter in mind - look how cute they are!

My favorite feature of these brushes are the colored handles - I have multiple brushes, all with black handles, and I've labeled them with a small color swatch on the back of the head, but since they're all facing different directions in the holder, it takes me a while every time to find the right brush for the color I need. These colored handles are so pretty, and make it easy to grab the right brush quickly! 

The white bristles are soft and dense, and of course once they're used for blending, they match the handles! 

Another fun product in the launch is this spinning caddy - it's got a space for each brush, and strong grips on the bottom of the base to help it stay put when you spin it. This is a great display unit, though I prefer to have the brushes allllll over my desk when I'm working rather than moving them in and out!

I've got a couple of card samples, and I'll have more to share over the next couple of days! A few weeks ago I shared a Pastel Stencil Press tutorial on Splitcoaststampers, and that's the technique I've used on these 2 cards. I inked up the stencil with Versamark ink, embossed it in my die cutting machine, and then used the brushes to apply PanPastels to the whole surface. 

The Versamark ink helps the PanPastel medium stick to the card - these soft brushes are perfect for this highly-pigmented dry medium - they picked up plenty of product, just with a light tap! Love that deeper color on the stencil lines.

The first card background is made with the inked stencil; the second card background is made from the inked cardstock beneath it. I used different PanPastel colors just for variety, but kept all the other card elements the same. 

For the butterflies, I brushed dye ink onto Canva-Paper - this is a heavy linen textured paper that has a bit of a coated surface - it will take watercolor, alcohol ink, and a variety of other coloring media, and it's my favorite for printing digital stamps as well.

I blended dye ink on the surface, and because it doesn't absorb, the colors blended together beautifully as a base for my butterflies. This is a layering stamp set, so I took one of the layers and misted it with water...

...then pressed it into the inked area to lift some of the ink away (blot the wet area with a paper towel for best results!).

I used the matching dies to cut out the inked butterflies, and added them to my cards on a bit of foam tape! Blending the butterfly 'base' is a great way to add a little more dimension to these layered images. I used the brushes again to add just a little Stazon Pigment ink to the edges.

I hope you'll check out the brushes, and be sure to visit the Taylored Expressions blog for more info, videos, and other links! 

If you're interested in ordering, here are a couple good things to know:

• Customers will receive a free silicone cleaning tool with the purchase of the blender brushes and storage caddy. It will automatically add to qualifying orders and will not be available for purchase separately until a later date.
• Through the end of June, shipping is free on orders over $50. The free shipping threshold will go back to the usual $75 starting July 1st.

With these two promotions combined, you will get the best deal by grabbing the brushes and caddy before July 1st. Brush orders will begin shipping July 1st. 

Thank you for checking in with me today!

Product Review: Crossover II Fabric & Paper Cutting System

I have a new tool in my studio! After researching some different wide format die cutting machines, I was curious about the capabilities of the Crossover II. Most of the reviews I found online were directed more to the quilting market, and it does have lots of great applications for that field (alllll my quilting genes are tingling!), but I wanted to know more about how it would work in our paper crafting world. 

I reached out to the kind people at Crafter's Edge, and they sent me a machine to test out. If you haven't heard of Crafter's Edge, you may have heard of some of their sister brands, like Dies Direct, or Maker's Movement (and if you remember Cheery Lynn Designs, you might recognize some of their dies  at MM too)! You probably already own some dies that have been made in their Arizona facility - Dies Direct is the #1 metal die manufacturer in the USA! 

The Crossover II machine itself is well made, a sturdy plastic outer casing with all-metal gears, rollers and inside construction (this model features some improvements from the earlier Crossover machine - if you've researched this machine you may have seen that model online). 

It is heavy - about 15.6 pounds (that's about 4 pounds heavier than the machine I've been using, just for reference). It does have a large footprint, but folds up nicely for easy and relatively compact storage. Ready for use, the machine sits 17" wide with the handle extended, 6-3/4" high and 21" long. Strong rubber grips keep it from slipping around the workspace.

 Strong velcro dots hold the sides up and together when closed, forming a handle for easy portability. The side handle has a release button that allows it to fold up to tuck into a carrying case or shelf space. In storage mode, it's 9" high, 4-1/2" thick, and 14" wide.

The machine comes with 3 plates. The thicker base plate is 8-1/2" x 12-1/4" and provides a sturdy platform for most cuts. The short ends are beveled for easy carriage through the rollers. The top clear plate is slightly smaller, 8-1/2" x 12". This plate holds the dies in place and can also be used as a cutting plate for paper cutting dies. There is a metal plate that is 8" x 10" - it functions as a shim and provides stability and a firm surface for heavier or more detailed cutting. 

Since I'm accustomed to an upper and lower cutting plate, I was curious if the plates from my other wide format machine would fit, and they do not - they're about 3/8" wider than the Crossover plates. (The Crossover plates will fit into other machines width-wise - but sandwiches and shims would have to be adjusted for cutting purposes because the plates together create a different thickness.) I was also curious if my 6" magnetic base and cutting plates would fit through the rollers, and they do, with the rollers fully open.

The most interesting and unique feature of this machine is a dial on the top panel that moves the top roller up and down. Shown fully open here, you can see a gap on the outside wall between the rollers on the right. That space represents the difference between the rollers fully open and in their lowest position. It's about 3/16" - 1/4" difference. 

Though that seems like a small distance, this function allows precise control in cutting materials of different thicknesses, from paper to 6mm foam sheets, blanket fabric and leather, and allows the machine to adjust for steel rule dies and for other functions, such as embossing with stencils and folders. 

The adjustable rollers also accept all kinds of dies: the familiar wafer thin steel dies, the steel rule dies with a heavier plastic or wood base, as well as the Crafter's Edge Fab Dies (in teal above) and Maker's Movement Versa Dies (more about those soon - they cut shaker frames and other foam pieces to make projects pop!). These unique dies look similar to wafer thin dies, but have deeper cutting lines. This allows them to cut through up to 8 layers of fabric at once (ideal for quilters) and thicker materials that standard wafer dies can't handle, such as matboard, leather, copper sheeting, and balsa wood.

The Crossover II comes with an informative manual, which includes a chart of media and suggested dial settings - this was really helpful as I experimented with different materials, thicknesses, and techniques. I added my own notes as I went along, and quickly got a feel for appropriate settings as I worked. I'm planning to make a swatch book with samples and numbers so I can have a quick reference guide posted near my machine as I work.

The chart covers everything from cotton to leather for the Fab Dies, along with types of paper and settings for the wafer dies, settings for embossing, and settings for steel rule dies. It's recommended to make a test cut when starting off with a new material, and I found it best to start at a larger number and work down. If you're accustomed to a machine with stationary rollers, it is easy to tell when the pressure is too high as the rollers will not feed. The rollers should not be adjusted when the plates are between them, so I'd simply roll back and open the rollers a little wider, and try again. The rollers aren't locked into whole-number settings - for some materials I found an in-between setting worked best. Cardstock and watercolor paper cut well with wafer dies at 5.5, for example.

I had done a little shopping for cuttable materials over the weekend, so I had a wide selection of things to cut! Using a small circle Fab Die (a piece from the set that comes with the machine) I was able to cut through watercolor paper, canvas, glittered fabric sheets, matboard, corrugated cardboard, 6mm foam sheets, copper, leather, faux fur, backed burlap, magnet sheet, and wool felt. 

Paper cutting dies performed beautifully. I tried some dies that had been problematic in my other machines and they were still problematic, to be honest. Some dies just require a few more runs and rotations.These dies though - perfect, clear cuts and details, and that dot border just fell out.

ETA: I reran my most frustrating die at a higher pressure and it cut perfectly. I'm in love, officially.

Embossing folders worked easily with no need for special shims or configurations. I like the fact that I can adjust the pressure for a deeply embossed pattern or more subtle effect.

Dies can be debossed easily, again with no need for shimming. My initial tests were done with too much pressure and the paper cracked in the open areas of the die. Once I found the right setting, the results were perfect. 

Stencils and texture plates also embossed beautifully. For these types of debossing techniques, a silicon pad is needed as a cushion... Note: Crafter's Edge does not carry these, so one would need to be purchased separately. 

If you have a foiling machine that requires a die cutting machine to press and set the foil, the Crossover is easily adjusted to the thickness of the heated platform.

My thoughts:

--I've been really pleased with the Crossover II machine overall! I love that I can accomplish all the things I've listed above on a single machine and platform - some of these functions were requiring multiple shims and sandwich adjustments, or even switching platforms or machines. Shimming always seems like a waste of materials, so it's nice to be able to save those sheets of chipboard or cardstock for true creative work.

--I'm thrilled with the variety of materials that I can cut. The deeper Fab Dies open up so many possibilities, I'm not even sure where to begin! Quilt squares, applique, ornaments and tags... I'm excited that they can cut out matboard, since that is the surface I love to use for mixed media and colored pencil - imagine original hand-colored or painted pendants or earrings! How fun would those be?! 

A few things to consider:

--The machine does have a large footprint, and with its weight, it's best suited for a dedicated space. If you're working in a tight area or don't have a dedicated space for a larger machine, that may be an issue for you. 

--To view the dial, you do need to have the handle on the right side of the machine. I'm left-handed, and I usually crank with my left hand, but it turns out that I haven't had trouble with the right-handed orientation. The handle turns very easily, and doesn't have a pin that will loosen over time, an issue I've experienced with other machines (maybe because of the left-handed turning...?). 

--I had a little trouble with the positioning of the velcro dots, but I fixed it! The 'hook' side of the velcro is placed on the user side of the machine, and it was a little scratchy and kept catching on my sweater sleeve. I found it removed easily, so I switched the soft side to the front. Problem solved. 

--The price. The MSRP of the machine is $249.99. Considering all the directions this machine can take us as designers though, it seems like a worthy investment, especially if you enjoy multimedia work. I’m excited about the possibilities. I do know that Crafter's Edge and their sister sites offer occasional discounts, so look out for those - you may want to sign up for their newsletters or follow their social media sites so you don't miss out! Amazon has the machine at a small discount with free shipping, and it's available through other retailers as well, including QVC!

I hope this review has been helpful, and I’ve been able to communicate all the things that the Crossover II can do! If you have any questions please let me know and I'll do my best to test out or search out the answers for you!