When learning to bead you will realize early on that you need more than just beading needles and some thread. There are hundreds of organizers and tools available for beading, and those tools have a direct impact on the look and style of any beading project. Yet there are five basic tools that will get you started:



Tool 1: Round Nose Pliers

While you can find round nose pliers at any hardware store, it is often better to buy them in a craft or beading store, because these are made especially for beading. Also, you should look for round nose pliers that have a spring in the handle, because they are more comfortable and convenient for beading. The round nose pliers are used for making round or circular pieces of wire.

Tool 2: Flat Nose Pliers

Again, you can find these tools in most hardware stores, as their uses range from beading to auto repair. Yet buying them in a craft or beading store will assure that they are made for jewelry. These pliers should be soft inside the nose, and they will be the primary pair of pliers with a flat nose used in jewelry making.

Tool 3: Wire Cutter

Wire cutters are an essential in jewelry making, because you will be using various kinds of wire. You will want to get a small pair of wire cutters that can cut through things like headpins. They should be small, because the work you will be doing is small. If the wire cutters are too big, you will not be able to cut the wire close to the project.

Tool 4: Glue

Many jewelry projects require that you use glue, but you want to make sure you purchase glue that is specially designed for jewelry making. White or craft glues will not adhere correctly, but beading glue often gets into the delicate details of a project.

Tool 5: Tweezers

As you continue beading, you will find that you are using very small, delicate beads. A pair of tweezers will help you pick up small objects that you just cannot do with your hands.

Tool 6: Scissors

You will need scissors for many beading projects, but be sure you purchase the kind that is specially created for jewelry making.

As you continue beading you will need other tools like Ez-Beaders and hand tube beaders. You will also find yourself in need of organizers for your beads.