Melitastitches4fun's Blog

These are natural, hand-faceted, rondelle gemstones similar to ones used in the Royal Blue Sapphire earrings (https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/05/01/royal-blue-sapphire-teardrop-earrings/).

These are Yellow Sapphire for Debbie and Ruby for Mona, our Delaware friends.

I’m not done yet! I’ve not used all the small gemstones or touched the medium and large gemstones yet. But, I have to find a different bead frame for the larger ones. They sparkle in the sunlight. I’m very happy how they turned out. And, there are Emerald gemstones to use too!

After Lori, from my ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, taught us how to make a bracelet in 2011, I made the mistake of going to a Bead Expo. I bought natural, hand-faceted, rondelle gemstones in small (around 400), medium (around 100), and large (24) in each of these colors: Royal Blue Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Ruby, and Emerald to make the bracelet in all these wonderful colors for Christmas presents. The gemstones did not work like the beads Lori supplied. So, they all went in a box and have been waiting for me to figure out what to do with them!

I tried using the gemstones on the earrings that I sent to NAN’s exhibit, but they didn’t work in that design either because none of my beading needles once threaded would fit through the small gemstones. So, I used regular seed beads in the NAN earrings. When I was in the jewelry aisle of Michael’s buying the lever-backs earring hook findings for the NAN earrings, these bead frames appeared to be something that I could work with. I just needed to string the gemstones.

Around this same time, I went to Blue Santa Beads for something and was looking around and found Griffin Bead Cord Perlseide Natural Silk. It’s thread with a needle attached. The needle is more of a wire (as long as it works, I don’t care what it’s called). The thread is 2 meters long. It comes in 4 weights, and I bought one card of the thinnest thread to test it. I did find out that the thread needs to be stretched before you use it. I must have stretched it too much because when I tied a knot in the middle of making the first earring, the thread broke, but not where the needle was connected. My knots were large, and the color of the thread didn’t match the beads, but I went ahead with the second earring, and it went better, but it just didn’t seem secure. So, I put the gemstones aside again until I could get back to Blue Santa Beads to buy the colors I needed to match the gemstones and one card of the larger sizes for the larger gemstones.

Fortunately, their bead teacher/jewelry designer was there, and Bill got talking with her. Next thing I know, she and he are going looking for something. Come to find out, he’s gotten her to make him a simple leather bracelet with a magnetic closure. We discussed the glue she used to connect the closure to the leather. She doesn’t like E6000 because it cracks over time. She uses “Super NEW GLUE” by Euro Tool in all her jewelry and it dries clear. I explained my issues, and she said to reinforce the knots with the glue. So, I bought one bottle. It’s in a dropper bottle. I use a toothpick to get even less of a drop. She also suggested lightly wetting the thread to stretch it and letting it dry before using it. You use the whole length from the non-needle end until you use it up. I don’t know how the thread is attached to the wire but it is.

This time, I successfully made the pair using about 140 of the small gemstones. It’s a start on using up those gemstones!

Old camera.

New camera.

I am surprised that about 70 of the small gemstones won’t fit onto the smallest bead cord. Yes, I tested all of them. That’s about 20% of what I purchased of the small blue sapphires.

Lesson 1: Don’t go crazy over something after just one class!

Lesson 2: Don’t give up! I am so happy with these earrings. Using these beads is actually what Goal #13 for 2025 was meant to accomplish. I’ve got more lots more beading to do.