Crafts with pearls: Elegance on a budget

Learn how to do crafts with pearls and add a whole new dimension to your crafts. They are beautiful, easy to work with, and just scream elegance! Pick up some tips on how to get started.

• Crafts with pearls don’t have to be expensive
• Two key skills: gluing pearls and threading pearls
• Get the best glue for pearl jewelry
  

Crafts with pearls don’t have to be expensive

Pearl jewelry. Just the name makes it sound expensive. But today there are many varieties and grades of pearls, so while the expensive route is one way to go, you can also make crafts with pearls on a budget by using imitation pearls or lesser grades.

Whichever you choose: apart from the pearls you only need basic tools to make DIY pearl jewelry. Plus knowing the two methods of attaching pearls to the objects they will be decorating.

Two key skills: gluing pearls and threading pearls

Crafts to make with pearls will generally fall into one of two categories; either gluing for a project such as a DIY pearl bag or by threading them onto a string or wire for something like a DIY pearl bracelet.

Let’s talk about threading first. Nearly everyone has seen a pearl necklace or bracelet. They look very elegant but are actually very simple to make. You will need string, a clasp of some sort, and pearls with holes pre-drilled through the middle. Proceed this way:

1. Tie one end of the string to a clasp. Begin threading your pearls on but tie a knot in the string between each pearl to keep them from sliding all over and to help keep them from banging into one another.
2. Continue adding pearls until the desired length is reached, then tie on the other end of the clasp.

If you want to make a handle for a basket or candy dish and cover it with pearls, substitute a thin metal wire for the string. Thread the pearls on in the same way, just without the knots. The wire will enable the handle to keep its shape.

To cover the surface of a dish, box, or other hard-sided object, you can just glue the beads in place. There are two common styles for doing this. You can use pearls that are all the same size over the whole surface of the object. Or you can use a random assortment of sizes. This creates a whole different look.

Get the best glue for pearl jewelry

If your project involves gluing the pearls onto an object, the choice of glue will be essential for your success.

Loctite Super Glue Gel Control is the optimal choice for many types of DIY pearl projects. It gives you no-drip pinpoint accuracy for those tiny pearls with a patented side-squeeze design for maximum control! This instant adhesive is ideally suited for gluing pearls onto rigid surfaces like cardboard and wood.

Another great choice is Loctite Extreme Glue. This all-purpose glue dries crystal clear, plus it’s elastic and shock resistant, making it great for handbags and bracelets that can take a beating!