Rolled Paper Necklace

Day by Day  Crafting!

 

Rolled Paper Necklace

I was looking for an inexpensive way to create something cute for my Granddaughters for Valentine's Day.  Both of them enjoy playing dress up and like costume jewelry. 




When I began looking at what I could do to create a cute piece for them, I found that paper jewelry was so cute and easy to do.  Not only can you make beads quickly, it is also a craft that children can make as well. 

This is the style of necklace that I put together for them.  The ones I made for them were longer and in whites and pinks for the holiday.   I didn't take a picture of them before sending them off so you will have to imagine how cute they were.  I added a little heart with their names engraved at the center of their strands.

When I first started looking at making paper jewelry, I found that this craft is being used in poorly developed countries by the women in order to raise funds to help feed and clothe those in need.  I hope that I can pass this worthy endeavor on to my Grandchildren so that one day they can make and sell these paper beads for their own charitable cause.

Supplies:

white paper

magazine pages

newspaper

permanent

glue

ruler

tooth picks or straws

sealer

wire, yarn, string, or other element for stringing.

 
To make your beads, choose a paper for your project.  I actually used all three of the papers listed.  I wanted a variety of colors. 



I wondered if the pages from a popular design magazine would provide beads that were more trendy than my hand marked beads.  I found that they did not.  A picture design that was being used for pillows and upholstery in the magazine did not translate onto the beads because the rolling of the paper only exposed the side color, but fused the other colors together as the bead was rolled. So what I looked for when using these magazine pages was a dominant color.  If the design was made up of creams and browns, your bead would end up quite dark.  If the design had a lot of yellow and white, the bead would be lighter and take on the yellow color. 



Whichever end is rolled last will be your final color in the beads that are cylindrical, while the triangular cuts take on most of the colors in the strip.  Newspaper print is basically gray, but hints of color can 
show through as you choose where your strips will be cut. 
When you want a set color scheme, use the markers and design your own. The necklace shown has beads from all papers and uses a variety of shapes and sizes.  I wanted as many different examples as possible as I strung beads. 

First I made the white paper bead.  Mark 1/4 inch segments along each side of the paper.  Draw one of two types of lines: 1.  Draw a diagonal line from one side to the other: the base of the 1/4" line on one side to the top of the 1/4" line on the other.  2.  Cut straight 1/4" lines in to strips. 

 

Next choose a tooth pick or straw to roll your bead.  I like to use the small coffee stirring straws as they not only give a perfect hole for stringing, but if you cut them just a little larger than the bead being rolled onto them, the straw color will make a nice bead edge color.  The drawback is that when you make these beads for children there is a danger that the straw could come out and could become a choking  hazard.  For the most part, I am stringing these beads onto jewelry wire and I don't make these straw filled beads for children.  The paper beads themselves could also be a hazard though, so I am always careful of who the finished product will go to.

 
To roll your bead, put  some white glue on the paper back.  If you are rolling on the straw, put some of the glue on the straw as well.  Don't put glue on a toothpick, and be sure to leave the initial end that begins the roll onto the toothpick glue free.   

Many bead rollers don't use any glue at all when they roll.  They simply roll the bead tightly onto the toothpick and only put a dab at the very end to hold the bead together.   I personally like the straw and lots of glue as I find it easier to roll.

Now roll the bead.  If it is a triangular piece of paper, the bead will turn out more round.  If it is a 1/4" all the way across, the bead will end up cylindrical. 

 







Once rolled and secure, set the beads upright  on the toothpick and set them for drying.  Brush the beads with sealant, let dry, repeat for at least three coats. You can find a good sealant here: 
sealant

 
 

Now the beads are ready to string. Choose colors, or by size, or shape, or combine everything as I did.  This is where it is fun as you see your creation take shape.  I used a filler spacing bead just to make a nice consistency in my necklace.  I love the results.  I hope you do to.  Enjoy. 

  Heart of Crafting 

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