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Making paper beads is a traditional craft that goes back, in England at least, as far as the Victorian age. Young ladies would gather socially in their dining rooms, whilst making handmade paper beads from scraps of wallpaper rolled on knitting needles. They would then polish the beads with bees wax and string them on to long pieces of yarn. They would then be used to make door curtains to divide rooms.
This practice was then revived in the 1920s and 30s for paper bead jewellery making.
More recently artist made paper beads have been made in cooperatives as part of development projects in countries such as Uganda. This sees a move away from charitable aid towards business enterprises that provide sustainable income and development opportunities. The techniques used for African paper beads remains largely the same as used in Victorian times, but with scrap paper from printing companies and paper recycling markets, rather than wallpaper samples. The most notable enterprise of this nature is a Scottish based company called Mzuribeads who market and sell ethical Ugandan paper beads, as well as cow horn beads, barkcloth beads, banana leaf beads and lampwork beads made from recycled glass.
The main criterion for selecting paper comes down to weight. If the paper is too flimsy it is likely to tear whilst it is being rolled and if it is too heavy it will prove difficult to roll resulting in a loose and uneven bead. The only other problem is likely to be with the paper finish. Before settling on a particular paper check that it will stick to itself with the glue that you are using and that any applied colour or print will not run when glue or vanish is applied to it. As you will see from the few examples provided below, the options are endless.
A trip to a local art supplier will present you with a rainbow of artists’ papers all neatly stacked in a display cabinet and available by the sheet. Used for pastels, charcoals and pencil drawings most of these papers are also the perfect weight for paper beads. In addition to the range of colours many of these papers are also finely textured or grained, which will add a little something extra to the resulting bead. A name to look out for when making art paper bead designsis Fabriano Tiziano. When compared with wrapping paper this is a far cheaper solution albeit minus the patterns.
This paper is perfect for making solid colored beads. It comes in a wealth of different colours and because it is designed to go through a printer or copier it is the ideal paper to use with a template image. With a little work on a graphics package on a computer you can set up a template document, which will print out the cut lines on each sheet, removing any need to measure prior to cutting. Another positive is that it is always likely to be in stock should you want to do a re-run of a particular set of beads in the future.
For that really special focal paper bead, or a paper bead embellishment, there is nothing finer than using a specialist paper be it Japanese Chiyogami, Italian Fiorentine, or French Marbled. These are generally the preserve of fine paper and book binding suppliers such as Shepherds Falkiners in London. They often sell small selection packs which will provide a variety of different specialist papers for you to work with.
These largely unwanted additions to newspapers and letters can be used in much the same way as magazines. A better end for them than the trash bin!
This is a great way to recycle old magazines and the resulting colour combinations achievable are endless. When selecting pages remember it is the edges of the strips that will be visible on the finished bead as well as the end of the roll. Unless you are using paper from the large format magazine, typically fashion related titles, it may be worthwhile opening the staples on the magazine and using a double page spread.
The weight and composition of newspaper means it is best used for tapered beads. On the plus side most modern newspapers use colour fast inks but it is worth checking how it works with the glue and varnish that you will be using. A second benefit of newspapers is the width of the sheets particularly if you make use of the Sunday broadsheets.
Whether plain or printed this paper makes for really good beads. Plain brown paper makes for a wood-like appearance when varnished, which can be enhanced by selecting antique effect varnishes. Printed brown paper bags tend to have pleasant earthy tones, which again give a vintage feel to your upcycled paper bead jewellery.
Like the plain brown paper bags this paper gives a lovely wood-like finish once varnished and is a nice weight to work with. Plus there are now more colour options available than previously. Another opportunity to practice upcycle crafting and making beads from recycled paper.
Wrapping paper is an ideal medium simply because of the breadth of colours and patterns available. However the heavier better quality papers can be expensive and unfortunately it is these that are less likely to tear when dampened or lose print when handled.
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Last updated: November 19, 2024
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