How to Make Beaded Lanyards
Beaded jewelry never goes out of fashion. beads help in making a style statement with grace and poise. These days, beaded lanyards are one of the most popular fashion accessories. Many of us don't know the actual term and use of the 'lanyards' though. The lanyards are used as a personalized form of jewelry to wear certain identification tags, cards, whistles, badges, keys and other such important but smaller objects. Carrying such important objects on your fashionable outfit for the sake of not losing them, can be boring at times. Generally, the lanyards are worn around the neck, wrist, arm or the waistline. This boredom innovated the idea of making the lanyards more decorative and accessible. With the passing time, lanyards have become a major fashion trend among today's young generation. They are also a nice gift article to present, to your loved ones.
Beaded lanyards are available in the market in inexpensive metal forms and beaded chains. Their prize depends on the quality of the wire and the type of the beads. They are really delicate to handle so, sometimes, they cost a lot. There are numerous types of beaded lanyards, some of the most popular lanyard patterns include - metallic lanyards, eyeglass necklaces, jeweled lanyards, creative lanyards with plastic or shining crystals, etc.
You can select any of the beads of your choice from the nearest craft shop, based on the size and the color combination that you prefer. Let's try making some beautiful, personalized handcrafted beaded lanyards.
Making Beaded Lanyards
- Lace: A thin, elastic and flexible plastic lace, mostly famous with the name boondoggle, craft lace, lanyard, gimp or tiger tail, will do.
- Beads: There is a huge array of beads available in the craft market. Like, crystals, faux pearls, gemstones, clear, colored and frosted glass beads lanyards, beads with alphabets, beads glowing in dark and many more. Choose the best bead that suits your outfit and dress code (if any)!
- Knots: Before creating any lanyard or any piece of such jewelry, the most important thing is to learn how to stitch it and what type of knots one must use! It is a must, if you are new to the craft things! The crown knot or the round knot is the most suggested knot for the lanyards.
Material
- Beading wire (tiger tail)
- Crimp beads with crimp bead wires
- Magnetic clasp or Velcro
- Lanyard hook
- Key ring
- Needle nose pliers or beading pliers
- Assortment of beads
- Take two equal pieces of beading lanyard of your desired size. Tie one side of both the wires to the key ring. Pull both the ends of the wire to tie a knot. Repeat with the other wire too. To secure the knot near the key ring, string up a crimp bead on each of the wire. Pull the crimp bead near to the key ring and tie a knot. You can use the beading pliers for the cause. Now lock the crimp beads using the crimp bead cover.
- Gather the beads and decide the exact lanyard pattern you would like to bead. Now start beading on each beading wire. Don't bead more than one bead at a time, it might disturb the sequence and the symmetry of the beads. When you finish beading, again string up a crimp bead on each of the strings and tie both the ends together.
- Tie the Velcro or the magnetic clasp. Bring the crimp beads over the knots and bend them with the help of the beading pliers. Secure all these knots by putting on the crimp bead covers. Trim off the remaining wire really close to the knot. Be careful, not to cut the knots though!
- Make sure that every knot is tight and secured with the crimp bead cover. Bind the lanyard hook to the key ring and your beaded lanyard is ready! You can also use various pendants instead of the key ring. You can keep it plain too, without using any hangings. It also looks classy and looks great on the upper arm.
