Paper Beads and Jewelry: How to Make Them (Beginners Guide)

You’ll learn how to produce paper beads from start with this simple step-by-step tutorial and beginner’s guide. We’ll also show how to make two types of paper beads and jewelry making (bracelets and earrings) from the circular paper beads we’ve manufactured.

Paper is one of the most popular craft supplies, and it’s also readily available in any home, thus we adore sharing papercraft projects. We’ve made paper flowers, origami crafts, paper recycling projects, and a lot more thus far. Isn’t it going to be wonderful to make paper beads this time? We’re here to show you how to manufacture paper beads in just a few minutes with a simple, quick, and enjoyable craft.

We made every effort to make this paper bead-making tutorial as basic, straightforward, and beginner-friendly as possible. Even if this is your first time making paper beads, the directions are broken down into simple steps that will help you learn how to produce them. We’ll also show you how to build two simple paper beads and jewelry making pieces (bracelets and earrings) with the spherical paper beads we’ll be making.

It will take some time to prepare the strips because you will need to trace and cut them precisely. Coiling the strip to produce a bead doesn’t take long; estimate a minute for each bead. If you set up an hour for this project, you’ll be able to manufacture enough beads to make numerous items of jewellery. Approximately 1600 1cm diameter round paper beads can be made from a set of 30 sheets of printed cardstock paper, which costs roughly $6. However, we don’t require so many paper beads at once! The cardstock sheets can also be used for various projects. A slotted quilling tool will set you back roughly $1 or less, but not more than $1. As a result, the average cost of this craft will not exceed $5. This is a worthwhile purchase because you will learn how to produce paper beads as well as a few items of jewellery by the end of the project.

Tools

• X-acto knife or sharp scissors Ruler Pencil
• Mat for cutting
• Tool for quilling
• Glue for crafts (white glue)

Paper Bead Jewelry Making Supplies

• Rings that jump
• Thread for beading
• Closure with a lobster claw (to make bracelet)
• Earring hooks, wire for beading pins (to make earrings)
• beads made of paper

In just a few minutes, you can produce paper beads

Step 1: Using a Bead Template to Measure and Trace

We used printed cardstock papers to make the paper beads. To manufacture paper beads, you can use any type of paper; we used printed and colourful 200 gsm cardstock papers. If you use too thin paper, you’ll require longer strips to form a round bead, and if you use thick cardstock paper, the round shape will be less appealing. So, with 200 gsm cardstock paper, cut out 30 cm long triangle strips with 1 cm on the bottom side. Trace the triangles on the plain side of the cardstock paper using a pencil. If you’re using regular craft papers, you can combine two or three of them to achieve the thickness of cardstock paper.

Step 2: Using the Bead Template to Cut the Beads

Cut out the triangle templates for the paper beads with sharp scissors or an x-acto knife. Using an x-acto knife and a ruler to cut out the strips neatly is better and easier. While cutting the triangular forms, keep the traced cardstock papers on the cutting mat. Coil the strips into beads all at once by cutting a bunch of triangles at once.

Step 3: Glue on the Template Strip

Apply glue to the plain side of the bead with a triangle strip. Apply glue from the tip to the bottom 1 cm of the piece, leaving no gaps. Because we’re making colourful paper beads, we’ll keep the printed (colourful) side facing out, but you can also use white cardstock or craft paper to make white beads.

Step 4: Using the Quilling Tool 

A slotted quilling tool is used to coil the paper strips. If you don’t have a slotted quilling tool, a toothpick will suffice. Slightly insert the wide end (1 cm side) of the glued strip into the slot.

Step 5: Coiling the Strip 

Begin coiling the strip neatly and securely. Make sure to coil the strip around the centre section of the bead; this step must be followed exactly to ensure that the bead has a spherical form.

Step 6: Coiling the Entire Strip 

Continue coiling the strip with the slotted quilling tool until the strip reaches the end.

Step 7: Apply a Glue Coat to the Exterior

Have you finished coiling the entire strip? Wrap and attach the strip’s tip with the coiled paper, then apply a layer of glue to the paper bead’s exterior surface before removing it from the quilling. Although this step is optional, it provides a good and secure finish to the bead.

Step 8: Taking the Bead Out of the Tool 

Remove the paper bead from the quilling instrument with care. The coiled paper will simply pop out if you push it from the inside. If you leave the coiled strip in the quilling tool for too long, the glue will dry out and the bead will become attached to the tool, so be careful.

Step 9: Carry on with the same procedure

That was a lot of fun, wasn’t it? Simply grab the strips one by one and use them to make paper beads. Paper beads of various sizes can be made by measuring and cutting longer strips or cutting the bottom side with a width greater than 1 cm. Paper beads may be made in a variety of shapes; hopefully, we’ll be able to publish tutorials for other shapes soon. We chose the round shape since we wanted this paper beads and jewelry making technique to be beginner-friendly and quick.

Paper Bead Jewelry: How to Make It

The fundamentals of manufacturing paper bead jewellery are nearly identical to those of making other beaded jewellery. However, there are a few subtle factors to be aware of. In light of these statistics, we’ve included instructions for constructing the two most popular paper bead jewellery designs. I hope you enjoy them.

Paper Bead Bracelets: How to Make Them

When you think about beads, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Isn’t it true that you wear jewellery? It’s simple to make bracelets using our paper beads. Take some beading thread, two jump rings, and a lobster claw closure and make a necklace. Thread the paper beads into the beading thread (mixed with other beads to add variety to the pattern) and continue to bead until the bracelet is the desired length. To finish the paper bead bracelet, attach jump rings to both open ends and a lobster claw to any of the jump rings.

Earrings Made with Paper Beads

You may make any type of earring with these paper beads, but we’re going to show you how to make a simple and straightforward pair right now. Earring hooks, seed beads, round beads of any kind, paper beads, and headpin wire are all required. Insert a seed bead into the headpin wire, followed by three or more beads as desired. Form a loop using the open end of the wire and secure it by coiling the remaining wire below the loop. To finish the earring, attach the loop with an earring hook. Make the other pair of paper bead earrings in the same way.

Beginner’s Guide to Making Paper Beads

Make sure you use a ruler to measure, trace, and cut the triangle strips.

Use 30 cm long, 1 cm broad 200 gsm cardstock paper to make round-shaped paper beads like ours.

Coil the strip with a slotted quilling tool or a toothpick.

Always begin coiling from the wide end of the strip.

When coiling the strip, make sure to keep it tightly wound around the middle.

Before removing the paper bead from the tool, apply a layer of adhesive to the outer surface.

Remove the coiled strip (paper bead) from the tool or toothpick as soon as you’re through coiling and glueing.