How to Make a Bead: Part V

How to Make a Bead in 85 Easy Steps

Part V: Shaping, Baking, and Finishing the Bead

Step 71

The bead now looks something like this.

Step 72

Examine the bead to determine what shape you would like it to be. I have determined that I would like this bead to have a flat, diamond shape.

Step 73

Begin shaping the bead by gently pressing it between your fingers. Work slowly and gently to keep the design from distorting.

Step 74

In this picture, the bead is flat and round. Push gently on the opposing sides to square up the shape.

Step 75

The bead is beginning to look more square.

Step 76

Gently squeeze around the edges of the bead to round the corners.

Step 77

Pat, smooth, and check the bead for symmetry.

Step 78

Now the bead should look like this.

Step 79

Determine where you would like the hole to go.

Step 80

Using a drilling motion, twist the toothpick through one side, until you feel it hit your fingertip on the other side.

Step 81

Then turn the bead around and poke the toothpick through the original hole, widening the opening on that side.

Step 82

At this point, you can widen the hole by gently wiggling the toothpick around, or by going through the original hole with a larger skewer. A standard round toothpick will produce a 1.5 - 2 mm hole.

Step 83

Place the bead on a sheet of paper on a ceramic tile and bake it according to the manufacture's instructions. (I baked this bead at 275 degrees for 30 minutes.)

Step 84

Here's what the bead looks like when it comes out of the oven...

Step 85 (That wasn't so bad, was it?)

Determine how you would like your finished bead to look. In this case, I wet-sanded the bead through 7 grits of sandpaper (320, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, and 2000), then buffed it on a soft cloth. You can also seal the bead with polymer-friendly sealant, such as Future Floor Polish or Flecto Varathane if you prefer a glassy shine.

Below are some examples of other ways I used this cane:

Thank you for your interest!

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email Valerie at tokensbeads@hotmail.com

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