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Patterns & Projects for Beading & Crafts
Safety Pin Jewelry
Making beaded safety pin jewelry is a fun and easy craft to try. All you have to do is slip some seed beads onto ordinary safety pins and you can create fun items to wear, share, and swap!
MATERIALS NEEDED:
- Mini Loom Pattern
- Seed beads - size 10/0 or 11/0
- Safety pins (10-14 small and 1 large -- see tips below)
- Needle-nose pliers
- Small flat-head screwdriver
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Depending on the pattern you choose, you will usually need between 10 and 14 small safety pins. Open a safety pin, and slip the seed beads onto it. Once all beads are in place, close the safety pin. You may want to use the needle-nose pliers to pinch the end of the safety pin so it will not pop open later. Repeat this step until all the safety pins are beaded.
- Now you are ready to put all the beaded pins onto a larger safety pin. Open the large safety pin. Use the flat-head screwdriver to slightly pry apart the coils at the end of the large pin.
- Slip the loop of the first beaded safety pin onto the large one. Pull it down to the loop at the base of the large pin. Pull it around the loop and up the back-side of the pin. Repeat this for each beaded safety pin.
- Once all your beaded safety pins are on your larger pin, use the pliers and squeeze the loop to close it. You can now pin your new safety pin jewelry onto your shirt, hat, shoelaces, etc.
TIPS:
Safety pins come in many different sizes. Here are some tips on choosing sizes for your own designs:
- A small safety pin that is 7/8 of an inch long will hold 8 seed beads.
- A small safety pin that is 1 1/16 inches long will hold 10 seed beads.
- A small safety pin that is more than 1 1/16 inches long is usually too wide to hold seed beads.
- A large safety pin that is 1 1/2 inches long will hold up to 10 beaded safety pins.
- A large safety pin that is 1 3/4 inches long will hold up to 12 beaded safety pins.
- A large safety pin that is 2 inches long will hold up to 14 beaded safety pins.
Make sure you buy seed beads only for these projects; recommended size is 10/0. The holes in the seed beads vary a bit. You will find that, while some seed beads fit perfectly on your safety pins, others will be too small. This is normal! Simply put aside the ones whose holes are too small and save them for another project. If you use brass pins, you should spray them lightly on both sides with an acrylic sealer because they will tarnish and RUST.