Wedding Shower Ideas: Beading and DIY Parties!

Are you in the process of planning your wedding right now? If so, congratulations on your engagement from all of us at Cosmopolitan Beads! Planning a wedding is very hectic and stressful from choosing the perfect dress, church, DJ, flowers, and reception hall. One thing that many brides don’t think about during the planning process is how well your bridesmaids know each other. 

Oftentimes you have family members, a longtime friend, or new friends from work stand up with you. These ladies will be spending a whole lot of time together over the coming months so we suggest doing some activities that will help break the ice and get everyone a bit more acquainted with each other. 

“Beaded Weddings: 75+ Fabulous Ideas for Jewelry, Invitations, Reception Decor, Gifts and More” by Jean Campbell is a great find for a bride on a budget. (It is only $24.95 if you click the link above.) This book offers great ideas for the DIY or crafty bride. The misconception that many people have with beads is that you can only use them in jewelry. Beads can be a great accent to your centerpieces, invitations, gifts, thank you notes and more! 

Beaded Weddings gives you step by step instructions on how to make each of these projects. With having the helping hands of your bridesmaids you will be able to make a great assembly line and you will be able to mass produce whichever items you wish, all while having a great time bonding.

Beading is making a Comeback!

For every kid that has a beading birthday party, or every bride that has a beading DIY party, a few new people leave wanting more. The love for beading is spreading like a zombie virus and we couldn't be more excited! Beading is making a comeback!

For starters, its start-up costs are next to nothing. You need cutters, needle and thread, and of course wiring for the more intricate projects. For another thing, it's a DIY project with a quick reward, which makes it addicting to newcomers. You can make two or three bead pieces in a day whereas quilting or crocheting blankets takes weeks or months.

Another attractive thing is that supply shopping is most of the fun. Hunting for the right beads and finding must-haves along the way is exhilarating and it delivers yet another quick reward.

Beading is definitely perfect for those who need instant gratification, and it’s been helping people in a number of ways for years.

Beading parties bring people together, and your guests leave with a fun memory as well as a new skill and maybe even a new hobby!

If you’re getting started, welcome to our special corner of the world. Check out this graphic art showing a few different beading styles, it will give you a great idea of where to start.

How to Size and Organize Beads for DIY Projects

Making a great beading project comes down to having the right materials, and having the right materials always boils down to organization. Maybe you found the perfect charm or accent for your piece, but you have no idea where you put it. The first thing you need to do, is separate your beads, and organize them according to shape and size. In order to do that, you need to understand how to size and identify beads.

When you go to pull the piece, you'll be able to tell right away if it will be the right size or shape for your project, and that is how you can make your life a lot easier.

Here's how you size out a bead - 

1- compare its length to inches, and you have to have a general understanding of bead sizing. Smallest beads are 2mm, and larger ones are often 25mm. 

2- you can use a long strand, preferably about 15 inches.  You can put varying sized beads next to each other to see if they will work or if you need to change them out. 

Separate the ones that work well together, so that when you go for a bead of a certain size, you have more to choose from. This is how you can get attractive projects done in a timely, organized fashion.