How to Use Katiedids™ Creative Components

Q. Once I've made my circle of beads on beading wire, how do I secure the beads in the channels? Will they stay flat in the metal piece without glue?

A. There are several ways to place beads in the channels. Here are three:

For this pendant, I passed a head pin outward through the drilled holes on each side of the component. Then, I placed crystals on beading wire and laid the beads in half of the channel with the beading wire passing under the head pins. Next, I filled the rest of the beading wire and crossed the beading wire ends inside three or four of the beads. Use your fingers to press the crystals in place in the channels. You could glue an image or a button inside the bezel cup in the center.

Alternatively, you could pass a piece of beading wire in through a drilled hole, make a beaded ring to fit inside the channels, then pass the same beading wire out through the opposite drilled hole.
For this charm, I passed a head pin outward through the outermost drilled hole and made a wrapped loop to attach it to the bracelet. Then, I strung 6/0 seed beads onto thread and tied them to form a beaded ring. I used glue to attach the image to the center and the beaded ring to the empty channel.