5 Beads You Should Be Working With In Your Craft Projects This Autumn
The past year has given many of us the time and opportunity to try our hand at new hobbies. With the goal of keeping our hands (and mind!) busy, the crafting industry boomed, especially in the field of beaded jewellery. Before we knew it, we were surrounded by madly colourful accessories that truly gave us that 90's throwback we all needed! Even some of the Summer 2021 was brightened with lighthearted, quirky and extremely popular creations that not only hit the high street, but also created a network of talented jewellery designers setting up small businesses.
Not only was this a fantastic time to support independent jewellery businesses, but it bought the love (and need!) for beads into the spotlight. And although the bright and bold bead combination trend may cool down as we fall into Autumn, we know the beading lifestyle is here to stay.
As we move in to cooler days and fish out those wooly jumpers, we are here to update you on the latest beading trends that are sure to keep your beaded creations in style. From rich woods, to sparkling silver, check out our top 5 bead trends for this Autumn.
Wooden Beads
Wooden beads are a go to for those Autumnal jewellery designs, offering a rich and warm toned style. These are a great addition to any cosy outfit and stand out beautiful against woollen textures.
Not only are wooden beads a must have for beaded jewellery during the cooler months, they are a great product for home craft creations. Whether it is macrame plant and wall hangings or coffee table accessories, wooden beads know how to make a minimalistic statement that will make your home look both cosy and stylish.
Metal Beads
Especially for beaded jewellery, metal beads add a stylish and sophisticated look to bracelets, necklaces and earrings. Unlike acrylic beads, these are a weighted option that can be used as an accent or centre piece, and will allow your designs to sit beautiful around the neck and wrist. We would recommend pairing these with some dainty glass seed beads, especially in whites, and autumnal tones, such as browns, oranges, maroons and even blacks.
Pearl Beads
These beauties are here to stay! Freshwater Pearl Beads were a must have over the Summer for any jewellery designer. Whether they were on their own, paired with dainty seed beads or wildly colourful acrylic beads, these were (and still are!) incredibly popular in beaded necklaces and bracelets. Their unique shapes and sizes adds a slightly messy, yet beautiful look to beaded designs.
We have noticed a shift away from the pairing with brighter acrylic beads to bold glass beads. Try creating a mix of randomly shapes Fresh Water Pearls with some round 6mm or 8mm glass beads to create a showstopper contrast.
Gemstone Beads
The thing we LOVE about gemstones is their versatility. They not only come in a variety of styles, colours and finishes, but they are also available in 4mm, 6mm, 8mm and 10mm sizes, making them adaptable to a variety of beading projects.
Along with their unique beauty, they are also thought to offer many properties to help with mental wellness. As days draw in shorter, it is important to look after our mental health, and for many bead crafters, working with gemstones offers relaxing and therapeutic affects. Whether you are making necklaces, earrings, bracelets or anything else, we see gemstones as a warm and inviting bead to work with during the cooler weather periods, that may even offer you some wellness properties.
Acrylic Beads
Acrylic beads were definitely a huge trend during the Summer, but that doesn't mean they aren't sticking around during the Autumn and Winter months. We may be a bit biased... but we think colour and fun designs should stick around to add some brightness to the darker months. heishi bead bracelets, clay fruit earrings and acrylic bubble bead necklaces can offer a bright and quirky addition to the more neutral fashion tones.
But if you fancy something a little more muted, our silver and gold acrylic spacer beads are perfect for offering a sophisticated style, with a lightweight finish. These are fantastic for beaded bracelet stacks and even anklets (if you're brave enough to get your legs out in the cold weather!).
And now, the rest is up to you! The beauty of beading is that there are endless possibilities with bead combinations and colour schemes, making each design idea unique. We would love to see what you end making! Feel free to send in your designs made with our beads and we will feature them in our Crafters Gallery (COMING SOON!).
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