I have been beading on a loom for more than half my life. I have always loved creating jewelry and recently found that I was wearing a necklace I had beaded in my second grade class photo. I learned to bead on a loom at 4-H camp one summer and didn't think much about it until I recieved my own loom from my lovely step-mom during our visit the summer after college. We always spent the summers together creating fun projects and beading together. So when I started working on the loom I discovered that it was absolute love! In the years of transition from college to the "real world" I spent a lot of time creating jewelry for fun and for myself. After a lot of practice and a lot of different processes, I opened my jewelry shop on Etsy with a few bracelets and a dream. It's been more than 10 years and my love for jewelry has grown so much but as a beginner there are a lot of things I wish I had known starting out.
The beading process is not as easy as it looks online. Beading, especially on a loom, takes a lot of practice to get the feeling. Take your time and understand that it will be a process, you will need a lot of practice to get the tension just right.
You need to figure out the type of loom that works for you. I personally love the "Ricks Bead Loom" because of the way you wrap the warp. It has a finite length, if you need something more flexible than there are tons of other economical options and you can actually create a loom pretty easily.
Your thread is super important. I have used a lot of different threads over the years and I love something very sturdy but it is thick. You need to be able to pass your thread through the beads several times to create your beading. Often it is suggested to use a fine thread and stretch it using beeswax to strengthen the thread.
Your beads make all the difference. Beads are made in several sizes and styles. Seed beads often vary in size and shape a little but some are made specifically for uniformity. I love to use miyuki delica seed beads but make sure to check that you are using the same size. It is also possible to use different sized beads and create something with extra texture and a unique look.
My biggest suggestion is to have fun and create something you love first!
