Tyvek Beaded Jewelry
By Linda Edkins Wyatt
Materials:
2 sheets of Tyvek, 11" x 14", new or recycled from a used shipping envelope
Metallic acrylic paint, such as Lumiere®
Sponge paintbrushes
Pen
Scissors or craft knife, straight edge, and cutting mat
Thin wooden skewers (round toothpicks)
Glue or glue stick
Heat gun
Beading wire
Additional beads or stones, if desired
Directions:
Paint the Tyvek sheets. If you have used a recycled envelope, then be sure to paint the inside where there are no markings. I like Lumiere paints because the metallic flecks in them make the finished beads look more gem-like. It's OK to be sloppy and generous with the paint, and add different colors. Allow the paint to dry.
Decide what size you want your beads. A common size if 1". On one of the long sides of the rectangle, put a dot every 1" with a pen. On the other long side, start with ½" from the edge, then mark every 1" after that.
Connect your dots to form long, thin triangles across the painted page. You should have about 28 triangles.
Cut your triangles using scissors or a craft knife. Don't worry if they are not perfect.
Take the 1" edge of the triangle and carefully roll it around a skewer with the painted side facing out. When you get to the end, put a dab of glue (glue sticks work well) to hold it and keep the bead from unrolling. You should have a rolled bead that is about 1" long and plump in the middle. Sometimes a pin needs to be inserted in the tip of the triangle to secure the bead until the glue dries if your paint is thickly applied or if the beads are very fat.
Slide the bead down near the end of the toothpick. Hold on to the other end of the skewer and quickly heat the bead for a few seconds using a heat gun. Roll the bead as you heat it so all sides melt a little. The Tyvek will pucker and shrink and the paints will become more metallic looking. Do not overheat or the bead will stick to the skewer and you will be unable to use the bead.
When the beads have cooled, slide them off the skewer.
On a towel or jewelry board, arrange the beads in a pleasing design. You can mix inexpensive glass beads with your Tyvek beads or add semi-precious stones like turquoise, amber, or freshwater pearls.
String the beads any way you want. I use beading wire and lobster clasps secured with crimps, but if you have never made beaded jewelry, you can just string them on embroidery floss, dental floss or thin elastic and tie the ends, making sure it is long enough to slip over your head. If you make a choker, you need to use a either a clasp or elastic string.
