According to holistic healers, wearing magnetic hematite jewelry helps to relieve pain and mental stress. Make homemade hematite jewelry for a fraction of the cost of ready-made pieces. The healing benefits of this mineral are inherent in the stones, not in the manufacturer. You can find a wide selection of hematite beads from online bead suppliers to make your own hematite jewelry.
Materials
Both magnetic and non-magnetic hematite beads are available in many different sizes and shapes. Select the beads to make your jewelry that best fit with your personal style. For example, if you prefer chunky necklaces, select large beads size 8mm and above. To make a smaller hematite strand for a bracelet, select 4mm beads.
Hematite is a heavy mineral and a strand of any size beads will be heavier than crystal, wood or shell beads. The beading material you select for your hematite jewelry should be able to withstand the weight of your beaded strand. Make your necklace or bracelet strand with beading wire or silk cording. If your design calls for a single hematite pendant combined with other types of beads, you'll be safe with monofilament or elastic beading cord.
The other tools you will need to make hematite jewelry will vary depending on your choice of beading cord. You will need wire cutters, round nose pliers, crimping pliers and crimp beads to make wire jewelry. Scissors, spring coils, jump rings and flat nose pliers are the only tools you need if you select elastic or satin cording. You'll also need a clasp unless you plan to make your strand long enough to slip over you head. A bracelet made with elastic cording will stretch so you can place it on and off of your wrist.
Making Hematite Strands
To make a hematite necklace or bracelet with a full strand of hematite beads, cut a length of beading wire 3 inches longer than the desired length of your jewelry. The easiest way to make any kind of beaded strand is to affix the clasp to one end first, then add the beads.
Attaching a wire clasp is simple; bend 1 1/2 inches at the end of the wire around the clasp loop and thread the crimp bead over the open end until it rests against the clasp loop, covering both sections of folded wire. Crimping pliers will press the bead flat against the wire and hold it in place. After you thread the beads onto the wire, add another crimp bead and the remaining section of the clasp to the other end of the wire strand.
To make a hematite strand with silk cording, attach a spring coil to the cord ends before you attach a clasp. Add a drop of jeweler's glue to the end of the cord before you insert it into the coil to help keep the coil attached. Pressing the coil into the cording is simplest if you use flat nose pliers. Only attach one coil, then thread the hematite beads before you attach another coil and the clasps.
Beading with elastic cording is the simplest of all. Elastic cording knots easily. Slip the tail of the knot through the beads closest to the end and it will disappear. Jeweler's glue on top of the knots will help hold them in place.
Tags: hematite jewelry, hematite beads, make hematite, nose pliers, beaded strand, beading cord, beading wire