A Quick Lesson in Lanyard Making

ERIN DREAM LANYARDS

THIS IS ERIN.

THIS IS ERIN MAKING LANYARDS.

ARE YOU READY TO GET STARTED?

EQUIPMENT LIST--BEADS 7 or 8 grams of seed beads

Equals about 300 beads 6/0 or 8/0 are easiest to work with (six to an inch or

eight to an inch) 8-14 larger, accent beads

Number depends on size and design 1 anchor bead

Largest, most striking bead 1 green bead for Erin Spacer beads (if desired)

EQUIPMENT LIST—OTHER MATERIAL 36” of .018 7-strand, plastic-coated,

stainless steel wire (Beadalon Brand) 1 Lanyard hook 2 Crimp beads Needle-nosed pliers or crimping tool Scissors (or wire cutters) Work tray (sectioned styrofoam tray works

well) Tape

BEADS

WIRE

LANYARD HOOKS

CRIMPING BEADS AND TOOL

GETTING STARTED: ATTACHING THE HOOK TO THE WIRE

Step 1:

Place the crimp bead on the end of the wire about an inch and a half from the tip.

Pass wire through the lanyard hook.

GETTING STARTED: ATTACHING THE HOOK TO THE WIRE

Step 2

Fold the wire back.

Pass through crimp bead, leaving about an inch as a “tail.”

Make sure that the loop attached to the lanyard hook is fairly tight.

GETTING STARTED: ATTACHING THE HOOK TO THE WIRE

Step 3

Flatten the bead with the crimping tool, using the second “W” shaped section of the tool.

GETTING STARTED: ATTACHING THE HOOK TO THE WIRE

Step 4

Turn the bead 90 degrees and crimp again, using the first opening on the tool.

PLANNING AHEAD

CHOOSE BEADS THAT YOU THINK WILL GO TOGETHER.CONSIDER COLOR, SHAPE, AND TEXTURE. BE SURE TO INCLUDE SOME ACCENT BEADS AND PLENTY OF SMALLER, SEED BEADS.

VISUALIZE HOW THEY WILL LOOK TOGETHER AND EXPERIMENT WITH VARIOUS COMBINATIONS. HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE BEADS ON THE LEFT MIGHT GO TOGETHER.

STYLE CONSIDERATIONThink about whether you want an anchor bead above the lanyard hook or two separate strands meeting. If you want an anchor bead, choose it first and organize your color choices around it. Put it on first.

PLANNING YOUR PATTERNMost people enjoy using more than one color seed bead. They try to capture a pattern that is eye-catching. Once you have a pattern, follow it. Remember to reverse your pattern halfway around.

NECK LINE ADVICEDecide if you want to use smaller, lighter beads on the neckline, or if your general pattern will continue all the way around.

SYMMETRICAL OR NOT?Some people like to make the left and right side of their lanyard match exactly. (If so, you may need to reverse your pattern on the second side). Others prefer only approximate symmetry;Asymmetry is another popular choice.

CHOOSE AT LEAST ONE GREEN BEADALL OF ERIN’S DREAM LANYARDS HAVE A GREEN BEAD AS

“A TOUCH OF ERIN”

MISTAKES TO AVOID

ALL BIG BEADS: TOO HEAVYALL SMALL BEADS: WILL TAKE A LONG TIME TO COMPLETE

PLAN BOTH SIDES, SO YOU DON’T RUN OUT OF THE BEADS. YOU MAY NOT WANT TO USE SEVEN ON ONE SIDE IF YOU ONLY HAVE TWELVE.

MISTAKES TO AVOID

TUCK THE DOUBLE STRAND OF WIRE INTO YOUR BEADS WHEN YOU ARE STARTING AND AT THE END SO THEY DON’T POKE THE WEARER.

LEAVE A FINGER LENGTH OF WIRE AT THE END SO THAT THE FINISHER HAS ENOUGH WIRE TO WORK WITH.

MISTAKES TO AVOID

TAPE THE END AS SOON AS YOU FINISH SO YOU DON’T SPILL YOUR BEADS.

REMEMBER, YOU MUST RETURN YOUR LEFTOVERS TO THE BEAD TABLE WHEN YOU’RE DONE.

FINISHING: ATTACHING THE WIRE BACK TO THE LANYARD HOOKStep 1

Thread the wire through the final bead (if that is the style you have chosen).

Place a crimp bed on the wire.

FINISHING: ATTACHING THE WIRE BACK TO THE LANYARD HOOKStep 2

Fold the wire back.

Pass through crimp bead, leaving about an inch as a “tail.”

Make sure that the loop attached to the lanyard hook is fairly tight.

GETTING STARTED: ATTACHING THE HOOK TO THE WIRE Step 3

Flatten the bead with the crimping tool, using the second “W” shaped section of the tool.

Step 4

Turn the bead 90 degrees and crimp again, using the first opening on the tool.

GETTING STARTED: ATTACHING THE HOOK TO THE WIRE Step 5

Thread wire back through beads for an inch or so.

Pull tight.

Carefully trim any excess wire.

THE FINAL TOUCH

SIGN YOUR HANG TAG, SO THE PERSON WHO BUYS IT KNOW YOU CARED ENOUGH TO MAKE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL.

ATTACH THE HANG TAG TO THE LANYARD HOOK.

TIME TO START

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT!

100% of ALL PROCEEDS GENERATED FROM ERIN’S DREAM LANYARD PROJECT GO TO

SUPPORT THE CHILDHOOD CANCER RESEARCH.

THROUGH HELP FROM VOLUNTEERS LIKE YOU WE HAVE RAISED ABOUT $80,000.

THANK YOU!