Pretty Paper Bead Jewelry Designs
Updated on September 5, 2016
Making your own jewelry is always fun no matter what kind of piece you’re making. There’s just something about a unique DIY necklace or barcelet that makes your work a gorgeous statement piece. Sometimes, though, we like to take our crafting even further and make more than just the necklace itself; we also like to make our own beads! One of the easiest, quickest, and cheapest ways of making beads, of course, is to roll them out of paper!
Paper beads might not sound very glamorous at first, but these 15 gorgeous paper bead jewelry pieces beg to differ.
1. Designer style geo necklace
Tuts Plus suggests creating an intricate looking “web” of paper beads across your chest by wrapping the paper around hooked jewelry posts and linking them at each end. You’ll be able to control how big or small a statement your new necklace makes!
2. Paper bead Y necklace
Have you ever considered combining paper beads with regular glass or seed beads? Personally, we adore the contrast using two different styles of beads creates! Paper Bead Crafts suggests making a delicate Y-shaped necklace, using your longer paper beads as the pendant part of the Y, as well as throughout the chain.
3. Paper bead charm bracelet
As if an adorable little paper bead bangle or stretching bracelet wasn’t enough, adding a charm to the design takes the cuteness of the piece up a notch! If you can find a charm with a cute saying, then a bracelet like this one by Heather Diana Designs makes a great birthday gift for a friend or family member.
4. Twisted paper bead necklace
Are you looking for a paper bead design that perhaps looks a little more intricate? Check out how Beading Design Jewelry made this bracelet look nearly couture by wrapping beaded strands around each other so they intertwine!
5. Crossword puzzle paper bead fan necklace
This design from PaperMelon is awesome for so many reasons! Firstly, the large, gorgeous fanning shape is stylish and avant garde. It’ll definitely grab the attention of onlookers. Beyond that, we think it’s awesome that the beads are made from crossword puzzle pages! Are you more of a Sudoku fan? That works too!
6. Paper bead necklace and dangling earring set
If you’re going to go to the trouble of making yourself a necklace with a pretty paper bead dangling perfectly in the centre, why not create a matching set of earrings? We love this simple idea involving a single mustard bead on each piece by Mystique Moth.
7. Paper bead leather and button bracelet
Leather cuffs are awesome, but we’ve found a way to make them even more custom and unique: roll a series of paper beads and weave them with leather string so that the leather frames them all along the edge! The Young and The Talented shows you how to do that and add a loop with a big button for getting it on and off.
8. Gaelic weave paper bead bracelet
Do you like the previous idea but you’d like a bit of a twist rather than simply having a cuff of straight across beads all the way around? Paper Beads shows you how to angle them slightly for a stylish Celtic weave cuff.
9. Cha cha paper bead bracelet
Do you remember when stretching linked bracelets were all the rage, made from sliding metal links featuring cute charms? Do you have a rather plain one left over that you don’t wear anymore and that doesn’t have any charms? Upcycle it into this fun “cha cha” design by adding bunches of small paper beads! Paper Beads walks you through the process.
10. Paper wheels and wire bracelet
Many of the paper beads you’ve seen so far are made in a similar cylindrical style, but sometimes it’s fun to switch things up! Follow in The Mystique Moth‘s footsteps and try creating these wheel shaped beads out of paper instead! We love this look that alternates those with cylindrical beads.
11. Spanish literature bangle
Are you an academic, a literature buff, or a huge bookworm? Try making paper beads out of old book pages! The typed words will show across the surface of the beads when you roll them, so they’ll look perfect on a double hooked post and a wire bangle frame. Check it out on Tanith!
12. Down to Earth paper bead necklace
Did you really like the style of the cha cha” bracelet idea above, but you don’t have a linking metal charm bracelet to use as a base? Paper Beads shows you how to make it out of acrylic string or ribbon instead! These bunches of rounded beads might be out favourite design so far.
13. Rice paper bead dragonfly necklace
The Frugal Crafter guides you through the process of creating a wonderfully novelty dragonfly shaped necklace from paper beads. They’ve used rice paper specifically, giving the beads a shine as though they’ve actually been given a glossy finish just like glass beads.
14. Pink orchid paper bead bangle
This bracelet style adds a little bit of glitz and glam by combining pink floral paper beads with clear glass and seed beads. We love the way that Inspirational Beading used the Celtic wrapping style to string the beads at a stylish angle.
15. Magazine paper wheel necklace
Were you such a fan of the wheel style of paper bead that you absolutely need to make more pieces in that style? Try creating a statement piece like this necklace featuring paper wheels in several different sizes! Get the design from Pinterest.
Have you created other paper bead jewelry designs that you’re very proud of but that you don’t see on our list? Tell us about how you made them in the comments or link us to pictures of your work!