Plastic buttons come in a wide variety of bright colors. They may be round or square, flat or textured. Plastic buttons are also available in fun shapes such as hearts, flowers, letters, or symbols.Shank buttons are buttons with a threading hole in the back. They may be made from plastic, glass, wood, or metal.
Shell buttons are elegant and distinct. They may be made from white or colored shell, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some shell buttons are delicately carved, adding a particularly elegant look to any project.
Flax twine is a cord made from linseed, the same material used to make linen. Traditionally used to wrap brown paper packages, flax twine is sold at many art supply stores .
Flexible metal wire is used to make open jump rings (page 8) . Any gage of wire is fine, as long as it is stiff enough to hold the shape of the ring. I general use 20 or 24 gage (0.9 mm or 0.6 mm) wire.
Floss elastic cord is great for making bracelets or necklaces that don't require a clasp. It comes in a variety of widths, so be sure to choose one that is thin enough to fit into your smallest bead or button hole.
jewelry findings are the metal items that finish off a piece of jewelry. They may be made from stainless steel, pewter, sterling silver, or gold. Always choose high quality findings, as you don't want them to rust or break whi le you are wearing your jewelry.
Barrettes come in various lengths and widths. You can buy them at craft stores, bead stores, and accessory shops.Clasps are those things we fiddle with when putting on and taking off necklaces
and bracelets. The projects in this book use lobster claw clasps, but you can choose any clasp that complements your design (and is easy to open and close!).
Crimps are small metal tubes that are used to hold beads and other material in place. For instructions on how to use crimps, see page 8.
Ear wires turn small (or not so small) beaded masterpieces into dangling earrings. Small hoop earrings can also be used as a base for earrings.
Headpins are straight pins with a flat base at one end. For instructions on how to make dangling beads with headpins, see page 8.
