When you are finished with your sorting, determine how many beads would fit on each different sized pin. With that knowledge, start creating your friendship pin patterns on graph paper.
You could simply add random beads to make friendship safety pins. Choose a set of colours that you will make all of your pins with – so that when you hand out your pins to your friends you all have the same colour pins. However, we wanted to show you the technical skills in case you want to have specific patterns rather than random beads!
By using graph paper, you can plan out the pattern you want to create. The number of boxes down is the number of beads on a single pin. The number of boxes across is the number of pins being used. Once you creat your pattern on paper and choose the colour of beads you want to use, it is time to get beading.
When the beading is all done, the pins are complete. Now that you know how you could even make a beautiful patterned necklace.
Friendship beads aren’t complete until they are shared with friends…right?
These safety pin friendship pins are going to be put on shoe laces, so you can just line them up on the laces. If you want to hang the pins on one large safety pin and still keep the pattern together you will need to take an extra stepThe friendship pin can be attached to a shirt, hat, scarf or your favourite jean jacket.
Beading Tip: When you are working with beads it is a good idea to work on top of a towel. Using a towel will keep the beads from rolling all right off your work surface. The little beads will be caught in the towel loops…so make sure it isn’t a smooth towel. This really helps when you’re working on pattern designs – it keeps your patterns in order.