7 IDEAS FOR WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVER BEADS
                     7 IDEAS FOR WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVER BEADS
How many times have you completed a beading project to realize you have just a few
beads left? There aren’t enough to make a whole other pattern, and, of course, you
don’t want to throw them away.
Below are some ideas for those leftovers:
1. MAKE EARRINGS
I love earring patterns. They usually work up quickly, and you don’t need many beads,
which makes them very affordable to create. So, take advantage of that and use your
leftover beads to make some earrings.  Slip some onto the wire to make cute hoop
earrings,  string  them  on  a  headpin  or  stitch  them  together  using  a  bead  weaving
pattern.
2. USE AS ACCENT BEADS
Sometimes, a simple focal point real brings a piece of jewelry to life, e.g. a pendant or
some bigger beads right in the center. Leftover beads are perfect for this use.
3. CREATE BEADED FRINGE
Adding a beaded fringe is an excellent way to jazz up jewelry that could be boring
otherwise. It can also be functional as it hides thread along the edges of your beadwork.
If you don’t know what to do with leftover beads, use them to create a fringe bit.
4. MAKE A BEAD MIX
If you have lots of the same size and shape of beads, just in various colors, throw them
all together and create a bead mix. You can actually walk into any bead shop and buy
this already done, so why not make your own? It’s a great way to use up leftover beads
and create a unique look that you won’t find anywhere else.
5. CREATE A BEAD SOUP
Yes,  a  bead  mix  and  bead  soup  are  different  even  though  people  use  the  terms
interchangeably.  A bead soup is a combination of any size, shape, and color of beads.
If  you  have  a  few beads  from different  projects,  combine  them,  and  use  them for
something totally new. If you are looking for some stuff and crafts for your DIY beads, I
highly recommend you to look for supply in the beads creation company; they have an
ample supply when it comes to beads.
6. MAKE A REPAIR KIT
It’s an awful feeling when a favorite piece of jewelry breaks, and you don’t have the
beads to fix it.  You could purchase a new set of the beads that you used, provided
they’re in stock. But, do you want to buy a whole tube or string of beads when you
probably just need a few? That’s where a repair kit comes in handy. Place a few of each
kind of the beads leftover from a project into a labeled container and store it.
7. GIVE LEFTOVER BEADS AWAY
Every once in a while, I sort through my beads and get rid of ones I no longer want. This
sometimes includes beads that were left over from old projects. Typically, I give these
away to friends with children old enough to play with them. They make great craft kits,
especially for the summer months, when kids are bored.
Pair the beads with some stretch cord or other types of stringing materials. The children
can enjoy endless hours making stretchy bracelets and cord jewelry with these beads.
The next time you organize your beads, think about any kids or even adults that might
enjoy items you don’t  want  anymore.  So,  those were my ideas for  what to  do with
leftover beads.