Stop Losing Your Beads

It’s a basic enough problem: when stringing beads, sometimes they can fall off one or both ends of your stringing medium. Most jewelry makers will remedy this situation with a piece of tape attached to the end of the thread, or I’ve attached those binding clips used for paper. However, both of these methods have issues. The tape can make the end of your thread sticky. The binding clips don’t always hold or they can dent your wire if you’re using beading wire. Finally, it looks like someone has come up with a gadget just for this purpose, and I have to admit, when I saw it I sort of had a “duh,” moment. The design is so simple, yet so affective. I wish I’d thought of it first!

I’m talking about a new gadget called the Bead Stopper. Basically, it’s a stainless steel piece of heavy duty wire that is a spiral in the middle with two loops on either side. To open up the spiral part, you squeeze on the two loops, and then you can just slip the end of your beading medium (beading wire, nylon, etc.) into one of the separated sections. Release, and voila, the end of your piece is secure and you can string away.

Bead Stoppers come packaged 6 for $4.99 or 16 for $11.99 (plus shipping). You can order them on line, or I wouldn’t be surprised if your local bead store carries them. For retail and wholesale information about the Bead Stopper, go the company web site at http://www.beadstopper.com/.