Silver cored beads ... have I missed the boat?

[Angie09]

I have been contemplating buying the Jim Moore bead corer and starting a line of big holed beads but am concerned the "craze" may be on it's way out. Did I miss the boat on this by not doing these sooner? Are big holed beads still a good seller? Do you see the fade slowing down??

Any help and info would be appreciated before I invest more money,

Thanks

[Laura B]

I can't answer this question, but I TOTALLY don't get the fad.

If you fill one of those Biagi things up with charms, then yeah, it kind of makes sense. But anything less than 100% filled, the bracelet would do nothing but hang in an upsidedown position on the wrist.

Maybe I'm the only one that hates it when bracelets do that.

[Elizabeth Beads]

I'm with Laura - and when it is full, it stands away from the wrist and is huge.

However I love the look of large silver capped and cored focals or a chain or cord.

Also smaller cored (3/32 mandrel size) beads look nice in jewelry.

:)

[Laura B]

I'm with Laura - and when it is full, it stands away from the wrist and is huge.

However I love the look of large silver capped and cored focals or a chain or cord.

Also smaller cored (3/32 mandrel size) beads look nice in jewelry.

:)

Yes... I, too, LOVE the look of cored (and capped) beads. But I just can't have them on those types of bracelets.

[villa design]

I've stopped making the small cored beads that go on bracelets. When I saw the inexpensive version at Archivers (a scrapbookin store?!) for $6, there is no way someone would pay for mine at the price I wanted.

I've concentrated on making huge focals as pendants and those have really done well for me.

[cgbeads]

But the fad is soooo much more than just for bracelets. I love a fancy bigger ones with layered beadcaps on a simple snakechain necklace.

-D

[Hayley]

My ginormous capped and cored focals that we also sell the leather neck cords for have done well too. The smaller pandora bracelet size ones do well at shows. . . customers just buy the entire leather bracelet with lampworked beads and metal clay discs.

[Laura B]

But the fad is soooo much more than just for bracelets. I love a fancy bigger ones with layered beadcaps on a simple snakechain necklace.

-D


Yes. I personally think large-holed cored beads will be in favor for awhile.

I was just musing last night about how much I don't understand those biagi, troll, pandora bracelets.

[BellaBean]

I'm with Hayley! The folks in my neck of the woods love capped and cored beads on necklaces. They are the most requested things from my friends too.

[Laura B]

I'm with Hayley! The folks in my neck of the woods love capped and cored beads on necklaces. They are the most requested things from my friends too.

I'd love to see examples of how they're strung up.

[SuzyQ]

Well if my Etsy shop is any indication the boat is still sailing :)

[GinnyHampton]

I can't even remember the last time I twirled a 3/32" mandrel :lol:

They're still very popular, but I completely agree that once the bracelet fad goes away, the big capped/cored necklace beads will still be popular.
People love instant jewelry and those fit the bill!

I'm still amazed that each time I do a bead show, someone will pick up a strand of my beads and say "what would I do with this?" . . . . but show them a single, finished out focal bead and they know they can just slide it on a chain and wear it home :)

[SuzyQ]

That is so true Ginny! People pick up my strands and ask where the bracelet clasp is, lol.

Another thing you can do at shows with your bracelet sized beads is offer a simple chain or cord to string one on. My almost 12 year old and her friends wear my boo boos and love them. They make great tween sized jewelry.

[Angie09]

OK...sounds like I'm not too late to catch this "fade" ... here goes another big out lay of cash!!

What's the BEST size mandrel to use??

Thanks everyone!!! Keep the info coming please.

[villa design]

The first evening of an art show, I had all of my focals in a bead cigar box. I can not tell you how many times people thought it was an abacus. :lol:

Next day I had samples and signs. :big grin:

[thatbeadchickie]

The first evening of an art show, I had all of my focals in a bead cigar box. I can not tell you how many times people thought it was an abacus. :lol:

Next day I had samples and signs. :big grin:


HAHAHAHAHA!!! I love it!!!