Are you looking for an affordable and recycled project that you’d love to give as a gift?
Have you ever thought of creating paper beads?
If you have a pile of junk in your room like magazines, old calendars, newspapers, and even gift wrappers, don’t put them in the bin. Select a few colorful pages and with a few quick cuts, you can turn one boring page to a couple of paper bead necklaces.
But before you do that, have you ever wondered how paper beads came about?
Here’s an interesting look into the history of paper beads and some fast facts.
- It’s a traditional craft that originated in England, particularly in the Victorian age.
- Young ladies used to convene in dining rooms to create handmade paper beads from scraps of wallpaper rolled on knitting needles. They would use bees wax to polish the beads and utilized long pieces of yarn for stringing.
- Paper beads were used to make door curtains as room division. In 1920s to 30s, this practice made a comeback. But this time, the beads were a bit smaller.
- Victorian women used newsprint and other printed papers to craft smaller beads. They would apply perfume on the beads to create scented paper beads. Since perfumes were a bit expensive during those times, scented paper beads were a way for them to smell good without having to worry about using up their perfume bottle.
- Aside from making room dividers, Victorian women also used paper beads to create beaded curtains.
In recent times…
Creating paper beads in the modern era are pretty much the same except that we can easily obtain a variety of papers like rice paper, construction paper, and a lot more. The various types of paper that we now use clearly adds character and texture to the end product.
We are also in a time where there are plenty of tools to work with paper beads like hand rolling tools and toothpicks.
In the Philippines, various beaders are creating paper beads to help the local folks in generating income. This is also a way to resolve serious waste management problem.
How about you?
How do you turn your paper beads into something new and different with your tools?
We are already in an era where recycling and upcycling play essential parts in our society. There’s no reason that jewelry made from paper are considered ugly. It’s time to let the world know that paper beads are equal to every other type of beaded jewelry — one that’s creative, made from recycled materials, and has provided a living for people in some parts of the globe.