Bead jewelry is an exciting hobby. See this video to learn how to make bead jewelry such as a necklace.
Navajo jewelry is a beautiful art work that conveys Navajo’s unique culture and history. It offers a wide variety of exquisite designs that are composed of historical figures, animals and other nature symbols. Navajo jewelry reflects the Navajo way of living as well as raw energy of the Native Americans.
Navajo jewelry refers to the Native American jewellery which originated from a Native American tribe, the Navajo or Din of the Southwestern United States. Navajo is the second largest Native American tribe of Northern America. In 1864, silversmithing, or making objects in solid silver is said to have been introduced to the Navajo while they were in captivity at Fort Sumner in eastern New Mexico.
The first Navajo silversmith was Atsidi Sani, who learned silversmithing during their captivity in 1864. However, Sani’s main focus was in blacksmithing, a skill he learned from a Mexican named Nakai Tsosi. He even became the “most important iron smith” between the years 1850-1865. Sani became a skilled silversmith and taught his four sons of his knowledge of silversmithing. Conchas, bracelets, and a variety of other jewelry pieces were his early silver work.
Tommy Singer, a member of Navajo tribe of Winslow, Arizona and a son of a silver smith became popular as the originator of the chip inlay design which he developed in the 1910’s. His designs were made with different meanings of Navajo’s way of life. He is another well-known silversmith of Navajo jewelry. He perfected his designs in a small studio in the Navajo reservation where he lived with his family. His crafts contain Navajo jewelry styled with coral, turquoise and silver pieces.
Handmade jewelry was created by Navajo silversmiths in 1880. Beads for making jewelry are a common feature of a handmade Navajo jewelry. The amount of beads on the jewelry signifies status, authority and wealth. Hair pins and ornaments, necklaces and bow guards, tobacco flasks, earrings, buckles and bracelets were the first handmade Navajo jewelry.
The Wampun beads and the Heishi beads are two important beads that has been a part of the Native American culture.
Wampum beads
Wampun beads refer to the sacred shell beads, traditional of Native Americans is the earliest forms of beads. It is made from the quahog, or Western North Atlantic hard-shelled clam for the white and purple beads, while the white shell beads is fashion bead from whelk shell of North Atlantic. Sometimes, coins were used as Wampun beads. The latter Wampun beads were made of gemstones, while the first ones were made of shells.
Wampun beads have various colors and these have different meanings. These beads have contributed much in the Native American culture. It is involved in several aspects of the Indian life like marriages and curing ceremonies. However, they were initially used as gifts but were later used for trading between tribes.
Wampum beads were not just adornments for Native Americans. These pieces influenced jewelry, religious functions, social, financial and sometimes even political purposes. The Native Americans used woven belts of wampum to commemorate treaties or historical events. For protection and beauty, they inlaid their weapons and clothes with Wampun.
Heishi beads
Heishi is the oldest form of jewelry in New Mexico. Heishi originated from Santo Domingo Pueblo, New Mexico. The exact meaning of the word heishi (pronounced as “hee shee”) is shell necklace. These are small discs or tubes shaped beads made of organic shells or grounded and polished stones.
The known master of heishi beads were the Indians of Santo Domingo Pueblo. These people were most skilled in making this creative and beautiful jewelry form. However, 30,000 years ago in Northern America, the same technique was already been in use.
A heishi string feels very smooth and looks like a snake. Those that are made of corals, carnelians, lapis and turquoise are popular heishi strings. It usually takes 2 days to 2 weeks to make heishi string.
Naja Sets
There are other known types of Navajo jewelry aside from Heishi and Wampun beads. One is the Naja, which believed to have been borrowed from the Spaniards. Naja sets were made of beads, coins, silver or metal. It has crescent shape with designs of beans, flowers and snakes.
Squash Blossom Necklace
Squash blossom necklace is an adaptation of the Naja set. These necklaces can have turquoise, shell and other intricate inlay and overlay work. Like the Naja sets, Squash blossom necklaces are designed with sacred and lucky animals.
Having bold inlay and overlay works, this jewelry reflects raw energy of the Native Americans. Belts, earrings, rings and kitohs (wristband worn like stringing bows), bracelets and bangles were other forms of Navajo jewelry.
In Navajo jewelry, unlimited pieces can be worn by both men and women which is an advantage. Navajo jewelry is rich in history, which differs from the region where it was made. It is desired for its diversity, aside from its rich history.
Navajo jewelry is truly a beautiful work of art. At navajo-jewelrydiscount.com, you can find the best Navajo jewelry at affordable prices. We offer a wide array of designs suitable for various ensembles. Check out our selected items at discounted prices at eBay and Amazon.
About the Author: Fred Gagnon specializes in providing tips and information on jewelries. He owns a wide collection of beautiful, glamorous and elegant jewelries. To learn more about jewelries, accessories, precious metals and gemstones, visit Hip Hop Jewelry and Horse Jewelry.
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Jewelry makers often begin their hobby of making customized jewelry to fulfill their own jewelry tastes rather than for the purpose of making money.
Purchasing already made jewelry can be expensive and does not always cater to one’s taste in jewelry. Luckily, buying beads for making jewelry is a great way to cut down the costs of getting your ideal piece of jewelry and allows you to use your creativity to make something great. If you choose to make your own jewelry rather than purchase it from a store, then you can customize it to match your wardrobe or your favorite color or even a special upcoming event.
Start to making jewelry with beads
Beads for making jewelry can be found in a variety of colors, shapes, materials and textures. Beads can be found for any budget, from gemstones and silver to colorful glass and plastic.
It is a good idea for beginners to start with the less expensive beads to get a feel for how to use the beads and wire properly without breaking it.
As you progress in your jewelry making skills, you can begin to use beautiful gemstones to make high quality pieces that will be treasured for many years, and perhaps even passed down another generation.
There are several styles of jewelry you can make with beads, from contemporary necklaces and bracelets to Native American-inspired dangling earrings and chokers. The easiest jewelry to make with beads involves stringing the beads on wire or cord in a coordinated pattern.
You can find beads for making jewelry at your local craft store or online by typing beads for making jewelry in your browser. There you will also find jewelry-making materials and guide books to show how to do it.
Making a bead necklace
A simple method for making a beaded necklace involves using beading cord, decorative beads with holes wide enough to allow the cord to pass through, and spacer beads to place on either end of your main decorative beads. By hand-tying knots before and after each spacer bead and decorative beads, at spaced intervals of about 2-1/2 inches apart, allowing for a set of 5 or 7 groups of beads along the cord, you can make a lovely beaded necklace in under an hour.
You will find that beads for making jewelry come in many materials, including stone, wood, ceramics and glass. And they come in every color of the rainbow, making it easy for you to pick a favorite color scheme.
Beading jewelry is a fun and interesting hobby to have.
Making jewelry with beads
It is easy to be very creative when picking out the pattern of beads for making jewelry. There are so many different types and colors of beads for making jewelry. The bead patterns can be made by picking beads that are similarly colored or they can be mixed and matched or created based on the unique facets of the beads.
Beading Jewelry: A fun hobby
The actual beading process is sort of a meditative and calming practice because all you are really doing is stringing a small thread through a tiny hole.
A beading hobby can start off fairly simple and turn into a very expressive and creative activity. Once a few pieces of jewelry have been made it is easy to see how simple it is to create the pieces. One may want to move on to creating bigger pieces of jewelry with different types and colors of beads. As the jewelry is made it is hard to keep out all of the creative ideas that start to develop for more complicated beading designs and the many types of beads that can be used to make jewelry.
The beaded jewelry that is made can be sold online, and beaded jewelry can be given to friends and family as holiday gifts.