Games and Hobbies

To make round beads you will need:
Paper
Scissors
Ruler
Pen
Paper glue stick
Small paintbrush or stick of similar width such as a wooden skewer.
* If you are making beads with young children, use a larger paintbrush or chopstick. It will make a larger hole in the bead and be easier for them to string.

Round beads need long strips with narrow ends.
Glue as many papers together, needed to get at least 34 inches long

They can be a mixture of different colored papers - experiment

You will need 2. One will be used as a guide for marking your cutting lines. It should be made of a sturdy paper.

Make marks 1/4 inch apart on both short sides of the paper you will be using to roll up into beads.

Use the second paper as a straight edge to run your pen along to connect the marks you just made

The picture represents the paper you will cut to make the bead.
Pay attention that the right side starts at the first dot and leads to the second dot on the opposite side.

Cut along the lines

Start with the wider end of the paper strip and roll it on the small paint brush or whatever stick you have chosen.
*Do not put glue before you begin to roll. The bead will
need to be adjusted.

Apply glue only to the end of the strip after you have finished rolling it

Slide the bead off of the stick. Squeeze both ends inward and adjust it so that the narrow end of the strip is in the center

Your bead is ready.

You can coat it with diluted white glue to give the bead a smoother surface and make it more permanent.

Have fun experimenting with different papers. The thickness of the paper will affect the shape of the bead.