Paper Beads
Beatty Kelly and Taylor Normand
What are paper beads?
• Handmade jewelry that is cost-efficient,
environmental friendly, and easy to make
• Made with household items
– Magazines or newspaper
– String or yarn
Materials Needed
• Old magazines, newspaper, or paper bags
– Free
• Plastic craft string or fishing line
– $2.00
• Toothpick
– $1.00
• Scissors
– $2.06
• Ruler
•
•
– $0.56
– Black foam template $0.99
Glue
– (4) $2.00
Pencil or pen
• (12) $1.82
• Clear Acrylic Gloss Coating or Clear Nail Polish
– $5.99
– $1.99
Paper Beads Kits
• Amazon - $19.76
– 200 precut strips of
paper
– Wooden stick
– Clear glaze
– Elastic string
Instructions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Gather materials
Measure foam template
– 1x11x11 in
Cut out triangle from foam sheet
Tear out desired page from
magazine
Place template page and trace
with pen or pencil
Cut out triangle from magazine
page
Place desired side of triangle face
down
Place toothpick at base of triangle
9.
Roll paper and toothpick upwards,
toward the top of the triangle
– Make sure to pull tightly
10. Stop rolling when ~1 in. of tip of paper
is left
11. Apply glue stick to the tip of the paper
and continue rolling until completion
12. Carefully slide paper bead off of
toothpick
13. String paper bead onto precut clear
string
14. Repeat steps 4-13 until the desired
about of beads is reached on the
string
15. After desired number of beads are
strung, bring bracelet outside to be
sprayed with acrylic coating
16. Let bracelet dry for at least 5 minutes
17. Tie your bracelet and you’re ready to
go!
Cognitive
• Baseline
– Black foam template
• Downgrade
– Have precut strips of paper
available for the individuals to
select from
– Can still be creative (color choices)
but don’t have to plan and execute
task of tracing and cutting paper
• Upgrade
– Choosing a different paper bead
pattern and not using a premade
template
– Concept-formation, enhance
creativity
Motor
• Baseline
– Toothpick
• Downgrade
– Wooden skewer for aiding fine-motor control and
object manipulation in rolling the magazine strip of
paper
• Upgrade
– Not using any tool for rolling the magazine strip of
paper
– Require more fine-motor control of hands since there
is no object (toothpick) to manipulate
Appropriate Population
• Suitable for all ages 6+
• People interested in jewelry making
• Performance skills:
– Motor control
– Sensory
– Cognitive
– ~ Emotional regulation and social (classroom
setting)
Therapeutic Benefits
• Psychosocial
– A relaxing and enjoying activity that helps divert
attention towards something positive and production
– Enhance self-efficacy and social/communicative skills
• Rehab
– Paper bead making can help coordinate fine-motor
control and object manipulation
– Uses joint ROM and stability; muscle strength and
endurance
Precautions
• Use caution when using sharp tools such as
the toothpick or scissors
• Only apply glue to top inch of paper triangle;
avoid getting glue on other surfaces
• Be considerate of other students in the
classroom
• Avoid touching bracelet for 5-10 minutes after
it is sprayed with acrylic coating
Instructions
1.
Gather materials per table
–
–
–
–
–
–
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Scissors
1 glue stick
2 magazines
2 black foam templates
2 precut strings
2 toothpicks
Look through magazine for desired color
Tear out desired page from magazine
Place template page and trace with pen or pencil
Cut out triangle from magazine page
Place desired side of triangle face down
Place toothpick at base of triangle
Roll paper and toothpick upwards, toward the top of the triangle
– Make sure to pull tightly
Stop rolling when ~1 in. of tip of paper is left
Apply glue stick to the tip of the paper and continue rolling until completion
Carefully slide paper bead off of toothpick
String paper bead onto precut clear string
Repeat steps 2-12 until the desired about of beads is reached on the string
After desired number of beads are strung, bring bracelet outside to be sprayed with
acrylic coating
Let bracelet dry for at least 5 minutes
Tie your bracelet and you’re ready to go!
Resources
• http://www.instructables.com/id/How-toMake-Paper-Beads/?ALLSTEPS
• http://www.papercraftplanet.com/group/back
tobasicswithstampendous/forum/topics/frantage-friday-paper-bead-bracelet
• www.walmart.com
• http://www.favecrafts.com/GreenCrafting/How-to-Make-Paper-Beads