Wooden Beads: Process

The Process of Turning Sticks Into Beads






I started with sticks that I found in my backyard. Using a knife, I stripped the outer layers of dirt, bark, etc. from each stick.



Next, I soaked the clean sticks in hot water for a few minutes to make them easier to cut.

Once they were softened, I cut them into 1 inch pieces (for beads) or longer pieces for pendants.



Each pendant was then carved by hand.








Using a piece of twisted scrap wire, I hollowed out the beads (this is fairly easy because the center of the stick is soft) and drilled a hole through the pendants (this is more difficult; some pieces needed to be soaked in hot water again).






All of the individual pieces were sanded by hand until smooth.












Finally, I coated each of the beads and pendants using either clear sealant or a mahogany-colored gloss.