Beaded curtains for doorways are a staple in “hippie” stores, yet to find something a bit more upscale or unique requires either a deep search through catalogs or following some beaded curtain patters to make one yourself. By making your own beaded curtains, you can choose colors and bead styles that fit your personal taste in decor much more so than an option purchased from a catalog. Opt for a kitschy design made with high-end beads to add a bit of personality to your otherwise neutral space or a game room, or create an upscale piece using quality wooden and ceramic beads instead of plastic, often used on store-bought versions.
Bead and craft stores are the best places to purchase large amounts of quality beads, however, you can create your own unique beaded curtain patters that are more upscale look by mixing in a few vintage beads from deconstructing old costume jewelry.. Create a simple, yet still artistic, beaded curtain with various style beads in the same color.
How to Make a Beaded Door Curtain
To make beaded curtains for doorways, you will first need to measure the inside width and length of the doorway to determine how big your curtain design needs to be. Cut a dowel rod to this width plus four inches. Measure in from each side two inches and mark this with a pencil. In between these two points, mark the location of each eyelet hook with a pencil and a ruler. Count the marks to determine how many rows of beads you’ll need.
Create a scaled drawing on a piece of graph paper based on your measurements, using one row per strand of beads. Outline the colors and bead arrangement on this with pencils and a marker. Number each row for easy reference. If you’re going for a more haphazard effect or using only a handful of colors, a diagram may not be necessary. The size of your beads affects your curtain design. Bigger beads will mean you'll need less of them than very small beads.
Screw an eyelet hook into each mark on the dowel rod. Most eyelet screws are self-tapping; however, if you’re having issues getting it in, nick the mark on the dowel rod with a nail to create a starting point.
Cut nylon string or fishing wire to about 12 inches longer than you want the finished curtain to be. The jewelry makers at Fire Mountain Gems says a good beading wire is Accu-Flex, because it is strong and thin.
Work on your IY string curtains will progress more quickly if you separate your beads by color if you are using more than one color, or by size. Position the dowel rod on a large work surface. Place your diagram in an easy-to-see spot if necessary.
String the beads onto the nylon per your diagram or in a pattern of your choosing. Some may prefer to work one string at a time, while others will get better results working from left to right. One way to finish the string for extra security is to string a few crimping beads right below the knot. According to Beadaholique, a crimping bead is a soft metal bead that is squeezed shut to hold other beads on instead of a knot. Clamp with pliers to secure.
Tie off the end of each string securely and then push the excess string back through the beads, cutting away any excess.
Hang the dowel rod to the door frame by either directly nailing or screwing it to the frame, or by installing small curtain rod hooks on either side to hold the rod.
Things You Will Need
Measuring tape
Square dowel rod
Pencil
Straightedge
Graph paper
Markers
Eyelet hooks
Nail (optional)
Nylon string or fishing line
Scissors
Crimping beads
Pliers
Beads