Darn Good Beads of the Month is a monthly subscription for jewelry makers from Darn Good Yarn. (You don’t have to be able to knit or crochet for this subscription!) Every month you’ll receive materials to complete a quick beading project. You will need some basic tools of your own (pliers, crimping pliers, glue) but they provide all the findings, beads, and stringing materials!
This month's box is being reviewed thanks to an MSA reader request!
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Darn Good Beads of the Month
The Subscription Box: Darn Good Beads of the Month
The Cost: $10/month + shipping
The Products: Materials and instructions to complete one beading/jewelry making project.
Ships to: US ($4/continental US) and international ($13/Alaska, Hawaii, US territories, and other countries)
Darn Good Beads of the Month April 2018 Review
This was my first time receiving Darn Good Beads of the Month so I wasn’t sure what to expect:
The package came with this booklet, which contained instructions for this month’s project. This is a pretty simple booklet but the instructions were perfectly clear. I am an experienced jewelry-maker but I think a beginner could also follow these.
Here are some in-progress photos. Basically, you crimp every 4.5 inches, then add a couple of beads, crimp again to keep the beads in place, then move on down the stringing material until you reach the end. Knot covers and findings are provided. For this project, you needed crimping pliers (standard size, not micro), superglue, and pliers of your choice (e.g., chain nose, bent chain nose, etc.) for opening and closing jump rings. Plus scissors and a ruler, of course.
You were supposed to have two beads left over but I had five beads left over. I guess my measuring skills are not so great but I figured that is close enough. There were also quite a few crimps left over, which I can use in another project.
Here is the finished product:
The idea is, this is very long and you can wrap it 2, 3, or 4 times to achieve different looks. I’ve shown a few possibilities above. This is a casual necklace that would work well with a nice tee and the bead colors are kind of beachy, I think. You can play around with the layering of the tiers, too. This one does have a bit of a tendency to get tangled up, so be careful.
Verdict: I did not calculate a value for Darn Good Beads of the Month because some of the materials were unbranded/not labeled. But you get all the beads, findings, and stringing materials to finish one complete piece of jewelry, and the instructions were really easy to follow. I feel like if you bought a necklace like this in a store, it would cost more than the subscription price, too. I think this is suitable for beginners since the project isn’t very intimidating, but it also works for more advanced jewelry-makers who just want to finish something quick in an evening or on a weekend. (This took me under a half hour.)
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? This was April’s box and is no longer available. In general, you’ll get your first box at sign-up and then move to the regular shipping schedule after that.
Value Breakdown: this box costs $14 (including shipping to the continental US) and you get all the materials to make one jewelry project.
Check out the Craft Subscription Box Directory for more great beading, craft supply, and DIY project boxes.
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What did you think of the April 2018 Darn Good Beads of the Month? Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?
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