Facet Jewelry Box Bead Stitching Review + Coupon – July 2018

Facet Jewelry Box is a new subscription box from the editors at Facet Jewelry and Bead & Button magazine. They offer two versions: the “Quick and Easy Stringing” box and the “Bead Stitching” box, so you can choose a subscription based on your skill level and interests, as well as the amount of time you want to invest in the projects.

This is a review of the $24.95 a month “Bead Stitching” box (both versions cost the same).

This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

About Facet Jewelry Box

The Subscription Box: Facet Jewelry Box Bead Stitching

The Cost: $24.95 a month + free US shipping. Save with longer subscriptions.

LIMITED TIME DEAL: Use code SAVE50 for 50% off your first box!

The Products: Materials and instructions to complete two beading/jewelry making projects using stringing techniques.

Ships to: US (free) and international (shipping fee will be assessed during checkout and you will be responsible for customs charges, VAT, receiving charges, etc., as appropriate for your location)

Facet Jewelry Box Bead Stitching July 2018 Review

This is still a pretty new subscription and they are still working out a few kinks so I really didn’t know what was in store:

The first thing you see when you open the box is this full-color booklet. I haven’t shown you all of the pages inside, because part of the subscription fee is for the projects that are included.

This is a really nice booklet, honestly, but I’d expect nothing less from the folks at Bead & Button (I’ve been a subscriber for a while now). There are also links to online resources if you need a little help with a technique.

Beveled Bracelet

This project uses firepolished rounds and superduos. It was really easy for me. I have a lot of materials left over because my wrist is smaller than even the shortest suggested length in the booklet. (If you see a ruler in any photos, it was not included, it was a Fire Mountain Gems order freebie way back when and I was using it to measure the length of my project.) This is a good way to use small numbers of superduos you might have left over from other projects.

There was one issue with this project. I know this photo is hard to see but I’m not really set up to take pictures of the details of tiny things. This project had split rings for connecting your work to the clasp. In general, this is a good idea because the thread can’t pass through an opening like with a jump ring.  However, these split rings were an issue.

For those unfamiliar, a split ring is like a tiny version of a keyring – a coil of wire that goes back to its original shape after being pulled apart. This one was two full turns of a circle with no gap between the ends. So I put the clasp on it, and get to the place where the wires meet and find out that the loop on the clasp that goes over the split ring isn’t big enough for two passes of the wire. (For the record, split ring pliers are like the one type of jewelry pliers I don’t have because I rarely use them, but you can do this without them.)

I have to use my industrial strength wire cutters to clip a few mm off the split ring so the clasp will actually fit. (Don’t use regular wire cutters, I tried that and it marred them. It is a really hard wire. Memory wire cutters would probably work, though.) An alternative is just to use a different split ring or a jump ring from your stash.

Woven Scalloped Necklace

This is a right-angle weave piece using various sizes of melon beads. I have never tried this before but now I am tempted to make this type of base layer of beadwork with lots of different graduated bead sets (I have a ton of semiprecious stones this would work with, for example). Right-angle weave is something I do all the time so I didn’t even need to read the instructions here, I could figure it all out from the photos. It was very intuitive for me.

This worked up a lot quicker than the necklace project from last month (I finished it in under a day, and that’s after doing the bracelet that morning). I am unclear on why two different colors of seed beads were needed as they are almost identical. Oh well. A few of the 3mm melons did not have holes! But there were enough to complete the project. And that kind of thing happens every now and then, with Czech beads.

Here is a tip that has saved me a lot of trouble. If your right-angle weave is too loose, go around each unit with the thread a second time. It uses more thread and takes longer, but your work is much tighter and much fewer thread shows.

Verdict: I did not calculate a value for Facet Jewelry Box, but you get the materials and instructions for making two complete pieces of jewelry. These projects take longer than the stringing version of the box, but I can see how they appeal to a different crowd. Other than the weird issue with the clasp and split ring, I found these projects easy to complete (granted, I have over 20 years’ worth of experience with beading, so take that with a grain of salt) and I got some new ideas for a project thanks to making this particular necklace.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? You will receive the July box. Boxes go out after the 20th and people who sign up before the 15th will get that month’s box. If you sign up after the 15th, you may still be able to get that month’s box but this is not guaranteed.

LIMITED TIME DEAL: Use code SAVE50 for 50% off your first box! Or, use code FACET to save 10% off your first box!

Value Breakdown: At $24.95 per box, you are paying about $12.48 per project.

Check out all of our Facet Jewelry Box reviews and more beading boxes in the Craft + DIY Subscription Box List!

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

What did you think of the July 2018 Bead Stitching Facet Jewelry Box? Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?