Facet Jewelry Box Bead Stitching Review + Coupon – January 2019

Facet Jewelry Box is a 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 Version)

The Cost: $24.95 per month on a month-to-month basis, save with longer subscriptions.

The Products: Materials and instructions to complete two beading/jewelry making projects using bead stitching 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 Version) January 2019 Review

I am never sure whether I’ll be working on a project for days or just a few hours with this subscription:

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-looking 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.

Ndebele Bracelet

This bracelet uses a few sections of herringbone stitch connected by strung portions. It was pretty quick to make. The instructions call for making four of the individual sections but that said you’d get an 8.5-inch bracelet which would be far too big for me, so I took a chance with three of the sections and it ended up being just the right length (my wrist is 5.25 inches around). But I’d say there were plenty of beads left over to make it longer.

This is another project where I’d say don’t rely on their length estimates, though, because they say things like an 8/0 seed bead is 1/8 of an inch long, which is not true (8 size 8/0 seed beads, set side by side, not end to end, will be about an inch, which I have learned from doing a ton of peyote stitch swatches lately). Just use a ruler or drape your project over your wrist now and then to check for fit.

In the end, though I do like how this one turned out.

Channel Necklace

Whenever I see a project that is 100% seed beads, I know it will take me eons. As this one did. You may notice that my individual units are not as sharp-cornered as the picture in the booklet. This is primarily for two reasons:

(1) That would’ve required working on this for another week to go around each unit individually with an extra pass of the thread.

(2) Thread and needle sizing. A size 12 needle was provided with this project (well, it was broken when I took it out of the package but that’s OK, I am not lacking for beading needles) along with 6 lb Fireline. Well, I love size 12 needles but I only use them with 4 lb Fireline because 6 lb Fireline is too thick to easily thread through a size 12 needle. So I had to switch to a size 11 needle (thicker than a 12) so I could actually thread it. But when going through the size 15/0 seed beads (the tiny yellowish ones) where I’d already done a pass or two of Fireline, it got to be difficult to actually push the larger size 11 needle through. I didn’t want to break anything, so I just eliminated the last pass of thread to tighten up each unit. If I had this to do over again, I’d just use some 4 lb Fireline and the size 12 needle, which I know will work because this is my preferred needle/thread combination.

Anyway, these are just things to think about if you haven’t started this project yet. There aren’t a lot of directions as to the length but I didn’t use all the beads (I made mine relatively short) so you could adjust based on your preferred size.

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 usually take longer than with the stringing version of the box, but I can see how they appeal to a different crowd. This month, the time commitment was more intense than in previous months but the instructions were much clearer than last month. I was especially a fan of the bracelet; I liked how some simple things could be done with color to achieve a complex look in an easy project. Really my only issue was the needle/thread combination provided but I’ve already discussed that at length above.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? 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.

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 January 2019 Bead Stitching Facet Jewelry Box? Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?