Organic seeds in jewelry. The idea seemed strange to me when I first heard it, but then I remembered teaching school-age classes how to string dried beans to make necklaces and bracelets. The beans weren’t organic seeds, and the string was just cotton thread, so the results were scratchy and unusable. However, mothers used them out of love for their children, and children had fun making them.
Using organic seeds in jewelry making is now an art, and some artisans are learning how to incorporate organic seeds into jewelry with beads and other materials.
Beans are excellent organic seeds for jewelry
Most of the organic seeds used in jewelry are beans. There are many reasons for this.
1. Beans naturally have beautiful patterns and colors.
2. Beans dry naturally and retain their shape when dried.
3. The beans will not wilt with use.
4. Jewelry with beans will last indefinitely, with proper care.
bean varieties
Black beans are great organic seeds to use for jewelry. Although their names include the word “black” as in Black Nightfall, black beans are not quite jet black. These beans exhibit shades of black, gray, brown, and ivory. Swirls of color appear to sparkle when the beads are separated with small glass or silver metal beads.
Kidney beans are another good choice of organic seeds to use for jewelry making. The ones with red and scarlet in the name can be favorably deep reddish-brown, or they can be half beige, half dark red, like the Red Calypso bean. The Red Calypso is an intriguing organic seed jewelry as its even division of color becomes wavy lines on a necklace or bracelet.
Paint Dry Beans are a good choice or organic seeds for summer jewelry. Light tan and off-white coloring looks cool and would complement light summer colors and fabrics.
Flagolet green beans are another good choice for summer. The green of these organic seeds is pale and cool looking. When highlighted with deeper green glass beads, the organic seeds look almost like ivory beans.
For organic seeds that look like polished stones in jewelry, the tiger eye bean is a good choice. It looks a lot like a tiger eye rock.
Other Organic Seeds
While beans are the most common organic seeds used in jewelry, some artisans also use dried corn. Red, gold, orange, green, and gray hues appear in dried corn. Interspersed with gleaming metals and glass beads, these pieces often have a vintage sheen.
Other organic seeds that could be used successfully include watermelon seeds, pumpkin seeds, squash seeds, and other large vegetable seeds.
Use your own organic seeds in jewelry
If you decide to use organic seeds to make jewelry, you will need to prepare your seeds by following these steps.
1. Wash the seeds well and let them dry.
2. Polish each seed with a soft cloth.
3. Make holes in the seeds, being careful not to break them.
4. Apply a clear protective coating inside and out to preserve the seeds.
Once you’ve prepared your seeds, use them as you would any beads to make jewelry. In fact, if you teach in school, why not make truly wearable jewelry with your students using prepared organic seeds?
Advantages of Using Organic Seeds in Jewelry
My research reveals only one advantage of using organic seeds to make jewelry, and that is the “green” factor. Organic seeds incorporated into jewelry can be presented as an “eco-friendly” gift.
While organic seeds are eco-friendly, I couldn’t find any organic seed jewelry that didn’t also use glass and metal products that may or may not be as “green” as beans.
If protecting the environment is your primary reason for looking for jewelry made from organic seeds, ask before you order.