Making Your Rosary
With a little practice and observation, you can begin making beautiful rosaries that are true expressions of your creative thought.
Assemble your Supplies and Tools
You will need a spool of 19 gauge SoftFlex™ wire. This is the best stringing material to use and the only one recommended.

You will also need crimp tubes (not crimp beads) in the same color metal as your cross.

A special crimp tool closes the crimps. These are available at bead stores and come with instructions for their use.
A pair of side cutters or very sharp scissors to cut the wire. Note that the wire can damage scissors, so do not use your best.

Collect your Materials
Weeks and Hail Mary Beads: These are normally smaller, but for a flexwire rosary they should never be smaller than 6 mm. 8 mm is a better size. Normally they are all the same. You can use your imagination--vintage beads from old necklaces, crystal or glass beads, beads of metal or wood--all make beautiful rosaries.

Our Father, Invitatory, and Cruciform Beads: These should be larger so that they stand out plainly. Here creativity can have free rein--oval or oblong beads, beautiful metal or cloisonne, Fimo or pottery (fired and glazed, please!), wood. Normally all the same, though the Invitatory bead can be different.

Spacers: Collect an assortment. Small round (2mm-4mm) or rondelle shapes, larger seed beads, heishi style. Have plenty of different ones on hand. Be sure you have at least a few that will accommodate two thicknessess of the cable!

Cross or Crucifix and Medal: Normally of metal, they can also be of wood or other materials. It can be very inspiring to "recycle" the fixtures from a rosary that has been broken or has lost some of its beads or one that has been rescued from a yard sale or flea market.

Set out your materials and supplies on a good, sturdy surface that is well-lighted.
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