If you're interested in beadwork as more than just a hobby, but also as a potential means of putting money in your pocket, then picking the right projects to focus on can greatly influence your success or failure. Below are some of the more popular profitable niches inside the expansive hobby that is bead craft.

Matched Sets: The upshot of these beadwork projects is that the field is somewhat less crowded and thus, easier to enter than other areas. It's one thing to whip out a pair of earrings, but to create a matching ensemble is quite an undertaking. Definitely an advanced undertaking, even if the designs are relatively simple. On the plus side, you can generally charge a premium for matched sets, but this is balanced by the fact that they are slower to produce. If you want to make enough for sustainable profits, it is imperative that you streamline processes and keep your designs simple, yet original.

Ceiling Fan Pull Chains: A smaller, niche line of beading ideas with good profit potential. Your market is smaller for these products than for jewelry, but there's less competition. Even when using a complex design, these can be produced quickly. If your designs are innovative, you can carve out a highly profitable niche for yourself. A heartily recommended "for profit" project!

Of course, settling on one or more beadwork ideas to make the centerpiece of your "for profit" efforts is only part of the story. Once you have settled on the line of projects to pursue, create and perfect your initial designs and then make some inventory for yourself, your efforts will be for nothing if you don't pay an immediate attention to marketing. A thing that many hobbyist forgets (or don't realize) is that the best, most innovative design on the planet is worthless without proper marketing. If no one knows your line exists, no matter how much time you've invested in it, you will have little, if any success and certainly no sustainable profits.

This is one of the great frustrations of many hobbyists trying to make money with their beading projects. They have a "build it and they will come" mentality, and many put almost no effort into the marketing aspect of the craft.

Especially if you are just starting out, you can expect to spend as much (or more) of your time marketing as you will actually creating product.

Your marketing efforts, like your beading projects, can be as simple or as complex as you care to make them, and can involve any combination of 'net based, local exposure, and hand selling efforts. Your marketing efforts don't have to be perfect, but they do have to be sustained and focused!

Anyone with a bit of experience in bead craft can turn their beading projects profitable, but it takes a plan, persistence, and patience, and don't forget marketing!