About this module
This module trains you to make beads from recycled glass and to turn beads into jewellery that sells. You learn by doing: most of the time is spent at the work bench and the kiln, and every unit ends with a practical task and homework.
Who it is for. Beginners with no formal certificate. The level is National Proficiency I, a bridging level for people with little or no formal education, doing routine tasks under close supervision.
CTVET has its own beading programme. CTVET lists Artefact Design – Beading at National Proficiency I among its approved competency-based programmes. Its curriculum was not available online, so this module is not that curriculum. It follows CTVET's published format. Before running an official course, ask CTVET for the Artefact Design – Beading standard and match this module's units to it.
How the module works
Each unit has learning outcomes, performance criteria, the range and the evidence your assessor needs. You are judged Competent or Not Yet Competent by being watched at work, answering questions, and showing your logbook and pieces. About 70% of the time is practical, following CTVET's Oil Palm programme, which uses about 30% in school and 70% at the workplace.
Unit 1 · Work safely with glass and fire
Beads come from broken glass, clay dust and a hot kiln. Each can hurt you. Learn the rules first.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 1.1 Handle glass safely | wears gloves and glasses; never picks up broken glass by hand |
| 1.2 Control dust | crushes glass under cover; works clay wet; wears a dust mask |
| 1.3 Stay safe at the kiln | keeps a safe distance; uses heat-resistant gloves and tools |
| 1.4 Give first aid | shows first aid for cuts and burns |
Range. Glass crushing, mould making, kiln firing, jewellery bench. Evidence. Observation every session; oral questions.
Glass
Wear cut-resistant gloves and eye protection when handling broken glass. Hold pieces by unbroken parts and keep broken glass in its own container. Never pick up broken glass by hand: use a brush and dustpan.
Dust
Crushed bottle glass is not the kind of silica that causes the lung disease silicosis. But clay and kaolin dust from moulds often contains the kind that does. Wet-mop, never dry-sweep; keep clay damp; wear a dust mask. In this course we crush glass in a sack or under a cover and wear a mask anyway.
The kiln
Kilns cause burns, and wood-fired kilns make the area very hot. Fuel kilns must vent outdoors. Some colours contain toxic metals such as lead and cadmium: use lead-free stains and wear gloves when handling colours. The Krobo kiln is wood-fired and built from termite-mound clay, so it belongs outdoors, away from buildings.
First aid
- Burns: cool under cool running water for 20 minutes; remove nearby jewellery but not anything stuck to the burn; cover loosely with cling film; no creams, oil or butter; get help for large or deep burns.
- Cuts: press on the wound, raise it, rinse with clean water, then dress it. If glass is stuck in the cut, don't pull it out: get medical help.
Beads and babies
Waist beads on babies. In Ghana, waist beads are used to follow a baby's growth. The US Food and Drug Administration reports deaths from babies choking on broken bead jewellery or being strangled by it, and US paediatricians advise no jewellery for infants. Respect the custom, but use strong thread and secure knots, and teach parents the risk. In the workshop, keep loose beads away from small children.
Safe or unsafe?
Your trainer describes six workshop scenes. Say safe or unsafe for each, and why.
Safety set-up
- Set up a glass-crushing station: sack, cover, gloves, glasses, mask, brush and dustpan, a labelled box for broken glass.
- Find the first-aid kit and the water point for burns.
- Walk to the kiln with your trainer and mark the safe-distance line.
- Record the set-up in your logbook.
Collect bottles safely
Collect 10 empty glass bottles or jars from home and neighbours (no medicine or chemical bottles). Bring them in a box, not loose in a bag.
Unit 2 · Know Ghana's beads
Ghanaian beads carry meaning. A bead maker who knows the stories makes and sells better beads.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 2.1 Know the history | names the main bead-making areas and markets |
| 2.2 Know the meanings | gives examples of how beads are used in rites and life events |
| 2.3 Respect culture | explains why some bead designs belong to the community |
Range. Krobo, Abompe and other Ghanaian beads; Dipo, weddings, chieftaincy. Evidence. Oral questions; logbook notes.
Where beads are made
Ghanaian glass beads have been made in hand-made clay moulds since at least the early 1700s, and many makers now use recycled glass. The main centres are Odumase-Krobo and Somanya in the Eastern Region's Krobo districts; Abompe makes beads from bauxite.
Markets
Which day is the bead market? The Agomanya bead market in Krobo is on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The Koforidua bead market is on Thursdays, beside Jubilee Park, and has run weekly since 1928. Don't mix them up.
What beads mean
- Dipo, the Krobo rite for girls, uses beads on the neck, ankles and waist; yellow stands for wealth, maturity, prosperity and long life.
- Families pass beads down as a sign of wealth; beads are part of the gifts to a bride.
- Krobo beads have names, such as korli (blue, for children), leh (reddish, for Dipo) and nyoli (white, for new mothers).
- Beads are used at the enstoolment of chiefs and queens, and waist beads stand for womanhood and mark life stages.
Community designs
Ghana's Copyright Act protects folklore: cultural designs made by communities, which belong to the people of Ghana. Treat traditional designs with respect, and don't claim them as your own invention.
Bead stories
In groups, list five occasions when beads are worn in your community and what the beads mean at each. Share with the class.
Ask about a bead
Ask an elder about one bead or set of beads in your family: where it came from, what it means, when it is worn. Write the story.
Unit 3 · Prepare the glass
Good beads start with clean, sorted, finely crushed glass.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 3.1 Clean and sort | washes bottles and sorts them by colour |
| 3.2 Crush and sieve | crushes glass to powder (or chips) safely and sieves it |
| 3.3 Colour | mixes powder with ceramic stain to the colour wanted |
Range. Bottles, jars, window glass; powder and chips. Evidence. Observation; sorted, sieved powder; logbook record.
Steps
- Collect old bottles and jars; cold-cream jars and milk-of-magnesia bottles are popular. Window glass is used too.
- Clean and sort. Wash off dirt and liquid, then sort by colour.
- Crush. For powder beads, crush the glass to a fine powder in a steel mortar and pestle, or put it in a sack on a big stone and pound it. For see-through beads, break it into small chips instead.
- Sieve the powder through wire mesh.
- Colour. Mix in ceramic stains for stronger colours.
Make glass powder
- Wash and sort your homework bottles by colour.
- With full PPE, crush one colour in a covered sack or mortar.
- Sieve the powder; keep chips and powder separate.
- Colour one small batch with a stain; label each batch.
- Clean up with a brush (never fingers) and record the session.
Colour chart
Make a colour chart: tape a small amount of each glass colour you have onto card and label it. Add a note on which bottles each came from.
Unit 4 · Mould and fire beads
In the Krobo method, glass powder is packed into clay moulds around a cassava stem and fired until it fuses into a bead.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 4.1 Prepare moulds | coats moulds with kaolin; sets cassava stems for the holes |
| 4.2 Fill moulds | fills moulds with powder, layering colours for patterns |
| 4.3 Fire and finish (assisted) | watches and helps with firing; shapes holes; cools, washes and polishes beads |
Range. Powder beads and translucent beads; wood-fired kiln. Evidence. Observation; a batch of finished beads; firing record.
Moulds
Bead makers shape moulds from earthenware clay, press holes into them with a wooden stamp, and fire them in the bead kiln. Before each use, dip the mould in a kaolin and water mix so the glass doesn't stick.
Holes
Stand a cassava leaf stem in the centre of each cavity. It holds the glass back until it burns away, leaving the hole. See-through beads are fired too hot for the stem, so their holes are made by hand.
Filling
Pour the powder in through a small tin funnel, layering colours to make patterns.
Firing
How hot and how long? Cedi Djaba, the master bead maker, gives 600–850 °C for 20–45 minutes for powder beads, and 800–1,000 °C for 40–60 minutes for see-through beads. A researcher who photographed his work gives 600–800 °C for 20–35 minutes, and about 800–1,000 °C for 30–45 minutes. Kilns differ: learn your kiln with a master bead maker and record every firing.
Finishing
- While the beads are still hot, straighten and smooth the hole with an awl.
- Let them cool for about an hour.
- Wash them in water and polish with fine sand and water on a grinding stone.
The order of work
Your trainer gives you 12 cards, each with one step of bead making. Put them in the right order and explain what goes wrong if a step is skipped.
A batch of beads
- Coat a mould with kaolin and let it dry.
- Set cassava stems in each cavity.
- Fill with your coloured powder, layering two colours in some cavities.
- Watch the trainer load the kiln; record the time and the trainer's temperature estimate.
- When the trainer unloads, help shape holes with an awl (heat-resistant gloves on).
- Cool, wash and polish your beads. Count and record good and faulty beads.
Firing record
Draw a firing record sheet: date, bead type, number of moulds, fire start time, time out, temperature estimate, good beads, faulty beads, notes. Fill it in for your batch.
Unit 5 · Make jewellery
Beads become money when they become jewellery. Four simple skills make strong pieces.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 5.1 Use the tools | names and uses chain-nose, round-nose and crimping pliers and cutters |
| 5.2 Finish safely | crimps, makes simple loops, opens and closes jump rings, ties a secure knot |
| 5.3 Make products | makes a necklace, a bracelet and a waist-bead strand to the right length |
Range. Beading wire, elastic, thread; clasps, crimps, jump rings, pins. Evidence. Observation; finished pieces.
Tools and materials
A basic kit: a bead mat, two chain-nose pliers, round-nose pliers, flush cutters and crimping pliers; stringing wire, thread and cord; and findings: clasps, crimp beads, jump rings, head pins and eye pins.
The four basic skills are opening and closing jump rings, simple loops, wrapped loops and crimping.
Crimping
Thread a crimp bead on, loop the wire through the clasp, and pass it back through the crimp. Pull to the tension you want, because a crimp can't be undone. Hold the crimp straight and squeeze; a crooked crimp may slip or break.
Simple loop
Grip the pin above the bead and bend it to 90°. Trim to about 10 mm. Roll the wire round the round-nose pliers into a loop, centred over the bead.
Knots
For elastic, tie a surgeon's knot and add a dab of jewellery glue; hide the knot inside a bead with a big hole.
Lengths
| Item | Typical length |
|---|---|
| Choker necklace | 35–41 cm |
| Princess necklace | 43–46 cm |
| Matinee necklace | 51–61 cm |
| Bracelet | wrist plus about 1.5 cm |
Waist beads: measure each customer.
What sells in Ghana
A Ghana bead training taught necklaces, slippers, key holders, bracelets, waist beads, bags, purses, brooches and dress decoration.
Make three pieces
- Make a bracelet on elastic with a surgeon's knot, sized to your partner's wrist.
- Make a princess-length necklace on beading wire with crimps and a clasp.
- Make a pair of earrings with simple loops (or a key holder).
- Make one waist-bead strand, measured on a volunteer (or on your own waist, privately).
- Record materials used and time taken for each, for Unit 7.
Measure for sale
Measure the wrists and necks of three family members and work out the bracelet and necklace length each would need.
Unit 6 · Check quality and design
Customers buy beauty, but they come back for quality. Learn to see faults before a customer does.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 6.1 Check beads | sorts beads into good and faulty, naming the fault |
| 6.2 Check jewellery | tests crimps, loops, knots and clasps |
| 6.3 Design | plans a piece with a colour scheme and repeat pattern |
Range. Recycled-glass beads; finished jewellery. Evidence. Quality record; a designed piece.
What good looks like
- Beads: the hole is centred and smooth, cleared with an awl while hot; the surface is finished with sand and water on stone.
- Crimps: straight, even and flat.
- Loops: closed and centred over the bead.
- Knots: surgeon's knot, glued, hidden.
Design
A study of Ghanaian bead jewellers found that masters often leave out design principles, colour, packaging and finishing when training apprentices. These skills set your work apart. Plan a piece on paper first: choose two or three main colours, a repeat pattern, and a focal bead in the centre.
Spot the fault
Your trainer gives you 10 beads and 5 pieces of jewellery. Sort them into good and faulty and write the fault for each faulty one.
Design and make
- Draw a necklace design with colours and a repeat pattern.
- Make it, using your best beads.
- Check every bead and finish; fix any fault.
- Photograph or sketch the finished piece in your logbook.
Market quality check
At a market or shop, look closely at five beaded pieces. Note one good finish and one fault on each.
Unit 7 · Price and sell
A beautiful piece sold too cheap is a loss. Price every piece properly, then find the right buyers.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 7.1 Cost a piece | adds materials, labour and overheads for one piece |
| 7.2 Set a price | sets a price with a margin and checks it against the market |
| 7.3 Find buyers | names three ways to sell beads in Ghana |
Range. Single pieces; small batches; local, tourist and export buyers. Evidence. Costing sheets; oral questions.
Pricing
Price = (materials + labour + overheads) ÷ (1 − margin). Labour = minutes ÷ 60 × your hourly rate. Overheads per piece = monthly overheads ÷ pieces sold each month. A margin of 25–40% is healthy for retail, and wholesale is about half the retail price.
Ghana prices and markets
- At Agomanya in 2024: waist beads about GH¢11 a strand, traditional neck beads GH¢40, wrist beads GH¢7. Cheap imported crystal beads are cutting demand for Krobo waist beads among young women.
- At Koforidua, prices run from about one cedi for a strand of waist beads to thousands of dollars for antique beads.
- Small Krobo producers, especially women, lose much of their profit to middlemen.
- Ghana's craft exports, including beads, earned about US$95.7 million in 2023.
Where to sell
Rites and ceremonies (Dipo, weddings, naming, chieftaincy); tourists at bead factories and markets; and craft fairs, including trade fairs abroad with the Ghana Export Promotion Authority.
Price a necklace
Materials GH¢18. It took 90 minutes, at GH¢10 an hour. Overheads are GH¢200 a month and you sell 40 pieces a month. (1) Labour cost? (2) Overhead per piece? (3) Total cost? (4) Price at a 35% margin? (5) Wholesale price?
Cost and price your pieces
- Using your Unit 5 records, cost each of your three pieces.
- Set a retail price for each at a 30–40% margin.
- Compare with market prices from your homework; adjust if needed.
- Present one piece to the class with its price and the reasons.
Market prices
Visit a bead seller or market. Record the prices of five pieces like yours. Are yours higher or lower? Why?
Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bodom | Large Ghanaian powder-glass beads |
| Competent / Not Yet Competent | The two possible results of a CBT assessment |
| Crimp bead | A small metal bead squeezed to hold wire to a clasp |
| Dipo | The Krobo puberty rite for girls, in which beads are worn |
| Findings | Clasps, jump rings, pins and other small metal parts |
| Kaolin | White clay used to stop glass sticking to moulds |
| Kiln | An oven for firing beads |
| Powder-glass bead | A bead made from crushed glass fused in a mould |
Logbook
Copy these pages into an exercise book. Your logbook is part of your assessment evidence.
- Unit 1: safety set-up record
- Unit 2: bead story; occasions list
- Unit 3: glass powder batches and colour chart
- Unit 4: firing record; good and faulty bead count
- Unit 5: three pieces with materials and time
- Unit 6: quality record; design drawing
- Unit 7: costing and pricing sheets
- Every homework, dated
Self-check quiz
- How do you pick up broken glass?
- Why wear a dust mask when making clay moulds?
- What is the first aid for a burn?
- Name the two main Ghanaian bead markets and their days.
- What does yellow mean in Dipo beads?
- Why coat moulds with kaolin?
- What makes the hole in a powder bead?
- Why shape the hole while the bead is hot?
- Name the four basic jewellery skills.
- What makes a good crimp?
- What is the pricing formula?
- Why must you take care with waist beads on babies?
Further reading and sources
Best next reads: CTVET's Artefact Design – Beading programme (ask CTVET for it); Cedi Djaba's account of Krobo bead making; Carol Ventura's photographs of the process.
What this module does not cover: building a kiln, antique bead dealing, bauxite beads, online selling, and branding and packaging in depth.
Every source used in this manual is listed, with links, in the Teacher Copy.