Daily Blogs : Crystals, Chain Maille

Make This Easy Wire Jewelry Project Using Your Favorite Glass Beads!

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to Wonderful Wire Week here on Beading Daily! This week, I'm going to explore just a few of the ways in which wire jewelry has woven its way into my beading and jewelry-making projects, and I hope you'll enjoy the ride.

Not so long ago, I was a wire wimp. I was a great admirer of folks who could make wire jewelry, but never felt comfortable making it myself. A couple of things changed all that for me: the first was working on a couple of innovative wire and bead-weaving projects from the very talented Rachel Nelson-Smith; the second was learning how to do Viking knit. Suddenly, the wire world was my oyster, and I realized that the basic wire jewelry skills that I had been practicing for all those years could easily be used to create spectacular bead and wire jewelry!

One of the things I love about my basic wire jewelry skills is that I can take a handful of leftover glass beads, some pretty colored copper wire, and in just a few minutes, crank out a fun and funky piece of beaded wire jewelry. When I had a few of these beautiful picasso-coated Czech glass beads left over from a larger project, I grabbed my trusty flush cutters and combination pliers and got to work turning them into a fun and easy wire bracelet.

The secret to making this bracelet is to go easy on yourself: don't worry if your wire coils aren't perfect. I didn't have a mandrel handy for making my coils, so I just used the round jaw of my combination pliers to make my coils. If you have lots of different colors of wire and one solid color of bead, you can make each coil a different color for a rainbow effect. Have fun!

Materials:

For this wire jewelry project, you'll need at least 5 feet of 18 gauge copper wire, in whatever color(s) match your glass beads
An assortment of glass beads. I used some leftover Czech glass picasso beads in the shapes of barrels and rondelles

Tools

Flush cutters
Combination pliers
Chain nose pliers
Flat nose pliers

Step-by-step Instructions:

		Step 1: Use short lengths of the wire to make units with wrapped loops on either end. Measure your links to figure out how many wire coils you'll need to make to place in between each wire wrapped bead unit. (I made my beaded units about 1 inch long.)

		Step 2: To make the coils, cut a 6 inch length of 18 gauge wire. Using a mandrel (or the round jaw of a round nose or combination pliers) to make your coils. Place the center of the wire on your mandrel or pliers and make a series of even wraps. Trim the ends of the coil.

		Step 3: To make your end loops, gently bend the coil in the center, and when the ends separate, gently grasp the last wrap with your chain nose pliers. Bend the wrap at a 90 degree angle to form a loop.

		Step 4: Open the ends of the coils the same way you would a simple loop and attach the wire wrapped links.

		Step 5: To make the hook for one end of the clasp, take a 6 inch piece of wire and make a sharp bend in the middle of the wire. Use your flat nose pliers to flatten the loop.

		Step 6: Make a bend in the double wire about 1 inch from the end. Use your round nose pliers to make a subtle upward bend in the tip of the hook.

		Step 7: Grasping the hook with your flat nose pliers, take one piece of wire and make a few wraps around the other piece. Trim the wire close to the wraps.

		Step 8: Before you finish closing the wrapped loop, slip it onto one end of your bracelet. Finish wrapping the loop, and trim the wire close to the wraps.

There are so many ways you can play with this basic design! Include bead caps, crystal beads, or even paper beads or a lightweight alternative. Mix up the colors of your wire, or add a pre-made clasp if you don't want to make your own. But as long as you can make basic wire-wrapped loops, you can take this wire jewelry design and make it your own.

Inspired to start working with wire? Check out the all-new Wireworker's Companion by Denise Peck and Jane Dickerson. Get all the reference information you need about wire gauge, wire tools, basic wire jewelry techniques, and even more advanced techniques like chain maille and working with a micro torch. Or if you can't wait to take a peek, get your copy of the Wireworker's Companion instantly as an eBook! All the same great content as the print version, but ready to read on your favorite desktop or laptop in just minutes.

What about you? Have you tried making your own wire jewelry yet? Was there one special wire jewelry project that really got you hooked on making wire jewelry? Leave a comment here on the Beading Daily blog and tell us about it!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Haiku Wire Jewelry with Guest Blogger Barb Switzer

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Sometimes, the simplest designs are the most powerful. Wire jewelry made with clean lines and bold colors can make just as big a statement as a piece of wire jewelry made with intricate bends and wraps. In fact, it can actually be more difficult to create a simple piece of beautiful wire jewelry -- when you're not loading up the piece with crystals and gemstones, each bead is very important in the execution of the overall design.

Today's guest blogger on Beading Daily is the very talented bead and wire jewelry artist Barb Switzer, who shares with us her very beautiful take on what she calls Haiku Jewelry!

A Wire Jewelry Haiku

A handmade glass bead,

framed with elegant chain links,

hanging brilliantly.

Once, back in 2006, I bought beads at a show in Oakland, took them home, and turned them into jewelry before the weekend was over. The inspiration for this miracle was simple: by husband suggested that I attach a jump ring, attach some chain, and just "put together something simple." This idea shook me up. I tend to dedicate a lot of time and thought to each piece I design, and it seemed almost blasphemous to attach some bead, chain, and a clasp and call it finished. As soon as I put on the necklace -- a fine collection of Fordite beads -- I realized that there was nothing at all wrong with this straightforward approach. Honestly, it was satisfying as both a maker and wearer.

I term this very basic design concept "haiku jewelry." A purist ideal of using wire, a few beads, and findings, especially chain, can seriously increase the amount of jewelry you can complete during creative time slots. Attempts to use each treasured purchase in an eye-catching, totally new, one-of-a-kind design, often makes it impossible or too time-consuming to finish a piece of jewelry. Embracing the elemental process based on simple loops and links allows new purchases to be transformed into new jewelry post-haste.

Now be a deconstructionist. Wire jewelry is recyclable. Jump rings, clasps and chain can be re-used. A pendant can be moved to the center of a different necklace. Since you don't have to commit too much time, you can always put together a "wear it now" version of a necklace, and then remake it later on, using the same materials or completely different ones. And since metal smacks of permanence, even if you don't feel committed to a design, it won't look that way to anyone else.

Next time you find yourself with less than two hours to make a new necklace before meeting friends for dinner, dig through your stash, pick out the bead or pendant that yells loudest (or that has languished longest), and make something. Don't get caught up in the process, and keep things elemental. Remember that when that particular bead spoke to you, it had no compelling design "story." You must tell that story. There is no minimum word count, so keep it simple, and design a visual haiku.

Ready to explore your own version of wire jewelry haiku? Check out The Wireworker's Companion by Denise Peck and Jane Dickerson of Step By Step Wire Jewelry Magazine. It's perfect for beginners, with fabulous reference information about both the types of wire used in jewelry making and the tools that you'll need to work with it. More advanced wire jewelry artists will love the detailed techniques and tutorials, including how to use a micro torch and how to do chain maille!

You can pre-order your copy of The Wireworker's Companion now, or you can download the eBook onto your favorite desktop or laptop computer and be reading in just minutes! (It contains all the same great content as the print version, but in digital format.)

Do you have a great tip for someone just getting started with wire jewelry? What would you say to encourage someone to get started learning how to make wire jewelry? Leave a comment here on the Beading Daily blog and share your tips and ideas with us!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Barb Switzer has been bending wire since 1995. Originally, it was just a hobby that she loved in a ridiculous way. In 2003, she changed states, residences and committed herself to supporting herself by doing what her heart told her. She is also a trained graphic designer and production specialist with a background in printing and photography. You can contact her at beadswitzer@yahoo.com.

Free Wire Jewelry Projects That You'll Love to Make!

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Who would have thought that you can do so many things with just a spool of wire and a couple of pairs of jewelry-making pliers? Wire jewelry is one of those jewelry-making techniques that you can use to create just about anything, from necklaces and pendants to bracelets, rings, and earrings.

It's easy to learn how to make wire jewelry using just a few basic techniques. Once you've mastered skills like making wrapped loops and simple loops, you can move on to things like making wire coils and even making your own wire jewelry findings, all with the same basic skills!

Because we love wire jewelry making so much, we've freshened up our free wire jewelry eBook for you by adding four great new wire jewelry making projects:

Lori Anderson's Tribal Curves earrings are a beautiful, simple way to make ethnic style wire jewelry.
Leather is all the rage in jewelry making these days, but Jodi Bombardier's Leather Loops bracelet is a piece of wire jewelry that will never go out of style.
If you're into mixing crystals with wire, Susan Olivio's Nicole Earrings pack plenty of sparkling punch!
For a unique twist on wire jewelry, try Diamonte Locks by Alyn Shafqat and learn how to mix wire with fibers and a crystal stone for a beautiful, modern pendant.

In addition to two other original wire jewelry projects:

Cerulean Falls, by Danielle Fox, requires easy wrapped loops and jump rings for sweet and stylish results.
Gypsy Wire Bangle by wire jewelry master Janice Berkebile will teach you how to create a custom wire bracelet covered with wire coils for a free-spirited look you'll want to wear every day!

We've also included two of our most popular wire jewelry making blogs from Beading Daily, with great information about using wire for beginners.

So grab your wire and your favorite jewelry-making tools and supplies and settle in for some great wire jewelry fun! Enjoy!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Free Blooming Heart Mixed Media Jewelry-Making Project from Nunn Designs

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Silly me. All through high school and college, I thought that jewelry making with materials like fiber, clay, fabric, and paper was just a fun way to make jewelry. Little did I know that it's actually mixed media jewelry, and when I need to stretch my creative muscles a little bit, it's the perfect way to learn some fun new jewelry-making skills.

Our friends at Nunn Design have shared this awesome mixed media jewelry making project with us, designed by Karen McGovern as part of the Nunn Design Team. Enjoy!

Artist's Tip: Don't be intimidated by the list of materials used in this mixed media jewelry making project. If you can't find the exact materials listed, add your own favorite jewelry making or beading supplies, gemstone beads, or anything else that you'd like to use to make this project your own!

Materials:

Nunn Design Ornate Heart pendant in copper
Patterned brass sheet
2 faux pearl headpins, 3 inches
3 black flat-tipped headpins, 3 inches
4 polymer clay leaves (these were from Karen Lewis)
12 inches brass wire, 22 gauge
2 round beads, 4-6 mm, yellow and green
1 acrylic Lalibert flower bead cap, frost
1 enamel tipped headpin, 3 inches
Crystal Clay, black
9 inches Nunn Design Large Round Ornate chain in antique copper
9 inches plus three links Nunn Design Large Oval Ornate chain in antique copper
Nunn Design brass toggle clasp

Tools:

Wire shears
Wire snips
Round nose pliers
Needle nose pliers
Flat file
Your favorite epoxy or quick setting glue

Step-by-Step Instructions:

		Cut a triangle of patterned brass sheet ¾ inches tall by ½ inch wide. File the edges as needed to remove any snags or rough metal.

		Using your hands, gently curve the edges until you create a "pocket" that fits snugly into the heart bezel pendant. Set aside.

		Create your flowers, leaves and headpin embellishments. Slide a polymer clay leaf onto a head pin, and add a drop of glue. Carefully bend the wire so the leaf stands up. The polymer clay leaves are fragile, so take extra care when bending.

		Slide a yellow bead onto a black headpin, add a drop of glue, slide on the acrylic flower cap. Add a dab of glue to the end of another headpin, slide on your green bead.

		Make sure each leaf is glued securely to the headpin. Curve and bend the wires as you wish, trim with wire snips to fit into the brass sheet "pocket". Mix Crystal Clay according to package directions, and place enough clay into the heart bezel to fill the brass "pocket", but not show from the front. Press the brass in place, remove any excess clay that may squeeze out. Insert your flowers, wires and leaves, let cure for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight. After curing, test the wires. If any feel loose, add a dab of glue to the base.

		To assemble the necklace connect three links of oval copper chain to the pendant using the links as jump rings, then connect the hoop of the brass toggle to the end. Connect 9 inches of round copper chain to the toggle hoop, then connect 9 inches of oval chain to the round chain.

		Finish by connecting the toggle bar to the oval copper chain end. Add two polymer clay leaf dangles by creating simple wire wraps using 22 gauge brass wire. Place them so that they will hover over the toggle, a few links above the pendant.

What I particularly love about this kind of mixed media jewelry-making project is that you don't necessarily have to use the copper chain to finish it. Why not make a beaded chain using St. Petersburg stitch or Chevron chain? You could even stitch up a bail and hang this gorgeous mixed media pendant from a peyote stitch rope!

Are you ready to play with your mixed media jewelry-making skills? Mix things up a little bit when you get your copy of Handcrafted Jewelry 2012. For less than fifty cents a project, you'll get thirty-four mixed media jewelry-making projects using over forty different techniques! Whether you're just venturing into the world of mixed media jewelry, or you consider yourself a skilled mixed media jewelry artist, you're sure to find something new and inspiring to get you working on a new project.

Get your copy of Handcrafted Jewelry 2012 now, and feel like a kid again when you play with your jewelry-making supplies! Don't want to wait to have your print copy delivered? You can also download Handcrafted Jewelry 2012 instantly onto your favorite desktop or laptop computer. All the same great content as the print version, but in digital format and available for viewing in just minutes!

Have you tried combining mixed media jewelry-making components with your bead-weaving? Have some advice for those of us who like to create our own mixed-media focals and jewelry-making components? Share your tips and advice here and leave a comment on the Beading Daily blog!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

P.S. Nunn Design is currently looking for creative jewelry designers to be a part of the 2013 Innovation Design Team! You can find all the details on the Nunn Design blog.

5 Tips for Making Beautiful Wire and Bead Chains

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 07:00:00 GMT

I've been doing a lot of wire jewelry making projects lately, thanks in no small part to my ever-improving wire jewelry making skills. I've discovered that just knowing how to make simple loops, wrapped loops, and jump rings can translate into a whole wire jewelry project!

So after seeing some absolutely beautiful wire and bead chain in bead shops and at shows, I committed that most grievous crime and actually said the words, "I can make that myself." But I knew I could put my money (and my beads) where my mouth is, so I set out to make a couple of beautiful wire and bead chains for my bead embroidery pendants.

The great thing about making these wire and bead chains is that they don't just work well as neck straps for my bead embroidery pendants -- they also make fabulous (and easy) wire jewelry projects all on their own! If you can make wrapped loops and know how to open and close a jump ring, then you can make your own wire and bead chains for all your beading projects.

Tip #1: Start with this free tutorial from Jean Campbell. Yep, Jean Campbell is my go-to resource when I need information or a technique tutorial. And she's written a great wire and bead chain tutorial for Beading Daily with clear, step-by-step instructions for how to make a wire and bead chain. Check it out to find out her tips for making consistent, even wire loops, too!

Tip #2: Work from the spool of wire. Instead of pre-cutting pieces of wire, I found it to be much easier to string the beads for each wire and bead link onto my spool of wire first, make a loop, and then trim the wire, just as Jean illustrated in her step-by-step tutorial above. A word of caution, though: don't string the beads for more than one unit at a time. That loose end of wire will whip around and send your beads into all corners of the room.

Tip #3: For speedy beading, use combination pliers. It might take a little practice to get the hang of handling them, but using combination pliers means that you don't have to stop, put down, and pick up a new pair of pliers every ten seconds. Plus, with the combination pliers, being able to keep my grip on the loop as I wrap it means the difference between a good wrapped loop and a great wrapped loop!

Tip #4: Make wrapped loop links, and join them with jump rings. Because I'm the mother of a four year old, I'm always thinking about ways to kid-proof my jewelry. To prevent your wire and bead chains from pulling apart and losing the beads, make wrapped loops at either end of your links and then join them together with jump rings or split rings. That way, if little hands yank at the pretty chain around your neck or wrist, you only lose a jump ring or two and not all those beads!

Tip #5: Get creative with your beads! Sure, you can make a great wire and bead chain using tiny gemstone beads, but this is one time when it's fun to think outside the box. Why not use up some of

those leftover beads or bead soup that you have lying around? Vintage beads make great wire and bead chain, and so do crystal beads, ceramic beads, and other large beads. (When you're using delicate crystal beads or vintage glass beads, it's a good idea to buffer them with seed beads or metal spacer beads to prevent the edges from chipping if they come in contact with the jaws of the pliers.)

If you don't think you want to start by making an entire wire and bead chain necklace, start small. Practice making links and use them as earrings, bracelets, and even fringe for your bead-weaving! Best of all, you can use colored craft wire or copper wire instead of precious metal wire to save money.

Are you hooked on making wire and bead chains? Trust me, it's only the beginning! For more great wire jewelry making projects, you'll want to check out Step By Step Wire Jewelry magazine. You'll find lots of great wire jewelry projects that use beads and wire with the same great step-by-step instructions that you expect from a great beading magazine. And if you like to stay current with wire jewelry making trends, new tools, supplies, and techniques, then you won't want to miss a single issue. Subscribe to Step By Step Wire Jewelry today, but don't say that I didn't warn you: wire jewelry making can be addicting!

Have you found a great way to work some wire into your beading projects? I still love using wire and bead chains for my bead embroidery pendants, either as neck straps or as fringe. (And the extra wire and bead links make great matching earrings for customer appreciation gifts, too!) Share your tips for working wire into your beading projects here on the Beading Daily blog!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

My First Adventures in Chain Maille!

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 01:00:00 GMT

Every once in a while, I am assigned a topic to write about here on Beading Daily that pushes the limits of what I know about jewelry-making. This time, it happened to be chain maille. I've never done anything with chain maille, and I was a little intimidated at the thought of opening, linking and closing all those tiny jump rings. Don't do it!, was the advice from Jewelry Making Daily's Tammy Jones. Tammy, apparently, resisted chain maille because she didn't think she had the patience to sit still and link all those little jump rings together, either!


It doesn't have to cost a lot to get started with chain maille. Some jump rings and a couple of pairs of jewelry making pliers are really all that you need!

But what's life without a little jewelry-making adventure now and then, right? And since this is National Craft Month and I'm participating in the 30 Day Challenge being given by Fusion Beads, I thought, hey, this will be perfect for the Day 3 Challenge: Learn a New Beading Technique.

To get started, I looked for an easy chain maille project. Naturally, the first place I looked was in the Free Resources section of Beading Daily, and sure enough, I found a lovely chain maille pendant project. After reading some of Tammy's Jewelry Making Daily posts about making chain maille, however, I decided that I would wimp out and buy my jump rings instead of making them myself. (I'm not THAT brave!)

What I found when ordering my jump rings was that I couldn't find the correct size for the smaller rings. So I ordered one size that was a tiny bit too small and another size that was a tiny bit too large. I figured I'd experiment with each and see what happened with them when I tried to use them in the pattern. I also ordered a special ring for opening and closing jump rings, thinking that any new beading tool that can help me with my first chain maille project can't be a bad thing.


	My first chain maille pendant, accented with a huge Swarovski crystal pendant!

Once I had all my materials together, I sat down on a gloomy Sunday afternoon and turned on (appropriately enough) a documentary about the development of mathematics and set out to make my first chain maille necklace project!

So, here's what I discovered:

My chain nose pliers were pretty much useless for gripping those jump rings. I'm not sure if it was because I'm just not skilled at opening and closing jump rings like that or if my pliers need to be replaced, but whatever the reason, I found myself dropping the entire piece of chain maille over and over whenever I tried to grip one of the jump rings with the chain nose pliers.

The jump ring opening tool was great for opening the rings, but not so great for closing them. My flat nose pliers worked much better for closing my jump rings, even when I had to nudge them into a tight space. I couldn't actually slide it all the way down my finger like a regular ring, but wearing it higher up on my finger gave me better control when I used it for opening my jump rings. It definitely made that chore faster!

The smaller size of the copper jump rings just didn't work for this project. But I noticed when using the larger size of the copper jump rings that each row of links turned out a bit tighter than I think they should have been. To compensate for this, I decided to just link the rows together at the ends instead of throughout the entire row. The result was a substantial piece of chain maille with a lovely drape to it!

And wouldn't you know it -- right after I finished my first chain maille pendant, I discovered that I had a large Swarovski crystal drop pendant in my stash that matched the colors in the jump rings perfectly! All that's left for me to do is make a beaded rope for it.

Are you looking for a great beginners' chain maille resource? Chain and Bead Jewelry: Geometric Connections is the perfect resource for someone who wants to teach themselves how to do basic chain maille! More than twenty projects are fully illustrated with easy-to-read and color-coded diagrams to make it easy to learn how to make your own amazing chain maille jewelry. Order your copy of Chain and Bead Jewelry: Geometric Connections and start linking your way to beautiful metal jewelry.

What was your first chain maille project? Do you have any favorite suppliers for chain maille jump rings and tools? Leave a comment and share your thoughts here on the Beading Daily blog!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Where to Find Free Beading Patterns on the Internet: About.com Beadwork

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 01:00:00 GMT

We all love free beading patterns, there's no doubt about that. Last week, I talked a little about where to find free beading patterns here on Beading Daily. This week, we'll start looking around at other great places on the Internet where you can find free beading patterns. And we all know what that means - you can save your money for more beads!

Free Beading Patterns on About.com


Free Crystal Circle Pendant Beading Pattern

About.com is a website owned by the New York Times Company and maintains hundreds of individual websites devoted to a particular topic. The content on each site is written by a Guide, an expert in that topic chosen after a lengthy recruiting and training process.

There are two places to find free beading patterns on About.com. The first is the Beadwork site, which is currently written by author and bead artist Chris Franchetti Michaels. Chris has a vast knowledge of basic beading skills and is a wonderful designer of easy free beading patterns.

To find the free beading patterns on the About.com Beadwork site, click on the tab that says "Beading Patterns". Below, you'll find a list of some (but not all) of the free beading patterns on the site. Currently, they are grouped into the following categories: Beaded necklaces and pendants; Beaded earrings; Beaded Bracelets; Beaded Components; Holiday Beadwork; and Free Beading Patterns with Swarovski Crystals.

The free beading patterns on this site are not in .pdf format, and therefore you'll need to print the pages directly from your screen. If you need assistance in printing these free beading patterns, you can contact Chris Franchetti Michaels and she'll direct you in the best way to print these patterns.

(And if you see my name sprinkled throughout the patterns, yes - I was the Guide to Beadwork from 2009 until 2011, and many of the free beading patterns I designed are still available on the site!)

Jewelry Making Projects on About.com

The other place on About.com to find free beading patterns and jewelry-making projects is the Jewelry Making site. This site, run by jewelry artist and author Tammy Powley since 1998. Tammy is the author of several wonderful jewelry-making books, and brings her extensive knowledge of a variety of jewelry-making techniques and jewelry business to the site.

To find the free beading patterns and jewelry-making projects on the Jewelry Making site, just click on the tab at the top of the homepage that says "Projects". You'll find all types of free jewelry-making projects including metal clay, polymer clay, chain maille, basic bead stringing and even some seed bead patterns.

Other Free Beading and Jewelry-Making Projects on About.com

If you do a general site search, you'll find lots of other free beading patterns and jewelry-making projects scattered throughout the About.com site including cool and funky upcycled jewelry, paper beads, and kids' crafts. And they're all free!

Do you have a favorite source on the Internet for free beading patterns? Leave a comment and share it here on the blog for others!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Free Beading Project: Colorful Wire Wrapped and Crystal Earrings!

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 04:00:00 GMT

This bright and cheerful wire-wrapping, wire-coiling teardrop earring project was designed by Lindsay Burke for Fusion Beads. With the upcoming holiday season, these would look great for all those office parties and family get-togethers on your busy calendar! Now, I'm no wire wrapping or wire jewelry-making expert, but these earrings look like fun. Thanks so much to Tammy Jones over at Jewelry Making Daily for sharing this great free beading project with us!

Tools and Materials:

6' of 26-gauge fine silver wire
(2) 22-gauge 3.3mm ID sterling jump rings
(2) 22-gauge 4.8mm ID sterling jump rings
(2) 40mm x 28mm sterling silver flat teardrop components
CRYSTALLIZED-Swarovski Elements crystal beads:
   (2) 3mm fuchsia bicones
   (2) 3mm blue zircon bicones
   (2) 3mm topaz bicones
   (2) 3mm Indian pink AB bicones
   (4) 4mm olivine round
   (2) 4mm blue zircon round
   (2) 4mm Indian red round
   (2) 4mm lime round
   (4) 4mm Indian pink round
   (4) 6mm amethyst graphic cubes
(2) 9mm x 6mm indicolite drop beads
   (2) 20mm sterling silver flat ear wires
chain-nose pliers
flush cutters


1. Anchor a 3' length of wire to the right side of a teardrop component by wrapping it around the component twice.	2. Add an indicolite crystal drop bead, and anchor the wire by wrapping it around the component twice. The bead should rest on the inside lip of the component.	3. Add a 4mm lime round bead and anchor the wire by wrapping it around the component twice. The bead should rest on the inside lip of the component.


4. Repeat in the same manner, adding a 6mm amethyst crystal graphic cube bead and anchor it. Then add a 4mm Indian pink crystal round bead and anchor it to the component.	5. Add a 3mm fuchsia crystal bicone to the wire.	6. Begin adding beads in the opposite direction. Thread the wire through the loop created from the 4mm fuchsia bead in the previous row.


7. Pull the wire taut.	8. Add a 4mm blue zircon crystal round bead, and thread the wire through the loop created from the amethyst crystal graphic cube. Pull the wire taut.	9. Add a 4mm olivine crystal round bead and a 3mm Indian pink crystal bicone, and thread the wire through the loop created from the 4mm lime crystal round bead. Pull the wire taut.


10. Add a 4mm Indian red crystal round bead, a 3mm topaz crystal bicone, and a 4mm Indian pink crystal round bead, and anchor the wire around the component by wrapping it around twice.	11. Add a 6mm amethyst crystal graphic cube bead to the wire.	12. Begin adding beads in the opposite direction. Thread the wire through the loop created from the beads in Step 10, putting the wire between the 4mm Indian red bead and the 3mm topaz bead. Pull the wire taut.


13. Add a 3mm blue zircon crystal bicone, and thread the wire through the loop created form the amethyst crystal graphic cube from Step 12. Pull the wire taut.	14. Add a 4mm olivine crystal round bead, and pull the wire around the amethyst crystal graphic cube. Anchor the wire to the component by wrapping it around twice.	15. Cover the component by wrapping the wire tightly around the component.


16. Continue wrapping the component completely with the rest of the wire. Trim both ends of the wire closely to the component.	17. Add a 4.8mm jump ring to the top of the component and close.	18. Use the 3.3mm jump ring to attach the jump ring in the last step to the ear wire and close. Repeat Steps 1-18 for the other earring.

Whether you are a seasoned wire jewelry and wire wrapping artist or just getting started, you'll love the projects and instruction you'll find packed in every issue of Step By Step Wire Jewelry. Each month, you'll find great resources and beautifully photographed wire jewelry projects that will help you learn new wire wrapping and jewelry-making skills while you create stunning jewelry! Subscribe to Step By Step Wire Jewelry and make sure you don't miss a single issue! Or, if you prefer to take your magazine subscriptions on the go, you can also get a digital subscription.

Have you ever made special holiday jewelry that you can't help but wear all year? Leave a comment here on the blog and share your thoughts with us!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Project Accessory: Bead Fearlessly!

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:00:00 GMT


	Dangles from an old crystal chandelier make the perfect accent for a braided necklace and belt!


You might not believe this, but she's using match sticks to create a necklace!

Some of us around here at Interweave were so excited by the new Project Accessory on Lifetime that we decided to do a Bead Along Challenge here on Beading Daily, and a Make Along Challenge over on Jewelry Making Daily! Are you up for the challenge?

If you missed the first episode of Project Accessory, you can watch it for free on Lifetime's website. I won't tell you who the winner was, but I will tell you what the challenge is for this week!

This week, we're using found objects in our beadwork! Anything goes - rummage through your utility drawers, your garage workshops, your attics, your scary basements... Fill a box with "junk" and then go through it and find what inspires you. Tear, cut, drill, paint and then - of course - BEAD! Use anything you want to create a piece of beaded jewelry with the items you find. And don't be afraid to go over-the-top and make this really runway-worthy!

When you're done, post a photo of your found object beaded jewelry in the Reader Photo Gallery using the tag PABAL. (Note: you MUST use the tag PABAL in order for your piece to show up in the Project Accessory Bead Along Gallery!) You can also talk about Project Accessory and the challenge over in the Forums and get inspiration and advice from other beaders.


Get creative with this challenge: what can you find in your "junk" that would make awesome runway-worthy beaded jewelry?

I know that some beaders might be put off by the idea of using hand tools to alter their found objects. I, too, used to be tool-challenged, until I started learning how to make lampwork glass beads. There was something about using that torch while it was hooked up to tanks of potentially explosive gasses that removed all of my fears about hand tools. When I started fusing glass, my hands used the glass cutters and pliers as if I had been doing it my entire life. Maybe this challenge will be the perfect way for someone to overcome their fears of hand tools?

If you're not comfortable with power tools, start with a small Dremel tool to drill holes. Use your heavy-duty wire cutters to clip and trim metal and mesh and transform it into useful jewelry-making components. In this week's challenge, the designers used things like old metal rat traps (ew!), mattress springs and industrial wire to make jump rings and jewelry findings. The takeaway here is that ANYTHING can be turned into jewelry in the right hands.

After you've made your components, turn those jewelry-making components into a piece of beaded jewelry! (Does that make it a double challenge for some of us? I think it just might be!)

After you've made your jewelry components from your junk, bead it up! There are so many ways to incorporate found objects into your beadwork - you can stitch a peyote bezel around a round object, or hang a bunch of drilled charms from a right-angle weave necklace. It makes you realize just how versatile beadweaving is, both as an art form and as a craft.

Don't know where to start? Take a look at some of the steampunk projects in the Beading Daily and Jewelry Making Daily online shops! Interweave author and artist Susan Lenart Kazmer also has some wonderfully inspiring pieces on her website that are made with found objects. Take a look at the new Beading Daily Bead Along page to get some more great inspiration from blogs, beading and jewelry-making projects and our free projects, too!

Need some more inspiration? There's a special offer for Project Accessory fans this weekend!

Steampunk, “Mad Max,” industrial-chic – whatever you want to call it, using hardware and other unconventional items in your jewelry has always been hot. Maybe you don’t want to go as crazy as Brian Burkhardt did with the teddy bear and sofa belt (or maybe you do!), but you can learn how to express your vision in new ways and with fun materials with Jean Campbell’s Mixed-Media: Making Steampunk-Style Jewelry. It’s on sale for Project Accessory fans now through 10/30/11! Just enter coupon code PABD1 when you’re ready to check out. Start steaming up your jewelry now!

So let's turn our junk into jewelry, and bead fearlessly! Bead Happy!

Jennifer

Helen’s 10 Ideas for Textured Metal Treasures

Kristal Wick — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 10:44:00 GMT

Kristal Wick
is the editor of
Beading Daily

One of my fave additions to my personal jewelry making has been metals and wire. I love adding textured metals to my fabric beads for loads of fun and unusual textures. So I'm always looking for a few new tricks to keep up my sleeve for new jewelry designs. New techniques, materials, etc.

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist's resident goldsmith, Helen Driggs, has just launched a new double-disk DVD set Metalsmith Essentials: Basic Fabrication. She has more than a few secrets and tricks to share. I can't wait to work on some new ideas I learned from Helen and plan on texturing metal this weekend!

Texturing metal is one of the quickest and easiest ways of introducing metalwork into your current jewelry making. I find it very satisfying on so many levels (give me a hammer to pound after a stressful day in the office, and I’m a happy camper). You don’t have to be a metalsmith to create some super simple metal pieces for YOUR jewelry. You can apply textures to metal blanks from your bead or craft store. Helen even shows you how to use inexpensive tools from your toolbox such as a nail! This metal working is much easier than it looks, trust me-I’ve done it!

Once you texture your metal, what to do next, you may ask. Here are some suggestions from Helen herself (and a few ideas for each tip from me):

1. Saw it out into a cool shape.

2. Use a disc cutter to make circles out of it.

Kristal: For smaller circles, file the edges then attach to a bracelet with strong glue. For larger circles, go to step 3.

3. Drill it and make a pendant.

Kristal: Add some bling then string on a simple chain.

4. Rivet something else on it.

Kristal: I find myself searching through those steampunk parts and found objects for unique things to rivet.

5. Solder it to something else.

Kristal: The possibilities are endless . . . I am thinking a flower shaped ring with layers of metal adorned with pearls and crystals (of course).

6. Dome a circle of it in a dapping block or on a stake.

Kristal: Glue it to a ring base.

7. Cut an opening in it.

8. Create a bend or twist in it.

9. Cut identical shapes in different textures for links.

Kristal: Make a long chain necklace by connecting the links with simple jump rings.

10. Combine two textures on one sheet and go back to number one.

I think I'll start with custom dog tags for my pups. They've chewed the plastic tags I got from the store, so I'm going to outsmart Thing 1 and Thing 2 (my nickname for them), and make metal tags; texture one side, and stamp our phone number on the other side. Join me in exploring Helen's Metalsmith Essentials and make your own creations!

Come bead with me!

Creatively,

Gift Your Friends with Handcrafted Earrings in 4 Super-Easy Steps!

Kristal Wick — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 10:44:00 GMT

Kristal Wick
is the editor of
Beading Daily

OK gang: 36, yes, 36 days until the big Ho, Ho, Ho! (I heard you all gulp, now take a nice, deep breath). I've got some great last-minute projects to inspire/haunt you this holiday season (your choice depending on your favorite movie: Scrooge or It's a Wonderful Life), as well as an easy step-by-step earring project you can whip up while the turkey is cooking.

It's been tough to fit in holiday beading this year, as I have a crazy-busy schedule living my beady passion, which includes quite a bit of travel. I don't get to share much time with my local peeps, and they let me know all about it! So, I've decided to give my wannabee jewelry-making friends a special treat this season. I'm selecting a few of my fave easy holiday jewelry projects and gifting them with a jewelry lesson in making one of them. What a triple-whammy! They'll be so excited to learn how to make jewelry, proudly wear their first beautiful project, AND we get to spend some quality time together. It's likely I'll be doing most of the actual "making" of the jewelry for some, but so many of my friends want to learn jewelry making, what a fun gift for both of us!

Below are the steps for some easy earrings I made last night specifically to teach my peeps, inspired by this Pearl Cuff project in Step by Step Jewelry Gifts for the Holidays 08'.

		1. String a few components onto a head pin. I used Swarovski pearls and crystals in the picture.

		2. Make a small loop at the top of the head pin.

		3. Open the loop, slip in a decorative component, and then close the loop. I love using vintage-looking components from KabelaDesign.com or Vintaj.com.

		4. Attach ear wires by opening the ear-wire loop, slipping in the decorative component, and closing the loop. Repeat for the other earring.

Start a New Jewelry-Making Trend

The quilters and knitters have been creating together for eons, in fact, here's the definition of a quilting bee: A quilting bee is a gathering of friends and neighbors who come together to work on creating a quilt. A quilting bee can be a social event during which friends spend time working together on one quilt, or it can be put together in the form of a competition, in which teams work together in an attempt to finish their quilt before their competitors. The original purpose behind a quilting bee was to enlist the help of several people in order to get the quilt finished in a much faster fashion than if just one person worked on the quilt. While this is still a modern advantage to the quilting bee, the primary purpose behind the quilting bee today is to socialize with others who enjoy the craft of quilting.

Why don't we have Beading Bees? Join me in starting a new Beading Bee trend with the primary purpose to be socializing with others who enjoy the craft of beading, just like the quilters. We're all busier than we've ever been before, which is why it's even more important to take the time to be part of a community of common creativity!

So why not start your Beading Bee or gift your peeps with a class in creativity from Step by Step Jewelry Gifts for the Holidays 07' or Step by Step Jewelry Gifts for the Holidays 08'. These digital editions are full of wireworking, chain maille (chain mail), polymer clay, stringing, as well as tons of beading projects. They're excellent for all you immediate-gratification-oriented jewelry makers such as myself!

My new motto for 2011 is "Changing the World. One bead at a time..." I think this is a good start, don't you?

Come bead with me!

Creatively,

Customizable Stringing Styles for Your Jewelry Making

Kristal Wick — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 09:44:00 GMT

Kristal Wick
is the editor of
Beading Daily

I don't know about you, but I'm an "over-the-top-funky-chunky" kind of jewelry designer. I love textures, 3-dimensional surprises, mixed media, big baubles, and bling. Having had years of experience selling my creations at shows (L.A. Gift show, Buyer's Market of American Craft, Quilt Market & Fest, to name a few of the biggies) and online, I've heard every type of customer comment you can imagine, kind and not so kind! One of the more commonly heard comment is "Oh, I simply could not wear THAT to work, it's too much." While the "more is better" design style is hot in my book, I realize not everyone enjoys a neck full of baubles, so I came up with a way to customize a necklace design to please everyone! Join me in creating a new look.

Simple strand for simple tastes

Wearing a simple strand comes in handy and is definitely more "wearable" for work or playing on the weekends. I throw in a mixture of metal colors so my necklace will go with silver, copper, and gold. That way I don't have to worry about matching my accessories.

		1. Make this easy strand with seed beads and Swarovski pearls and bicone crystal. 2. Crimp small loops on each end.

		Double the fun Now, let's create a second strand with a bit more color and texture. Keep it simple or add a blast of bling (you know I can't help it, Kristal is my name after all!). I used my Batik Beauty fabric beads with crystals for this strand. 3. String a more complex strand with more components than your first strand. Make sure this strand is a bit longer than the first one. 4. Again, crimp small loops on each end.

		Take it a notch up This is my fave strand, adding even more unusual elements. I love throwing in a few resin nuggets for a sea glass effect without the weight. This strand is also where you may like to include some large holed beads. I call this strand my "party strand." This is where I can go over the top and design this strand for holiday party-going! 5. String this strand a bit longer than the other two strands. 6. Crimp small loops on each end.

		The finishing touch You can either create all your strands long enough to go around your neck and finish off with a toggle or clasp. For a more cost effective design, I like to add chain as the back of my necklace. Usually my hair covers that part anyway, so sometimes I feel like I'm wasting my precious baubles by doing a whole necklace with components. 7. Add jump rings and a small lobster clasp to both ends of the chain, as well as to the back of your chain.

		Voilà! Clip your desired number of strands to each end of the chain. Single, double or triple strand masterpiece. You can also wear each strand separately so you essentially have a dozen different styles to choose from in one simple necklace!

Create your own design, or fill your noggin with hundreds of design inspirations from Stringing. I just love flipping through my copies when beginning a new project. I can take a bit from the design on page 4, and that pretty toggle from page 45, and that color pallet from page 67 and on, and on, and on....

Come bead with me.

Creatively,

Top Tools for Working with Wire

Kristal Wick — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 09:02:00 GMT

It wasn't too long ago that I knew nothing about making jewelry with wire. I started as a beader, for a long time, then dove headfirst into metalsmithing. But wire . . . that was a step I'd missed along the way.

...(read more)

4 Simple Steps for Multi-Strand Jewelry-Making Mania

Kristal Wick — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 09:44:00 GMT

Kristal Wick
is the editor of
Beading Daily.

I like to play games with myself. I don't mean childhood games such as Monopoly, Candy Land, or heaven forbid, Twister. The kinds of games I play with myself as an adult are what I like to call "designer games." I'll see some beautiful flowers in a garden with a variety of colors I would never put together myself, yet when Mother Nature does it, she "makes it work" to quote style guru, Tim Gunn. I then challenge myself to create a piece of jewelry using those same colors. I also enjoy challenging myself to go outside my designing comfort zone and throw a pile of "bead soup" on my studio table, close my eyes, clear my mind, take a deep breath, countdown: 3-2-1, dive into that pile and make something spectacular.

My latest game is actually this blog. Beading Daily peeps, my intention is to inspire you enough to play along. One of my fave trends these days is multi-strand jewelry pieces. That appealingly disheveled layered look is not only fun to wear, it's even more fun to make. I picked out my top multi-strand jewelry from the latest issue of Stringing magazine. I examined each one thoughtfully, and then made some of my own jewelry, pouring that fresh inspiration right into my necklace made with crystals, pearls, fabric beads, resin nuggets, and chain.

		Fleur-de-lis by Kristy Abner is top on my list. The mix of antique copper and golds with pearls and chain is perfect for fall. This is definitely a show stopper.

		Coral Confluence by Toni McCarthy is four strands mixed with brass and gold plated chain, coral beads, and a lovely splash of turquoise.

		Memories of Tucson by Kelly Angeley delightfully mixes hand-dyed silk ribbon with stones, copper chain, stones, and lampworked beads to create this richly textured stunner.

Make your own multi-strand necklace in 4 simple steps

		String three strands of your favorite beads and components onto beading wire making sure each strand is the same length.

		Crimp all six ends.

		Open jump ring and insert three crimped ends and chain end. Close jump ring. Repeat for other side.

		Add toggle and bar to other end of chain with jump rings.

Turn to Stringing for a wealth of projects, techniques, tips and INSPIRATION!

Come bead with me.

Creatively,

Create Crystal Combos on the Go

Kristal Wick — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:00:00 GMT

Kristal Wick
is the editor of
Beading Daily.

I am one lucky ducky; I've never wanted to change my name. No, not even once. (Okay, maybe once, when I was seven and couldn't find a cute little wall plaque at the store with my name on it. They always spelled it wrong!) Thanks, Mom. That said, my lifelong love for my namesake crystals has me adding them to anything and everything I can. I hang them from my rearview mirror as well as from my neck, wrists, and earlobes, which keeps me constantly surrounded by those lovely beauties.


		When flipping through the pages of our new special issue 101 Bracelets, Necklaces, and Earrings I found some projects that will satisfy my crystal addiction. I am dying to make Fancy Girl by Debbie Blair because of the fun color variations of the crystals. This easy stringing project is great for when I'm on-the-go as are several other projects found in this issue.

Make Your Jewelry Wireworking Portable

I travel quite a bit and really enjoy taking my projects with me. A container as simple as a cigar box or a small plastic storage box is the perfect traveling studio. Beware: If you’re making sparkling wireworked jewelry in a public place like an airport, interruptions from curious onlookers will definitely slow down your production! These five-step crystal wire links that follow are great for on-the-go gals and guys. Have some fun with them yourself!


		1) Colored wire comes in a wide range of colors. Cut colored wire into pieces—two different lengths of 20-gauge wire. (I try to stick to consistent lengths: five and seven inches work well).

		2) Bend wire slightly in half and roll one end into a tight coil. Make sure he beginning circle in the center of the loop is big enough for a jump ring to fit through.

		3) Add a crystal and roll the other side into a coil and you have a luscious link.

		4) Add three or five crystals and you get endless variations.

		5) Make as many links as you wish and connect them with jump rings. Add a toggle and sparkle on!

		Some wire link variations made by adding my Batik Beauty fabric beads and dangles. Create the dangles by using a head pin and connect it to the jump ring.

		There are tons of ways to make wire links for beads of all sizes and shapes. The Falling Leaves bracelet by Beth Garbo is perfect for showing off the unique beads in your stash. I love how the squiggles would give every bracelet a different look.

What I really loved about 101 Bracelets, Necklaces, and Earrings is the variety of projects, from classic pearls to stones and crystals, there is something for every style. I've learned a lot of great techniques and these ideas are just a jumpstart to get you designing your own creative wireworked jewelry. Enjoy!

Share your favorite wireworked wonders with us here.