Daily Blogs : Step by Step Wire Jewelry Magazine, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools

Jump Start Your Wire Jewelry Skills!

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 02:00:00 GMT

Learning how to swim is like learning a new jewelry making skill. You dip your toes in the water, then your foot, then you wade in until you're knee-deep. By the time the water is up to your shoulders, you realize you might just be in over your head! And while my own wire jewelry making skills have definitely improved, thanks to my experiments making my own wire jewelry findings and my newly-discovered love of Viking knit chains for my beaded pendants, sometimes I still feel as though I'm just treading water when it comes to making my own wire jewelry.

Thankfully, the beady bloggers here at Beading Daily have some pretty great wire jewelry projects for those of us who are still in the doggy-paddle-stage for wire jewelry making. These deceptively simple wire jewelry making projects will actually let you develop your wire jewelry skills as you make some truly beautiful and unique finished jewelry!

		Practicing your wire loops is easy and fun when the result is a stunning wire and bead chain. I've seen these kinds of chains for sale in many bead supply companies, but I prefer to make them myself. Wire and bead chain looks great with crystals, gemstones, pearls, or even large seed beads. The next time you make a beaded pendant and get stuck on what to do for the necklace strap, think about making your own wire and bead chain! By the time you finish a few inches of this easy wire jewelry project, you'll be making perfect and consistent wrapped loops every time.

		Once you're comfortable with your wire loop skills, you're ready to move on to making pendants with wire and beads! Even though you can't get much simpler than this gorgeous coiled wire and lampwork bead pendant, it looks like a piece of handmade jewelry you'd find in a high-end craft gallery. If you're not comfortable enough to start using the pricier precious metal wires like sterling silver or gold-filled, consider using copper, brass, silver filled, or even colored craft wire.

		Learning how to coil wire is a basic skill for wire jewelry making that can be used so many different ways! One of the easiest ways to use a wire coil is to create a simple wire bail for a marble. It's so easy, and the design possibilities are endless -- unique earrings, bracelets, and pendants can be made from these cool jewelry making components!

		I'm also a big fan of making spiral wire components for both my wire jewelry projects and my off-loom beadweaving projects. Once you can make a neat spiral for a marble, you can use that technique to make these fun wire dangles, accented with your favorite beads! Wire spirals make great earrings or accents for beaded fringe.

		And, oh yes, if you can do any of the projects here, then you can use your wire jewelry making skills to make your own ear wires and earrings out of almost anything -- including cool buttons like these! These wire and button earrings are a snap to make, and once you see how easy it is to make your own ear wires, you'll never have to buy them again.

So what are you waiting for? The water is great, come on in and get your feet wet with a few great wire jewelry making projects in Step By Step Wire Jewelry magazine! Each issue is full of fantastic wire jewelry making projects that help you learn new wire jewelry skills while expanding on the skills you already have. With step-by-step photographs and clear directions, you can't go wrong. If you don't want to miss a single issue packed with product reviews, wire jewelry tips and tricks from the pros and page after page of gorgeous and inspiring wire jewelry making designs, subscribe to Step By Step Wire Jewelry magazine today.

What was the most important wire jewelry making skill that you learned? Was it mastering wire wrapped loops? Making wire spirals? Something else? Share your experiences and your favorite wire jewelry making skills by leaving a comment here on the Beading Daily blog!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Which Wire Cutters Are Best For Me?

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

From Jennifer: A couple of summers ago, I realized that I needed to upgrade my wire jewelry making tools. I had just embarked on a series of projects using beadweaving and wire jewelry making, and as I worked, I realized that my wire cutters, in particular, were in dire need of replacement. I didn't have a lot of money to spend, but I knew that I was making an investment in my jewelry making tools by purchasing a good pair of heavy-duty wire cutters.

Three years later, my heavy duty wire cutters are still in great shape. Spending the money on this important wire jewelry making tool was a smart investment for me, especially now that I'm finding the joy in making my own ear wires and wire jewelry clasps.

If you or someone you know isn't quite sure about what kind of wire cutters you need for a complete wire jewelry making toolbox, check out today's guest blog, written by artist Jan Atherton. Jan has a couple of great tips for buying and using your wire jewelry making tools -- especially those pricey wire cutters! Take it away, Jan!

		From Jan: When you first start beading and making wire jewelry, the choice of wire tools available can be quite overwhelming. You want to make sure that you have the proper wire jewelry making tools, but you don't want to buy tools that are expensive and unnecessary. A good basic tool kit includes a pair of round nose pliers, chain nose pliers, flush cutters and a pair of heavy duty wire cutters called flush cutters. Shopping Tip: I always like to buy cutters where I can try them out to see how comfortable they are and how well they cut. It helps me to avoid expensive mistakes when purchasing a new pair of wire cutters!

		For wire under 18 gauge, a pair of regular flush cutters will work just fine. These cutters have one flat side with a pointed tip, which allow you to get right into tight spaces like the base of wrapped loops, and give a neat, smooth cut that requires little further finishing. For wire heavier than 18 gauge, use a set of heavy-duty wire cutters, similar to what you would use for cutting memory wire.

		Memory wire is a stiff, tempered steel wire that can be very difficult to cut. For cutting memory wire, I like to use a pair of hardware store electrician's pliers with a wire cutter/stripper at one side of the jaw. There are also wire cutters just for memory wire available from many jewelry supply companies. If you make a lot of memory wire jewelry, it's worth investing in a pair of these pliers. Artist's Tip: When using memory wire, use a cup file to smooth the ends of your memory wire before making any loops! It will give your memory wire jewelry a more professional finish and make it more comfortable to wear.

		Using the right type of wire cutter for your wire jewelry making project is important for extending the life of your jewelry tools. Check out this photo of my first pair of wire cutters, which I used to cut memory wire. Can you see the dents in the jaws made by cutting the memory wire? Using these regular flush cutters for cutting memory wire also broke the spring on these cutters!

So if you've recently invested in a new set of wire jewelry making tools (like a good pair of wire cutters), it's time to take those tools for a spin with some of the great projects in Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazine! You'll always find a wonderful array of wire jewelry making projects along with the latest information on new wire jewelry making tools, findings, beads and more! Don't miss a single issue -- subscribe to Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazine and find out where your creative jewelry making path will take you next.

Now it's your turn to share with us! What was the best investment you ever made when it comes to your wire jewelry making tools? Leave a comment here on the Beading Daily blog and tell us about your jewelry making tool purchase and why it was a smart buy!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

About today's guest blogger: Jan Atherton is a Scottish artist who has been transplanted to the Chicago, Illinois area. Her work evokes both the landscape colors and seasonal changes of both Scotland and Chicago. She is greatly inspired by the sparkling waters on Loch Linnhe and Lake Michigan, the sun peeking through the clouds after a storm and flaming sunsets. She started beading to add some sparkly to her embroidery projects, but she quickly fell hard for those tiny treasures. She holds a BA (Hons) from Edinburgh College of Art in Visual Communications. She is also a Certified Level 1 Precious Metal Clay Artisan and has taught PMC and beadweaving extensively throughout the Chicago area. You can see more of her work at her website and contact her for information about private classes.

It's the Perfect Time to Learn About Wire!

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 03:00:00 GMT

With my son starting preschool in just a couple of weeks, I've suddenly gotten nostalgic for all things back-to-school. Going back to school every September was always exciting for me - I was anxious to learn new things and see my friends after a long summer off from school. This year, I'm taking myself back to school and learning all I can about making my own wire jewelry findings like ear wires and clasps. Now that I've been hooked on making Viking knit chains out of colorful craft wire, I'm finding that I really enjoy being able to make my own wire jewelry findings for all of my beautiful beadwork!

Making your own jewelry findings using wire is a great way to not only save money but also to give your handmade beaded jewelry a unique touch. But if you don't know much about working with wire, trying to pick the right one for your jewelry making supplies can be confusing - and expensive! I've been seeing lots of questions around Beading Daily about which wire to use for what kind of jewelry finding, so I thought I'd write up a quick guide to wires and which ones are right for your wire jewelry making projects.

Investing in a wire gauge is a must for anyone who wants to get started making their own wire jewelry findings.

Wire Gauge

The first thing you'll need to know is your wire gauge. When determining thickness, a higher number means a thinner wire. So a 22 gauge wire is thinner than a 16 gauge wire. If you're not sure what gauge wire you're using, you can purchase an inexpensive wire gauge.

Wire Hardness

Hardness refers to the ease with which you can bend your wire into your desired shapes. Wire can be dead soft (easily bent with your fingers), half-hard (easily bent but will maintain its shape under stress) and full-hard (can be bent with pliers and good for holding complex wire-wrapped shapes).

Precious Metal Wire or Craft Wire?

In the past, I was a stickler for using only precious metal wire - that means sterling silver or gold-filled wire. But with the rising cost of precious metals, I've found some great alternatives to the more expensive precious metal wires.

Silver-filled wire is a great alternative to the more expensive sterling silver wire. Silver-filled wire has a much thicker layer of sterling silver over a copper core. Unlike silver plated wire, the top layer of silver won't come off when worked with a pair of pliers. Another benefit of silver-filled wire is that you can solder it the way you can solder sterling silver wire.

Craft wire is great for making handmade wire findings because it adds a splash of color and costs significantly less than precious metal wire. One word of caution when working with harder craft wire: using metal pliers on the wire will cause the top layer of color to come off. You can use nylon-jawed pliers, wrap your metal jaws with masking or cloth tape, or use something like "Tool Magic" to give your pliers a light coating that will prevent nicks and mars on your craft wire.

Which Wire for Which Type of Finding?

Use a 20 or 22 gauge half-hard wire to make your own wire earring findings like these.

Ear Wires: Since ear wires are worn in direct contact with your skin (unlike a necklace or bracelet clasp which might be worn over a shirt) it's usually best to spring for precious metal wire for those who are sensitive to metals like nickel. Use a thicker gauge wire like 20 or 22, and a half-hard or full-hard wire so that the earring finding keeps its shape.

Custom made wire s-clasps like these are a great way to add your own unique touch to your handmade beaded jewelry.

S-Clasps and Hook and Eye Clasps: These clasps need to hold up to heavy use, so use a heavier gauge wire like 18 or 16. And because you'll definitely want them to hold their shape under heavy use, a full-hard or half-hard wire is best. (Remember, you can also work-harden your wire by tumbling it or hammering it lightly on a stainless steel bench block.) You can also fashion your own toggle clasps out of wire using a heavier gauge wire.

So now that you have the basics, it's time to take your interest in wire jewelry making a step further and subscribe to Step by Step Wire Jewelry. You'll find all the information you need about wire basics and projects that will let you practice your wire jewelry making skills. And did you know that now you can get a digital subscription to Step by Step Wire Jewelry? All the same great content of your printed magazine is delivered digitally to your iPad, laptop or desktop computer!

Have you discovered how easy it is to make your own wire jewelry findings yet? Share your stories and experiences here on the blog!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Easy Ways to Make Your Own Clasps with Wire

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 03:15:00 GMT

The recent price increase for sterling silver really hit me the last time I put together an order for sterling silver clasps and findings. It made me nervous to think that I was going to eventually have to pass on that price increase to my customers, too. After fretting about it for a few minutes, I decided to go in an entirely different direction. Feeling pretty bold after my recent success with Viking knit, I threw out the order for sterling silver clasps and instead ordered a selection of wire in assorted gauges, colors and textures. I had decided that I would start trying to make my own clasps with wire and my jewelry making tools.

Now, if you're not a fan of wire work, don't run away just yet. I'm not terribly fond of it, either. But if you can make a neat wrapped loop, chances are that you have what it takes to make some simple wire clasps and findings using the jewelry making tools that you already have. Of course, making wire clasps won't work for every piece of beaded jewelry you want to make. But it can be a fun way to make some custom clasps for your beaded necklaces and bracelets, and buying wire instead of ready-made clasps can be much more cost effective.

For an easy way to make your own wire clasps, here is how I made a couple of basic s-clasps with two different sizes of wire:

1. I cut a piece of 18-gauge wire about two inches long. On one end, I made a tiny loop and then smashed it together with my flat-nose pliers.

2. Using a wire coiling tool, I made a coil using 26-gauge wire in a contrasting color. If you don't have a coiling tool, you can use a knitting needle or a dowel or you can just skip this step.

3. I slid the coil onto the 18-gauge wire. I trimmed off a small bit of the 18-gauge wire so that the coil was almost the same length, then made another tiny loop on the other end of the 18-gauge wire. I smashed it shut with my flat-nose pliers.

4. To make the curves on either end of the clasp, I gently wrapped each end around the wide part of a pair of round-nose pliers.

And that was it! I was surprised at how easy it actually was. Even though I didn't have any color-coordinated jump rings (and I hate making jump rings) the clasp worked quite splendidly with a couple of simple seed bead loops added to either side of my beaded necklace. No, these clasps aren't perfect, but I get the feeling that I'll be making more of them. They only took a few minutes to make, and I was very happy with my results.

Have you tried making your own wire jewelry findings and clasps yet? If you want to give it a try, make sure you take a look at Step By Step Wire Jewelry magazine for lots of great projects, tips and basic techniques!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Six Steps to Perfect Wrapped Loops

Kristal Wick — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:38:00 GMT

One of the best ways to feed your need to bead is to try out new ways from established pros. Jean Campbell fits the bill on that! I love trying out her tips, and her six steps to perfect wrapped loops is no exception. I’ve always had those little “pokies” on the end of my wire loops and I never thought to use crimping pliers! Brilliant!

Memory Tricks for Beading

Like you, I’ve taken classes of all sorts over the years. Most teachers use memory techniques to help you remember lists or a process. For instance, my piano teacher used the acronym (E)very (G)ood (B)oy (D)oes (F)ine so I could remember the lines of the treble clef; in 10th grade typing class I learned the pangram “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog;” when my daughter learned to tie her shoes we sang SpongeBob’s "Loop Dee Loop" song; and in college the ne’er-do-wells who tore me away from my studies taught me “Over the lips and through the gums, watch out stomach, here it comes.”

These learning techniques are beneficial in jewelry-making, too. I remember walking down a hallway at Interweave’s BASH beading retreat in Estes Park, Colorado a long time ago and listening to wireworker Mark Lareau (author of All Wired Up and Getting Started Making Metal Jewelry) do the same thing—as I recall, he was using sound effects to the great delight of his students. And I know Joyce Scott has some pretty colorful imagery to explain peyote stitch increases and decreases.

This is what’s great about taking classes, isn’t it? Gathering tips and techniques from the pros--things you might not run across when working on your own—helps eliminate little technique obstacles so you can move on to bigger and better things in the future.

The Wrapped Loop Doo-Wop

Many of my class projects include both bead stitching and wirework and I find many off-loom-centric students aren’t that confident about their wirework skills. Most beadworkers could benefit from attending one of the many classes at Bead Fest Wire. (I don’t even have to mention how much fun it would be for a wireworker; there are classes for every level of jewelry maker!) One technique that’s especially troublesome is the wrapped loop, so I think it’s high time we come up with a little memory technique for it, don’t you? Read more...

Thanks Jean! for more ingenious tips, projects, and other wiry wisdom, subscribe to Step by Step Wire Jewelry and feed your need to bead!

The best is yet to bead!

Creatively,

The Dos and Don'ts of Twisting Wire

Jean Campbell — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 02:57:00 GMT

Jean Campbell is the senior editor of Beadwork and a
contributing editor to Beading Daily

I remember working with wire for the first time. I was all thumbs. My coils were sloppy, my bends weren't sharp, and my loops were kinked. I truly thought I'd never get the hang of it. Feeling the wire in my fingers felt foreign after working so often with a needle and thread. It wasn't until I took a wireworking class, where I learned basic tips and tricks to make clean wirework, that I truly felt confident.

I was recently going through my old jewelry boxes and found some of those early wireworked pieces. Nothing to write home about, that's for sure. But what I did feel good about seeing is how the quality of my wirework has improved. It's from a lot of practice, yes, but also from spending the time to learn from teachers, books, and magazines like Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry.

When I was going through these old pieces, I was struck most by seeing the "bad" version of, say, a wrapped loop next to the "good" version. I realized what a lesson that can be in itself! So today I thought you might like to see a technique--twisting wire--showing the "right" way and the "wrong" way side by side. First we'll look at the right way so you can do it right the first time:

Twisting Wire--the RIGHT way

1) Use a round-nose pliers to form a loop in the center of the wire. Splay the wire ends out evenly on each side of the loop.

2) Grasp the loop in your dominant hand and the place where the wires cross in your non-dominant hand. Keep the crossed wires pinched tight as you turn the loop.

3) Is the twist clean? If so, keep twisting. (If not, untwist and try again.) With clean twists, you'll end up with even, clean wirework.

Twisting Wire--the WRONG way

1) You see how the photo below shows that when I made the loop I didn't swing the wires evenly out from one another? One is sticking down, the other is out to the side.

2) So now, because I didn't have the wires set up properly, when I twist the wires together, one will end up swirling down the other instead of twisting evenly.

3) Yuck!

Pretty amazing how just one little swing of the wire can mean the difference between neat and messy, isn't it? You'll find other great tips, techniques, and intriguing projects for all your wireworking interests in Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry. Now get out there and make some nice wire twists!

Happy beading-

Easy Wire and Beads–and a New Free Earring Project

Leslie Rogalski — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:00:00 GMT

Can a Bead Lover Love Wire?

When you make a pair of earrings, do you start with wire and add beads? Or, do you have beads you want to use and choose wire as your framework? Though I love the linear design possibilities in wire itself, I usually use wire to be, shall we say, the branch from which to hang the fruit––the beads.


		Fastest earrings I ever made I especially like using discs, such as these lampworked beauties by JoAnne Zekowski. Few earring designs are faster than this: Use a round-nose pliers to bend a ball-end head-pin loop large enough to capture your bead and carefully bring the ball to the wire so the bead is secure but hangs nicely. Bend the long wire end around a pencil for the part that goes through your ear, and you’re finished!

		Add detail with wirework You can stop right here and have a nice little pair of earrings. Or, play with another piece of wire and make a dangle for your earrings. Try an easy spiral and hammer it into a solid form.

		Wire wrap it up Attach your spiral to the disc with a wire-wrapped loop, large enough to capture the wheel. Make a simple wire-wrapped loop beneath the focal bead, then attach the spiral with another simple wire-wrapped loop.

		Adding elements I added another dangle to the spiral with a jump ring, so you can see that adding beads or other elements to your wirework––or using wire with your beads––can be SO easy.

		FREE wire and beads project! Take our free project this week, Custom Wire Shanks for Any Beads, from editor in chief of Step by Step Wire Jewelry, Denise Peck. She simply hammers a wire shank on which to string her fave beads. See how easily you can incorporate beads and wire in your jewelry!


		Totally Twisted! Wire and beads can really get a party started when you bring more color to the mix and advance your wireworking. You have to see Kerry Bogert’s new book, *Totally Twisted*. It’s a celebration!

Which comes first for you, the wire or the beads? Share your wired beadwork––or beaded wirework in our Gallery on Beading Daily. Wire and beads, wahoo!

10 Favorite Tips, Techniques, and Projects from Beading Daily

Michelle Mach — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 10:29:00 GMT

Beading Daily turned two on August 1st. When I started several months before our official launch date, there were 1,500 members. Now there are more than 100,000! It's amazing that despite this huge growth, Beading Daily still feels much like it did when it started—a fun place to hang out with your beading pals. ...(read more)

Michelle's First Trip to the Tucson Bead Shows

Michelle Mach — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:08:00 GMT

Beading Daily editor Michelle Mach shares photos and news of her first trip to the Tucson Bead Shows, February 2-6, 2009....(read more)

Top 10 Free Beading Tips & Projects from 2008

Michelle Mach — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:50:00 GMT

Any way you count it, 2008 was a terrific year for Beading Daily! We welcomed Jean Campbell as contributing editor every Wednesday. We also welcomed our magazine editors (Marlene Blessing, Danielle Fox, Denise Peck, Leslie Rogalski, Sara Graham, Melinda Barta) and their thoughts on topics like ethnic jewelry, using clothing as inspiration, and colored wire as a smart economic choice. We opened the forums. We gave away free projects every week and held several contests and giveaways. We voted on everything from the winning Bead Star entries to which free project you most wanted from the book Custom Cool Jewelry. At our first charity fundraiser, we raised more than $1,000 by selling the instructions for the Awareness Ribbon Pin by Kerrie Slade. All in all, a great year! ...(read more)

5 Tips for Designing with Color

Michelle Mach — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:25:00 GMT

Color is such a key element of good design. Yet each of us wrestles now and then with being in a color rut—“I only buy purple beads”—or wondering what shade of blue brings out the best in a new multicolored lampwork pendant. Do you ever watch The View on TV? If so, you’ll understand how much fun it is to poll several of our bead magazine editors and learn new and different angles from each one.

...(read more)

Quick Wire-and-Bead Fireflies

Michelle Mach — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:13:00 GMT

I've been searching for a delicate way to ask this, but I can't find one, so I'll just be blunt: What's up with beaders and bugs? Does everyone else who beads have the compulsion to make beaded insects? (Take a look at the "Bead a Bug" gallery from the June/July 2006 issue of Beadwork and see what I mean.) Butterflies, I understand and well, ladybugs are cute. But everything else? Well . . . I just don't get it. ...(read more)

5-Minute Hammered Wire Earrings

Michelle Mach — Thu, 29 May 2008 23:16:00 GMT

Each month, one of the magazine editors will share a free project with Beading Daily. Today's guest editor is Denise Peck, editor in chief of Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazine and senior editor of Jewelry Artist. An editor by trade and a lifelong lover of jewelry, she was able to pursue both when she joined Lapidary Journal in 2004. Denise has a bench jeweler's certificate from Studio Jeweler's Ltd. Her first book with Interweave Press, Wire Style, is due out in August 2008. She's currently working on her second book..--Michelle Mach, Beading Daily editor.

5-Minute Jewelry

by Denise Peck, Step by Step Wire Jewelry

So you think you might want to broaden your jewelry-making skills or just switch gears for a bit and tackle a few wire techniques? I talk to lots of beaders at our shows who are intrigued at the thought of using more tools and venturing into the world of metal. The good news is that a lot of you already know some of the basics, like making a wire-wrapped loop on a head pin or finishing off an end cone with a piece of wire.

Here’s a little secret, though, for those of you who may not know this: you can make wire jewelry way faster than beaded jewelry!


	Bead crochet bracelet by Denise Peck

For so many of us who work with tiny little seed beads, we end up doing it for the love of it. Not because there’s a future in selling our handiwork. In fact, rarely does it seem as though we could make money on bead creations, as it takes so many hours of our time.
Not so with wire. You really can whip up a piece of jewelry in a matter of minutes. Additionally, wire is a very forgiving medium. If you make a wrong bend, you can usually just unbend it!


5 Minute Earrings by Denise Peck

It's so much fun to design a pair of earrings or a bracelet that you'll finish within the hour that I decided to challenge myself—how about jewelry in 5 minutes? No kidding. Just imagine how many pieces you could churn out for your next craft show. Now there's a way to support your bead habit!

Project: 5 Minute Earrings by Denise Peck
The free preview period for Beading Daily readers has ended.

Free eBook
Making Wire Jewelry: 6 Free Wire Designs from Beading Daily

Create 6 stunning wire jewelry projects (2 wire necklaces, a wire bracelet, 2 pairs of wire earrings, and a wire ring) with this free eBook that contains step by step wire jewelry instructions for each project. Jewelry designs range in difficulty from beginner to intermediate and use a variety of wire work techniques, including spirals, coiling, wirewrapping, hammering, and twisting wire. Download Making Wire Jewelry: 6 Free Wire Designs from Beading Daily

Free eBook
Making Jewelry with Beading Daily
How to Make Earrings: Five Free Jewelry Projects

This free earrings ebook, Making Jewelry with Beading Daily: How to Make Earrings: Five Free Jewelry Projects, includes five earring patterns that use a range of techniques (simple stringing, wirework, simple metalwork, seed bead netting and fringe) and a variety of materials (silver, copper, seed beads, crystals, pearls, gemstones). Both beginners and more experienced jewelry makers will find at least one beaded earring design that will inspire them to catch the handmade earring craze!

If you have a favorite quick design, I'd love to see them. (Send them to me at dpeck@interweave.com.) And if you have any questions or challenges while you're learning to work with wire, feel free to post your questions on the website.

How to Win Beading Competions: 6 Tips from a Contest Judge

Michelle Mach — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 05:28:00 GMT

What would you do with $1,500?
If you had a $1,500 gift certificate to spend at a huge online bead store, what would you buy? Every kind of gemstone available? Enough seed beads or toggle clasps to last a lifetime? A top-of-the-line set of beading tools?

I'd buy that--and more, but since I can't enter Bead Star (something about being the editor of Beading Daily), my big shopping trip will remain a dream. For you, this could be real.

The grand prize winner in the Bead Star contest will get a $1,500 gift certificate for Fire Mountain Gems, along with a fun trip for two to Bead Expo in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the joy of seeing his or her project on the cover of a magazine! And that's just the grand prize winner. There are tons of other big prizes too in every category: crystals, seed beads, glass, pearls, stones, metals, plastics, under $25, and designs with heart. There's even a prize for the bead shop that gets mentioned most often on the entry forms!

New--A Special Prize for Early Birds!
If you get your entry in by midnight MST on Friday, April 25th, you will be eligible to win $250 to spend any way you like! That's right--we're going to draw a random name from all the early entries (including all the entries already submitted) and that person will win a $250 gift card! And you can start spending right away--the winner will be notified by April 30th. So what are you waiting for? Read today's tips for creating a winning design and get busy! (Your laundry, grocery shopping, and whatever other "important" stuff you had planned for this weekend can wait!)

Yes, Marge—You, Too, Can Win!
by Marlene Blessing, editor in chief of Beadwork

Have you been watching Dancing with the Stars? (Good for Priscilla Presley that she hung in there so long.) Or American Idol? (Why did they have to axe the Aussie?) Or Project Runway? (I could never make an outfit out of candy wrappers. What will they torture the designers with this season?) We love competitions and contests! And beaders, there are lots of contests out there for you to enter to feed your beading life. Interweave has a big one coming up--Bead Star! Our beading editors will select finalists, and all of you will choose the winners. And there are big prizes at stake, too. Does $5,000 worth of travel and beading supplies sound good?

Having been a judge in beading and other contests, here are some key tips to help you rise to the top:

Follow entry rules to the letter! If there's anything you think is confusing or ambiguous, most contest sites offer FAQs. They probably even list contact information if you need more help. Don't lose by being disqualified.
Get the best digital photo of your project(s) you can. If you've just made your most stupendously cool bracelet ever and you know it's a winner, remember the old adage: "A picture is worth a thousand words." Actually, edit that to read: "A great picture . . ." Loads of wonderful entries lose all the time because the image submitted to screeners and judges didn't do justice to the finished beadwork. There's even a Digital Art Photography for Dummies book to help you improve your results.
Be a politician. Get your friends, family, fellow bloggers, and coworkers out for the vote! If you've entered a popular vote contest such as Bead Star, it doesn't hurt to lobby the ones you love. (Just don't make any election promises you won't keep.)
Focus on finishing touches. Style and originality count big in contests. But be sure you finish your work beautifully with the best findings, technique (good tension, no knots or thread showing--unless they're intended, etc.), and other bits of polishing. It's all about the total package.
Enter contests frequently. Chance plays a part in winning, and you improve the odds if you keep on trying!
Have fun! (No explanation required.)

As a judge, I've seen the bodies in the road, folks who could have been contenders but lost their way. There was the amazing crystal-embellished piece that was eliminated from a recent Swarovski competition because the entry photo was fuzzy and dark, making the piece look like one of those bad UFO photos. Or the extremely cool beaded shoe that had nothing to do with our Beaded Bag theme contest. Or a finalist piece of bead-woven jewelry with unruly (and unintended) threads sprouting here and there.

For now, good luck to all. Ready? Set. Go!

Visit the Bead Star website for a complete list of prizes and entry details. The deadline to enter is May 6, 2008, but if you enter by April 25, you'll be eligible to win the random "Early Bird" drawing. All beaders in the U.S. and Canada are encouraged to enter. Someone will win--why not you?

Marlene Blessing is the editor in chief of Beadwork magazine and author of Create Jewelry: Pearls and Create Jewelry: Crystals. Marlene is an experienced beading contest judge and most recently helped judge the 2007 Swarovski Create Your Style Design Contest.

New "Editor's Choice" Feature on Beading Daily
Each month, an editor from Stringing, Beadwork, Step by Step Beads, or Step by Step Wire Jewelry will offer a free project of her own choosing! Today's project is from Marlene Blessing of Beadwork magazine.

Project: Bohemian Revolutions Bracelet by Jamie Hogsett

This sparkly bracelet uses circular square stitch to combine crystal bicones and size 11 seed beads in muted tones of chartreuse, gray, and turquoise. Originally published in the August/September 2006 issue of Beadwork magazine.

Please note that this was a special limited time download: This bracelet project was free to Beading Daily members through June 1, 2008. Instructions are now available for sale in the store.

Why did Marlene choose this project? She says, "Making square-stitched circles in really easy and fun. What's great about this project is how it teaches you that mastering one simple seed bead technique can allow you to design something satisfyingly unique. Try your own color variations--go for jewel tones instead of muted colors, or choose a citrusy variation (lime, yellow, and deep orange) for summer."

Michelle Mach shares free beading projects and tips every Friday on Beading Daily. If you have questions or comments for Michelle (including suggestions for future free projects), please post them here on the website. Thanks!