Earrings are a jewelry maker’s cash cow. Why you might ask? Just take an average handmade earring – it might have 3 medium sized beads, a few small beads or maybe one large bead with some wire embellishments. Then think about what an average pair of earrings typically costs – anywhere between $6.00 and $15.00, right? Well if it only took about $.50 to $1.50 to make that set of earrings then you’ve got a great return on investment just as soon as you sell it!
Stay tuned for handmadejewelrymaking.wordpress.com’s first earring how-to’s!
Cate
aka: handmadejewelrymaking.wordpress.com
A jump ring is an extremely utilized finding in jewelry making. It serves as a way to attach anything to anything. That seems like an awfully broad way to describe the jump ring but it truly is used quite a bit. Common ways a jump ring is used is to attach a charm to a charm bracelet, a pendant to a chain or a strand to a clasp.
While is it a simple finding at its core, it is important to know how to open and close a jump ring. Open the jump ring with two sets of pliers placed at either end of the joint, pry the jump ring open by moving one set of pliers up and one set of pliers down. When opened it should resemble a coil, not an oval.
Do not open the jump ring by pulling the pliers away from each other laterally which will cause the jump ring to become an oval. This deforms the shape and weakens the metal.
Here is a photo of two open jump rings:
Here are my favorite projects using jump rings:
The Beaded Pendant Necklace – Bird
Here is an instructional video using a jump ring:
A crimp bead is an almost essential tool for jewelry artists. It can be used on either cord or wire projects. Using a crimp bead on a nylon cord allows you to complete a beaded necklace or bracelet by ensuring that the beads will stay put; simply smash a crimp bead onto the cord next to the final bead and it keeps the beads in place. Crimp beads can also be used on wire-based projects in the same way. Crimp beads are typically roughly made and require a crimp bead cover.
Here is a photo of crimp beads:
Here is a project where I used a crimp bead on nylon cording:
Rosette Beaded Pendant Necklace
How to Attach a Clasp to Nylon Cording
Here is a project where I used a crimp bead on wire:
The Purple and Black Collar Necklace
The purple and black collar necklace is a beautiful, yet simple design. Use a combination of techniques and tools to complete this classic project. Learn how to make this wonderful piece of jewelry with the video and written instructions below. Have fun!
Jewelry Supplies Needed:
7 Large beads (Purple)
8 Medium beads (Black)
20 Small beads (Grey)
2 Crimp beads
1 Jump ring
1 Lobster claw clasp
30″ Silver beading wire
Tools Needed:
Chain Nose pliers
Flat Nose pliers
Round Nose pliers
Crimp Nose pliers
Clippers
Making this piece of jewelry:
1. Begin by straightening the wire that you’ve cut from the spool. Then thread on the beads in the following order: medium, large, medium (or black, purple, black).
2. After the last medium (black) bead, thread on 10 small (grey) beads. Then thread on one crimp bead, snip the excess wire about 1/2 inch above the crimp bead. Take the tip of the end of the wire with the flat nose pliers and bend it back 180 degrees toward the beads, this will make a sort of square shaped loop.
3. Grab the square loop with the round nose pliers and squeeze the two ends of the wire to where they touch one another thus creating a nearly closed, round loop around the ends of the round nose pliers. This allows you to slide the crimp bead up and over the two ends. Slide the crimp bead as far as it will go toward the round nose pliers. Crimp the crimp bead with the crimp nose pliers, squeeze hard but not so hard that the crimp bead breaks. This loop will be the “large” loop that the lobster clasp will attach to.
4. Now that one end is complete, slide all the beads already threaded onto the wire as far as they will go toward the completed end. This will make sure not much wire will show once the project is complete. Thread on the remaining 10 small (grey) beads on the open end of wire.
5. Thread on the last crimp bead, snip the excess wire about 1/4 inch above the crimp bead. Take the tip of the end of the wire with the flat nose pliers and bend it back 180 degrees toward the beads, this will make another sort of square-shaped loop.
6. Grab the square loop with the chain nose pliers and squeeze the two ends of the wire to where they touch one another thus creating a nearly closed loop around the ends of the round nose pliers. Slide the crimp bead as far as it will go toward the round nose pliers. Crimp the crimp bead with the crimp nose pliers, squeeze hard but not so hard that the crimp bead breaks.
7. Open the jump ring with the flat nose pliers and the chain nose pliers, thread the jump ring onto the smaller of the two loops on the necklace (the loop created in step 5, not step 3). Slide the lobster claw clasp onto the open jump ring then close the jump ring.
8. Wear!
Cost:
To buy the jewelry making materials from scratch it will cost you roughly:
$3: Beading Wire
$3: Package of large beads (Purple)
$3: Package of medium beads (Black)
$2.50: Package of small beads (Grey)
$3: Package of crimp beads
$3: Package of jump rings
$3: Package of lobster clasps
$20.5: Total
Time:
This project will take about fifteen minutes to make.
A bead cone is used to cover the end of a bead where the wire or cord connects, it is a great way to make the jewelry piece look a bit more finished and refined. Bead cones can also be used as an alternative to a bead cap.
Here is a photo of a pair bead cones:
Bead caps are decorative covers you can put on either end of a bead. Not only does it serve as a bit of decoration, it can be used to cover flaws or rough patches around the hole of the bead.
Here are a few examples of bead caps:
A “bail” is a small component used to attach a pendant to a chain, cord, or wire that allows it to slide along the chain. It is usually made in a teardrop shape but you can find some rather elaborate designs. Some pendants come with a jump ring but others will need a bail to create a finished look.
Here is a photo of a pinch bail:
The word “findings” is simply a broad term to describe all the small objects, materials, tools, etc. that jewelers use to create jewelry. Hooks, clasps, pins, jump rings, and pin backs are a few of examples.
Here is a photo of a number of findings:
The Leaf Double Pendant Necklace
The leaf double pendant necklace is a beautiful twist on a traditional pendant style necklace. Use a combination of techniques, including the wire wrapped loop, to complete this easy to make project. Learn how to make this innovative piece of jewelry with the video and written instructions below. Have fun!
[VIDEO COMING SOON]
Jewelry Supplies Needed:
16 Jump rings
7″ Chains (2)
1 Lobster clasp
5 Acrylic beads
2 Leaf pendants
25″ Gold beading wire
Tools Needed:
Chain Nose pliers
Flat Nose pliers
Round Nose pliers
Clippers
Making this piece of jewelry:
1. Begin by making wrapped wire loops for each of the 5 acrylic beads. Given the size of the bead you’ll only need about 3 inches of beading wire per bead (How to make the wrapped wire loop).
2. Connect the beads with jump rings – make a “Y” shape by connecting two beads to the bottom-most bead with flat nose and chain nose pliers. The bottom-most bead will be attached to the pendants. Attach the remaining two beads to complete the “Y” arrangement.
3. Make one more wire loop with about 8″ of wire to connect the two pendants together. In the case demonstrated above, one of the pendants is a ceramic pendant with a large, off centered hole – thus requiring a wrapped wire loop to connect the two together. If you use two pendants with centered holes, you might only need a single jump ring to connect them.
4. Connect the two leaf pendants to the bottom-most bead of the acrylic bead “Y” formation with a jump ring.
5. Attach the a 7″ chain to the one of the top-most acrylic beads in the “Y” formation with a jump ring. Repeat for the other 7″ chain.
6. Attach the lobster clasp on the left side of the chain with a jump ring. Attach the remaining jump rings together to make a small adjustable chain. On the right side of the 7″ chain attach the jump ring chain.
7. Wear!
Cost:
To buy the jewelry making materials from scratch it will cost you roughly:
$8: Chain
$3: Lobster clasp
$3: Jump rings
$2.5: Package of beads
$3: Beading wire
$8: Pendants
$27.5: Total
Time:
This project will take about thirty minutes to make.
Chains are an absolute staple in jewelry making. Learn how to properly add a clasp to complete your jewelry piece.
Supplies
Chain nose pliers
Flat nose pliers
1 Jump ring
1 Lobster clasp
Attach a Clasp to Jewelry Chain
Once you’ve completed your beautiful jewelry piece, open an appropriately sized jump ring (4 mm, 6 mm, etc.) with chain nose and flat nose pliers. Slide the chain(s) onto the open jump ring, slide the loop at the end of the lobster clasp onto the same open jump ring and close the jump ring. It’s that simple!
-Cate
aka: jewelrymakingtime
