Jewelry Lovers

Using backing plates

Metal backing plates come in two parts ; one part is covered in holes, the other has a plate to support the clasp and claws to hold the two pieces together. The two parts are joined by the claws after the beads are attached and this serves to cover up untidy wire ends and to make a functional finished object.

Backing plates are obtainable in various shapes and sizes and it is always necessary to plan your design so that the plate is completely covered in beads, which should extend slightly over the plate edge. Beads are attached with gilt pins or with wire which is threaded through the plate holes.

The brooch

Cut off 40.5cm (16in) of fine wire and fold it double so that you are using two thicknesses. Twist the loose ends together so that they will go through the holes in the beads.

Thread 14 beads onto this double wire so that they are roughly in the centre, then secure them by twisting the two ends of wire together to close the circle. Do not trim.

Take the front half of the backing plate and, convex side up, insert the wire into a hole on outer edge. Then arrange the bead circle on the plate so that the beads slightly overlap the plate edge.

Holding beads and plate in one hand, count four holes ; thread one wire up through the fourth hole in the outer edge, bring it over the bead circle and back down through the same hole. Pull tightly and the wire will slip between two beads and help secure the circle to the plate.

Repeat this at equal intervals around the circle, then twist the remaining wire together and cut off surplus.

To make inner circle use 6 beads and a 25cm (10in) piece of wire folded double. Proceed to make an inner circle in the same manner as before except this time secure the beads to the plate by threading wire in between every other bead, instead of every fourth one.

The third circle has 12 beads strung on 50cm (20in) of doubled wire. Place it in the gap between the other two circles (it will protrude somewhat) and push the wire through a hole below. It is rather more difficult to attach this circle and you must take care not to pull too tightly as you hook the wire between the beads or they will sit unevenly. It doesn’t matter if the wire does not go back through the same hole as long as it goes through the next one (as the plate gets crowded with beads it becomes more difficult to be accurate).

The centre can be made with just one round bead mounted with a gilt pin or with two drop lengths as shown.

To mount one bead using a gilt pin, secure it to the backing with a loop, then flatten the loop against the backing.

To make drop lengths the pin must go in the reverse way and the loop be made in front of the bead. This way other beads can be added by linking.

The drops shown are of uneven lengths. Attach beads with two links and add two beads to one chain and three to the other. This completes the drop lengths.

Fix the brooch to the other half of the plate by putting the two parts together and pressing the claws down firmly with the pliers. The matching ear-rings are made in exactly the same way but with one circle of 6 beads plus a centre bead. Use a smaller backing plate, 5mm (bin) in diameter. The beads are threaded onto a 30cm (l2in) length of wire bent double.

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