Jewelry Lovers

Although many beads are worked on string a surprising amount of bead jewelry is made using metal pins or wire, and once the basic principles of wire jewelry are understood, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and brooches of apparently complicated natures become as easy to work as the simplest design. Furthermore, old jewelry can be re-styled or repaired and experiments with the permutations of colours and designs undertaken with confidence.

Essential materials

The gilt pins, fine silver wire and metal jewelry backings shown are the basic materials for this kind of beadwork. The pins are 5cm (2in) long and are used to attach beads to a chain or to make a linked chain of beads. The wire is used to attach beads to metal backings and any fine wire such as fuse wire or floral wire is suitable. Gilt pins and backings are available from some craft suppliers or bead specialist shops.

Applying beads to chains

The chunky necklace and bracelet in the photograph look elaborate but are really very simple to make and can be assembled from the kind of beads shown or from beads of your own choice.

The bracelet

Put a gilt pin through one of the largest beads and cut off all but 1.2cm (1/2in) of the protruding end.

Bend the remaining end, using the pliers, into a loop to make a neat `0′. When you do this try to bend the wire a little in the opposite direction from the way the loop is to go so the bead will hang properly and you will obtain a professional finish. Repeat this with the three other large beads and space them along the chain so that the first one is about 2.5cm (lin) from the end of the chain. Now open the loops with the pliers, slip them onto the chain links and close them up again.

Do this with the 10 smallest beads, putting the first one on the second link from one end. It is important that all the beads are on the same side of the chain so that they hang properly when worn. When two or more beads are put on one link they can be attached to either the top or the bottom of the link.

Repeat the process with all the beads, putting one on each link, then filling in where colours look best. The beads should be fairly evenly spaced so there are no extra thick clusters anywhere.

Fix the bolt ring on the end loop and the bracelet is complete.

The necklace

The necklace is made in the same way as the bracelet but the beads are graduated to give more width and importance in the front. Begin by placing one large bead in the centre of the chain.

Fix another large bead 2.5cm (lin) from it on either side.

Fix the other two large beads 4.5cm (13/4 in) from the last two.

Now hang the smallest beads at equal intervals along the chain. This gives the basic framework of the necklace.

Divide the remaining beads into thirds and use one third for the 15cm (6in) at each end of the chain and the other two thirds for the remainder. This will build up the chunkiness in the front.

To complete, attach clasp.

Bead ropes

The glass and wooden bead necklace is made by a simple method that can be used to make ropes of beads of any length and combination and which, unlike threaded beads, will not break in the course of normal wear if the links are properly closed.

These necklaces are made entirely with gilt pins and on long ropes which fit over your head, so clasps are not needed.

To make a rope remove the head from as many gilt pins as you require and at the same time cut the pin to the length you want. This is determined by the diameter of your bead plus 6mm (tin) extensions on both ends to make connecting links. If beads of different sizes are used then divide the pins accordingly, for it is easier to cut several at a time.

Make a round loop of the same size at each end of each bead then, using your pliers to open the loop slightly at one end, attach it to the loop of another bead and continue until your rope reaches the 4 desired length.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
Working on Wire and beads