How to Make Beach Glass Jewelry

Beach glass is nothing more than trash carelessly thrown away and recreated by Mother Nature into something smooth and beautiful. There are different values given to beach glass because of the color, glass grade, shape and unusual patterns. Lavender, blue, reds, bright aqua, chartreuse or lime green are more valuable. If you're lucky enough to find a pink, orange or ruby flash glass, you have the most precious of all, unless the glass is well-frosted. You can make exquisite jewelry from all pieces. Beach glass necklaces are the simplest form of beach glass jewelry.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Masking tape Bent-nose pliers Wire cutters 24-gauge half round gold-filled wire 20-gauge square gold-filled wire Round-nose pliers Soft cloth Twisting tool Black binder clips covered with soft cloth Marker Ruler

1. Wrap the masking tape around the outer edge, from top to bottom, of the beach glass. Use this to find how much wire you need. Measure the tape and add 4 inches to its length for the 20-gauge square gold-filled wire length necessary. Cut three pieces of wire to this length and straighten them, holding them in the soft cloth.

2. Hold the three tightly next to each other. Keep them together with the black clips. Find the middle of the group of wires and wrap it four times with the round gold wire.

3. Measure 1 inch on both sides from the middle wrap and wrap again with the gold wire on each side. This wrapping helps make the holder for your beach glass jewelry.

4. Place the beach glass on the center wrap and bring the sides up around it. Then gather the wires at the top and wrap, leaving at least 2 inches of wrap at the top.

5. Pull the wires toward the center to make the holder. Use the round nosed pliers to pull the outside wires directly above the wrap now on the bottom of the beach glass toward the center. Turn over the beach glass and do the same on the back. This leaves only the middle wire up the side edge. Now do the same thing to the wires between the top and those placed on the center of the beach glass.

6. Separate all six wires at the top to form a fan. Twist the center two wires with the wire-twisting tool. Use your wire cutters to remove 1 inch from the other four wires. Roll them with the round-nose pliers to make curls going downward that end at the top of the beach stone.

7. Twist the two remaining wires toward the back with the bent-nose pliers. Leave loops and wrap the remaining wire around the indented area above the wrap centered halfway up the beach glass. When you do this, you make a bale on the back. Simply insert a chain through the bale.