How to Make Bead Charm Jewelry

Bead charm jewelry is beaded jewelry that incorporates charms into the design. Charm bracelets are a common use of both beads and charms, but you can also add charms to other pieces of beaded jewelry, such as a necklace or an earring. Many bead stores sell manufactured charms in a variety of colors and styles, but you can also make your own charms with a few beads, head or eye pins, and a simple wire loop. Mixing and matching both types of charms is a good way to get creative with your beaded jewelry.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Two 2-inch eye pins Two small charms Two 10-mm round beads Two earring wires Needle nose pliers Round nose pliers Wire nippers 28-inch silk, suede or cotton necklace cord One large disc bead 2 inches of chain link One large charm Additional smaller charms (optional) Jump rings 8-inch bracelet chain with large links One lobster clasp Assorted charms with jump rings Assorted 4- to 8-mm beads Eye pins and head pins

Bead Earrings With Charms

1. 
   Earring materials laid out

   Place your materials on a flat work surface, and lay out all the pieces you need for the project.

2. Use the round nose pliers and the needle nose pliers to grip the loop on the eye pin, and gently twist it open, just enough to add the charm.

3. 
   Charms on eye pins

   Slip one charm on the end of each eye pin, and close the loop with the two pairs of pliers, again by twisting.

4. 
   Beads added to eye pins

   Place the 10-mm round bead on the eye pin.

5. 
   Bend and clip the eye pin wire

   Use the round nose pliers or the needle nose pliers to grip the end of the eye pin wire and bend it to 90 degrees on top of the round bead. Then use the wire nippers to cut the wire about 3/8 inch from the bead.

6. 
   Roll the wire into a loop

   Grip the end of the cut wire with the round nose pliers, and gently roll the wire into a loop, using the jaw of the round nose pliers as a guide.

7. Hook the loop from the earring wire inside the loop you're making, and then use the round nose pliers to re-grip the end of the eye pin wire to roll it a little more until the wire forms a closed circle, also known as a "simple loop." The earring wire should now be securely held inside that loop.

8. 
   Finished Earrings

   Repeat the simple loop and attaching the earring wire on the other eye pin. The beaded charm earrings are complete.

Bead Necklace With Charms

9. Twist open a jump ring, and attach it to a large disc bead.

10. 
    Disc bead attached to cord

    Thread the cord through the jump ring to place the disc bead, now a pendant, on the necklace.

11. Attach a jump ring to the middle of the 2-inch piece of chain, and use it to attach the chain to the jump ring on the pendant, creating two dangling pieces of chain where you can now attach charms. The two pieces of chain do not need to be equal. Having one longer than the other will had a nice dimension to your necklace.

12. 
    Large charm added to the chain

    Use a jump ring, and attach a large charm to the end of one of the chains. Use jump rings and attach additional charms to other links on the chain.

13. 
    Necklace With Charms Completed

    Hold both ends of the cord together, and tie a simple knot, leaving enough room to slip the necklace over your head.

Beaded Charm Bracelet

14. Use a jump ring to attach a lobster clasp to one end of the bracelet chain.

15. Use jump rings to attach charms to the links on the bracelet chain in a random fashion down the length of the chain.

16. 
    Charms and beads attached to a bracelet chain

    Create your own charms by stringing a bead or two on to an eye pin or head pin and creating a simple loop as you did in Step 6 of the earring section. Attach these to the bracelet.

17. Secure the bracelet on your wrist by hooking the lobster clasp to any link. This leaves the bracelet adjustable.

References

• How to Make Beaded Jewelry

Resources

• All About Beading