How to Make Wire & Bead Jewelry: Tips and Instructions
Wire and bead jewelry ranges from woven wire and bead bracelets to fine earrings with bead drops. Most beaded jewelry includes wire in some form, sometimes as a finding or support for the bead and sometimes center stage as part of the artistry of the jewelry piece. Beading requires developing good wire skills to be able to create different types of jewelry. These two projects reflect some of the basic ways that wire and beads are combined.
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Things You'll Need
- Findings
- Wire
- Wire cutters
- Head pins
- Loop pins
- Needle-nose pliers
- Round-nose pliers
- Crimp beads
- Crimp pliers
- Beads
- Charms
- Split rings
- Split-ring pliers
- Chain
- Jump rings
Instructions
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Earring
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1
Purchase a beginner beading kit that includes: findings, wire, wire cutters, head pins, loop pins, needle-nose pliers, round-nose pliers, crimp beads, crimp pliers, beads, charms, split rings, split-ring pliers, chain, needle and thread, and jump rings. Most store kits will have a few simple starter projects included. Often they come with a booklet with tips on how to use each tool.
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2
Make a simple pierced ear earring by using a pierced ear wire finding and a head pin. String beads onto the head pin.
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3
Form a loop at the end of the head pin wire with round-nose pliers. Thread the loop onto the earring finding. This type of simple earring should take only a few minutes.
Bracelet
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4
Select a bar finding. Cut a length of chain 7 1/2 inches long. Slip a jump ring over the last chain link and the center loop of a bar finding. Use needle-nose pliers to close the jump ring. Repeat this with a second bar finding on the other end of the chain. Attach a lobster claw closure to the loop on the outside of the bar finding using the same jump-ring process.
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5
Thread a beading needle with a crimp bead. Bring the needle up through an end loop on the bar finding. Thread the needle back through the crimp bead. Pull the thread through until 1/8 remains outside the crimp bead and the crimp bead is touching the bar finding loop. Crimp the bead with the crimping tool. Pick up 7 1/2 inches of beads and a crimp bead. Thread your needle through the end loop on the opposite end of the bracelet and back through the crimp bead. Pull the thread snug and crimp the crimp bead.
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6
Finish your bracelet with loop pins. Slip the slightly open loop over the last bar finding loop and close the loop pin loop. Add beads and form a loop on the end of the loop pin with round-nose pliers. Select a new loop pin and hook the two loop ends together, closing each loop firmly with pliers. String more beads. Continue until you reach the last bar end loop on the other side of your 7 1/2-inch bracelet.
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7
Add charms to the bracelet by opening a split ring with the split-ring pliers. Slide the end of the split ring over the charm loop and one end loop on a bar finding on the bracelet. Turn the split ring until the ring closes.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Wire can also be wrapped around and glued to semi-precious stones as pendants and woven through seed beads to create woven beads.
Acquire a bead sorting tray and a variety of glues and containers in which to store your projects.
References
- Photo Credit Modeschmuck image by Yvonne Bogdanski from Fotolia.com
