How to Make Jewelry from Glass Rocks

Sea glass makes lovely rocks that you can use in jewelry.

Sea glass and other forms of rough glass nuggets are popular jewelry components, as they add their natural beauty to whatever design an artist creates. Because drilling a hole in sea glass and other glass components is impractical, most designers wrap glass rocks in cages of wire with loops on the end so that the rocks can be used. You can create your own jewelry with glass nuggets via a few simple tools and techniques.

Things You'll Need

• Glass rocks
• 20- or 22-gauge wire
• Round-nose pliers
• Chain-nose pliers
• Jump rings
• Lobster clasp

Instructions

Wire-Wrapping the Rocks

1. Cut a 12-inch length of 20- or 22-gauge wire. Thinner wire has a higher gauge, so 22-gauge wire is thinner than 20-gauge wire. If you want to create intricate decorative patterns on your rocks, you should choose the thinner and more malleable wire. However, if you are primarily looking for structural support for your rocks, you should choose the thicker and stronger wire.

2. Wrap the end of the wire length around your round-nose pliers to create a small loop. You will later use this loop to join glass rock links together.

3. Place the loop firmly against one side of the rock and then use your hands to spiral the wire down the rock, wrapping it in a wire cage. Leave at least ½ inch untwisted at the end of the wire.

4. Wrap the last ½ inch of wire around your round-nose pliers to create a second loop on the other side of your rock. You have now completed one glass rock link. Continue to create links until you have enough to make a bracelet or a necklace.

Putting Your Jewelry Together

1. Hold the opposite ends of a jump ring with two pairs of chain-nose pliers and twist the pliers away from each other to open the ring.

2. Thread the ring through the loops of two of the glass rock links that you made previously.

3. Close the ring with your pliers by twisting them back toward each other. You should now have two rock links connected by a jump ring.

4. Repeat these steps until your bracelet or necklace reaches your ideal length.

5. Open a jump ring and thread it through a lobster clasp and the last loop on your glass rock link chain.

6. Close the ring securely to attach the clasp to your jewelry. You can fasten the necklace or bracelet shut by attaching the lobster clasp to the last free loop on your rock link.

Tips & Warnings

• You can wrap each rock in a single spiral or you can create an intricate cage for the stone by continuing to wrap the wire around the rock. You can even use your pliers to add geometric shapes or curlicues to the wrapping; this will depend primarily on your level of comfort and skill with pliers and wire-wrapping.

References

• WittyLiving.com: Wire Wrapping Jewelry - Quartz Swirl Wire Earrings
• Emporia State University: Wire Wrap Jewelry