Blog posts tagged with 'wire wrapping'

Basic Jewelry Findings Terms

Findings: The component parts and materials used to complete a piece of jewelry.

Bail: Components used to easily attach pendants or charms to a chain without the soldering being required.

Bead: A small, often rounded piece, with a hole through it so it can be strung. Beads can be made from a variety of materials.

Bead Cap: A metal ornament, which is used to highlight beads and turn them into a focal piece.  They are also used to cover up any imperfections or damage around the drilled hole of the bead.

Bezel: A metal ring that holds a stone in its setting.

Cabochon: A highly polished gemstone used in bezel settings.  They have a curved top and flat bottom to allow them to sit in the settings.

Clasp: A device that allows the two ends of a chain to close together. They can be functional and decorative, coming in many styles and shapes.

-Lobster Claw Clasp: With the look of a lobster claw, it has a rounded top with a self-closing bottom hinge that opens when a small lever is pushed.

-Spring Ring Clasp: A round hollow ring with an inner wire that is opened and closed by pulling and releasing a lever on its side.

-Magnetic Clasp: Attracting magnets on each end are used to close securely and open easily.

-Toggle Clasp: Has a bar that is pulled through a ring and cannot pass through again, making it secure.

Crimp Bead: A small round or tubular hollow bead that is secured to jewelry by flattening it with pliers. Often times they are used to secure clasps or floating beads on stringing material.

Earwire: A curved and looped piece of wire that is one part of an earring.  The curved part fits through the piercing of an ear and a loop is used to dangle a decorative finding.

Faceted Stone: A polished gemstone with many flat cut surfaces called facets.  This helps the gem reflect light, making it look brighter and shimmer.

Gauge: The thickness measurement of wire or metal. The higher the number is, the smaller the size.

Gold Filled: Legally required to contain 1/20 gold by weight and more valuable than gold plated. It will not tarnish or fade over time like gold plated due to a different bonding process.

Gold Plated: Covering another type of metal with a thin layer of gold using electroplating.

Half-drilled Bead: A bead that only has a hole halfway through it and can be glued onto metal pegs to create charms, pendants or stud earrings.

 Jump Rings: Small, round connectors used in jewelry making.

-Open Jump Rings: Have a divide in the wire that can be pried open and closed using pliers.

-Closed Jump Rings: Cannot be opened as they are soldered shut. They are ideal for projects that require a stronger connector for heavy or expensive pieces.

Oxidization: A reaction that occurs when sterling silver is exposed to oxygen, sulfur, and moisture in the air over time that results in a dark tarnish on its surface. Some jewelers purposely give a black patina to sterling silver by using chemicals to speed the process up.

Pave: Tiny gemstones set close to one another with no visible metal that results in a “paved” stone surface look.

Pins: Straight pieces of wire, which can come in many gauges and lengths.

-Ball Pins: Have a small ball at the end to prevent beads from sliding off. Loops can be created with pliers to attach to other findings.

-Eye Pins: Have a small loop at the end. The loop can be attached to other findings to make longer pieces.

-Head Pins: Have a flat or round end that keeps beads from sliding off. Loops can be created with pliers to attach to other findings.

Quality Tag: A small, flat piece of metal that has the metal quality stamp or trademark of the manufacturer or artisan. They usually have a hole on each end to easily attach to the chain with jump rings.

Rhodium Plating: Done like gold plating with electroplating, rhodium plating is used to prevent scratching or tarnishing on sterling silver.  Rhodium is a precious metal of the platinum family and is also a good option for those with nickel allergies as it is hypoallergenic.

Rose Gold: Done like gold plating with electroplating, rose gold is a combination of specific amounts of silver, copper, and gold.

Slider Bead: A bead with an inner silicone layer that allows the bead to grip chain or cord.  The silicone allows the bead to stay in place while also making it easy to adjust its position if needed.

Sterling Silver: An alloy of silver with a silver content of 92.5%silver. The remaining 7.5% is of other metals.

Wire wrapping: Using wire around a bead, stone, other findings, or itself, to create pendants, charms, or decorative patterns for jewelry pieces.

Vermeil:  Vermeil is a combination of sterling silver and gold, usually a sterling silver core with thicker gold plating of 2.5 micron thickness.

Explore all of the findings AZ Findings has to offer: https://www.azfindings.com/wholesale-jewelry-findings

Knotted Head Pin

Making your own headpins is an essential skill in jewelry making, this tutorial will demonstrate how to make a headpin with a lovely knotted end and how to wire wrap a bead onto that pin.

Headpins are a component used in jewelry making most often when using beads and making earrings adding wrapped beads to finished chains. Headpins are found in different finished, lengths and gauges to suit your jewelry making needs. When making your own headpins you can custom create with a variety of lengths and gauge sizes.

One thing to keep in mind when you are creating your own head pins is the size of bead you will be using with the pin- mainly the hole size. If the hole size is quite small, ensure you use a thin gauge wire. If the hole is larger, make sure that the knot you make will be large enough to hold the bead on the pin.

Materials: sterling silver wire, bead

Tools: Round nose pliers, wire cutters, chain nose pliers

Steps in making a knotted end head pin

Step 1: Cut wire to desired length- 2 inches

Step 2: Using round nose pliers grip the tip of the wire ensuring it is not coming past the jaws of the pliers.

Step 3: Twist away from you, slightly loosening grip, readjusting pliers back, tighten at some point and twist away again. Continue until you have 2 full coils

Step 4: Grip wire at the base of the last coil made and twist wire 90 degrees upward

Step 5: Using fingers bend wire at halfway point

Step 6: Feed end through the coils made, until a little tail is through

Step 7: Grip tail with chain nose pliers, while gripping the knot with your fingers pull the tail end fully through the coils

Step 8: If needed, tighten up and secure the knot

Step 9: Straighten out wire

Here is your knotted head pin!

Continue with the following steps for a wire wrapped bead in the pin

Step 10: String bead or beads onto pin

Step 11: Using round nose pliers, grip wire about 2-3mm above top bead, slightly twist creating a kink creating about a 30-40 degree angle.

Step 12: Readjust pliers to sit at tip of the twist

Step 13: Pull wire all the way around making a full loop with tail coming straight across where loop ends- use either thumb to push along round nose pliers or for thicker gauge wire use pliers

Step 14: Gently grip loop with pliers, do not squeeze too hard or you will mark the wire or distort the loop.

Step 15: Grip tail with 2nd set of bent chain nose pliers and begin twisting, wrapping around the visible wire above the beads. Wrap as close to loop as possible and continue wrapping around keeping coils tight. Wrap all the way down to the top bead.

*NOTE: The space given above the last bead will determine how much wrapping you will need to do. The 2-3 recommended is about 2-3 coils depending on wire gauge. If you want more coil, leave more space and wrap all the way down to the top bead. This is based on your design alone, as long as there is one solid coil the beads will be secure.

Step 16: Once down to the top bead, you may have the excess wire. If needed cut the tail with wire cutters.

Step 17: Tuck the tail in, gently push it inwards toward the coil. Careful not to scratch the surface of the beads, especially pearls.Thank you

AZ Findings Team

Wire wrapped gemstone bar

Material: beads, 2 inches 26 gauge wire, chain

Tools: round nose pliers, bent chain nose pliers, chain nose pliers, measuring tool

The gemstone bar is a trending style that is versatile and just a slight adaptation from basic wire wrapping. You can use any type of fully drilled beads to create the gem bar and combined with other techniques, you can create unique jewelry with securely fastened gemstones. Using basic wire wrapping technique, the gem bar is a simple and elegant way to display those gorgeous gemstones we love so much.

This demonstration will show a 1 inch gemstone bar, however you can make your bar as long or as short as you like simply by adding beads or taking away beads and shortening length of wire.

Step 1: Use chain nose pliers and bend the wire at with a 3/4 inch tail, creating a 90-degree angle

Step 2: Use the round nose pliers and create a loop bringing the tail around the plier tip

Step 3: String the chain through the tail, letting it fall into the loop.

Step 4: Grip the loop with the chain nose pliers, and with the bent chain nose pliers, begin to wind the tail around the base of the loop, making 2-3 coils

Step 5: Secure the end of the tail tightly to the coil

Step 6: Cut the wire leave 1.5 inches for the gem bar and you final loop

Step 7: String your beads onto the wire making a 1 inch bar

Step 8: Grip the tail with the chain nose pliers leaving 3mm beside the last bead

Step 9: With the chain nose pliers, make another 90 degree bend

Step 9: Use the round nose pliers and grip the bend at its angle, take the tail and wrap over the plier tip creating a loop ( make sure you loop in the same area as the first loop to ensure the same size loop)

Step 10: Coil the wire around tightening the beads

Thank you

AZ Findings Team

Simple Loop

Material: Bead, 26 gauge wire- half hard

Tools: Chain nose pliers, round nose pliers, cutters

Wire wrapping beads and pearls is a technique every jewelry maker should now. The ability to wire wrap a bead infuses your skillset in such a versatile way. Simply learning a basic wire wrap will allow you to create bracelets, necklaces, earrings, charms, pendants and more. When wire wrapping there are a few different supplies choices to consider. Begin with the bead you are using: is it drilled? How is it drilled? What gauge wire will fit through the drilled hole?

This will demonstrate a basic loop wiring for a bead. The basic loop is a quick and secure way to ensure the bead stays in position, while it does not have too much wrapping. This technique is used in many aspects of jewelry making embellishing earrings, creating pendants, rosary making, adding to a chain and much more.

Steps in a simple wire loop

Step 1: Cut wire, approximately 1.5", depending on bead size. You will need about 3/4 inch space for each loop and then add the bead size.

Step 2: Grip wire with round nose pliers. Ensure wire does not come above jaws as this will distort the loop shape.

Step 3: Twist the wire away from you, using your thumb to press the wire down to the plier jaws. Once twist is complete, slightly loosen and readjust to pliers to perform second twist ( ensure to use the same point on the pliers, if you move up or down it will change the size of the loop). Continue to turn until you hit the wire creating a full loop.

Step 4: Grip inside of loop with round nose pliers, and twist ( away from opening)

NOTE: If using a thick gauge wire like 22 gauge 20 gauge or thicker, use chain nose pliers for your bend because they are stronger and you may have trouble with the round nose.

Step 5: To close loop completely you simply wiggle closed using chain nose pliers

Step 6: String bead onto wire

Step 7: Cut excess wire, leaving 3/4 inch tail to create loop

Step 8: Grip end of wire with round nose pliers and repeat step 3.

Step 9: Grip loop inside with round nose pliers and twist back to round out loop. This will open up the loop.

Step 10: Grip the wire end and twist inward again connecting the tip to the base of the loop

Step 11: If looping the bead onto a chain or another piece of wire loop through the open tail

Step 12: Close loop with chain nose pliers simply wiggle it as close to base as possible

If loops are not in the right position ie. perpendicular - depending on your design then grip each loop and twist into desired position.

Tips:

• If needed mark a spot on you round nose pliers to remember where to bend and make the same size loops.
• The larger the loop you want, the higher along the round nose pliers you will grip
• Lastly - practice makes perfect - do not expect to have a perfect loop on your first try. Keep at it and you will get a groove going!

Thank you

AZ Findings Team