Instructions for CopprClay pendants

General instructions for working with CopprClay

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Earring kit by Laura McCabe available from Beads East

For example, my friend Dulcey Heller creates kits and patterns for a site called simply Buy the Kit.  Despite the name, they also sell “bead-less kits”, a clever way to refer to patterns, as well as kits that contain everything you will need, just add hands and eyes.  This site specializes in seed beadwork.

If you are more interested in learning wire techniques, check out Jewelry Lessons.  There are lessons on polymer clay and beadwork too, but wire is king (or queen) at this site owned by Eni Oken.

Etsy is another place that you can check out for kits and patterns.  I had the most luck by searching on the term “tutorial”.  This lovely shop by WireBliss is just one of the sites I found that had education for sale.

If you’d like to sink your teeth into a really big project, you might want to check out Beads East.  There are free tutorials, both video and printed available here, as well as kits and patterns by artists like Laura McCabe and Sherry Serafini.

JewelerMe is a new site, started by a mother and daughter team.  They specifically package kits that can be done in a group setting like a bridal shower or a girls’ night out.

Finally, here are two more sites that I’m not as familiar with that have patterns and kits.  They look like they’re worth investigating as well:

Beaded Patterns

Simply Beads Kit of the Month

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Originally, I had planned to make this a much more complicated necklace, but as I played with a few ideas, I finally realized that I really didn’t want to distract too much attention from the central medallion. So I settled on three knotted cords and a strand of ribbon yarn. I chose colors that would not only look good with the fish, but would also look vaguely like running water.

Step by step instructions

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The first stage in creating a CopprClay necklace with disc-shaped focals is to roll out, texture, fire, and finish the focals themselves.

Start with small balls of CopprClay, about 3/8 inch across.  Keep all of them under plastic wrap except for the one you’re working with at the time.  Follow the general instructions found at this tutorial for handling your clay.

Step by step instructions for creating discs focals

A few of the tools used with CopprClay

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Tomorrow and next week, I’m going to give you the step-by-steps for making a necklace similar to this one.  We’ll be starting with making the focal discs themselves, and then looking at how to assemble the whole necklace.  In the meantime, you can brush up on the basic details of working with CopprClay:

General instructions for working with CopprClay

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How lucky are we, to have Mary Lyon share a second design and instructions with us!  If you missed the project from last week, check out this beautiful lapis necklace.

This week, Mary’s project is to make a two-strand rose quartz collar with a pendant:

MAGNIFICENT TWO-STRAND ROSE QUARTZ COLLAR WITH PENDANT DROP:

Materials:
Beading wire
12 large faceted rose quartz nugget beads, graduated in size from ¾” to 1¼ inch
1 extra-large faceted rose quartz nugget bead, preferably in a different shape than the 12 other beads
1 2-inch x ½-inch x 5/8ths-inch handcrafted silver dichroic glass 2-hole spacer bar bead
52 4×5mm pale pink pressed glass flower cone beads with AB finish
24 3mm silver flat flower beads
2 6mm faceted Czech fire-polished beads with AB finish
2 6×4mm glass rondelle beads with silver centers
4 3mm round silver spacer beads
2 4mm silver rondelles
2 silver crimp beads
1 inch of sterling silver French wire
6 inches of 16-gauge sterling silver wire
12 inches of 20-gauge sterling silver wire
1 3-inch silver headpin
Jeweler’s glue
E6000 silicon craft cement

Tools:
1 pair of round-nose pliers
1 pair of chain-nose pliers
1 wire-cutter
1 large beading board or steady flat surface
Scotch tape

Finished size: 19 inches

Tip: How always to grab your necklace the right way so you don’t accidentally put it on reversed? Just a little thing, but it can really get annoying! If you’re right-handed, always put the shepherd’s hook on the right-side end, with the figure-8 eye on the left-side end. Your dominant hand will hook your necklace around the back of your neck without your even having to think about it. If you’re a southpaw, make sure the shepherd’s hook is on the left-side end.

Instructions:
1: Prepare a breath-taking center bead-pendant combo for this magnificent choker! Cut a 3-inch length of the 20-gauge silver wire. With the round-nose pliers, make a closed loop at one end. Then, with the chain-nose pliers, crimp the rest of the wire in a zig-zag pattern. Flatten the crimped wire with the chain-nose pliers, and then glue the crimped wire to the back of the 2-hole dichroic spacer bar bead. Set aside to dry.

2: Lay out your necklace. Choose which rose quartz beads go in what graduated order, from larger to smaller, choosing 12 beads per strand, and lay them out in two parallel rows. The lower row should contain beads that are slightly larger than those on the upper row, making the lower row about an inch longer. You’ll have six beads per strand on each side of the center dichroic glass bead.

3: Cut two lengths of beading wire, 24-inches in length each. Lay one out on your bead board or flat work surface. When the 2-hole dichroic spacer bar bead is dry, thread one length of beading wire through the upper hole of the dichro bead. Make sure the wire loop sticking out from behind the dichro bead is facing down.

4: Begin stringing the first strand of rose quartz nugget beads. String one flower cone bead, facing outward, on each side of the dichro bead. Choosing the large rose quartz beads you laid out the upper row in Step 2, start building each side of the upper strand. Separate each rose quartz bead with a “combination spacer” of two outward-facing flower cone beads with a silver flat flower in between. When you’ve assembled both sides of the upper strand, add one additional “combination spacer”, and 1 small round silver spacer bead at each end. Secure with tape.

5: Begin stringing the second strand of the slightly larger rose quartz nugget beads from the remaining 12 beads you laid out in Step 2. Repeat the same sequence with graduated nugget beads and “combination spacer” beads as in Step 4. When you’ve reached the end, add one more “combination spacer”, a 6mm faceted Czech fire-polished bead, and 1 small round silver spacer bead at each end. Secure with tape.

6: Now, create the clasp – the “eye”! With the wire cutters, cut two lengths of silver wire – 2 inches and 3 inches. With the round-nose pliers, bend the 2-inch wire into a securely closed figure-8. Start by looping the wire about midway down one jaw of the pliers to encourage a smooth rounded base loop. Work the rest of the wire around the bottom, or largest part, of one jaw of the pliers, to make a larger loop. Make sure each end of the wire closes tightly into a figure-8.

7: Make the shepherd’s hook with the 3-inch wire. Start by looping one end of wire midway down one jaw of the round-nose pliers to make a base loop. Then work the rest of the wire as though you’re starting another figure-8, but don’t close the end. At the open end of the wire, bend it into a small, tight closing loop.

8: Close off the necklace. Cut a ½-inch length of French wire. Working on one side, remove the tape and thread the two strands together through 1 6mm glass rondelle, a 4mm silver rondelle, a silver crimp bead, and the French wire. Then – through the eye of the shepherd’s hook, and back out into the crimp bead and the glass rondelle again. Firmly crimp the crimp bead closed, using the chain-nose pliers. Glue where crimped with jeweler’s glue. Trim off the excess beading wire that protrudes out from underneath the glass rondelle. Carefully repeat on the other side, connecting the two open ends of beading wire with the figure-8 clasp loop. NOTE: While you’re finishing the opposite side, keep the necklace laying flat on your work surface as you gently pull both wires taut.

9: At last, prepare the large pendant drop for the center dichro bead! Thread the remaining extra-large faceted rose quartz bead onto the 3-inch headpin. With the round-nose pliers, begin a loop with the wire at the top. Before closing the loop, connect it to the closed loop at the bottom of the large dichro center bead. Then close off the wire loop at the top of the rose quartz bead and trim off the excess wire.

Resources:
For large faceted rose quartz chunks – Ritual Adornments – 2708 Main St. – Santa Monica, CA 90405. Phone: (310) 452-4044. www.ritualadornments.com

For tools, spacer beads, crimp beads, silver wire, bead-stringing components, glue and bead-stringing tray – San Gabriel Bead Company – 325 East Live Oak – Arcadia, CA 91006. Phone: (626) 447-7753. www.beadcompany.com

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Melinda Barta came up with a brilliant idea for this fun book. Instead of spreading her many talents out too thinly, she concentrated on just three areas: pendants, charms, and clasps.

It’s often hard to find exactly that perfect piece to customize your jewelry, and if you can make your own pendants, charms, and clasps, you can add them to readily available lain beads to create a masterpiece that is distinctively yours. Melinda includes over 275 quick and easy ideas for mixed media components as well as 7 full stringing projects. Once you start making these components, you’ll never run out of ideas about what to do with them!

Custom Cool Jewelry teaches you how to create personalized, affordable, and unique alternatives to store-bought beading components using a wide range of jewelry and basic crafting materials including embossing powder, collage papers, wire, fibers, glass etching cream, patinas, found objects, fabric, memorabilia and more.

Check out The Bookshop for lots more links to books about jewelry-making in addition to this fine guide!

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Yesterday I showed you the necklace that I made using the copper findings and beads that I received from Auntie’s Beads.

You’ll need copper colored wire, some stone rounds and chips (I used turquoise and coral), and lots of cool copper stuff!

Step by step instructions

Materials:
Copper colored wire (20 gauge)
Turquoise and coral rounds, 4mm and 6mm
Turquoise and coral chips
Copper colored or red beading wire
Copper chain, hook, crimps, jump rings, and head pins
Copper round bead, floral patterned, 7mm
Copper 2mm rounds, daisy spacers, bead caps, and hammered round links

Tools:
Round nose pliers
Chain nose pliers
Wire cutters
File
Measuring tape

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The leaves that I showed you yesterday are really easy to make, but take quite a bit of time. Plan to do them when you’ve got other projects going on so that you don’t have to sit around waiting for the silver to dry.  Choose fresh leaves with deep veins: you’re going to be applying the paste to the bottom of the leaves, so you want the underside to be textured, but not “fuzzy” the way some leaves can be.  Smooth, but bumpy is good!

Step by step instructions

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Materials:
40 inches 14 gauge sterling silver wire
24 inches 18 gauge sterling silver wire
5 inches 20 gauge sterling silver wire
Sterling silver headpins
8/0, 11/0 seed beads
4mm tube beads
Assorted glass, stone, sterling silver, pearl accent beads, 4-10mm
Nymo O

Tools:
Ball peen hammer
Beading needles
Wire cutters
Chain and round nosed pliers
Measuring tape

Step by step instructions

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