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100% found this document useful (3 votes)
445 views123 pagesBeading With Gemstones - Beautiful Jewelry, Simple Techniques (Lark Jewelry Book) (PDFDrive)
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
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/ 123
Beading ees
‘GEMSTONES
Me
BEAUTIFUL
JEWELRY,
IMPLE
TECHNIQUES
\
Dulévie MaeCarthy — :
; Beginner Projects . Ss
Simplicity. .
Fireworks
21
14
118
Standard Stone and Bead Sizes.
- Appendix: Identifying Gemstones .
Acknowledgments . « Learning About Gemstones
‘Semiprecious scones are the primary focus of this book,
and they have been the primary focus of my designs for
along time. Why? Because they're beautiful, and wear-
ing them makes us feel beautiful. Bur that's not all. The
attraction to gemstones has always been tied to their
incredible colors and ability to play with light, Through
‘our the ages, gemstones have been objects to treasure and
collec, important both as commodities and as symbols of
wealdh. To fully appreciate the materials with which you'll
be working, let's spend just a few minutes discussing
these special stones.
Weft to D
{pen Co Lapin
What Is a Gemstone?
“There's no exact definition to describe gems or gem-
stones—some have described them simply as “ornamental
stones.” But there area number of specific characteristics
that we ascribe to gemstones: color may be the most
important to you, but some others include their aromic
structure, harcness, gravity, and cleavage, oF fracture.
Since you'll be purchasing stones that will have aleady
been cut and identified for you, you won't need to know
much abou the scientific techniques used to identify
the raw material. But you're probably interested in some
general information about the stones you'll use to make
your jewelry
nstones are most often minerals (such as xopaz), but
they can be organic (like coral) or; in rare cases, rock
(ouch as lapis lazuli). All of these can be referred to as
‘gemstones.
Learning About Gemstones.
Minerals
A mineral is an inorganic solid crystalline structure that's
found in the Earths crust. Depending on the mineral,
its crystalline formation can be clearly evident, asin this
cleat quartz, oF too small for the naked eye to see, like
this agate. Sometimes minerals are referted 10 as crystal,
hich have been studied for centuries. In fact, the word
crystal comes from the Greck word krystelles, or kryos,
meaning “icy cold.” It was once believed that rock crystal
was ice thar had frozen so hard it would never melt! This
‘would almost seem to be true in the ease of the most pre-
‘ious mineral of all, the diamond, which is rare and only
‘exists in certain parts of the world, Other more commen
rmincrals, such as quartz, are abundant throughout the
world, All crystals can be considered gemstones, but not
all are suitable to be fashioned into jewelry
Organic Stones
Organic gems are derived from living things, such as
animals and plants, and they come in the Form of amber,
fossils, coral, and peadls. Although all of them are class
fod as onganic gems, cach has been forme
a unique
mance. Fo instance, amber is pine-tree resin that fos-
silized 50 million years ago, coral isthe secreted skeleton
from the marine organisms called coral polyps, and fosils
‘originate from shells and bones of animals that were
capped in layers of rock.
Amber
p & Gemstones Qualities
* @ Each type of gemstone has its own distinctive character:
istics. As you become familiar with these qualities, youl
find that you can correctly identify most gemstones, and
ax the same time you'll be making good dec
@ which stones co use for specific pieces.
jons about
Hardness
(One way to identify a gemstone is by its specific hard-
ness. All minerals can be placed on Mohs’ scale of relative
hardness, which was devised by German mineralogist
Friedtich Mohs in 1812. Asan aid in classifying the hard:
ness of minerals, he selected 10 readily available minerals
and placed them in order on the scale so that a specific
mineral could scratch only the minerals listed above it,
Pearls are formed naturally inside mollusks sach as oysters but none of those below it. Minerals of the same hardness
to counteract the irritating effects of sand inside the shell. can also scratch each other.
The mollusk covers the grain of sand wich layers of nacre
and, over
nc, the litle grain of sand turns into a pearl
Gihslpuisnithacdoconieclgensors =e (SET ees
Soaelenpbiee enema aes
main morph Faloyng ue Mot mwa th fl) bg he
aa ae ar softest mineral and 10 (diamond) being the hardest.
Poche 1 Tele 6 Orthoclase feldspar
7 Quor
A.rock is a combination, or aggregate, of ero or more a Siem =
mincrals. Weve all called a diamond a rock, but dortt be 3 Calete 8 Topaz
fooled, because a diamond is no rack! Stones that are &
combination of one or more minerals, such 2s lapis lazuli Shikai, Seca
labradorite, and moonstone, are designated as rocks. 5 Apatite 10. Diamond
Most semiprecious stones that you'll be using to make
Moonstone the jewelry pieces in this book ate in the 5 to 7 range
con the scale. Organic stones are much softer, in the
range of 2 and 3. Be expecially careful when working
with these softer stones, which include pearls, coral,
= and amber, because they can become scratched or
chipped more easily than the harder stones.
Labradorite
Leaming About Gemstones 9 Color
A caysal color is often its most striking and atractive
feacure, and this is probably che quality that frst
atiracted you to a particular stone, No doubs, color is
an important consideration when you begin making
your jewelry pieces.
Some minerals, known 2s allochromatic, occur in a
variety of colors. Examples of these ate quartz, diamond,
‘oumaline, apatite, and fluorite. Other minerals referred
0 as idiochromatic always occur as the
same color. For example, peridot isan
idiochromatic mineral, always appear
ing green
Peridot
Some stones may resemble each other to the naked eye
foe inseance, yellow topan and cit
confused), but due to their specific chemical properties
and ordered aromic structuee, a gemologist can discern
the difference. The opposite aso holds true. For ex-
ample, there are many differene quartz varities that look
nothing like pure clear quartz ‘They've even been given,
completely different names, such as chalcedony, agate,
and chrysoprase, but in fact these all belong to the same
‘quate Family as clear quarte, amethyst, and cierine, Ie
important to be aware of chese aspects of gemstone colors
‘when selecting stones for your
jewelry projects.
Cheysoprese ,
Chalcedony
inc are commonly
10. Learning About Gemstones
‘The play of light and its effect on colors one of the
incriguing factors conceming gemstones, and youl
probably wane to design your pieces wich this character-
istic in mind. The particular color of a stone is primarily
ducto dispersion, the breaking up of white light into
spectrum (rainbow). When light passes through
‘gemstone, some spectral colors arc absorbed while others
ate reflected back. Those that ate reflected back give the
‘gem its color. With colorless stones, you may see flashes
of color, often referred to as fire, which is also due to this
dispersion of light
‘The appearance of certain colors can be duc
to impurities in the stone, ironically
«enough. For example, amethyst
is rock quartz containing trace
amounts of ferric icon, and the rose
colors in rose quater ate created by
traces of manganese or titanium.
Rose quartz
Some crystals can make you think you'e secing double!
This fect is called reftaction, which occurs when light
passing through a crystal is spit into two rays. Because
gems have more density than ait, light slows down and
bends, causing the double image.
Certain stones, such as moonstone and labradorite, play
with light to cause effects that look similar to a soap
bubble or an oil slick. This effec, which is caused by light
reflecting off structures within the stone, is called inter-
ference, or sometimes opalescence or schiller. Enhanced and Altered Stones
“The appearance of some gemstones can be altered
by heat, irradiation, seaining, and oiling, and this
may influence how you feel about using a certain
stone in your jewelry pieces.
hl
s
‘Heat treatment is used either to enhance or to
change a gem's color. In the case of amethyst, heat-
ing ic will ruin it co cictne, Irradiation also causes
4a stone ¢o change color, and this can happen nats:
rally from radioactive elements within the Earths
crust, or artificially, through human methods.
‘Staining can be done using stains. dyes, or chemi-
cals. Some techniques coat the surface, while oth-
xs change the entice stone. Staining can only be
one on porous stones, which allow che color to
csnceriaco them. This technique is used to enhance
astone’s color or to imitate another stone. For ex-
ample, howlite. which is naturally white, is often
dyed to imitate curquoise
Giling is used to enhance a stone by hiding the
cracks and fissures. Emeralds and opals ae often
ciled co fill in their blemishes.
Know Your Gemstones
‘Creating gemstone jewelry isexciting and inspir-
ing. The gemscones have a beauty of their own,
‘even before being combined with other stones and
precious metals to make rings, earings, brace-
lets, and necklaces. Before you begin shopping
for stones, I recommend that you get to know a
lite about them, especially the range of colors.
characteristics, and identifying factors that make
‘hem unique. Fora brief introduction co the many
gemstones available for your jewelry, sce the ap-
pendix on page 123.
Cenain stones have traditionally been associated with months
cof the year. This came about after the breastplate of a high
priest was discovered in Egypt containing these 12 stones. Ac-
cording to tradition, Hebrews took the 12 stones and assigned
‘each one to represent their 12 1ibes of Israel, But it was in
the 18th century in Poland that wearing birthstones came into
fashion. tt was believed thot the cosmic energy transmitted by
the stones would resonate back to the wearer, creating positive
‘energy that, in turn, would bring good luck and happiness
Following is a list of traditional birthstones:
January: garnet, rose quartz
February: amethyst, onyx
March: aquamarine, tourmaline
Apri: diamond, zircon, erystal quartz
May: emerald, chrysoprase
June: pearl, moonstone
daly: iby, camelion
August: peridot, onyx
September: sapphire, chrysolite
October: opal, pink tourmaline
November: topaz, citrine, smoky quartz
December: turquoise, zircon
Throughout the ages, many cultures around the world have
used stones for healing. Each type of stone has its own unique
composition and emits a different vibration, meking them of
value in heating specific ailments.
Some stones are considered to have qualities for dissolving
stress, others for unblocking chakras, and others for supporting
the immune system and neutralizing negative eneray. Tradition-
al Chinese medicine has been using stones for healing for more
than 5,000 years. Even without knowing the properties of the
stones they're wearing, some have said they instinctively feat
better when wearing them. A friend of mine swears that the
rose quartz necklace | made for her helped her got pregnant!
Learning About Gemsiones 11 Getting Started
Making your own gemstone jewelry is exciting and re-
‘warding. Youlll be thrilled as you see the project you have
selected coming together, one step ata time, But first,
especially if you're new to jewelry making, read through
this section to find out about the stones and other jewelry
materials, plus the tools and supplies that you'll need to
create your project.
Check the finished size of the piece you plan to
make, I you want to make it smaller (shorter) or larger
(longer), make changes as needed for al items in
the materials lst and mark changes as needed in the
instructions.
Make sure you have all necessary materials, tools, and
supplies. These include:
* Gemstone and accent boads
‘Findings, such as clasps, head pins, jump rings,
earring components
+ Chain
Wire
+ Tools
+ Supplies
Prepare your work space.
+ Set aside all other projects in progress.
+ Clean your work space.
+ Organiza the materials for your new project.
Practice new techniques using inexpensive materials,
Getting Started
Gemstone and Accent Beads
‘To make the gemstone jewelry designs in this book, youl
nnoed a variety of fine gemstone heads. All of the designs
‘use gemstones thar have holes drilled into them, so they
are technically called beads. [also use les-precious seed
beads for accents. The process of selecting and shopping
for just che right ones is one of the most exciting aspecis
of making your own jewelry.
ve used many different stones for chese designs, but fel
firece to mix and match other stones in place of the ones
you see, The best way to find your nee artist is by taking
risk and trying something new, even if i's only using
another color or a different type of stone.
Some of the gemstones I've used are fairly common; oth
‘ers are rare. As you can imagine, che rarer the stone, the
‘more valuable itis, and the more costly itis. Before you
begin any project, check on the price and availability oF
the stones you plan ¢0 use.
Keep in mind that you can substitute many of che stones
shown in the projects. For instance, where I may have
used tourmaline, which is a pricey stone, you can subst:
tute quartz or chalcedony, which are much more com-
mon and cost a fraction of the price of tourmaline. You'll
have a beautifal piece of jewelry with either selection
Do you already have a collection of gemstones and beads?
Before shopping for new ones, take afresh look at what
you have on hand. You may discover that some of the
projects in his book are perfect for scones you've stashed
aay, just waiting for you to Find che perfoct designs co
show off their qualities.
After you've checked your own collection, visit several
bead stores in your area to explore their resources and
shop theie inventory. What berter way 0 become familiar
‘ich all chat’ involved in making gemstone jewelry?
You'll be able ro sce firsthand the myriad beads and stones
and learn mote about their colors, shapes, and qualities.
‘Many bead shops also offer how-to classes and work- shops, an excellent means of discovering and learning
new techniques. Be sure to check out coming shows and
‘oshibits that you may want 10 attend. We all benefit fiom
inspiration, and we al like 10 show of our latest work,
‘especially to others who love to work with gemstones!
The Internet has become a valuable source for locating
and purchasing beautiful stones and supplies direcly
from the manufacturers a affordable prices. Make use of
online search resources and auction sites 10 find exactly
the stones and supplies you're looking for.
Bead Sizes
All ofthe designs in this book require specified sizes of
stones, Stones and beads ae sized according to metric
‘usually determined
with metric mea
units of measure, with a stone's
by its diameter. IF you're not fami
suremenss, youll soon get to know the measurements
that are most commonly used in making jewelry.
slide caliper is a handy tool for measuring stones and
beads, allowing you to measure their exact size, You'll
‘want (o have a caliper with you when you go shopping
for stones so you can buy exactly the right size, See the
guide to standard stone and bead sizes on page 122.
cea: Opal teardrops
e-”
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ee oC
rose quar teardrops GQ Psa wats disks
=
we Acrasonite rund
—— 4
&S
We
Bead Shapes
Stones come in all sorts of differenc shapes and sizes.
Youlll want to become familiar with the most common
shapes. A visit toa bead shop or online research will
provide answers to many of your specific questions about
which stones are available in which specific shapes. Ive
included most of these shapes in the jewelry designs in
this book.
Bicone: Dismond-shoped
Briolette: Teardrop-shaped bead with faceted sides or
round with no fat sides
Disk or Coin: Round, fattened shape
Drop or Teardrop: Round with a soft point,
pendant-shaped; the hove can be either horizontally
through the top or vertically through the center
Nugget: Irogular
(Oval: Eg9-shaped, ellintical
Rondelle: Doughnutshaped
Round: Ball shaped
All of chese different shapes can be faceted, smooth, or
even rough. A faceted stone has lat surfaces cur into the
stone. A diamond. for example, is almost always faceted
These facets throw off light, giving stones a sparkling
effect. A smooth stone has no facets and is smooth co the
couch. It is usually curved to give ita shape, and it has no
sharp edges. A rough stone will often be in its unpolished
sate, but it can also be shaped this way €0 give ita more
organic, natural look.
Getting Stated 13 Seed Beads
Seed beads are wonderful 1 have on hand (0 use for
dezails in your designs. While being just a tiny ire
1 youll be surprised how one small bead or several of
them together can add depth to a piece of jewelry. I use
therm in several of the designs in this book. including the
Spotlight (page 77) and Duet (page 62) necklaces.
Seed beads come in a dizzying array of sizes and colors,
bur they are grouped into categories according ro shape.
The most common shape of sed bead is rocaille. W's an
‘oval-shaped seed bead ranging in sizes from 1.15 mm
10.9 mm. Depending on the manufacturer, some are
uniform in size while others may vary. [always look for
ind I prefer the smaller sizes to keep things
‘dean and neat. Pay close attention to the center hole
‘when choosing the beads, because some can be too small
to slide onto wire, Oddly enough, large sced beads don't
always have large holes.
‘uniformity,
is another type of seed bead that I use extensively
in my jewelry. These beads are known for their uniformi-
cy are user-friendly because of their extra-large hole,
d they are available in only one size (2.1 mm). While
£10 rocaille beads, delicas have flat sides instead of
curved oncs, so you can create a fa, straight line when
stringing them together.
Bugle beads are alo popular. They are tubular, similar to
delicas, but longer. They come in lengehs from 4 mm to
more than 20 mm.
Osher shapes of seed beads are square, hex or hexagonal,
and triangular
Getting Started
Precious Metals
All the jewelry pieces in this book are made with cither
sterling silver or gold-filled precious-metal components.
Seerling silver is 92.5 percene pure silver. The remaining
7.5 percent is usually copper. Pure silver (99.9 percent) is
not commonly used for jewelry because itis considered
tobe 100 sof
Gold-filled isthe name given to gold chat has been
mechanically bonded wich heat and pressure to less
expensive metal, such as brass. This creates a fine metsl,
excellent for jewelry, without the expense of 14-or 24-
karat gold. The amount of gold on gold-filled metals is 50
10 100,000 times thicker than the amount of gold used in
making gold-plated meeal. This is an imporsane differ-
ence, one that you nced to be aware of when purchasing
precious metals for making jewelry, so dont be fooled
into buying che wrong thing
Wire
isa beader’s best friend, acting in somewhat che
same manner as glue co join gernstones, beads, and find-
ings. At che same time, wire is an incegral part of jewelry
design, contributing both form and function. Wire can
bee described in four major categories: size, hardness, color
(or metal), and shape,
ite sin Is often described by its gauge, a form of
measurement used in the Uniced States that indicates the
diameter of wire, The higher the gauge number, the
fer the wire. See the chart on page 122.
In this hook, I've used three gauges of wire: 26, 24,
and 22. The 22-gauge wire is used primarily (0
make earring loops. The 26- and 24-gauge wires
are and they are most often
used in making bracelets and necklaces. The
size of holes in the stones selected for the piece
ofien determines the gauge of wire. Small holes
require thin wite, but thicker wire is sometimes
better because itis stronger. Asa rule, thinner
wire is better with small stones because i isles
cumbersome, and thicker wire is becter with large
stones because it provides better support. Depending on the type of chain you‘te using for a par-
ticular piece, you can blend in the loops of wire by closely
arching the wire gauge to the diameter of the links in
the chain, as with the Counless bracelet (page 46).
Wire hardness as thece categorie: halfthard, sofe, and
ddead-soft. Half-hard isthe only hardness of wire used for
the designs in this book.
“Wire is defined by its color, or metal, with choices
Including silver, gold, and copper, as well as a variety of
nonmetallic colors. I've selected designs for his book
using the more precious metas of sterling silyer and
‘gold-filled. You can substicute alloys, which are a blend
‘of less expensive metals. However, I find thac there is a
special thrill in working with precious meeals, especially
‘when these high-quality materials are combined with
‘gemstones. With sterling silver and gold-filled wires, your
Jewelry pieces will be more valuable and long-lasting.
‘Wire comes in many shapes. For this collection, all of the
pieces are made with simple round wire, As you gain ex
ppeticnce in making and designing jewelry, you may want
to work with other wire shapes, such as square,
half round, triangular, and twisted wires.
recommend that you always have inexpensive wire on
hand to practice new designs and test new techniques.
Switch to the more expensive sterling silver or gold-filled
‘wire when you've decided exactly how you want to make
‘your piece, after you're cereain that you've mastered the
Findings
Findings are prefabricated jewelry com-
poncars such as clasps, casing backs,
jump rings, head pins, and small metal
beads used to complete your jewelry.
They come in many metals, shapes, and
sizes. Ifyou prefer, you can make some
of these from wie (see Basic Tech
niques. beginning on page 20). All of
the findings used in this book are either
stedling silver or gold-filled, Always be
sure to select the same ype of metal as
the wire and chain inthe pieve you'll
be making,
1 recommend that you keep on hand a
supply of sterling silver and gold-filled
beads in a variety of sizes. These are
Ideal for adding deeail and depth to
many designs. The 2-mm and 3-mm
oc oe
need for the designs in this £) —
book, bu you may want to - oo
See { a\
Getting Started 15, axsacoo200000>
eee AOS
PIE ION AKAMAI ENA METT
A RAE AHIATAN EAN AREA
SOOO CARI IDOI (PATA ILI
POHORONS DOLORES Ot
Chain of various sizes
Chain
This book focuses on gemstone jewelry using chain as a
part of the design. Purchase commercial chain a¢ bead
stores or online, where youl find ic sold from large
spools in sizes ranging from large and thick to thin and
delicate. For most of these gemstone designs, Ive used
thin chain with gauges between 1 mm and 2 mm. This
‘small-gauge chain allows the focus of the jewelry piece 10
be on the stone instead of the chain.
1 use large-gauge chain, such as 2.5 mm and 3.5 mm, for
coggles on necklaces so thae che clasps can easily fit ineo
the links. [also use these larger-link chain for ceresin
designs, so having a variety on hand is always useful.
16 Getting Started
Tools and Supplies
You'll need only a few basic tools, plus supplies thar you
say already have on hand, to begin making the jewelry
ptojects that you'll find in this book. Tey making a few
simple pieces, and then gradually add new tools to your
collection as you gain experience.
Three Basic Tools
To make gemstone and wire jewelry that is both pleas-
ing to wear and professional in workmanship, youll
need three basic jewelry-making tool: chain-nose pliers,
round-nose pliers, and wire cutters. These tools, designed
especially for working with the relatively lightweight
wires and chains, ate smaller and lighter than similar
standard-size pliers and wire cutters found at your local
hardware store. Bigger is not better in this case. The thi
ner and smaller the tools, the easier it will be for you vo
make the designs in this books bigger juse gets bulky.
Chain-nose pliess act almost like tiny lice fingers for me,
‘grabbing on and holding tight to the wire. These pliers
are also excellent for opening and closing jump rings,
bending wire, and accessing tight areas where your fingets
sould never be able to reach,
Round-nose pliers are primarily used vo make loops (see
Making Twisted Wie Loop Links, page 20) and for
‘witling wire and head pins (see Working with Head
Pins, page 23). Because these pliers are tapered, you can
‘vary the size of the loop you want to make depending
con where along the jaws of the pliets you place the wire.
Chain-nese pliors
Round.nose
Pliers
Wire euttors Ifyou want to make the same size loop every time, use 2
permanent marker to mark the spor on the jaw where you Slide ealipers
place the wire. By always placing your wire at thar same
spor, you can consistently make loops that are identical
in size.
Ifyou‘ just starting our in making jewelry, youll find
that inexpensive chain-nose and round-nose pliers work
nicely for you. As you expand your range of projects and
techniques, you may want «0 add to your tool collection
and purchase higher quality cools that provide additional
precision.
Wire curters are used for cutting all wire and chain.
Because you'll sometimes be working in very small spaces,
youll definitely want a thin pair of wire cutters. The
narrower the wire cutters, the easier it will be 10 get into
those tighe spors. I recommend that you also have alarg-
er, sturdier pair of wire cutcers for regular use when youre
not cutting in chose tight spaces. This
extend the life of your thin pais. Wire cutters eventually
wear out and the tips can break or become dull with use,
s0 you'll have to replace them occasionally.
ill allow you 10
Handy Tools and Supplies
Large rubberized round-nose pliers are excellent for mak-
ing carting loops (page 24). ‘These are not readily avail~
able commercially, but you can make chem yourself wich
just ewo items from your local hardware store. Purchase a
pair of standard round-nose plicss and plastic (or rubber)
dip. The dip, which is available in a varity of colors is a
liquid form of plastic that feels like rubber after it dries.
Use the dip to coat the jaws of these larger pliers, being,
careful not to coat the hinges. You may need to dip the
jaw tips several times to get chem thickly cnated. Hang.
the pliers to make sure the coating dries evenly. The dip
will dry quickly, and you'll have another handy tool!
Nylon-jaw pliers are the tool co use for flatening wire
projects, such as the Kokopelli carrings (page 91). The
rubberized cound-nose pliers also work for this, but
the jaws of the nylon-jaw pliers are a and hard,
getting the job done more efficiently without
damaging your work
Slide calipers are useful for determining the sizes of
stones, beads, and chains. Place the stone or component
You want to sie between the two jaws of the caliper and
slide them tight. "The size will be indicated on cop of the
caliper. Ths litle tool comes in handy when shopping for
stones. As I said cuties, take side calipers with you when
you're shopping, and measure the stones atthe store 40
you get the proper size for yout jewelry project.
Include scissors, a ruler, adhesive tape, and a permanent
marker in your too! kit. I frequently use tape for hanging
‘my projects while I work on them (often on my lamp).
Ie’s much easier to see what you're doing when a piece is
hanging rather chan lying flat on a work surface.
‘Make sure the ruler has both U.S. and metric measure
ments. Youll find that you'e often measuring lengths of
chain and wire while youre making a piece, and you'll be
mensuring your work in progress, to.
A needle threader comes in handy when you're using
thread or clastic cord with stones that have very small
holes. When working with these [often put a needle
threader through the hole ofthe bead, place a tp of the
string through the wires of the nce chceader, and pull
the chrcader back chrough with the string. Keep several
of these needle threaders on hand, because they are
Fragile and can break easily.
Rubberized
round-nose pliers
Nylon:iaw pliers
Getting Started Glue is useful for making cereain chat all materials are
completely secure. Bead stores carry variety of glues and
cements. The bese cement for gemstone jewelry dries clear
and is made specifically for use with stones and metal
You can sometimes use cyanoacrylate, or permanent,
ele. Its fast-drying quality s useful buc abo dangerous; if
you aren't extremely careful, you may find a scone Firmly
adhered wo your finges.
You may want to use a few tiny drops of glue after your
project is completed. Ar chat point, you can placea tiny
drop on the holes of strung beads to cement them into
place. Ako, filing a bead hole with glue will somerimes
‘make the hole less visible. Keep in mind thatthe glue
must have a pinpoint precision nozzle for this kind of
delicate work.
Special Tools
‘Working with ajig isa lot of fun, and T've included
several picces in this book that begin with a wite shape
created on a jig, including the Ole! earrings (page 111)
and the Starburst bracelet (page 101). I made the wite
shapes for the Ole! cartings with a curved-grid jg, but
you can make the same piece using a straight-grid jig
‘or even round-nose pliers.
‘When making
mandrel, which is m
1g you'll appreciate using a ring
sed with standaed ring sizes.
“The mandrel also serves asa sturdy tool on which
to build your ring. 1
used a mandrel in
making the Sea
Bundle ring (page
108).
c
Z
Straight-grid jig
18 Getting Started
Cleaning cloth
Polishing and
Cleaning Supplies
Jewelry can tarnish over
sterling silver jewelry, s0 you'll want to
have some jewelry cleaner oa hand, There
are a variety of cleaning supplies to choose
from, varying from cleaning cloths to liquid
to dip your jewelry into, Whatever you
choose, make sute ies safe for the jewelry you
wane to clean.
Stesling silver cleaner is very strong and can dam
age soft or porous stones such as pearls, For more
delicate picces such as these, I recommend using,
a ceanet especially made for delicate stones.
Check with a local jewelry store for these special
dleaness, or shop for them online.
Organizing Your Work Space
(Create your work space with care and consideration,
Make it a place of your own, where you can relax,
focus, and work without interrupts
Setting Up Your Work Space
Spending a few minutes preparing your area before you
begin will make your work time an a new piece of jewelry
much more productive and fun
Following are a few items to include in your work space:
‘A very bright light, preferably a desk light, placed so that
it shines right on your work space, is of utmost impor
tance. the best oncs re-create natural lighting, which is
bright bur wor't tire your eyes
[A fale or velvet pad to work on helps keep small beads
and stones from rolling away. Bead shops often carry pads
made especially for this purpose, but a piece of felt or
velvet also works nicely.
set of five to 10 little bowls or tays approximately
2 inches (5.1 em) in diametes will hold dhe stones and
Ring mancret beads youite working with, helping to keep things orga-
nized. Use one of chese as a miniature garbage can for
Icfiover picces of wire and bits of chain that accurmulate
as you work.
‘A necklace display comes in handy so you can get a good
idea of how the necklace will fall naturally. You can also
‘work on your piece while ifs hanging on the display.
Storing Stones and Supplies
“The storage of your scones and supplies is alw important.
“The more organized you ae, the easier and faster it will
be to find what you'te looking for. Hexe are sorage tips
that Ive found to be lifesavers:
‘Use small storage cases used for mals and screws from the
hardware store to store stones and beads. ‘These cases are
perfectly sized for holding and organizing your goodies.
“They come in a variety of sizes, giving you the option of |
label each one (clasps, jump rings, head pins, earring
backs, silver and gold beads, and more).
If you have many different kinds of ndings and find ie
difficule co keep track of all those baggies, organize them
in accordion file cases. Small eases designed specifically
for storing beads and findings are also widely available.
In some of my pieces you might notice that | added
alittle personal touch. | created my own logo out
cof twisted wire and placed it on pieces such as the
Rainbow earrings (page 29).
This is a great way to show that a piece is made by
you. Boleve it or not. it immediately adds a bit of
value. The people you will be making jewelry for
will love showing off this litle tag, proud that they
‘own a special piece made by you! So play around
plcking what’ tighk for you asd the size of siones you eee an
eo something you feel
‘Clea plastic cass or bones are handy for larger items, represents you. Then
szuch as your tools and supplies. You can see into them simply add it to your
‘without having to open each one to find out what’ in the necklaces, bracelets, or
‘ete. Shoe hones slio make good storage bouss. Be sure co ‘earrings as you desire.
put a label on the outside so you don't have fo open each
‘one to find what you're looking for.
Little plastic storage bags from the bead store are @
great way co keep findings separate and scaled so that a
bump or spill won't caus: chaos in your supplies. Usea
permanent marker 10
—
hy
Bead storage
Getting Started 197 Basic Techniques
“The gemstone jewelry projects in this book require
mastery ofa few basic techniques. Once you are adept in
these imple methods, youll be able to tackle any design
you choose,
Using the Basic Tools
always have the three tools that | discussed om page
16 right at my fingertips when making jewelry: chain-
nose pliers, round-nose pliers, and wire cutters. You may
already have similar cools in a coolbox for houschold use,
bbuc done be fooled, because these are too large for male-
ing te projec inthis book. Jewelry-making pliers and
wire cutters are smaller than the ones fram the hardware
store, and you'll need to buy them at a craft of bead store
or online. As you find yourself with both hands working.
closely together in those tight spots to atcach, bend, wrap,
oop, and snip, you'll be glad you have the smaller sizes!
‘Asa muk, hold the tools as you would a bicycle handle.
“The sume squeczing action you make with the hand
brakes to slow down or stop a bicycle is all you need t0
hold, bend, or cur a jewelry wire or chain,
Working with Wire
ve found there are ewo different methods when fe comes
«co working with wire, You may want co try both of them,
and then continue to use the one that you prefer.
“The first method is to cut.a length of wite as specified in
the materials list of the project that you'te going to be
making. As you work through each step co make the proj-
ct, you'l be working from one end of che wire, making
loops and links as needed, and then snipping them off.
As you continue to use this same piece of wire through-
‘out the project, it will gee shorter each time you snip off
a loop or link. When you've completed the project, you'll
have used the entire length of wire.
20 Basic Techniques
‘The other method, which is how | usually do it, isto
work dirctly off che spool. Wite is almost always pur
chased on spools, and I never remove the wire or cut it
from the spool unl I have t. Instead, 1 work directly
from the spool, making new loops or links as needed, and
then cutting them off. I find that this makes less waste,
because I don't end up with odd lengths of wire that are
too shore. However, if you decide to use this method ie’
importane to be certain before beginning a project that
you have enough wire on your spool co complete it.
ing Twisted Wire Loop Links
“This ype of link is my favorite way of ataching any com-
ponent to any other component, whether ie) a bead toa
chain, a bead to another bead, or a chain «o a clasp. You'll
be using i frequently wher making the gemstone designs
in this book. Practice with inexpensive wire until youve
ascered it, then cut the beads loose. I've found this link-
ing technique to be more secure and durable than using
a jump ring because it involves twisting and locking the
‘wire into place.
4. To make a pwisted wire loop link, use round-nose
plicts to grip a picce of wire 3 inch (1.9 cm) from
the end. Bend the wire around the tip of the pliers ro
form 4 loop (photo 1).
2. Remove the pliers and grip che loop itself with,
chain-nose pliers. Twist the two wire ends around
‘ach other one and one-half times to secure, Make
sure the longer wire is facing scraighe up from che
loop. Now use wire cutters €9 cut off the shorter wire
«nd close to the twist (photo 2). You've now made
the fire half of the loop link. Select the stone or
bead that you are using for the design and slide it
conto the wire.
3. To make the second part of the loop link, bend the
wire at 2 45° angle and repeat the process of looping
‘on this end of the wire (photo 3). Wrap the wire end.
around to secure it, and then cut off the wire close 0 photo 1
photo 4
&
the ewist (photo 4). For some of my jewelry designs,
use this link without a stone, To make this type of
Tink, follow the technique described on page 20 but
donit place a stone on the wire after you've completed
the first loop. Make the second loop, and then wrap.
the wire end around che ewise you just completed ro
secure the piece,
Ifyou need 10 join links, you can build the next one by
attaching it o the link you've just created. IF you're at-
‘aching the link to 2 chain, be sure to place the chain link
‘on the loop before closing it
‘You'll be using a similar technique co attach bokete-
shaped stones, as well as peatls and stoncs with holes
dciled at che top instead of through the cence. To attach
these stones, slide the wire through the hole, allowing
Minch (1.9 cm) eo pass through to the other side. Bend
both wire ends up until they cross tightly. Tist the wires
around to secure and cut off the shorter wire end. Bend
she remaining wire at a 45° angle, and use round-nose
pliers co make a loop. Hold the loop with chain-nose
pices and wrap che wire around the ewist you just com-
pleted to scour the piece.
photo 2
fink
witout
photo 3
facing tink
ae
‘When attaching these stones, make sure the direction of
the loop brings attention to the stone instead of the wire.
If you've already completed your loop and it isnot facing
the direction you prefer, simply grip the loop with round
nose pliers and give ita small, addcional ewist 0 make
the loop cither forware-facing oF side facing, whichever
is needed for your piece. Following up with this small bue
important detail will allow the stone to be the focus of
your design,
‘You'll notice that | often say to bend the wire 45°, Bend-
ing the wire in this manner keeps the loop centered above
the bead (photo 5). IF you don't bend the wire, you'll find
your loop will end co veer to one side. This simple 45°
bend will prevent this from happening.
photo 5
/ Gai Tchoiques Making Basic Loop Links
Now thar youve learned how to make a owisted wire
loop link, a basic loop link will seem like child’ play,
Although I dont often use this link, 1 needed it for the
Harmony cartings (page 88).
photo 6 photo 7
41. To make this link, hold the very tip of the wire with
round-nose pliers, and then rotate the tool until the
wire tip is touching the side of the wire (photo 6).
2. Keep the pliers placed through the hole, but rorate
them so the outer jaw is now against the straight
‘wire, Bend the straight wire 45° co center the loop
(phow7).
Using Jump Rings
Jump rings are sometimes used to join beads and other
components when making jewelry. A jump sing requires
a simple technique co open and close the ring, Use wo
plicrs, holding one in cach hand, to carefully open the
fing. Move one end of the ring roward you and the other
«end away from you. as shown (photo 8). Never pull apart
the ends of ajump ring. because chat will weaken the
metal, To close a jump ring, reverse this procedure to
gently bring the rwo ends back together.
photo 8
22 Basic Techniques
Making Catches and Clasps
Many of the projects in this book have a carch on one
end and a clasp 0a the other end. A simple catch isa
variation of che ewisted wice loop link (page 20), To make
this type of eatch, use round-nose pliers to grip the wire
4 inch (1.9 cm) from the end. Loop the wire around
the plies. Slide chis loop onto one end of the necklace,
whether a chain of a beaded loop link. Grip this loop
with chain-nose pliers and twist the wires around (©
secure, Cutoff the shorter wire end clase wo the ris.
Using large rubberized round-nose pliers loop the
remaining wire to form a large loop. IFyou don’t have
rubberized pliers, use your small round-nose pliers, wrap-
ping the wire around the fattest part ofthe jaws to form
this large loop.
Aer forming this large loop, hold it
With the chain-nose plicrsand wrap Wire extch
the wire around che ewise you just
completed. Cut off che excess wire
close to the rwist.
Another type of catch you may want
to consider is a toggle, which is sim-
ply a picce of chain with links large
enough for the clasp co go through. The voggle chain,
added at the back of the necklace, can either replace the
catch of be in addition to it, whichever you choose
“Toggles are handy when you are making necklaces for
others and are not sure of the neck size. With a toggle,
the length of the necklace can be adjusted as needed, and
it provides interesting deuil on the back of che necklace.
“To make a toggle, simply make a ewisted wire loop link
with of without a bead (page 20) and arach about
2 inches (5.1 em) of large-link chain to it. Place a few
‘beads on a head pin and attach it to the other end of the
chain to complete the toggle.
1 almost always use prefabricated clasps, but you can
make them, if you prefer. To learn more about this
technique, sce the instructions for che Spotlight necklace
(page 77). Working with Head Pins
‘Head pins are wonderful litte findings that allow you to
dangle beads from chains and looped wire. ‘Three com~
‘mon types are bll-end, fa-end, and eye pins all of
which can be purchased ready-made. 1 usually prefer ball-
end, because I find them to be more attractive, adding
yyetone more detail ro the design, I chose to use lat-end
head pins in the Ivy (page 99) and Fancastical earrings
(page 65) because these seem to disappear completely, a
nice effect when the design needs no additional detail.
‘You can easily make your own decorative eye pins, 3s well
as add clegan detail co purchased head pins; both meth-
ods are shown as follows.
Eye Pins
photo 9 photo 10
1. An exe pin is simply a piece of wite with a basic loop
linkac the end. I prefer o make these little more
fancy, such as for che Chandelier earrings (page 104).
To make a decorative eye pin, grip the tip of a piece
cof wie (such as 24-gauge) with the very tip of your
round-nose pliers (photo 9).
2. Wrap the wire around che top jaw of the pliers one
‘or two times (photo 10), depending on the look you
prefer. Keeping the pliers in place, bend the wite 45°
‘o.center the loop. Then continue to work with them
as you woulda standard pin.
Twirled Head Pins
{like the effet of ewirling purchased head pins and cov-
ring them with seed beads. They add a certain daintiness
‘chen mixed in among stones and beads, as shown in the
Lily earrings (page 50).
1. To make a ewitled head pin, grip the end of the pin
with round-nose pliers. Wrap the pin around one jaw
of the round-nose pliers by gripping the end of the
Wie
EF
jeLseligkensd (posite
continue the twist, release the pliers, rotate the
pin slightly. grip again with the pliers, and twist.
Because the jaw of the pliers is tapered, be
‘careful not to taper your twist.
2. To keep it even, flip the head pin when icis halfway
wwisied and continue wrapping it around the jaw.
Leave a straight length of % inch (1.9m) at the end.
Select sced beads and slide them onto the ewiled
head pin, stopping when you reach the straight part
‘of the pin, which you'll use to attach the pin to the
piece of jewelry.
For most jewelry projects, you'll cover the head pin with
sced beads oF stones 50 that it doesnt show. However,
another nice way to use head pins is to display chem a
bit as in the Fireworks necklace (page 30). To do 30,
simply place one to three beads on the head pin, leaving
most of the head pin empty. Now instead of bending
the head pin immediately above the beads, bend it much
higher up. Grip the pin with round-nose pliers and loop
it around. Then attach the pin to your chain and loop the
Wite around to secure. Ataching the head pins this way
allows the beads to move around, adding interest to
the design.
Basie Techniques 23 24
photo 12 |
&
photo 13
ime
Making Earring Loops
I like to make my own ear wites, which I'll call
carving loops.
4. To make an earring loop, wse wite cutters to cut
inch (64 em) length of 22-gauge wire. Use
round-nose pliers to grip the wire % inch (1.9 em)
from the end. Weap the wire around the pliers to
form a circle (photo 12).
2. Grip che loop with the chain-nose pl
the wo wire ends around each other. Cut the excess
from the shorter wire (photo 13).
3. Using large rubberized round-nose pliers, wrap the
‘wire, starting at the ewisted end, around one jaw of
the pliers co create the rounded shape of an earring
loop (phoro 14).
also like co add a lied flip at the end of the wire
as a finishing detail. To create this effect, use large
plicts to grip the tip of che wite and bend it up very
slightly (photo 15).
5. Use wire cutters to cut the wite €0 the length you
desire (photo 16).
and wist
4.
In most cases, the components added to my earring loops
(tones, bead links, ec.) are attached permanently, by
slipping them on in step I after you've made the
Joop. Once a loop is made, ic will keep the design tightly
fastened, but it also means that ic can't be changed
tualess you cut through the ewisted loop. See the project
instructions for specific assembly directions for each set
of eatrings.
Working with Purchased Earring Findings
Rather than make your own car wires, you can also use
various types of prefabricated findings with rings or
loops, such as ball-post earrings, lever-back earrings, tra-
ditional French car wires, and more. You can also use car
clips if your cars arent pierced, Attaching scones to these
Findings is very simple, With chain-nose pliers, grasp the
loop on the finding and twist very slightly to one side.
Never pull che loop open; instead, gently ewise it ro one
side. Then place the chain or a stone on the open loop
and close, again using the chain-nose pliers. You can see
how easy i is to substitute the Findings as you wish when
you make your own pieces of jewelry. Working with Chain
‘Chain is one of the simplest materials to use in jewelry
making. The toughese part will be deciding which type vo
use! After that all youl need to do is cut the chain and
create your piece.
‘have specified the lengths of chain you need for cach
design in the book. Rulers are helpful, of course, but be
‘areful not ro rely on them for determining the length of
the chain, Instead, always make ita practice ro count the
links. I cant recommend this enough!
‘Counting links is of utmost importance when working,
‘with shor paired lengths of chain, such as for earrings.
‘The difference of even one small chaia link will make
‘your earring noticeably lopsided. While it may seem very
tedious co count chain links, specially for longer pieces
such as the City Nights necklace (page 114), ic is much
‘easier co count the links ahead of time than to fix
a miscabe.
Use a ruler co measure only the firs length of chain, then
‘count che links in chat segment, and count all addisional
chain segments to make absolutely certain that each one
has exactly the same number of links. Aer you deter-
sine the right lengeh for the piece you are making, pull
‘out your trusty wire cutters and snip.
or picces that are made with long lengths of chain, you'll
‘want wo have the flexibility of making the chain exactly
your desired length. This is another reason not to rely
‘only on a ruler for measurement. Be sure co check the
fof a bracelet or necklace before curting the chain. For
‘example, | specify the number of links in the chain for
the Charming beacelee (page 44) to make it easier for you
to replicate the design.
“To attach a chain to wire ora finding, slide one link of |
the chain (often an end link) onto a wire loop or finding.
‘Generally, the chain is secured with wrapped wire,
photo 17 AX
Using Special Tools
Tig are especially handy because they allow you 0
‘quickly ereate multiple wire designs, all of chem identical,
A jigs basically a lat surface wich equidistant holes. You
place pegs in these holes to form the desired pattern, and
then you wrap wire around them to form a looped wire
design (photo 17). Be sure to experiment with inexpen-
sive wice until you'e pleased wich the results of yout jig,
‘work, then switch to precious-metal wire to make your
jewelry design,
A ting sizer isa keychain-like loop containing graduated
sicel rings in all size. You can determine which tng size
to make by slipping these sings on and off your finger
to find the best fit, I recommend always building tings
‘one-half to one size lrger than Ringer site, especially for
wide rings.
A mandrel is 2 tool that is useful for determining ting
sizes as well as for building a ring. Use a mandrel ro hold
the ring (photo 18) in place while youre working on it.
photo 18
Basic Techniques 25. Making Size Adjustments
Each set of project instructions in this
book lists the finished size of the piece
of jowelry. Asa rule, che average length
for necklaces is 16 inches (40.6 cm),
while bracelets average 7 inches (17.8 em),
but there are many variations depending on the
project and how it fits the person who will be wearing it.
[Another good option for deciding what length to make
2 piece is to measure some of your favorite jewelry and
make your new piece the same lengeh. IF youre making
jewelry for others, measure some of their pieces thar have
a.similar design before you begin.
‘To make a piece larger or longer, simply add an addition-
al stone or another few beads. If your project involves the
use of chain, lengthen the segments of chain thar are used
in the design. Keep in mind that when you make a picce
larget, you'll need additional maverials, so remember chis
when you're preparing your shopping lst.
For most necklaces, you have the option of making them
longer by adding a toggle to the catch at the back of
the necklace (page 22). Tve included a toggle on several
of my necklace designs, including Twilight (page 49),
Dangle (page 68), and Fireworks (page 30).
For a diferent type of necklace, I've designed Duet (page
62) to fasten lariat-style in front. You can make this neck=
lace longer simply by using a longer length of chain.
Bracelets, depending on their design, often present the
greatest challenge when making size adjustments. To
‘make them larger, you may need to add an extra stone,
such as for Beyond (page $9), or add links to the chain
26 Basic Techniques
segments used in the design, as in Charming (page 44)
and Starburst (page 101). Sometimes a short coggle isa
simple solution for lengthening bracelets.
For rings, as I wrote in the previous section, using a ring
sizer and a mandrel will ensure that che band is the size
you want it to be. For most pieces, you can adjust the size
of the band without changing the design of che ring, such
as for the Sea Bundle ring (page 108). oIMEPUICITY
Lemon quartz and amethyst is a perfect
combination for simple earrings that you
can make in a jiffy, ~q-lnstructions
Make nwo
1. Cur the chain, making the following four segments: two 2-inch
@ Materials (5.1 cm) segments and rwo 1¥%-inch (3.8 cm) segments. Count the
2 lemon quartz nuggets. 15 mm links ro be sure the chain segments are the same length.
Sereces ieee Ber 2. tide one 8-mm amethyst briolette onto the 26-gauge wire, with
inch (17.8 a) length of Y-mm done end extending M iach (1.9 cm) from the hole. Bend both wires
golcfiled chain upward until chey cross. Tightly cwise the wires around once. Cut off
rs a ae the shore wite end.
‘2 guage, gold Hed wre ‘3. Hold the remaining wire with the round-nose pliess and loop around.
10-inch (25.4.em) length of
2bgauge gold-filed wire 4. Slide the wire through the last link in one of the chain segments.
Holding onto the loop with the chain-nose pliers, wrap the wire
ool ST around the twist you made instep 2. Cutoff the excess wice
Round-nose pliers: 5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 thice more times, until all four brioletes are
ie attached co a length of chain.
Large rubbecized round-note pliors &. Make another loop in the 26-gauge wire, % inch fig. 1
(1.9. em) from the end. Place wo of the chain
ae segnens (one of ch engi onthe wie so | s
_@ Techniques 2 they hang from the loop. Hold the loop with ee
Making Twisted Wire Loop Links the chain-nose pliers and twist the wires around
tage 20) to secure the chains in place, Cutoff she shoreer
vvire end and bend the longer wire up 90 i is
Babies Eosten toys (peas 24) centered over the loop (figure 1).
7. Slide one 15-mm quartz nugget onto the wire and bend the wire 45°. Using the round-
nose pliers, loop the wire around. Hold the loop with the chain-nose pliers and wrap
the wire around to secure
8. To make the earring loops, cur the 22-gauge wire into two pieces, each 2% inches (6.4
