Wednesday, April 4, 2012

FREE Caged Bead Bracelet Tutorial

Looking for an easy wire wrapping technique that can be used to dress up almost any kind of bead? This caged bead wire wrap pattern works particularly well on larger round beads like the gorgeous ones used here. This design may also be adapted to create a necklace by increasing the number of beads.

This tutorial was created by me and may be used for your personal use. I respectfully request that you not copy it, but feel free to direct others to this link. Thank you!




Materials:
  • (8-10) 10mm beads
  • (12') 18 gauge copper wire
  • (2") of 16 gauge copper wire
  • (1) 4mm copper jump ring
  • Wire cutters
  • Round nose pliers
  • Chain nose pliers
  • Hammer
  • Steel block 

Instructions:

1. Cut 14” of 18 gauge copper wire. Using your round nose pliers, make a small wire wrapped loop at the center. String bead on vertical wire and make another small wire wrapped loop at the other end.





2. Holding the top loop with your chain nose pliers, begin to gently wrap the wire over the top of the bead in a spiral pattern. Make approximately 5 to 6 wraps. Be careful to apply even tension and pressure and you will form a bead cap. Repeat the spiral wire wrap at the opposite end of the bead.
Caged Wire-Wrapped Bead Bracelet


3. Bend leftover wire towards the opposite pole with a gentle curve and loop it around the wire wrapped loop. Trim excess wire.
Caged Wire Wrapped Bracelet

4. Create another loop at the other end of the bead in the same way. Repeat the previous steps through the first loop only with your second bead.
Caged Wire Wrapped Bracelet

5. At the opposite end of the second bead, start the wire wrapped loop as shown.
Caged Wire Wrapped Bracelet

6. Before closing the wire loop, slip the first bead on, then continue with making the wire wrapped loop and the bead cap. Repeat these steps until you have enough beads to go around your wrist, less 1/2 inch.
Caged Wire Wrapped Bracelet

7. For the dangle bead begin by making a spiral as shown. It should be about the same size as the other bead caps.
Caged Wire Wrapped Bracelet

8. Instead of a spiral wrap on the other end, create a loop: Bend leftover wire towards the opposite pole with a gentle curve and loop it around the wire wrapped loop. Spiral wrap back to bottom again. Trim excess wire. Connect the dangle bead to the last bead with the jump ring.
Caged Wire Wrapped BRacelt



9. Make an “S” hook using the 16 gauge copper wire. Hammer it on the steel block to harden. Attach it to the last bead as shown. Hook the “S” hook in the jump ring to close. The dangle bead will keep the bracelet evenly weighted so it does not spin on wrist.


    Monday, April 2, 2012

    YOJ Week 13 - The Rolling Mill Cuff

    This weekend I had a play date with my good friend Carla Meinberg, who showed me and a few other daring souls the ins and outs of working with a rolling mill. A whole new world of textured metals has now opened up to me and I look at everything, and I mean everything as possible fodder for the mill. A few idea's for future use....raffia, sand paper, leather, old t-shirts, packing paper......and I'm sure I'll come up with many more.  This cuff was created with WireKnitZ to texturize the base, copper wire on the the top layer, and then heat patina'd after an LOS bath.  Pretty. Darn. Fun. Day!!!

    Monday, March 26, 2012

    Kevin Potter's Purple Hydraulic Press

    I have one in my studio!!! Thank you Kevin!!!!! 
    "This new style is stronger and only has welds in the compression state - no welds in a tension state. The press is also powder-coated purple. Other colors soon to follow. It takes a 20 ton jack - either standard height or low profile. The 5 x 5 upper platen is magnetic. It still contains all the features that made the previous models so popular: anti-tip platen; nylon platen guides; efficient tool mounting system; elegant design as well as all US-made components in the frame."
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhnEJIwiVFE&feature=player_embedded#!

    Thursday, March 22, 2012

    YOJ Week 12 - The Knotted Cuff

    Today I would like to introduce you to the "Knotted" cuff, the "Ugly" cuffs much prettier cousin.... :-)

     

    Earlier this week I was experimenting with riveting wire patterns to a cuff. I went a little overboard and the piece became a perfect contestant for the "Show us your Ugliest" contest over at WWJArtists on Facebook. Scroll down if you're curious......

    Wednesday, March 21, 2012

    The Ugly Cuff


    But it does present some interesting design opportunities, no?

    Monday, March 19, 2012

    I entered a "Show us your Ugliest" contest.....

    oh, I so want to win!!!!

    Admittedly, some are so ugly, they're almost interesting....what do you think?




    Saturday, March 17, 2012

    April Showers bring...

    oh wait....

    oh what the heck, it's been one of the most beautiful spring weeks in the history of ever, so ...enjoy!




    Friday, March 16, 2012

    So this is me....

    And yes, I have been know to wear my headgear to the grocery store.... :-)

    Tuesday, March 13, 2012

    Friday, March 9, 2012

    Win a Custom Created Birds Nest Ring!

    This giveaway has ended.

    Check your inbox! Winner(s) will be notified by email.
    Create you own giveaway at PunchTab.com

    Thursday, March 8, 2012

    YOJ Week 10 - Composite Opal Ring

    I came across this piece of composite opal at the Tucson Gem Show and have been admiring it daily, while waiting for the muse to give me some direction. We have been in a ring making rut for quite some time now, she and I, she's a stubborn thing and feels we're no where near exhausting all the wire/stone ring design options.

    But this one gave me fits! There's no hole in the stone, so getting it stabilized, centered and laying flat was somewhat of a challenge. I restarted it approx 5 times, getting 2 out of 3 cooperating, then realizing there was no way to get all 3. Flung it more than once...

    It did finally come together and I am fairly pleased with the outcome. Photographing the piece to get a nice shot of it's "opal-ness" was yet another challenge. Proud of myself for resisting the urge to fling my camera.....

    Saturday, March 3, 2012

    YOJ Week 9 - 5th Bead Soup Blog Party

    Aaaack, the midnight deadline is almost here and I'm still tweaking! My creative muse seems to thrive on pressure; we fight about it all the time....sometimes I lock her in the basement but then I have to let her out cuz she has all the good idea's....

    But I digress....

    My bead soup partner Elizabeth Auld, who writes the blog Beads for Busy Gals, sent me some great beads, wire and THE most beautiful clasp! She seems to be aware of my penchant for putting metal on everything.  :-) The last time I participated in a blog hop, I was not aware that I was allowed to make more than one piece, but I have since been liberated of that misconception.

    So here ya go....

     What I Started With


    My Focal & Clasp Piece


    Close up of Focal


    My Lariat


    My Bracelet

    And you can check out the rest of the Bead Soup Blog Hoppers here.....

    Sunday, February 26, 2012

    Ethiopian Opals Ring

    I've never worked with opals before, but happened to see these on Magpie Gemstones Website, thought I might order a few and see what the muse could do with them. We played around with sterling silver coiled wire and came up with a sweet little ring. The wire was somewhat tarnished, so I threw the whole piece in the tumbler and let it run a few hours before it occurred to me that opals, being somewhat of a soft stone, might not fare too well rolling around with all that steel shot. Upon checking with my "opal expert" face book friends who concurred, I removed the piece....

    oooops...

    On the plus side, the silver was gleaming like the sun, but the experts were right, not a good idea, the opals had turned into little glassy globs, no opacity, no lovely flashes of blue and green....

    sigh....

    I was ready to write off the whole exercise as a learning experience when I noticed a few hours later that the opals were beginning to look a bit cloudy..... hmmmmm......perhaps they just absorbed some water.....maybe after thoroughly drying out??? So I let the piece dry over night, came in this afternoon and...

    tadaaaaa!!!



    Friday, February 24, 2012

    YOJ Week 8 - The Tres Chic Cuff


    On Wednesday, I was able to get away for the day and join the Great Lakes Bead Workers Guild for their annual Bead Daze. I took this class with Tracy Stanley and can I just say? Taking classes is a sure fire way to get that illusive muse to start whispering sweet new design idea's in your ear...

    Plus bonus; getting to hang out with a fun and talented group of beaders. Wish I could've stayed for the full 4 days....

    Friday, February 17, 2012

    YOJ Week 7 - Jangle Bangles

    On the plane ride home I sat next to a kindred spirit and we had a nice chat about jewelry design. She was wearing this gorgeous stack of 12 bangles, similar to the ones show above and shared with me that as a breast cancer survivor, she makes one every year when she gets her mammogram. I love the idea, the inspiration and the motivation, and as a cancer survivor myself, decided to co-opt the idea. I have been cancer free for 23 years...guess I better make a few more.... :-)

    Saturday, February 11, 2012

    YOJ Week 6 - Reclaimed & Repurposed 17th Century Ring


    I found this 17th century reclaimed ring amongst a pile of old brass & bronze pieces a dealer was selling at the Tucson Gem Show. The dealer claimed all his pieces were found in the fields of Russia. No certificate of authenticity was available but one of the other shoppers who had bought previously assured me they were genuine. So I took a chance and bought this sweet little ring, I'm imagining it being worn by a hard working farmer wife who probably owned one piece of jewelry her entire life. The stone was missing so after some trepidation, I decided to glue a garnet cab into the bezel setting. It would only fit upside down, but I think it's kinda cool. What do you think?

    Thursday, February 9, 2012

    WireKnitZ Video - Live from Tucson!


    This video by Gina Galli of the Jewelry Making Professor was shot at our booth at the 'To Bead True Blue' show in Tucson...yes we are a couple of camera hams.... :-)

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

    Au Revoir Tucson!

    I had the best time and can't wait to see you again next year! I could've done without the camera enforced speeding ticket, but otherwise super enjoyed my 10 days here. Oh, and I only lost my wallet once and my keys twice, some kind of a record for me, usually I loose the cell phone a couple times too.  :-)

    Here are a few more high lights from the past week and a half....

    Teaching the WireKnitZ Crossover Cuff at To Bead True Blue.



    Shopping at Motel Row where I always find the coolest stuff, check out this stash of roman glass!

     My new gemmy friend, Szarka of Magpie Gemstones.

    Meeting tool guy Kevin Potter and ordering a custom made hydraulic press with a purple powder coat finish....I swear I almost swooned....


    Heading home sweet home, always one of my favorite parts of a trip! :-)


    Sunday, February 5, 2012

    Classes at Tucson Electric Park

    I love teaching! For the past 2 days I've been teaching and demoing for jewelrytools.com at Tucson Electric Park. So. Much. Fun.  One of the greatest things about teaching, aside from the creative interaction and the passion that sparks back and forth between students, is that I always seem to learn something too. During the textured copper cuff class, we accidentally dropped a piece of hot metal on the plastic tablecloth, I said uh oh, my student said, why don't we just burn it off. When we did, we got the most unbelievable beautiful colors on the metal. Not sure the pic does it justice....

    Several of the students also opted to leave there pieces un-pickled as the oxidization colors were so darn cool! Here are some more pix, what do you think?
    YOJ Week 5 - Students Work