Basic Beading & Jewellery Techniques
With a few simple techniques you can make a wide variety of different jewellery designs. You can master the most common basics by following the steps below.
jump rings
Jump rings are used to attach one piece to another. Usually they are used to attach clasps and join charms to a design, but there are lots of possibilities for using jump rings. Follow the simple instructions below or watch our HOW-TO VIDEO to learn how to open and close your jump rings.
You will need: 2 x flat nose pliers / snipe nose pliers
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HEADPINS & EYEPINS
TURNING A LOOP
One of the basic techniques that every jewellery maker needs to know is how to straighten wire and pins. Often, pins you purchase will have been rolled into a coil on a spool during the manufacturing process, adding a curl to the wire.
You can easily straighten them using nylon jaw pliers. Simply draw the wire through the nylon jaws while gently holding the pliers closed. Repeat this a few times until your wire is straight. The nylon jaws will protect your wire from nicks and scratches.
Beads can be threaded on to headpins and eyepins to create dangles and connecting pieces. Follow the simple instructions below or watch our HOW-TO VIDEO to learn how to create loops on your pins.
You will need: Round nose pliers and cutter pliers
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MAKING A WRAPPED LOOP
Wrapped loops are more difficult to master but they are useful when you want to make sure there is no gap in the loop. This can be important if you are looping on to a fine material that might come through the gap. Follow the step by step instructions below or watch our HOW-TO VIDEO to learn how to create loops on your pins.
You will need: Round nose pliers, flat nose pliers and cutter pliers
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