Tutorial for Egyptian Link

1.    Cut a 6.5 inch length of wire (gauges 0.6mm – 1.0mm are best suited for this, however if you are making a necklace or bracelet I recommend using either 0.8mm or 1.0mm). Bend the wire in half and grasp it at the centre point with your round nose pliers approx. 2/3 along from the points of the pliers.

2.    Using your chain nose pliers, pinch the wire around the round nose pliers to make a loop.

3.    Using your chain nose pliers, grasp the wire at the base of the loop and bend the wire away from you to make a gentle bend, not a sharp angle.

4.    Using your round nose pliers, make a loop at each end of the wire, making them as small as possible so that they look like antennas.

5.    Grasp one of the loops about half way with your flat nose pliers and moving the wire and NOT the pliers, make a spiral down to where the wire bends and repeat for the other side.

6.    Make as many of these as you need for your design. Take two links and sit one behind the other like chairs. Take the one in front, turn it sideways and slot it through the loop of the link behind.

Turn it around to face front again so the loop of the link behind is resting at the bend of the link in front and push the loop down to close the link.

Continue to link them together until you have the desired length. You can manipulate the links with your fingers to ensure that they sit flat and straight.

Everything you require to get started is included in this pack.

Ink-dilute the ink 1 sachet to 500ml of de-ionised water (I make up half this amount and keep it in plastic tubs with lids).

Only ever handle your anodised aluminium wearing the gloves provided as the natural oils in your hands will affect the anodised aluminium until it has been sealed.

Decorate your aluminium with the graphics pens in your kit. You can draw or stamp to create your desired effect. Then follow by over-dying with the inks. You can submerge your piece in the dye bath or paint on and leave to dry.

You can submerge your aluminium in the dye bath for up to 20 minutes to achieve the desired depth of colour.

Wipe off excess dye with kitchen roll.

Your aluminium will now need to be sealed. It must be steamed for 45 minutes. You can do this in a food steamer.

Once steamed you will no longer need to handle with gloves.

You can cut your aluminium using the tin snips and the saw blade.

Tin snips are great for straight lines and the saw blade for straight and curvy edges (Tip-when using saw blade run a candle over the blade this will help to lubricate the blade and make it easier to cut).

All edges must be filed, first with the files in your kit, then finished off with a very fine emery paper.

If you require holes in your pieces to make into jewellery, make the spot so that you can see clearly where to align the punch with the hole-punch provided.

You will need to clean and polish your pieces using furniture polish.

Good luck and enjoy!

Are you going to Hobbycrafts at the NEC, Birmingham from the 21st-24th March?

JewelleryMaker will be back BIGGER and better this spring - bringing you even more of your favourite JM Presenters and Guest Designers!

Come along and watch LIVE demonstrations, sign up for a selection of FREE make and takes and enjoy exclusive exhibition offers and competitions you won’t want to miss.

Last in stock/end of line products including jewellery kits, bundles, gemstone strands, findings, tools and threading materials, all at SUPER DISCOUNTED prices!!!

FREE Make & Takes will include:

Wirework with Laura and Gemma

Macramé with Mark

Beading with Linda, Sheila and Cherry

Doodle Clay with Debbie

Places are limited! So come early. Spaces can be booked at 9.30am and again at 12 midday for afternoon courses.

Demonstrations: (Every hour)

Will feature a mix of specialist designers, including

Silver Clay                   Natalia

Jewel Enamel             Liz Welch

Resin                           Claire John

Polymer Clay              Debbie

Wirework                     Laura

Shrink Plastic              Linda

You can find our stands at: E22 & E28 (Hall 11).

Instructions for ‘Ship’s Wheel’ charm

1.    Cut a 40cm length of 0.6mm wire. Measure 5cm from one end, hold the wire at this point with your round nose pliers (at about a 1/3 of the way along your pliers) and bend the shorter end of the wire around the pliers. Thread on one of the closed jump rings from the JM silver/gold plated findings packs so that it sits in the bend. (Fig. 1)

2.    From the bend, measure 1.5cm along the longer wire end, hold at the same point of the pliers as before and bend the wire around the pliers (Fig. 2).

Thread the wire through the jump ring (Fig. 3).

Grip the wire as before and bend (Fig. 4).

Repeat to make 6 more loops through the jump ring and trim the wire leaving a 5cm tail.

3.    Fan the loops out evenly around the jump ring in a flower shape, bringing the two 5cm tails together making sure they are both pointing upward and are either side of the jump ring (Fig. 5).

These will be used later to make the bail.

4.    Starting at the bail wires grab the wires at the base next to the jump ring with your flat nose pliers and twist the wires together 3 – 4 times. Repeat this with all of the loops. (Fig. 6)

5.    Cut a 15cm length of 0.6mm wire and curve by running it through your fingers. Starting at the bail wires, thread the wire through all the loops (Fig. 7)

And when you reach the bail wires thread through all of the loops again. You should have the two wire ends either side of the bail wires. When you are satisfied that your threading wire is positioned correctly by pulling both of the ends gently, wrap the wire ends around the bail wires to secure, trim them with your wire cutters and gently push the ends in neatly with your chain nose pliers. (Fig. 8)

6.    Holding each loop at the top with your flat nose pliers, twist them twice (Fig. 9).

Using your round nose pliers make a wrapped loop with the bail wires (Fig. 10)

And add an open jump to finish (Fig. 11).

Hello everyone, I have had lots of requests for a tutorial the Classic Bib design. I’ve enjoyed seeing loads of you have been creating fabulous pieces and the scales are very versatile so I hope this is helpful to everyone wanting to try this design and I will put up some further ideas for you soon.

Tina x

Ingredients:

13 light gold scales

21 copper scales

22 purple scales

Silver plated copper chain, toggle clasp

7mm open jump rings

Tip:

Exchange these for other colours to make this your own taste, but I have found that 3 colours gives a nice balance.

1. Cut a 41cm length of curb chain. Find the middle of the chain and attach your first scale with a jump ring. This is middle scale of the first row, complete the first row of 7 scales following your colour scheme.

First row as seen from the front.

Tip:

I find it useful to have my pattern laid out first so it’s easier to just pick them up and work. The scales have a concave side and a convex side, for this design I have the concave on the front but you can vary the design by using them convex

2. Now turn your work over and work on the back to complete the pattern.

Tip:If you work flat on your beading mat you may find it easier to pin the chain to the mat to stop it moving around or you can pin it to a bust and work with it hanging.

Using jump rings attach each scale to its neighbour

First row of jump rings on reverse

3. Attach the next row of scales, which has one less. Attach each scale to the jump rings that have joined the previous row together.

Second row of scales attached to the first.

4. This pattern is repeated for the bib until you have all the rows complete. The final result will look like this at the back.

Firing Gemstones in Silver Clay, information by Natalia Coleman

Cut three 18cm lengths of 0.8mm wire and bind them together at one end with a small piece of masking tape so that they sit side by side. Calculate the centre of the wires and make a mark with a permanent fine maker pen (make sure you hide this mark with the wrapping wire) about 5mm back from the centre where you will start the wire wrapping. Cut approx. 40cm of the 0.25mm wire, push it up between the first and second wire and wrap around the first wire three times. From the back, take wrapping wire up between the second and third wires and wrap around the second wire three times. From the back, take the wrapping wire up and around the 3^rd wire and wrap it around three times. Take the wrapping wire down behind the three wires and push it up between the first and second wire ready to start the next row. Repeat to complete four more rows and trim all excess wire. (fig.1)

Remove the tape and bend the wires around a ring mandrel to the desired size, so that the wire ends cross over. Repeat the wire wrapping as before to secure the ring at the shoulders. Using your fingers bend the wires from each shoulder to curve out slightly and fan out the wire ends. (fig.2)

Thread a 3-4mm bead onto each wire and form into spirals to finish.(fig.3)

Cut a 1.5m length of 0.38mm beading wire and thread a bead onto the centre with two crimp beads either side. Thread another bead onto one end of the wire and thread the wire back through the first bead and both crimp beads leaving a circle of wire. (fig.1)

Thread the beading wire from the other side and thread it through the first bead and both crimps leaving another circle of wire inside the first circle. (fig.2)

With the same wire make a third circle inside the second circle, as before, and thread the two wires in opposite directions through another bead with a crimp bead either side, leaving another circle. (fig.3)

With one wire end make two circles inside the first. (fig.4)

Thread the left hand wire back through the middle bead and the top bead to make side loops either side of the top circles. (fig.5)

Thread the right hand wire through the middle bead and crimps and the top bead and crimps to make side loops outside the previous side loops. (fig.6)

On one side of the pendant make another double circle with two beads and crimps and repeat for the other side.

To complete the necklace, attach the wire end using crimp bead to some chain and add a clasp. (fig.8)

Cut approx. 45cm of 0.8mm wire. Measure in approx. 6cm from one end and bend the wire into a zigzag pattern as shown. Each zigzag should measure approx. 2.5cm. (fig.1)

The long wire ends will be used to make the bail so starting with the first 2.5cm zigzag, place your chain nose pliers at the centre point on one side of the zigzag and pull gentle outwards creating an angle and repeat on the other side of the zigzag. You should now have the first petal shape. (fig.2)

Continue this process with the remaining four zigzags and you should see the flower shape develop. (fig.3)

Cut approx. 3m of the 0.25mm wire, fold it in half and from the folded end, hold the wires together and start twisting them. I find it easier to do about an inch and then move down the wire and twist another inch etc. Holding the twisted wire on top of the flower, wrap it twice around the bottom of one side of the first petal leaving a 5cm tail. Take the twisted wire up through the middle of the petal, over to the other side and wrap it around twice. Take the wire down through the middle of the petal, over to the other side and wrap it around twice. Continue this figure of eight process to the tip of the petal and wrap the twisted wire around the tip a few times to secure. Trim the wire and start the next petal. Repeat to make 5 wire wrapped petals. (fig.4)

To make the bail, use the same wrapping method to bind the wire ends together, wrapping the wire for approx. 3.5cm and trim the wire leaving a 5cm tail. If necessary trim both wire ends leaving approx. 1- 1.5cm unwrapped and make basic loops with your round nose pliers to finish. (fig.5)

Bend the wrapped wire ends around to the back of the flower forming the loop of the bail. Close the loop by wrapping the tail wire around all the wires at the base of the bail 3 times. Trim wire to finish. (fig.6)

Using your fingers, bend each petal upwards and bend backwards from the middle of the petal. Using you finger nail or flat nose pliers gently push down on the centre of the wire wrapping at the top end of the petal to make a nice curve in the petal. Repeat for the other four. Push the petals together so that they sit neatly with the bail hidden behind. If you want to you can dangle some chain and bead from the loops at the bottom of the bail. (fig.7)

Cut three 12cm pieces of the 0.25 and thread a 4 or 5mm bead onto the centre of each wire. Bend the wire ends around the bead until they meet and twist them together. Repeat for the other two and twist all three together to make a bunch. (fig.8)

Place the bunch at the centre of the flower and wrap the ends of the wires around the base of the flower to secure. Trim the wires to finish. Make sure all wire ends are pushed neatly against your work to prevent them catching on clothing or scratching your skin. (fig.9)

Make your very own Festive Wirework Robin by following the incredibly talented Rachel Norris’ Step By Step tutorial!