by kimberlie burkhart kohler

© 2015 Kimberlie Burkhart Kohler www.KimberlieKohler.com

Emerging Creatively Tutorials

By Kimberlie Burkhart Kohler

www.KimberlieKohler.com

http://www.kimberliekohler.com/



Welcome to Part 2 of a 3 part eWorkshop on Creativity & Making Jewelry.

Part 1 was a creativity booster (an activity created to give you inspiration and get

your creative juices flowing). If you missed it, find it here:

http://kimberliekohler.com/9024/part1/

Part 2 (this!) is jewelry skills lessons.

Part 3 (tomorrow) will have a jewelry making project.

Today I’m sharing 2 jewelry making skills:

How to string

How to make a wire clasp


http://kimberliekohler.com/9024/part1/


First I’ll show you stringing. Now, in the video I showed this using wire guards, but I

just started using them myself so I don’t think that everyone has them on hand, so I’m

sharing a second stringing tutorial that does not use the wire guards, too.

Stringing with Wire Guards Tutorial in Step-by-Step Photos:

Tools and Materials:

Beads (or a broken beaded necklace) Stringing wire Crimp beads (I use 2 on each end, 4 total, but 1 per end is fine) Crimp bead covers for each crimp bead (optional) Wire guards – 2 Clasp of your choice plus jump rings to attach it Wire cutters Crimp tool or chain nose pliers Beading tray or something you can arrange beads on such as a piece of felt or a

towel so they don’t roll around.


http://kimberliekohler.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/IMG_0432.jpg


Step #1

Arrange your beads in the order you would like.

Step #2

Cut your beading wire. Cut as much as you need to hold all your beads plus several extra inches to work with.

*I always say it’s actually better and less costly to cut a little too much wire than not enough because if you don’t cut enough you can’t use it at all and it’s wasted. If you cut a little too much it’s much less that will be wasted.





Step #3

On one end of the wire, slide on the wire guard. There are two tubes and then the bent part is open. Just slide the wire through making sure to leave extra wire.

This will be pulled tight against the wire guard in the next step.

*NOTE: I added my clasp on at the end with jump rings. However, if you want to add a clasp now you can slide it onto the wire and situate it in the wire guard before the next step.

Step #4

Slide a crimp bead over both of the wires and pull it against the wire guard. Pull everything tightly.




http://kimberliekohler.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/IMG_0411-b.jpg


Step #5

Now we’ll close the crimp bead with the crimp tool. You’ll notice that there are 2 notches in your tool. One is larger and closer to the handle and one is smaller and closer to the tip.

Place the crimp bead in the larger notch and squeeze it closed. You’ll smoosh the crimp bead closed and you’ll notice a notch or bend in the middle of the crimp bead.





Step #6

Now place the crimp bead in the smaller notch. You’ll be folding the crimp bead in half.

Step #7

Optional: Add a crimp bead cover to cover your crimp bead. I use my crimp tool to place it over my crimp bead and then close it. It should look like a regular bead when it’s closed.





Step #8

I like to use 2 crimp beads per end and others use only 1. It’s up to you. I wrote a post why I use 2 here.

I use a crimp bead, a small regular bead and then an additional crimp bead. In the photo you can see that I have placed crimp covers over both crimp beads.

Step #9

Now you can start stringing. Place a few beads over the shorter end of the wire. We’ll trim it later.

Step #10

When you are done stringing beads, check the fit before finishing the necklace.


http://kimberliekohler.com/6899/q-a-why-do-you-use-2-crimp-beads/




Step #11

Complete the other end the same way you did the first end. However, you have to place the components on differently since there are beads on it now.

Slide on a crimp bead, a small bead, a crimp bead, the wire guard and then pull the wire around and back through the crimp bead, small bead, crimp bead and then a couple of beads from the end of the necklace.

(If you’d like to attach a clasp without a jump ring, place it in the bend of the wire guard before pulling the wire back through the crimp beads and other beads.)

Pull everything tightly, close the crimp beads and add covers if you like.

Step #12

Make sure everything is secure and then trim off the excess wire.




Step #13

Using jump rings, attach your clasp to the end. I used a lobster clasp on one end and a jump ring on the other end. For help opening jump rings, click here.

Step #14

And there you have it, your completed beaded jewelry.


http://kimberliekohler.com/8459/how-to-properly-open-and-close-jump-rings/





Simple Stringing (Without Wire Guards) Tutorial in Step-by-Step Photos:

Materials and Tools:

Beads

Clasp

Beading wire

4 crimp beads

4 crimp covers

Needle nose pliers or crimp tool

Wire cutters

Step #1



Cut a piece of beading wire. To get the size of the bracelet just about right, measure

the wire around your wrist, add a few extra inches and cut. With the toggle, the

bracelet should fit correctly.

A note about beading wire: you’ll find different “strands” of wire. I used a

midrange 19 strand wire. The more strands, the stronger the wire and the better the

bracelet will hold up.

Step #2

Lay out the design for your bracelet. You can use a jewelry design tray or put your

beads on a towel or a piece of felt so your beads don’t roll around.

Step #3

Put some tape at one end of the wire to keep the beads from sliding off. There are

also special tools you can purchase called “bead stoppers” you can use.



Step #4

Slide your beads on the wire in the order you designed.

Step #5

I like to use 2 crimp beads on each end of the bracelet for extra security. Slide a

crimp bead, a regular bead and a crimp bead.



Step #6

Slide one end of the clasp onto the wire.

Step #7

Bend the end of the wire and thread it back through the crimp bead, bead, second

crimp bead and then through the next bead or so.



Step #8

Slide the beads relatively close to the clasp. Use needle nose pliers (or a crimp tool –

more on the crimp tool later) and smash the crimp bead flat.

Give it a little tug to make sure it’s closed properly and securely.



Note: The next steps are sort of optional, but they will give your bracelet a more

finished, professional look.

Step #9

Grasp the crimp bead so that the nose of the pliers is in the middle of the flattened

crimp bead.

Then bend the crimp bead in half and push it together.



Step #10

Repeat for the other crimp bead.

Step #11

Put the crimp cover around the crimp bead.



Step #12

Use needle nose pliers to pinch the bead cover closed. It should look like a round

bead.

Step #13

Repeat for the other crimp bead.



Step #14

Slide up all the beads. Cut off the excess wire from the end. (Remember, you should

thread the wire through one or 2 extra beads first.

Step #15

Remove the tape and repeat for the other side of the bracelet.



Wire Clasp Tutorial in Step-by-Step Photos:

Tools and Materials:

18 gauge half hard wire.

Wire cutters

Round nose pliers

Cylindrical object like a paintbrush handle or pen

Hammer* and steel block or anvil

*To flatten the wire, use a chasing hammer. To harden the wire without flattening it,

use a rawhide, nylon or plastic hammer.

Step #1

Cut a piece of wire to 3” long. Make sure each side is a flush cut.



Step #2

Create a small loop in one end of the wire.

Step #3

Wrap the wire around a pen or paintbrush handle creating a hook. One end should be

longer than the other.



Step #4

Put another bend in the wire going the other way.

Step #5

On the other end, create another loop in the other direction.



Step #6

One end pinch close and the other end a little further away.

Step #7

Hammer the clasp – you can use a chasing hammer to flatten it or use a nylon, plastic

or rawhide hammer if you want the wire to keep its round shape.



About your teacher:

I’m Kimberlie Burkhart Kohler and I’m

your teacher! (You can call me Kim!)

I have been making jewelry since I was

a kid. I started my own business

officially selling my jewelry in 2005 and

have been teaching others in person

and online since 2012. I believe in

creativity and that there’s more than

one way to do things. I truly want my

students to learn from me and then

come up with their own unique,

creative jewelry pieces.


26 © Kimberlie Kohler www.KimberlieKohler.com

My eCourse Rediscover Your Creativity & Make Jewelry starts on July 6th,

2015 and early bird registration is from June 18th through June 24th, 2015 (for a

discount) and registration ends on July 6th, 2015.

The eCourse is set up similarly to this free eWorkshop with weekly creativity boosters,

jewelry lessons and jewelry projects. The creativity boosters are deeper and there

are a lot more jewelry making skills lessons and projects each week!

Learn more at http://kimberliekohler.com/shop/ecourses/rediscover-

your-creativity-through-making-jewelry-ecourse/


http://kimberliekohler.com/shop/ecourses/rediscover-your-creativity-through-making-jewelry-ecourse/

http://kimberliekohler.com/shop/ecourses/rediscover-your-creativity-through-making-jewelry-ecourse/

by kimberlie burkhart kohler

Documents