Making Jewellery 2016-05

The UK's best jewellery magazine

making

50

BUSINESS LEARN ALL ABOUT BRANDING

GARDEN PARTY PROJECTS

In this issue... Beaded chain technique Beaded bezel set cabochons Polymer clay flower bud necklace

BEADING 12 STEPS

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POLYMER 6 STEPS

LAMPWORK 9 STEPS

WIREWORK 6 STEPS

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Bigger and better than ever. Your new Cooksongold Catalogue is here, with over 8 0 0 pages packed with more than 17,0 0 0 produc ts and more big brands. M aking Jeweller y readers can get an exclusive copy free* by quoting M J2016 online, on the phone or at the Counters.

* O n e f re e c a t alo g u e p e r cus to m e r. Po s t a g e ch arg e s ap p l y.

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Making Jewellery is published 13 times a year by GMC Publications Ltd, 86 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 1XN www.makingjewellery.com www.thegmcgroup.com 01273 477374 EDITOR Sian Hamilton [email protected] SUB EDITOR Sarah Doughty STAFF WRITER Sarah Farley EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Ellen Evans DESIGNERS Claire Stevens, Jo Chapman PRODUCTION MANAGER Jim Bulley [email protected] PRODUCTION CONTROLLER Amanda Allsopp amanda.allsopp@thegmc group.com PUBLISHER Jonathan Grogan PRINTER Precision Colour Printers DISTRIBUTION Seymour Distribution Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 20 7429 4000 ADVERTISING Russell Higgins Tel: 01273 402841 [email protected] MARKETING Anne Guillot SUBSCRIPTIONS Helen Chrystie Tel: 01273 488 005 [email protected] Subscribe online at www.craftsinstitute.com 12 issues (inc p&p) UK £59.88, Europe £74.85, rest of the world £83.83. Cheques made payable to GMC Publications Ltd. Send to The Subscription Department, 166 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 1XU SEE PAGE 88 FOR MORE DETAILS Current subscribers will automatically receive a renewal notice (excludes direct debit subscribers)

30 Saraguro stitch

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Views and comments expressed by individuals in Making Jewellery magazine (ISSN 1756-4069) do not necessarily represent those of the publishers and no legal responsibility can be accepted for the results of the use of readers of information or advice of whatever kind given in this publication, either in editorial or advertisements. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by anymmeans without the prior permission of Guild of Master Craft sman Publications Ltd.

Editor’s letter

I

t’s May! And the summer is coming, yes it really is. So I’m excited as I can’t wait for warmer weather and to abandon the jumpers for my summery T-shirts and lighter colours in general (not sure who says I have to wear dark colours in the winter, but it appears to be a must in my wardrobe!). Anyway, back to summer. As early as May is in the year I like to think it’s the beginning of a new season so I decided it was time for an outdoor theme! I chose garden parties and I am glad I did.

This issue is full of lovely f loral designs, lace effect pieces and generally really elegant and beautiful designs you would be proud to make and wear. We also have a couple of beading techniques from Clair Wolfe (p30, p62) and a project (p70) for you to feast on. Beading is as popular as ever and I know Clair has the belief that those tiny little size 15 beads are addictive; once you start beading you just can’t stop!

www.craf tsinstitute.com

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3D BRACELET JIG™

CONETASTIC™

PATENT PENDING

This ingenious tool makes beautiful wire cones and bead caps

Create trendy bangle bracelets, cuff bracelets, and curved components

FLAT COPPER WIRE Design wire jewelry with new dimension

BRAID

Give your designs a compelling textured look

The Largest Selection of Craft Wire and Wire Working Tools

ALUMINUM WIRE Wire is soft tempered and is ideal for creating wire wrapped designs

WIRE KNITTER TOOL

FINDINGS FORMS

Try different stitches to create various patterns

PATENT PENDING

Use these clever fixed peg jigs to make your own wire clasps, ear wires, and connectors

COILING GIZMOS

SAW FRAME WITH 36 BLADES

PATENTED

Everything you need to start cutting metal sheet, large gauge wire, wood, and plastics

Crank wire to make coiled springs & beads

WIRE STRAIGHTENER TOOL Make it easy to straighten wire that has been worked

®

To find an Artistic Wire/Beadalon retailer near you, please visit www.beadalon.com/store_locator.asp

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To find an Artistic Wire/Beadalon retailer near you, please visit www.beadalon.com/store_locator.asp ®

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Contents

Regular

ISSUE 92 MAY 2016 Easy 6

Lacy blossoms A textured pendant with lace and air dry clay

20 Celebrity Style Butterfly necklace inspired by Vanessa Hutchins

24 Folk-art birds Polymer clay earrings with a folk-art bird theme

46 Buds and shoots A necklace made with polymer clay bud shape beads

60 Daisy delight Polymer clay earrings with bright daisies

66 Beautiful bead clusters A cluster effect black agate bead necklace

86 Initial it!

72 Mix and match Lots of component pieces that can be made into a necklace or range of bracelets

78 Flower bead garland

Flower bead garland

Stamped letter discs

92 Mermaid necklace Sea inspired necklace and wrap bracelet

Intermediate 8

Wrapped with love An intricate wirework bracelet with decorative swirls

34 Lace cuff A delicate lace inspired rose gold coloured wire cuff

36 Centrepiece silver pendant

8 Wrapped with love

An embellished donut bead with a silver clay centre

56 Crystal garden A sparkly floral necklace with bead bezelled cabochons

70 Beaded lace collar A delicate seed beaded lace collar

76

Advanced 14 Pretty posy A charming and elegant stone set floral silver clay pendant

38 Floral lace effect A floral lace effect bib style necklace made in silver wire

Lampwork flower beads

14 Pretty posy

56 Crystal garden

34 Lace cuff

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Designer inspirations

Regulars

Features

11 News

22 10 questions

The latest jewellery trends, news and must-haves

13 What’s on Classes, workshops and shows not to miss this May

18 Colour & Style Fashion trends for your summer wardrobe

27 Readers’ page Your letters, news and views, plus pictures of your work

43 Book reviews Imogen Cooper reviews the latest inspiring jewellery books

45 Web reviews Lauren Johnson surfs the web for the latest jewellery sites

49 Business matters The latest tips on running your jewellery business

80 Ask the expert Joan looks at jewellery for a garden party

82 Coming next month Find out what’s inside our June 2016 issue

83 Top five Garden party jewellery components

94 It’s a jewellers life ife The latest instalment of Eleanor Swinhoe’s column

55 Trends 4

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Interview with talented contemporary jeweller

29 Designer profile Contributor Zoe Lynham answers our questions

69 Designer inspirations

18 Colour & Style

Find out what inspires Justine Nettleton

Shopping 55 Trends Perfect accessories for your wardrobe

84 Product review Books galore! to help you brush up on your skills

Techniques 30 Technique Learn to do Saraguro beading stitch, which is a type of netting stitch

62 Technique

50 Technique Learn to use transparent polymer clay

62 Technique Learn to make beaded hoops for use as a chain

78 Product test Clair checks out a bead bag by the Celtic Bead Shop

96 B Basic techniques

22 10 questions

29 Designer profile

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Project Easy

STEP 1 Cut a section of lace in a rectangular shape. Seal with several coats of acrylic sealer allowing each to dry before applying the next. Cut a piece of reusable poster putty to the same shape and press lace into it firmly, right side out. This is to stabilise the lace to ensure that the silicone moulding materials does not adhere in every single hole of the fabric pattern.

LACY BLOSSOMS Create a textured pendant adorned with bunches of fl owers. By Linzi Alford Buckmaster

T

his simple-to-make air-dried clay pendant is given a delicate pattern and embellished with bouquets of pretty acrylic flowers in soft tones of lavender, mauve and lilac. The pendant combines the textural mesh patterns of lace together with an array of flower clusters. Using the same technique you could replicate any pattern or filigree and use any colour or type of flowers.

MATERIALS Silicone moulding putty Apoxie Sculpt air-dry clay in colours: pink, red, orange, blue, white, super white Lace or textiles to mould

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Chain, ball chain or ribbon to hang pendant from Spray acrylic sealer or PVA type medium Non-stick mat 40cm x 0.8mm (20 gauge) silver wire 120cm x 0.5mm (24 gauge) lavender wire Acrylic flowers and leaves in your chosen shade(s) approx. x 21 depending on size Seed beads, same quantity as flowers Rotary tool drill Selection of pliers Metal file Sanding block or fine sandpaper Wire cutters Nitrile disposable gloves

Designer tips Add as many wire loops for attachment points as you wish, frame the whole pendant or just around two corners; it is up to you to decide. If it helps, then drill multiple holes to wrap wire through. Use one type and size of floral beads or mix it up. Be colour coordinated or make a cottage garden of shades. For a different take, overlay a contrasting colour (of acrylic paint, mica powder, marker pen or ink) to highlight the lace pattern, i.e black over pink, or sparkly over black with crystals and silver. It really is a versatile method.

STEP 6 Cut a 40cm length of 0.5mm lavender wire. You can use longer or shorter lengths, but this seems the most convenient length. Attach to the silver wire by coiling it several times. Trim the wire ends. Attach the first flower by threading the lavender wire up through the flower hole, through a seed bead and then back down into the flower hole on the outside of the seed bead.

RESOURCES Acrylic flowers: www.bargainbeads.co.uk Apoxie Sculpt: www.avesstudio.com. Check for stockist local to you. The colour mixing chart is also available here to download. Non-stick mat: www.affixitcraft.co.uk

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Easy Project

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

Mix the air-dry clay to the desired shade (or of course you can use an existing colour with no blending). Wear disposable gloves, as some colours will stain your fingers. Mix a pale lilac colour, with red + blue bended (plus an equal amount of blue) + white (and an equal part of blue). Use the colour chart on the supplier website for assistance, if needed, in mixing the colours. Once mixed, form a rectangular shaped piece and press into the lace mould.

Leave overnight and once the clay has dried, remove from the mould. Using a rotary tool, drill a hole in the top centre. Using a metal file and then a buffing block, remove all the uneven edges and any surplus clay to neaten the shape.

Cut a 40cm length of 0.8mm silver wire. Make a wrapped loop at one end and pass it through the hole on the pendant front to back. Wrap wire tail again to secure.

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE, LINZI ALFORD BUCKMASTER

STEP 2 Thoroughly mix the silicone moulding putty. It normally consists of two colours to be mixed in equal parts (1:1). Once mixed it will ‘cure’ in about 10 minutes so do not spend too long blending the two parts. Roughly shape the silicone putty into a rectangle shape. Press the lace firmly face down into it. Ensure there are no air bubbles trapped, as these will cause blank areas. Wait for 10 minutes for the mould to cure.

Extra Projects Make earrings and a bracelet EARRINGS

STEP 7

STEP 8

STEP 9

Wrap the silver wire in a series of wiggles and loops that encompass both the back and edge of the pendant. These loops will form attachment points for the flowers. Secure the wire on the reverse by looping and twisting together, but leave it reasonably loose. It will tighten it once all the flowers are added.

Continue to thread flowers and leaves around the perimeter of the pendant adding as many as you please. Work your way around, making a couple of coils around the 0.8mm wire in between each flower to secure. If the 0.5mm wire becomes brittle as you near the end then clip off the kinked section and start with a new length; try using 3 x 40cm lengths on this pendant. You can continue to add more flowers or leaves onto the design until you are happy with the overall look.

Finish off the pendant once all the flowers are attached by taking the chain nose pliers and making a sharp half turn in the slack wires on the reverse of the pendant. This will tighten the wire, although be careful not to overdo this as it can pull the wire away from the pendants edges onto the back! Add a chain, a ball chain or a ribbon through the wrapped loop bail and a clasp, if required.

CONTACT

Shape two small pieces of clay into teardrop shapes and nd place into the mould. ld. Allow to dry, then sand and drill as before. Add beadss by making eye pins with short sections tions of 0.8mm wire. Thread read through an acrylic flower and attach with a jumpring to earring wires.

BRACELET Using the same technique as the main project, make a mould of a short section of lace binding. Form a bracelet bar shape in clay and press into the mould. Allow to dry, but remove before it is totally set and drape over a pencil to get the slightly curved shape. Once dry, sand and drill a hole at each end. Attach a chain and a clasp, connecting using large jumprings.

www.magpieinthesky.co.uk www.facebook.com/magpieinthesky [email protected]

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Project Intermediate

STEP 1 Cut your frame wires using the formula described above. Then measure and mark a point 10cm from the left on the middle and outside wires and 4cm from the left on the inside wire. Starting at the 10cm mark you just made, and leaving a 12cm tail that you’ll use later, coil the weaving wire three times around the outside wire (OW) in an anticlockwise direction. Leave the weaving wire sticking up at the back.

STEP 6

WRAPPED WITH LOVE Make an intricate wirework bracelet with decorative loops and swirls. By Karen Caine

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B

efore you start the bracelet, you will need to be aware of how to cut the frame wires. First you need to measure your wrist in centimetres to discover your bracelet length (BL). Then cut three frame wires using the following calculation: Inside wire = (BL x 2) + 8cm for hook and spiral Middle wire = (BL x 3) + 20cm for the decorative swirls at either end Outside wire = (BL x 3) + 23cm for the decorative swirls and to make the eye for the hook

MATERIALS 1mm frame wire 0.4mm weaving wire (14 x bracelet length) 4 x 6mm beads Liver of Sulphur (optional) 0.7mm and 0.3mm weaving wire (for extra projects) 2mm beads (for extra projects)

Using the two 10cm lengths of frame wire you left bare in Step 1, create some decorative elements at the end of your bracelet. Swirls, spirals, zigzags – the design is up to you. You can also choose how to finish the ends. You can ball them up with a torch, or simply cut them with flush cutters. Once complete, use short lengths of weaving wire to sew the ends to the bracelet to prevent them moving.

RESOURCES www.cooksongold.com

CONTACT www.thecraft ydwarf.com www.craft ydwarftutorials.com www.facebook.com/thecraftydwarf

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Intermediate Project

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

Add the middle wire (MW) just above, making sure that the two 10cm marks are aligned. Continuing in an anticlockwise direction, coil the weaving wire three times around both wires. Now add the inside wire (IW) above. Bring the weaving wire up the back of all three, then coil it three times around the top two frame wires. On the third loop, poke the weaving wire forward between the two wires (IW and MW).

Continue the weave by looping three times around the lower two frame wires (MW and OW), then take the weaving up the back of all three frame wires, so that you’re in a position to coil once more around the top two frame wires, then push the weaving wire through between IW and MW once more. Repeat this pattern until a ribbon of weave covers the bracelet length (BL) you measured earlier.

To make the eye, loop the weaving wire three times around IW and MW, then coil it three times around MW. Repeat twice more so that the weave continues on IW and MW, but leaves OW bare. Make sure the frame wires still line up then bend the woven ribbon back on itself. Follow with the bare wire, but leave a gap for the hook to go through (approx. 5mm). Resume the same weaving pattern as before.

Continue weaving until you have equal lengths on either side of the curve. Finally, coil the weaving wire three times around OW before cutting and tucking it in. Use the tail you left in Step 1 to tie the two sides of the bracelet together. Maintain an anticlockwise direction and loop the tail around each of the six frame wires in turn. Repeat twice more, then coil, cut and tuck in the tail’s end to finish.

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE, KAREN CAINE

Designer tips

STEP 7

STEP 8

STEP 9

Now take the remaining outer pair of frame wires and curve them back on themselves and then swirl them around the body of the bracelet, adding a bead to each wire as it sweeps across the front. Make sure that the decorative wires are pinched closely enough to the body of the bracelet that the beads cannot slide around to the inside of the bracelet. If you want your bracelet to have a sense of symmetry, place the beads one-third and two-thirds of the way along the bracelet.

At the end of the bracelet, add some more decorative elements using the same techniques as in Step 6. Create the bracelet’s hook with the two remaining inner frame wires. Make a simple decorative loop with the first, then bring the second wire parallel to it before sweeping it around into a hook with a loop at the end. Make sure that this loop is small enough to pass through the eye you created in Step 4.

Cut off the hook’s excess wire and hammer the shank to make it solid. Now wrap your bracelet around a bracelet mandrel (or similar object) to make it round. Use your hands to shape the woven parts and a mallet to shape the bare wires where they overhang the woven parts – just make sure you don’t hit the beads! Add a patina if you like, then settle back and admire your handiwork.

Be careful not to accidentally reverse the weave during this project, especially if you put it down for a moment. From the front the weave should have a regular 3-3 pattern, while at the back you can see the weaving wire periodically crossing all three frame wires. If you have problems poking your weaving wire through when sewing your decorative elements in place, push a pin into the weave and wiggle it in a circle to enlarge the gaps in the weave.

Extra Projects Make a pendant and earrings PENDANT Start 2cm from the left and create a ribbon in the same way you created the bracelet, substituting the eye part for the pendant’s two bails. Bring the two ends of the ribbon together at the heart’s point and fold the 2cm lengths over the longer frame wires to anchor them in place. Sew all the layers

together, then use the leftover frame wires to form the decorative arcs.

EARRINGS Make straight ribbons and use the centre frame wires for the ear wires. Curl the other frame wires into decorative swirls.

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Regular

NEWS The latest jewellery making trends, news and must-haves. By Ellen Evans Glitter and Twisted classes Throughout May and beyond, Lydia Foster will be running Silver Workshop days from her studio in Emsworth, Hants. Go along to learn how to make your own piece of silver jewellery to take home. The workshops take place from 10am-4pm, and cost £65, including all materials and lunch. For dates and other information, visit the website. www.glitterandtwisted.co.uk 07786005955

Artistic Wire Large Wire Crimp Connectors Beadalon have launched new Artistic Wire Large Wire Crimp Connectors. They are the perfect cold connection to join large gauges of Artistic Wire together. Calibrated for 12, 14, and 16 gauge Artistic Wires, you can also use them for Artistic Wire Braid, 12 gauge Aluminum Craft Wires, and to join multiple strands of smaller gauge wires. To use, place one end of the wire that you are joining half way into the Crimp Connector. Place the other wire in the opposite end so that the wires meet in the middle. Use the back notch of the Mighty Crimping Pliers for the 12 and 14 gauge wires and the Standard Crimping Pliers for the 16 gauge wires to gently squeeze one side of the crimp then the other for a secure connection. www.beadalon.com

Daniella Sigurd A45 Bejewelled Bugs

Pulse From 15-17 May, artists and makers will flood to Pulse at Olympia London. The large-scale event promises a wealth of beautiful things to see, including jewellery from the very best makers. It’s a chance to pick up gifts and inspiration, with lots of one-off pieces on display. The team at Pulse have identified key trends and motifs for the upcoming Autumn/ Winter 2016 season, such as oriental-style snake charms/serpent bangles, enamel and crystal bugs and minimal circles and stars. Earrings and rings are the key pieces to look out for at the show. www.pulse-london.com

Amanda Coleman D83 Bejewelled Bugs

EuroSynergy2 Polymer Clay Conference Do you love working with polymer clay? The International Polymer Clay Association will hold EuroSynergy2 in Bordeaux from 10-13 July. The conference is an opportunity to meet other artists from around the world, listen to inspirational presentations and buy and sell polymer work. Three days of workshops follow, held by highly regarded international tutors. All of the presentations at the conference and the workshops are brand new to Europe and the presenters are from USA, Europe and the Middle East. The cost of the conference is 350 Euros and each workshop is priced separately. Full details of the programme and location can be found on the website or Facebook group. www.eurosynergyconference.net

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Regular

Wendy Ramshaw’s Room of Dreams

BIRMINGHAM MUSEUMS TRUST

Don’t miss your chance to see work by designer Wendy Ramshaw, a British jewellery icon. Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is exhibiting her ‘Room of Dreams’ until 22nd May. Ramshaw draws inspiration from stories such as Alice in Wonderland to make up an installation of many parts, from small jewels in frames to large freestanding furniture. In the artist’s own words: “The dream is the room and every one of its individual contents is in some sense a part of a dream. A white wall is covered with frames, each of which contains a piece of jewellery, each inspired by a dream or dream-like situation…a series of stories and images waiting to be considered and discovered…. Room of Dreams has brought into existence so many imagined objects, gathering together so many thoughts in one place, ‘the room’. It has fulfilled and completed a dream for me.” In this exhibition, jewellery is imagination. www.birminghammuseums.org.uk

WHAT’S ON Want to get out and about this spring? Here are some creative shows and classes not to miss. Digital Paper Jewellery

In the Studio In the Studio Jewellery School runs a wide variety of courses taught by worldwide experts. Upcoming classes include Chasing and Repoussé, in which you can learn how to hammer metal into beautiful sculptural designs of your choosing using this traditional Italian technique. There is also a course on fusing, fabricating and granulating Argentium silver, which does not leave fire scale, is tarnish resistant and can be fused to itself without the need for solder. Demonstrations are followed by hands-on experience to create earrings, rings, and a bead. www.inthestudio.co.uk

On the 21-22 May 2016, Francine Oeyen is presenting a two day course on paper jewellery at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The course combines analogue and digital processes, using paper and cardboard. Suitable for beginners, the workshop is a chance to try something different. Using a variety of techniques, you can create a unique and creative piece of contemporary jewellery. Visit the website for prices and to book. www.vam.ac.uk/whatson

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Amulet Master Class Tracey Spurgin will be teaching her renowned Freya’s Tears Amulet master class at her Craftworx Studio in East Yorkshire on Fri 6 to Sun 8 May. This is your chance to experience the project originally designed for the 2nd Midsummer’s Dream Metal Clay Retreat that took place in June last year and has since been taught around the country as well as in Belgium. Tracey has decided to extend the workshop from two to three days to give students plenty of time to completely finish their creations. The cost of the class is £295. www.craftworx.co.uk, 07961 883115

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Project Advanced

PRETTY POSY Create a charming and elegant, stone set, fl oral silver clay pendant. By Nicola Beer

N

icola is a silver clay and wire artist, and is a level two accredited ACWUK instructor. She is inspired by fairytales, legends and nature to produce enchanting and whimsical jewellery designs. Nicola’s pendant was inspired by thoughts of fragrant English country gardens and pretty flowering meadows. Silver clay is the perfect medium in which to recreate the delicate beauty of early summer blooms and the design can be adapted to feature any natural element to represent different seasons of the year.

MATERIALS 30g Silver Clay Silver Clay paste Silver Clay syringe Fine silver bezel wire Oval cabochon, 20mm in length Selection of fireable 1-2mm cubic zirconia stones Teflon sheet Badger Balm Roller Paintbrush Playing cards or spacer bars Small flower cutters Clay pick or sharp craft knife Tissue blade Ballend tool Rubber tipped clay shaper Thick and thin drinking straw Sanding pads or polishing papers Kiln, blowtorch or gas hob Bezel pusher tool Liver of Sulphur gel Brass brush Polishing cloths Rotary tool and sanding/polishing attachments or tumble polishing machine

RESOURCES www.metalclay.co.uk www.j7j.biz www.design-a-cake.co.uk

CONTACT www.facebook.com/RubycurlsJewelleryDesigns www.etsy.com/shop/Rubycurls

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Advanced Project

STEP 2

STEP 3

To create the pendant backplate, lightly balm the work surface, your hands and the roller. Roll out a sheet of silver clay 1mm (or 4 cards) thick and cut out a large oval. The cabochon should fit into the centre of the oval, leaving a 1.5cm space around the circumference of the stone. Roll out another 1mm sheet of clay and cut out a second oval that is just a few mm larger than the cabochon.

Wet the surface of the large oval with a paintbrush and water and layer the small oval on top. The wet surface will give you a minute or so to position the smaller oval so that it sits centrally. Gently push the bezel wire into the smaller oval. The wire should be sufficiently embedded to hold it in place but not cut through the back. Using a pick or craft knife to cut out an oval inside the bezel, leaving a gap of at least 4mm around.

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE, NICOLA BEER

STEP 1 Shape a length of fine silver bezel wire around the cabochon. Ensure that you start and end the wire along a straight edge of the cabochon. Trim the bezel wire down to the exact size to form a close fit. File the edges of the bezel wire so that they are parallel and sit flush next to one another. Apply silver clay paste to the join and allow to dry. Place the bezel onto a firebrick and fire the join with a blowtorch until fused.

STEP 4

STEP 5

STEP 6

Set aside the back plate to dry. Take a sheet of clingfilm and loosely fold it a couple of times but do not completely flatten it out. Roll a small lump of clay to a depth of 0.75mm (3 cards) thick and cut out several flowers in two different sizes. Place each flower onto the folded clingfilm and use a large ball tool to gently depress the centres. This will shape the petals. Allow the flowers to dry.

Whilst the flowers are drying, work on refining the back plate of the pendant. Use round needle files to shape the interior oval and sanding pads or papers around the edges. Refine the flat surfaces of the backplate, ensuring that there are no divots or scratches. Baby wipes are particularly useful for this job and produce a lovely fine finish. If using baby wipes don’t allow the clay to get too wet, you may need to dry it at intervals.

Place the backplate to one side and start preparing the bale. Lubricate a piece of teflon sheet and roll out a small lump of clay to 1mm thick. Cut out a diamond shape with a tissue blade that is approximately half the length of your backplate. You can make it smaller or larger, according to your taste. If you can’t do this by eye, use a paper template or a cutter to help.

Designer tips Any small flower shaped cutter can be used. Cake decorating suppliers are an excellent source of tools for metal clay work and some sugar craft cutters come in really small sizes which is perfect for silver clay. Use damp, flock tipped disposable lipgloss applicators to refine tiny components. When positioning the flowers, ensure that you leave enough space around the bezel wire to be able to use a bezel-pushing tool to secure the stone.

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Project Advanced

STEP 7

STEP 8

STEP 9

This is an articulated swinging bale so the ends need to be joined to form a loop. Lubricate the plastic, rounded handle of a tool or a thick straw and drape the wet diamond over it. Rest the ends of the tool on a prop and apply a small amount of paste to one end of the bale and a little water to the other end. Gently press the ends together and use a rubber clay shaper to blend. Set aside to dry.

To create flower centres, gather a selection of 1–2mm stones and a syringe of clay. Pipe tiny balls of clay twice as large the stones. Pick up a stone and place it, point down, dead centre onto the wet ball of clay. Press the stone down with a clay shaper until the girdle of the stone is encased. Allow these to dry and then adhere them to the centres of the dry flowers. Arrange the flowers around the bezel of the pendant and glue each one in place with water and silver clay paste.

The bale of the pendant is fixed in place with a loop of silver clay. Create the loop by rolling a thin snake of silver clay. The snake should be approximately 2mm thick. Thoroughly wet the snake with a paint brush and water to prevent cracking, pick it up with the paint brush and coil it around the smooth plastic handle of a tool or a thin drinking straw. Allow the coil to dry.

STEP 10

STEP 11

STEP 12

Spend some time refining the dried bale and pendant. When the coil is dry, cut it into semicircles. Apply a thin layer of water to the back of the pendant. Feed the loop through the bale and apply a little silver clay paste to the underside of the loop. Position the loop on the back of the pendant and give it a wiggle until you feel the clay start to drag, indicating a bond. Hold it for a minute or so and then leave it to completely dry.

The pendant should be fired without the stone in place so remove it if you have it in the setting. Fire your pendant according to the manufacturer’s instructions either in a kiln, with a blowtorch or on a hob. Place the pendant onto a rubber block and pop the cabochon into the bezel setting. Use a bezel pusher tool and press the bezel wire around the cabochon with gentle pressure and small movements. Work on alternate sides to push the wire over the edges. Burnish the wire all around the cabochon for a neat finish.

Most fireable stones will survive a kiln, hob or torch firing but the stones will be susceptible to thermal shock. For this reason, allow the hot silver to cool naturally and do not quench to avoid discolouring or cracking the stones. When cool, brush the piece vigorously with a brass brush to bring the silver to a satin finish. Or, for a mirror finish, use decreasing grades of polishing papers, rotary tool polishing attachments or burnish in a polishing tumbler.

Extra Projects Make earrings and a ring EARRINGS Cut out additional flowers and layer them up with water and silver clay paste. Fire and add earwires.

RING Loop and twist thin clay snakes around a ring mandrel, prepared with a ring paper, to make a ring band. Add a stone, small flowers and tiny leaves as embellishments.

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Premier Metal Clay Jewellery School

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3/1/16 3:29 PM

Regular Colour & Style

FLORAL FESTIVITIES

As the weather warms up and the fl owers are blooming, it’s the perfect time to host a garden party – with plenty of outdoor style! By Rachelle Bell Wonderland

Flower power

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I

f you want to host a kooky, eclectic event, take inspiration from the ‘Mad Hatter’s tea party’. We’re thinking an updated version of the Victorian classic novel. Sleek cuts with a fun twist. Abstract patterns teamed with the traditional ‘Alice’ blue-and-white colour palette. We love the head-to-toe white look with a patterned blazer for detail. Keeping with the blue theme, these trousers with their peg-leg style would also work well with basic, neutral pieces. For a bit of pizzazz, add an embellished clutch bag. This sequined, floral piece certainly adds a sparkle to a minimal outfit. We can’t mention wonderland without including a white rabbit. This jumper is cute yet fun with the illustration-style print, team with a sparkly skirt for an eccentric look, or keep it pared back with skinny jeans and loafers. Bunny jumper, £21.99, www.newlook.com Blazer £65, White trousers, £45, all www.longtallsally.com Sequin clutch bag, £28, www.wallis.co.uk Patterned trousers, £18, www.bonmarche.co.uk

t’s almost festival season; if you didn’t manage to get tickets for Glastonbury – fear not! Hosting your own festival in the garden is so much fun! Plus you don’t have to worry about portaloos or not showering for days, as all your home comforts are just inside the door. This festival season has a ’70s Woodstock influence, which has been revived for the summer. Wellies are the festival essential; we love the pattern on these jolly boots and they will certainly lift spirits on a rainy day. You could even set up a tent in the back garden for extra festival atmosphere, while this tee ticks all the retro buttons. A saddlebag is ideal for carrying around your must-haves. This bag has beautiful embroidery detail. Zhandra Rhodes is renowned for her festival prints, this lipstick dresss comp the ccompletes ompletes p tth he laidla id laid dback ‘I’m with thee b band’ and an d ’ vibe.

Zhandra Rhodes lipstick dress, £119, 9, www.peopletree.co.uk .co. o.uk o.uk uk Luxe Willow saddlebag, lebag,, lebag £75, www.joythestore.com sto tore re..cco om m FFloral wellies, £35, 5,, w www.seasalt.co.uk ww w.sseasa easa ea saltlt.cco. o.uk uk Happy cam campers T-shirt T-shirt, £6, £6, £6 www.primark.com w ww w w. w.pr p im pr mar a k. k.co com

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Colour & Style Regular Croquet on the lawn

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f you fancy something a little more sophisticated, hosting your own afternoon tea party complete with croquet on the lawn is a great way to enjoy summer. Of course, you have to look prim and proper whilst you sip your Pimm’s. Dainty, retro silhouettes are perfect for this trend. A floral shift dress is a very fl attering cut for many shapes and sizes. This high-necked applique top would look wonderful teamed with a pastel pencil skirt. Who says heels are impractical for garden games? These court shoes have an almost tropical floral print and add a little daytime glamour. To add a bit of sparkle, why not add an embellished beaded collar to complete your outfit? Even on a casual day, a beaded collar worn with a plain white t-shirt looks good.

Quintessentially British sh

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ritish summertime has lots of traditions, picnicking beingg one of them! We love rallying up p the troops and heading out for the day, knowing we have lots of amazing food for an impromptu lunch in a sunnyy spot. A floral tea dress, teamed with h a cardi is a cute yet casual outfit. We have lots of beautiful British wildlife ife in the summer and we think the humble bumblebee is something to o be celebrated. This adorable bee pursee is so kitsch! Peg-leg trousers are the he silhouette to be sporting this summer. mer. We also love these white trousers with their gorgeous, delicate wildflower pattern. Whilst you sit in the meadows you can admire the dainty florals on your legs too!

Floral shift dress £39, bracelet £6,, earrings £3, all from www.mandco.co.uk Diva floral cluster collar, £16.50, 6.50 50, www.missselfridge.co.uk F&F pink floral top (matching ching skirt available), £16, www.tesco.com/ tesco esco.ccom/ clothing Floral court shoes,, £18 £18, 8, 8, www.very.co.ukk

Floral prairie dress, £60, www.yumi.co.uk Floral trousers, £40, www.riverisland.com Bee purse, £4.99, www.newlook.com Floral and tartan tea dress, £57, www.lookagain.co.uk

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Project Easy MATERIALS 0.8mm (20 gauge) silver coloured wire – to make your own eye pins 31 x green agate beads 7 x silver frosted beads 6 x 40mm silver bullet beads 62 x flower bead cups Decorative flower toggle clasp

RESOURCES All beads and findings apart from the silver bullet beads are from: www.hcbeads.com Silver bullet beads were from US company: www. hilltribesilveronline.com Similar brushed silver available from: www.beadstampede.co.uk Looking under category ‘metal accent and focal beads’

CONTACT [email protected]

Designer tip

CELEBRITY STYLE Make a butterfl y necklace with green agates inspired byVanessa Hudgens. By Tansy Wilson

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have taken inspiration from her name ‘Vanessa’, which actually means ‘Butterfly’ in Latin and is one of the reasons Vanessa recently had a butterfly tattoo done on her neck. Her style is the perfect mix of edgy and feminine, which I captured with these pretty agate beads in contrast to the hard-edge brushed silver.

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Using a bead board really helps with not only planning the correct length of your necklace but also to stop beads rolling around. However if you don’t have one, you can always measure the desired length and mark lines onto an old tea towel.

Extra project ect Make earrings ings The green agate beads come on a string of approx. 48 beads so you should easily have enough to make matching earrings. Remember to keep two beads that are the same colour to make a matching pair.

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Easy Project

STYLE PROFILE VANESSA

STEP 2 Make another eye loop using round nose pliers as close to the top of the last added flower cup as possible. Cut away any excess wire. See page 96 for how to make simple loops.

PHOTOGRAPH: HELGA ESTEB/SUTTERSTOCK.COM

STEP 1 It is easier to make your own eye pins for this project, using 0.8mm wire. Cut approx. 30mm of wire and make an eye loop at the very tip of the wire using round nose pliers. Thread your eye pin through a flower bead cup, followed by a green agate bead then finally through another flower cup.

STEP 6 The butterfly connectors will be linked by the jumprings added in Step 4. Keep working your way around the bead board ending up by joining a clasp using one jumpring either end.

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PHOTOGRAPH: FLAT DESIGN/SUTTERSTOCK.COM

STEP 5 STE Arran all your beads on a bead Arrange board playing around with ideas boar symmetry or perhaps you would of sy prefer a random pattern. Either prefe way, when you are happy with your design, simply open one eye loop desig on a bead and link it to the next bead along.

Vanessa Hudgens is an American actress and singer rising to fame as Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical series. Songs from the series and films charted worldwide. She has also appeared in various films and television series for the Disney Channel but is now focusing on her acting career, currently playing the title role in the Broadway musical Gigi and also the role of Rizzo in Grease: Live.

PHOTOGRAPH: FEATUREFLASH/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

STEP 4 Open an oval jumpring and link through the top hole of a butterfly connector and close. Repeat, to add another oval jumpring to the bottom of the connector. Repeat this step to add jumprings to the other butterfly connector.

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE, TANSY WHEELER

STEP 3 If you are making your own eye pins, you can make them the size you require to accommodate all your q different sized beads. Repeat Steps 1 differ and 2 so you have all of your assorted beads ready to link together. bead

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04/03/2016 11:53

Feature 1

PHOTOGRAPH: SCOTT RANKIN

Who am I?

I am Stacey Bentley

Stacey frequently uses enamelling as a focal point to create unique jewellery designs, often with an industrial or architectural feel. How did your interest in jewellery start? I enjoyed wearing jewellery as a little girl, but it never crossed my mind I would end up becoming a jeweller. I had always enjoyed art and design as a subject and in particular I loved to paint. My art teacher would teach me how to use oil paints and the different brush techniques after school so the natural progression for me was to apply to study fine art as part of a Foundation course at Leeds College of Art. Here I was opened up to a new world of disciplines such as illustration, printmaking, textiles, fashion and photography. I loved 3D design in particular, and this is where I was introduced to the world of jewellery. Where did you train? After passing my BTEC diploma in Foundation Studies at Leeds College of Art, I went on to study Jewellery Design and Silversmithing at Edinburgh College of Art. I had enrolled straight into the 2nd year at the college with very little technical ability, so I had to work hard to catch up with the rest of the students. I soon became immersed in the world of enamelling and once I had graduated with a 1st class degree I went on the study my MA in Jewellery also at ECA. Where is your studio? I set up my own studio in 2010, a year after I had finished college. My studio is in a fantastic old warehouse in Edinburgh next to Haymarket Railway Station. The environment I work in is very industrial so it provides me with a wealth of inspiration and complements my work perfectly. I share my studio with three other talented jewellers as well as a painter, violin-maker and glassworker. What is the main inspiration for your design? I have always been inspired by architecture. I grew up in a small industrial town called Batley

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Feature

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in West Yorkshire and I remember sitting with my dad painting the old cotton and textile mills. After I moved to Edinburgh I loved the grandeur of the architecture there and this began to fuel my jewellery designs. More recently I have begun to look into the geometric patterns of Islamic architecture after a recent trip to Egypt, and a new collection is currently being developed from this research. What is your preferred medium? I like to use precious materials in my work such as silver and gold. I usually oxidise the silver to give it a more industrial, architectural feel. 18ct gold is used to highlight a piece of jewellery or complement a colour. I have always incorporated colour into my work and my preferred medium is enamel. I matt back the shiny surface to create a bold block of colour. Do you have a favourite tool? My favourite tool is my jewellery bench. The bench was passed down to me from the late

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William Kirk (1933–2009), an influential silversmith who taught at both Glasgow School of Art and Edinburgh College of Art. I feel extremely privileged to be able to work from this bench.

also work for the University of Edinburgh as a Lifelong Learning tutor, specialising in Etching and Enamelling. This takes place in Edinburgh College of Arts specialised workshops overlooking the castle.

What are your goals? My main goal is to continue running a successful jewellery design and making business. I love making one-off pieces for collectors and I have been focusing on this aspect of design and making for the last few years. Recently I have been developing a more commercial and accessible range of jewellery to sit alongside my one-off pieces, which I hope to 6 launch within the next year.

Where do you exhibit/sell your work? I currently have several stockists in the UK, which include The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh; Contemporary Applied Arts, London; Studio Fusion, London; and Victoria Sewart Gallery, Plymouth. I also exhibit regularly with Dazzle Exhibitions as well as sell through their online store LoveDazzle. International galleries 7 Gallery Lulo, California. include

Do you offer workshops and jewellery classes? I offer one-to-one tuition at my Edinburgh studio. Students are able to work at my bench with access to all tools including my enamel collection and kiln. I teach the basic jewellery skills and techniques to get them started. I

What has been your greatest achievement? I think my greatest achievement is simply getting to be a jeweller for a living.

CONTACT www.staceybentley.com [email protected]

5 1. Blue Enamel Geometric Necklace: silver and lapis enamel 2. Necklace with Orange Pendant: oxidised silver, iron, enamel 3. Black and gold geometric studs: oxidised silver, 23.75ct gold leaf 4. Black and Gold Ring: oxidised silver, 18ct gold 5. Square Cufflinks: oxidised silver

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Project Easy

FOLK-ART BIRDS Sculpt these folk-art inspired birds using polymer clay. By Emma Ralph

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mma is a project designer passionate about polymer clay. She has authored two books on the subject and numerous articles. She also owns EJR Beads, providing tuition plus beads and polymer clay supplies by mail order. Polymer clay is the perfect material for making beads. These stylised birds borrow from traditional folk-art motifs, updated with subtle shimmer, thanks to luscious mica powders. Cernit polymer clay comes in fantastic colours and is very strong when baked, but the project works equally well with other brands.

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MATERIALS

RESOURCES

¼ block fuchsia Cernit polymer clay ¼ block turquoise Cernit polymer clay Cosmic Shimmer pale gold mica powder 1 pair ice blue anodised niobium ear wires 1 pair yellow anodised niobium headpins 1 pair green anodised niobium 6mm jumprings Clay compatible varnish Ceramic tile or other suitable work surface

Metal ruler Clay cutting blade or craft knife Clay modelling tool or knitting needle Wooden toothpicks Pasta machine 22mm and 18mm small teardrop metal cutters Soft medium paintbrush Flat nose pliers Round nose pliers Wire cutters

www.ejrbeads.co.uk/shop

CONTACT [email protected] www.facebook.com/EJRBeads

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Easy Project

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

Flatten the balls between your fingertips to shape them into plump discs, approx. 5mm thick. You don’t need to get the discs perfectly smooth – any fingerprints or lumpy areas will smooth away as you work the beads further. Just try to ensure they are nicely circular and match each other in diameter as closely as possible.

Fold each disc in half and pinch the meeting edges close together. Don’t squeeze out any trapped air from between the folded surfaces. Just concentrate on nipping the edges close together with your fingertips until the seam gets smaller and you can eventually smooth it away with your fingertip or a modelling tool. The folded discs should start to look a little like fortune cookies at this point.

Pinch one corner of each clay piece between your thumb and forefinger to form a short, stubby tail. You can shape and position the tail in any way you choose. Smooth and shape the clay with your fingertips and ensure both pieces match. If the clay gets too soft, pop both pieces in the fridge for a few minutes to chill the clay and stiffen it up a little.

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE, EMMA RALPH

STEP 1 Knead the fuchsia polymer clay well to condition it ready for use. Working on a ceramic tile or other suitable work surface, roll the clay into a log approx. 10mm in diameter. Lay the log against a metal ruler and with a craft knife or clay cutting blade, cut two sections each 3cm long. Roll both the sections into round balls.

STEP 5

STEP 6

STEP 7

STEP 8

Pinch and stroke the opposite corner of each clay piece outwards to make the bird’s head and neck. Slowly coax the clay out into a tapered point, smoothing the clay as you go. Work on both birds before proceeding to ensure their necks match. Bend the first 5mm or so of the tapered point down back towards the body to make a stylised head for each bird.

Roll out a sheet of conditioned turquoise polymer clay using the thickest pasta machine setting. Lay the sheet on the work surface and cut out four small teardrop shapes using the smaller sized metal cutter. These simple shapes make ideal wings! Apply a wing to each side of both birds, placing them in any position you choose.

To make the leaf charms, cut four larger teardrops from the remaining turquoise sheet. Sandwich a closed niobium jumpring between two of the teardrops. Hide the jumpring’s opening between the clay layers and be sure to allow at least half the ring to overhang the clay to create a generous hanging loop. Repeat to create a second charm. Carefully lift each charm and pinch the clay together lightly to secure.

Add some textural pattern to each leaf charm – this not only adds visual interest, but ensures the clay pieces are well bonded and secure around the jumpring. Use the end of a knitting needle to push down the clay by the jumpring and the end of a wooden toothpick to crimp a pattern around the edge of the charm. You can adorn your charms in any way you choose.

Designer tips If the clay is too soft, layer it between sheets of clean paper for 10 minutes to absorb some of the oil, then reknead well. Use a protective dust mask when using mica powders and wear eye protection when cutting niobium wire. Wrap a little sticky tape around the jaws of your pliers to protect the anodised surface when working with niobium findings.

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Project Easy

STEP 9

STEP 10

Pierce a vertical threading hole in each bird using a wooden toothpick. Keep the birds in place on the toothpicks and indent some decoration using another toothpick or suitable modelling tool. Adorn the birds as you wish; I’ve chosen simple lines and dots, typical of folk art. Add patterns to the wings and tail if you wish and don’t forget to give your birds some eyes!

Make two small turquoise accent beads. Brush the charms and beads with mica powder using a soft paintbrush. I’ve used pale gold, but any translucent or interference powder works well, allowing the clay colour to show through the shimmer. Brush off any loose powder and bake the clay pieces following the manufacturer’s instructions. When cool, varnish the pieces to protect the mica powder and allow to dry.

STEP 11

STEP 12

Wrap a little sticky tape around the jaws of some round nose and flat nose pliers – this will protect the delicate oxide layer on the anodised niobium findings as you work. Form a loop in the end of a niobium headpin and attach one of the leaf charms, closing the loop after using both pairs of pliers. Repeat with remaining headpin and leaf charm to form a matching pair.

Snip the head off each headpin with wire cutters. Wear eye protection whilst cutting niobium as it is a hard wire that can ping off in any direction! Thread on the bird beads, and the small turquoise accent beads before turning a hanging loop in the remaining headpin wire. Attach the completed earrings to a pair of niobium ear wires.

Extra Projects Make a necklace and earrings NECKLACE Make larger birds and extra charms to create a necklace. Using a lark’s head knot, attach a leaf charm to the centre of a metre length of 2mm diameter cord. Attach jumprings to the remaining leaf charms and knot them and the bird beads along the cord following whatever spacing you choose. Knot on accent beads to create tie ends for simple fastening.

EARRINGS Create matching earrings using leaf charms and accent beads with anodised niobium findings.

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Regular

READERS’ PAGE R STA LETT ER

Favourite Make Friday On Facebook we run a competition over the weekend where we asl you to upload a picture of something you’ve made that week, and our favourite wins a prize. Here are some recent winners.

Holiday memory

This is a Sterling silver ‘pea pod’ made using the fold-forming technique with five cream freshwater pearls which I bought in China last November when I was on holiday - it’s a piece I made for myself as a memory of a happy holiday. Katherine, by email Ellen’s reply What a beautiful piece to have as a memory of your holiday Katherine. We hope you get lots of inspiration from your star letter prize. Katherine is this month’s Star Letter winner. She wins a copy of Gems & Crystals, a tour of the beautiful world of gemstones. www.thegmcgroup.com

JANET WOODS-LENNON Soldered silver bracket bracelet

Making a change I just wanted to say how much I enjoy reading “Making Jewellery”. I am a mum of a 5 month old beautiful baby girl and my goal is to turn my hobby into my own little business. I am so inspired by your magazine, and I constantly try to learn new techniques and improve. Here is a small collection of my work. Kind regards, Vanessa, by email

SCOTT CLEMENTS Copper and dragon’s blood Jasper pendant on hand made, Byzantine chain maille chain.

Ellen’s reply Your pieces are gorgeous Vanessa! Good luck with the business.

Send your letters and pictures to: Ellen Evans, Making Jewellery, 86 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1XN or email: [email protected] Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @makingjewellery or find us on Facebook by searching for Making Jewellery

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TARA HUFFER Silver ring

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04/03/2016 10:38

Wires.co.uk

We have the best range of “High” quality wires. Knitted wires, silver wires, copper wires, plus many more!

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Scientific Wire Company, Units 2 & 3 Zone A, Chelmsford Industrial Estate, Great Dunmow CM6 1HD Tel: 020 8505 0002 Fax: 020 8559 1114 Email: [email protected] www.wires.co.uk

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Feature

Designer profile

ZOE LYNHAM Have you always been interested in craft and making jewellery? Yes, I have painted and drawn since childhood. As an adult, I discovered card-making with rubber stamps and scrapbooking. I happened across jewellery-making by chance, and began with simple stringing. Tell us a bit about your background and training. I am an experienced primary school teacher. I currently work part-time, as I have a young family to care for too. About 15 years ago, I began dabbling in jewellery-making as a hobby, buying numerous magazines and books to learn as much as I could about different techniques, styles and materials, to use in my own designs. Can you remember the first piece of jewellery you made? No, but I do remember an early piece I made as a Christmas present for my Mum; it was a simple strung necklace. We all have to start somewhere, but I have come a long way since those early days! Which materials do you most enjoy working with? My main passion is for polymer clay. I love its versatility and also its ability to mimic other materials, such as ceramics. I particularly enjoy using surface techniques and I was delighted to find that my artists’ materials, as well as some of my resources for card-making and scrapbooking, transferred easily to this medium. Where do you look for inspiration? I have a small ‘library’ of books and tutorials at home, as I am very interested in learning new techniques to apply to my own designs. I am a huge fan of tutorials by Ginger Davis-Allman of the Blue Bottle Tree, in particular. I also have several Pinterest boards where I pin ideas that I find inspiring, whether it be a new product, a way of joining elements or a new way to add

interest to a polymer clay bead! I look for interesting shapes, textures and colours, not only on Pinterest, but as I go about my everyday life. I keep a book with sketches and notes of ideas for potential projects (even impromptu scribbles on post-it notes at unearthly hours). I also take photographs on my smartphone; I have been known to take photographs of interesting patterns in paving, or the patina on rusty scaffolding! I also find being given a ‘theme’ for a piece an interesting, creative challenge. It was this approach that led to my first ever tutorial being published in this magazine. How would you describe the style of the jewellery you make? I am still in the process of finding my own ‘voice’, but I am very drawn to things from nature, such as flowers, seeds, pods etc. and anything with a rustic or organic look. I love circles and find I use those a lot in the structure of my pieces. I have more recently enjoyed making ‘statement’ pendants, which tend to stand alone in a piece. I mostly use artists’ materials such as paint, chalks and inks, but I am keen to explore further the transfer of my own artwork onto polymer clay, as this is a technique I find fascinating. What is the most challenging piece of jewellery you’ve made? I attended a fantastic weekend of workshops at Polymania in Bristol last year. One of the workshops was run by Cara Jane Hayman, where I learned how to make a fabulous complex cane that we later used to make a necklace. It required precision and time, but it was well worth the effort. And this one to finish with: If I wasn’t a designer I would be… Working as an artist. I considered attending art college when I was 16, instead of taking the more traditional route of A-levels. I often wonder what my life would be like now, if I had pursued this direction all those years ago!

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Tips & techniques Top technique

SARAGURO STITCH This basic net stitch is based on a traditional techniques used by the people of Saraguro. By Clair Wolfe

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his stitch is easy to learn and fun to do. Once the basic stitch has been mastered, it opens up a whole host of possibilities for jewellery design. This weave creates a Saraguro-style bridal collar.

MATERIALS Beading wire Beading thread Selection of size 15 seed beads Glue Findings Snips Beading needle Bead board (optional)

RESOURCES All tools and materials for this project are available through companies who advertise in this magazine.

CONTACT www.etsy.com/shop/ClairWolfe

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PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE, CLAIR WOLFE

Top technique Tips & techniques

STEP 1 BEADED WIRE BASE

STEP 2 SECURING THE THREAD

STEP 3 FIRST ROW

Cut a length of beading wire a few inches longer than required. Add a small section of masking tape to one side, leaving an inch or two of excess wire. Thread size 15 seed beads onto the section wire which will become the design, the amount added needs to be divisible by 3. Add a second section of masking tape to the wire once again leaving excess wire on this end.

Cut a length of thread, as long as you can comfortably manage. Run it though your fingers a few times to stretch and condition it. Pass the end of the beading thread approx. 6–8 beads along the beading wire and secure with knots, add a dab of glue and allow to dry. Add a needle to the beading thread.

Add six size 15 beads to the needle and position the beads next to the beaded wire. Take the needle behind the beaded wire, third bead along, then over and back through the last of the 6 beads added. Add five size 15 beads and repeat, taking the needle behind the beaded wire, three more beads along, over and then through the last bead added. Continue until the first row of beads has been added.

Our expert Clair often finds herself looking for new beading techniques and has developed a real interest in traditional beadwork produced around the world. South America is rich in culture and heritage and each area seems to have a distinctive bead weave or technique.

Designer tips Experiment with bead numbers in each pass. Keep adding runs to create a full collar. Experiment with colour.

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STEP 4 SECOND ROW

STEP 5 INCREASE

STEP 6 ADD/SNIP THREAD

Begin the second row by adding two of the 15s the same colour used in the first row and six size 15s in the next colourway. Pass the needle behind the first loop of beads added in Step 1, third bead along, over and back through the last bead added, pull the thread snug. Add five size 15s and repeat this stitch for the length of the beading. Add two further rows.

Row five needs to have a slight increase to allow the finished collar to sit correctly. Add two size 15 beads the same colour of the last row added and then eight of a new colour. Repeat Step 4, but this time looping the thread four beads along. Bead four more rows of eight before increasing to ten and a further four before increasing to 12.

As you near the end of a length of thread, you will need to add another manageable length. Use an overhand knot, tied as close to the last bead added as possible, add a dab of glue before adding a second knot. Leave all the excess thread in place until the collar is complete. Once finished, use snips to carefully remove excess threads.

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STEP 7 SECURING THREAD

STEP 8 FINISHING

Once the last row has been added, sew the remaining thread back up through the beadwork. Make sure to work back and forth until happy that the thread will not work its way loose. Snip any excess thread away.

Remove the masking tape from the first side. Add a crimp tube and a wire guardian, passing the beading wire back through the crimp. Position the crimp as close to the beads as possible before using crimping pliers to close the crimp. Repeat on the second side of the beading. Add findings of your choice to finish.

www.craf tsinstitute.com

26/02/2016 15:34

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Project Intermediate

STEP 1 Cut two 50cm lengths of 1mm wire. Working from the reel of 0.3mm wire, coil each length of frame wire, leaving 5cm uncoiled at each end. You may find it easiest to coil at one end of the wire and push the coiled wire along the length of the frame wire at regular intervals. Cut a further frame wire 1m in length and coil this wire, leaving 10cm uncoiled at either end.

LACE CUFF Make a delicate lace inspired adornment for your wrist in pretty rose gold. By Sue Mason-Burns

T

he subtle pink undertones of rose gold are ideal for this project. They conjure up images of a sunny day in a cottage garden, sipping tea and nibbling on cucumber sandwiches. Sue has used rose gold wire in two sizes, 1mm for the frame and delicate 0.315mm to make the coils. She has combined them to add to the lace effect and used a wire jig to swirl the coiled wire into an image of lace. Sue has fi nished the cuff with a simple handmade clasp.

MATERIALS 1mm (18 gauge) rose gold coloured wire 0.3mm (28 gauge) rose gold coloured wire 0.5mm (24 gauge) rose gold coloured wire Flush cutters Flat nose pliers Round nose pliers Chain nose pliers Wire jig Round bangle mandrel Large bail-making pliers

CONTACT

RESOURCES

www.wonderfullywired.co.uk [email protected]

www.wires.co.uk

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STEP 6 Position the large coiled and formed section on the opposite side of the frame wire. Coil three times around the frame wire, the next loop of the outer section, and the lowest loop of the central section altogether. Coil the frame wire for 1cm, then connect the next loop in the outer section with three coils. Continue in this way until all sections are connected. Repeat on the other side.

www.craf tsinstitute.com

26/02/2016 15:36

Intermediate Project

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

Set the wire jig up with the pegs in two staggered lines. Form a 50cm coiled frame wire around the pegs, looping around each peg as you go. When you reach the end of the pegs, remove the formed wire and position at the beginning of the row of pegs. Carry on forming the pattern until you have a 16cm length. Repeat for the second 50cm coiled wire.

Reposition the pegs in the jig into two diamond shapes side by side, missing out a hole in the jig between each peg. Leave out the last peg at the tip of the second diamond. Form the 1m coiled length around these pegs, taking the wire from side to side across the diamond, criss-crossing the wires across each other and around each peg as you go.

When you reach the end of the second diamond, remove the formed wire from the pegs and reposition to start again at the first diamond. Form six shapes, adding the final peg of the diamond for the last set of two shapes. Finish the set of woven shapes by forming the frame wire around this last peg.

Cut two 30cm lengths of 1mm wire and one 2m length of 0.5mm wire. Leaving a short tail, coil five times with the 0.5mm wire around one length of 1mm wire. Position one of the two lengths of wire formed on the jig at Step 1 alongside. Coil three times around the frame wire and through the first loop to attach it. Continue coiling the frame wire for 1cm

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE, SUE MASON-BURNS

Extra Projects Make a pendant and earrings PENDANT Make a single section of the lace pattern from the cuff design using the wire jig. Hang from a chain made from figure-of-eight links.

STEP 7

STEP 8

STEP 9

Coil a further 1cm at each end of the inner frame wire. Wrap each of the uncoiled ends of these frame wires around the ends of the frame wires of the central coiled section in turn. Do the same with the remaining frame wires. Trim these wires and use round nose pliers to make loops, securing them by intertwining with other frame wires.

Form a spiral with a large central loop with the central frame wires. Use a round bangle mandrel to form the shape of the bangle. As the wire is coiled, you cannot hammer, so use your fingers to manipulate the coiled wires flat against the mandrel. Form the overall shape of the bangle at a size slightly smaller than desired. The bangle will then snap back to the correct size.

Form a spiral in one end of an 8cm length of 1mm wire. Make a hook shape around the larger jaw of large bail making pliers. Flush-cut the end and bend the end 5mm at an angle. For the eye, form a 6cm piece of 1mm wire around the smaller jaw of bail making pliers. Spiral each end towards each other until they match and overlap. Attach to each end of the bangle.

EARRINGS Make two separate sections of the lace pattern with the wire jig and hang from earwires.

Designer tips Coiling by hand is laborious, but the result is a coil that exactly matches your frame wire. If you would rather not spend the time coiling, try making the coils using a coiling gizmo tool. Use a piece of Blu tack or similar to hold the pegs in position in the wire jig. Use a nylon hammer and steel bench block to work harden clasps and hand made earwires so that they will hold their shape.

www.craf tsinstitute.com

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Project Intermediate

STEP 1 Measure your donut bead. You’ll need the diameter of the inner hole, the diameter of the bead and the thickness of the bead. Draw a diamond shape with the axis 6cm and 2.8cm. Cut off 1.6cm from one of the pointed ends. This is the form of your bail. Draw a circle (diameter 4.4cm) for the centrepiece. Now sketch your designs on both pieces.

STEP 6

CENTREPIECE SILVER PENDANT

When the bail is dry refine it. If necessary, close the gaps between the meeting parts with syringe clay. Add the decoration using syringe clay. You can use the green and blue nozzles. Hammer one end of the wire flat. Fix it between the 5mm circle and the pointed end of the bail using syringe clay to fill the gaps. Refine and let dry.

Embellish a donut bead with a metal clay bail and a centrepiece design. By Sandra Quell

S

andra is a designer from Luxembourg whose passion is silver. She works with metal clay and loves to add pearls, stones and colour to her pieces.

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MATERIALS

RESOURCES:

15–20g Art Clay silver Art Clay syringe type Donut bead 1.2mm (16 gauge) fine silver wire Scratch-Foam (thin polystyrene) Hammer Brass brush and polishing pads Clay extruder and claycore adapter Agate burnisher Liver of Sulphur

All metal clay materials are widely available from craft suppliers and advertisers in this magazine.

CONTACT DETAILS www.qreations.eu [email protected]

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26/02/2016 15:37

Intermediate Project

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

Enlarge your designs by 111% on a photocopier. Transfer the designs onto tracing paper or onto another thin paper and lay them on top of a sheet of Scratch-Foam. Fix them with sticky tape. Trace your designs with a ballpoint pen. Remove the paper and deepen the lines on the Scratch-Foam by gently tracing them with the pen.

Slightly oil the texture plate of the bail. Roll the clay 6 cards thick. Lay it onto the texture sheet and roll it to a thickness of 4 cards. Peel away the clay and turn it over. Cut out your design. Wrap the shorter end of the bail around a straw. Place a syringe line where the end meets the back and gently press them together. Let it dry.

Transfer the design of the centrepiece onto the clay in the same way. Load the extruder with clay and use the disc with a 7.5mm hole and the 4.5mm ClayCore Adapter to extrude a tube bead of 1.5cm length. Roll out clay to 0.8mm and cut out a circle of about 5mm diameter. Let all the pieces dry and refine them.

Refine your centrepiece. Inverse your template and cover the inversed version with clear sticky tape or cling film. Stick the centrepiece onto it with a bit of syringe. Add the fine lines of your design using a syringe with a grey nozzle (wide). Pay attention that the lines are well attached to the centrepiece. Reinforce the connections with syringe if necessary.

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE, RENÉ WERSAND

Designer tips

STEP 7

STEP 8

STEP 9

If the tube sits too loosely in the donut, add a little belt for a closer fit. Drill a 1.2mm hole through the tube, level with the top of the donut. File back the tube to 1mm above the hole. Attach the tube to the back of your centrepiece, so that the axis of the hole you just drilled aligns with the vertical axis of your design.

Let everything dry completely and fire your pieces at maximum temperature for the maximum of time (900°C for 2 hours). Brush both pieces with a brass brush, polish them and patinate them with a weak solution of Liver of Sulphur. Use polishing pads and an agate burnisher to polish the raised parts of your texture to a high shine.

Hammer the wire with a raw hide mallet to harden it. Place the donut bead onto the tube. Thread the wire through the holes of the tube and bend it around the tube once. Pass under the wire from the bail. Gently bend the lines of the front design onto the face of the donut.

Scratch-Foam is a USA brand of thin polystyrene. Search online in the UK for thin printmaking polystyrene sheets. The freestanding syringe lines are very delicate in the greenware state. If you avoid them, the project becomes much easier. You can use Sterling silver wire for the construction but you have to solder it on after firing because Sterling silver becomes brittle when heated to 900°C for 2 hours.

Extra Projects Make a necklace and earrings NECKLACE Use the texture plate for a simple pendant.

EARRINGS Use parts of your design for a pair of stud earrings. Fire the pieces flat and solder on studs after firing.

www.craf tsinstitute.com

MJ92_P36-37_Silver Pendant SHSD.indd 37

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Project Advanced

FLORAL LACE EFFECT Recreate a fl oral lace effect in silver wire to make this stunning necklace. By Tansy Wilson

R

eproducing a geometric flower shape in Sterling silver wire on a jig and then soldering them all together really does create an effect like lace. Being a geometric shape the combinations of pattern are also endless so you can create your own take on this design.

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MATERIALS 4m of 0.8mm (20 gauge) Sterling silver round wire (Code: AGSWR-080RD) Large decorative link chain Clasp Jumprings Panel pins Snips Thing-a-ma-jig (optional) Flux Solder and iron Pickle Flat steel block Hammer Polishing materials

www.craf tsinstitute.com

04/03/2016 14:17

Advanced Project Fashion inspiration Lace dress £45, La Redoute

STEP 1

STEP 2

Draw a 35mm squared six-petal flower shape either on the computer or by using a pair of compasses and a protractor so you obtain a perfect even, symmetrical shape. Add dots with a pen to the very tips of the petals and where the lines meet near the centre of the flower.

Place your drawing onto a block of wood and hammer in 4cm panel pins exactly where the dots are. Leave at least 3cm of panel pin showing. Using heavy-duty snips, remove the head of each pin.

STEP 4 Using 0.8mm Sterling silver wire, start to wrap it carefully around the pins. Keep the wire moving in the same direction. Keep rotating the jig to make it easier to manipulate the wire and keep control of the tension.

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE, TANSY WHEELER

STEP 3 Remove the paper so you have your finished ‘jig’. Alternatively you can make a flower shape on a tool called a thing-a-ma-jig, which has plastic pins that you push into a bed to create lots of different designs.

STEP 5

STEP 6

Cut the wire away from the roll leaving no more than 1cm at each end. Remove from the jig and manipulate the wire with your fingers to obtain a perfect daisy shape tweaking the wires so they meet perfectly. Cut away any excess wire. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 to make 10 flowers.

Place a daisy onto your soldering block and add some flux and a tiny square (paillon) of easy silver solder to the join. Heat with a small flame until the solder runs joining the two wires together. Pickle and rinse. Repeat this step to solder all the flowers.

www.craf tsinstitute.com

MJ92_P38-40_Silver Floral Lace SHSD.indd 39

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04/03/2016 14:17

Project Advanced

STEP 7

STEP 8

STEP 9

Place a flower onto a flat steel block and hammer it using the flat end of the hammer. Then using the ball end of the hammer, gently tap all around the wire to create a dimpled texture. Repeat this step to texture all the flowers.

Now you need to plan the design of your piece, ensuring that all the petals touch each other to create a continuous pattern. This design has two rows containing five flower shapes on top of each other, but there are lots of other combinations you can play with.

Carefully recreate your pattern onto your soldering block and add flux and paillons to each petal where they join one another. Solder the piece in sections to make this step easier. Pickle to remove all the fire-stain and rinse.

STEP 10

STEP 11

STEP 12

If you want to polish to a high shine it is important that if you do this that you place your piece onto a flat rigid surface such as a piece of wood to support it whilst you polish it ensuring you do not catch the wire in the polishing mop.

Use a large decorative link chain to join to either side of your ‘silver lace’ by either using small jumprings or the figure-of-8 connectors that are actually already on the chain holding the links.

Finally add a clasp again either using jumprings or the figure-of-8 connectors. I have used a toggle clasp so it blends in with the chain design but you could add a statement clasp for a different look.

Designer tip RESOURCES Silver round wire from: Betts Metals www.bettsmetalsales.com 0121 2332413 [email protected] Chain and clasp can be sourced from suppliers listed in this magazine.

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Hammering the texture onto the piece ‘work hardens’ the silver wire making the final piece nice and rigid. Ensure you hammer the piece again after soldering at Step 9 and before polishing it. This will be the final chance to stiffen the metal.

www.craf tsinstitute.com

04/03/2016 14:17

Cufflinks by Josef Koppmann

Making and selling precious metal jewellery? Remember to get it hallmarked, it’s the law * The UK Hallmark is one of the oldest forms of consumer protection and a legal requirement for anyone selling their goods. Not only is it a guarantee of quality, it also includes your very own sponsor’s mark. Unique to you, your sponsor’s mark can be an invaluable marketing tool leading to increased recognition and additional sales. * Weight exemptions apply.

Find out more about hallmarking: T: 020 7606 8971 E: [email protected] www.assayofficelondon.co.uk Hallmarking • Laser Engraving • Laboratory Services • Antique Plate Authentications • Educational Seminars • Valuations

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3/3/16 12:04 PM

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3/8/16 10:19 AM

Regular

BOOK REVIEWS This month Imogen Cooper reviews three books to spark your creativity.

FANCIFUL FINDINGS

BEAUTIFUL ELEMENTS

GEMS & CRYSTALS

HOLLY WITT-ALLEN LEISURE ARTS, £6.99 ISBN 9781464733529

HEATHER POWERS KALMBACH BOOKS, £15.50 ISBN 9781627002059

GEORGE E. HARLOW & ANNA S. SOFIANIDES AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, £19.99 ISBN 9781454917113

They say beauty can be found in the most mundane of things – and this book proves just that! This guide to thrifty making explores the possibilities of found objects, turning them into pieces that remain entirely individual to the wearer. Owner of handmade jewellery shop Witt ‘N’ Whimsy, the author’s talent for turning the everyday into the original is clear in her inventive projects. Take the Gear and Nut jewellery set, a quirky trio of pieces that can be adapted to suit whatever you have to spare. Add your own character with the Key Charm necklace and substitute the beads shown with personal mementos. Fanciful Findings concentrates on taking what you already own and getting creative, so there’s no need for a huge shopping list! The advantages to found object jewellery are endless. Whatever you’ve got to hand, you’re certain to find a project in this charming little book to transform it into a creative new addition to your jewellery box.

An absolute treasure trove of information, this highly detailed guide takes you through the steps to create gorgeous personalised jewellery. With the use of metal, polymer clay and wire, you can experiment with your chosen material or even find a new favourite. Inspired by nature and forest scenes, each page will have you stamping, embossing, and layering to produce dainty leaves and acorns. Omit or include suggestions as preferred to make an entirely custom piece. Beginners will benefit from the ‘Basics’ section as they get to grips with technique, leading to the 30 projects and more advanced methods. The star of the show has to be the delicate metal-sketching skill, which is versatile and quick to achieve; while the possibilities of customisation become endless. Not only can you follow the dozens of ideas, but the comprehensive instructions will help you create original designs. Combine as many or as few methods as you like as you imitate the author’s beautifully earthy, understated style. Just a simple combination of these materials will add a much-envied touch of this author’s techniques.

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MJ92_P43_Book Reviews SHEE.indd 43

A celebration of 25 years in print, this book is back with a newly designed twist. Revised and more spectacular than ever, this classic from the American Museum of Natural History is their most remarkable edition to date. Those looking for extensive knowledge of crystals and gems will fi nd all they need. Covering almost 150 of the most impressive gemstones, everyone from the admirer to the greatest geologist is sure to gain something. An in-depth ‘data’ section displays each stone’s properties, making for easy identification and providing welcome advice to fine jewellers. There are also stories of the most mythical (and sometimes bizarre) beliefs behind the stones. Equally a coffee-table book and a reference point for professionals, each topic gives a fascinating insight into the properties, origins, and history of the world’s finest jewels. All is made crystal clear with the aid of the authors’ years of expertise and photography from an award-winning pair. Showing the gems alone and the masterpieces that they’ve played a part in, this book will enthrall and inspire jewellers everywhere.

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W W W .B E A D H O U S E . C O.U K HELPING YOU TO CREATE BEAUTIFUL JEWELLERY DESIGNS

BEADHOUSEUK W: www.beadhouse.co.uk E: [email protected] T: +44(0)1484 485111 Bead House, Quarmby Mills, Tanyard Road, Oakes, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England HD3 4YP

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3/1/16 3:30 PM

Regular

WEB REVIEWS Lauren Johnson surfs the web for the latest online stores, blogs and jewellery profiles ALL WOMEN STALK www.diy.allwomenstalk.com/glitterdiy-projects As the cold weather ebbs away and the heavy shades of winter fashion come to an end, wouldn’t it be nice to add a little sparkle to your nights out? Check out All Women Stalk – ‘Glitter diy projects’ gallery for lots of glittery ideas to brighten up your makes. Glitter and a little sparkle can be added to almost anything you choose. The website offers ideas of what you can do with glitter, whether that is a personal project, or one undertaken with children or grandchildren; either way the fun and mess is endless. With help from the blogger Lisa Washington you can take her pointers and tips on how to make this making process one you will not forget.

DIVINE CAROLINE

HOBBY LOBBY

www.divinecaroline.com

www.hobbylobby.com

This website is resourceful and easy to use, allowing you to search for new and exciting projects to quench your making thirst. However, Divine Caroline doesn’t just focus on jewellery – as you will see there are multiple tabs on the navigation bar at the top of all the pages. Her DIY fashion segment, however, shows you how to make woven necklaces, statement pieces and rings. So, your entire making needs are met in one easily accessible place! The website offers you a how-to in regards to making your chosen pieces with links of where to purchase these projects when you double tap their name. Divine Caroline is simple yet effective in the creation of jewellery, which may inspire you to create something similar.

As one of the biggest craft suppliers in the USA, Hobby Lobby has an extensive website that not only sells all the products but has a wealth of projects and videos. Under the ‘DIY Projects & Videos’ tab there is a category for ‘Jewelry Making’, which is full of beginners’ projects and ideas for the budding designer. Most of the projects have free downloadable instructions that you can either print at home or save to use when not online. As well as written instructions you get the opportunity to watch tutorial videos with step-by-step help on how to complete some projects. Scroll down the list to find the videos.

BROKE & HEALTHY www.brokeandhealthy.com This site is a composite of all sorts of things – from recipes to finances. Mixed in are some great crafting ideas. I spied this ‘50 Fun Ways to Hang Your Jewelry’ post (use the search bar to find the title). So, if you don’t want to put something you’ve worked hard on in a dark, unloved corner of your drawer, why not go to Broke & Healthy and check out these multiple, stylish ways to show off your projects? From antlers to hollow picture frames, find whichever fits your décor best or has the feel you want your jewellery to have. They have a link through to a Pinterest board, which you can use to link through to the projects to make these display boards.

www.craf tsinstitute.com

MJ92_P45 Web Reviews SHSD.indd 45

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26/02/2016 15:44

Project Easy

BUDS AND SHOOTS The colours and shapes found in an early summer garden are the inspiration for this necklace. By Sue Corrie

S

ue is a member of Polymer Art East Midlands, who hold clay days at Long Eaton Art Room near Nottingham. She no longer sells her jewellery, but is still a polymer clay fanatic. Soft pastels are wonderful for adding colour to raw polymer clay. They adhere surprisingly well once the clay is baked, but it is always worth sealing a surface finish onto beads that will rub against clothes and skin. Here the beads are sealed by dipping into acrylic varnish. Mica powder adds an extra bit of shine.

MATERIALS Polymer clay (Fimo): 65g white, 10g yellow, 5g green, 2g magenta Soft pastels in magenta, yellow and green Mica powder in gold, pearl 400-grit sandpaper Clay extruder (3mm round hole disc and 6mm square hole disc) Glass or ceramic tile work surface Pasta machine Acrylic roller Clay blade or craft knife Bead piercing pins or cocktail sticks 15mm diameter round cutter Acrylic varnish (for polymer clay) Cotton wool buds Assorted silver spacer beads 80cm beading wire Wire cutters Crimps Flat nose pliers or crimping pliers

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26/02/2016 15:46

Easy Project

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

Condition the clay. Roll a sheet of each colour out on the thickest setting of your pasta machine. Cut some pieces with a 15mm diameter round cutter and mix to make a soft spring green. Use Fimo in proportions: 1 magenta: 2 true green: 6 true yellow: 16 white. If you use different clay, mix a small amount first, in case you need to tweak the proportions.

Make a log of green to fit the extruder. Extrude a string of clay through the 3mm round hole disc. Cut into 8mm lengths. Taper the ends, then wrap each length around a piercing pin or cocktail stick. Give an extra twist to make sure the bead holds together well. Stroke a little gold mica powder over the top surface with your finger tip to highlight the shape.

Make a log of white and fit it into the extruder. Extrude it through the square hole disc and cut into 5cm lengths. Compress each piece slightly, pushing the ends towards each other to make the bead shorter and fatter. Reduce the length by half. Make a hole lengthways and thread onto a piercing pin or cocktail stick. Be careful not to distort the shape.

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE, MIKE CORRIE

Extra Projects Make a pendant and earrings PENDANT

STEP 4

STEP 5

STEP 6

Squeeze the ends of the bead to taper them. Try to keep the edges fairly sharp. Now start adding colour. Rub stick pastels on a piece of 400-grit sandpaper first to release the dust. Pick up colour on the edge of a triangular make-up sponge. First sponge a good line of magenta on the top two-thirds of the bead edges. Sponge yellow on the bottom third.

Give each bead a couple of twists, then gradually build up colour on the top and bottom using the sponge. Blend the colours towards the centre with a soft clean brush. Add a little green to the bottom edges for more contrast. When you are happy, brush pearl mica powder over the bead with a clean brush. Bake for at least 30 minutes according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Pour acrylic varnish into a narrow jar. If it’s too thick, mix with water until fairly runny. Put each bead on a pin and dip it. Stick it into a polystyrene block to dry. Any excess varnish will form teardrops at the base of the bead. Soak them up with a cotton bud as they appear. String the beads together when dry. Close with a crimp, tucking away the wire ends.

EARRINGS Make matching earrings and wrap the ear wires in the same way way. y.

RESOURCES

Designer tips To reduce the length of a rectangular bead with minimal distortion, squeeze the ends towards each other, then roll each side straight with a roller. Repeat as many times as necessary. To pierce the beads with minimal distortion, insert the pin or cocktail stick at one end. Twist gently until it reaches halfway through the length of the bead, then repeat from the other end. White clay will show every mark. Keep pastels away from your main work surface, and wipe hands, tools and surfaces regularly. You can get some marks off clay if you rub it gently with a baby wipe.

Polymer clay, tools and accessories: www.clayaround.com Spacer beads, jewellery findings and tools: www.thebeadstore.co.uk

CONTACT www.ghostshift.co.uk East Midlands Polymer Playground events: info@ polymerartseastmidlands.co.uk British Polymer Clay Guild website: www.bpcg.org.uk

www.craf tsinstitute.com

MJ92_P46-47 Sue Corrie SHSD.indd 47

Thread a bail onto 10cm curved silver wire. Wrap tendrils of green clay each side. Twist one end of a ‘bud’ bead to a point. Decorate with more tendrils. Bake. Attach the bead with a headpin. Make loops in the end of the wire for attaching a chain.

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26/02/2016 15:46

Caverswall Minerals MAKE YOUR OWN JEWELLERY

Set your own stones, ceramics, resins etc into our silver 925 mounts. We have a very large selection of silver settings and mounts including inss pendants, brooches, cufflinks, rings, lockets, earrings, bracelets, stick pins and tie bars etc in many different styles from modern, classic and celtic c all a polished and easy to set.

JEWELLERY TOOLS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

We supply a large range of semi precious cabochons Tel: 01782 393838

email: [email protected]

www.caverswallminerals.com

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3/7/16 10:28 AM

Business matters Regular

BRANDING YOUR BUSINESS PHOTOGRAPH: RAWPIXEL.COM/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

What things should you consider when naming your jewellery business and creating your brand? By Jessica Rose

W

hen you are just starting out with your jewellery business it can feel a bit highfalutin to talk about ‘brand’. But when you decide what to name your business, what colour bags or boxes to use or the typeface on your flyers, you are actually choosing what makes your business different from other ones – and this all affects how people perceive it. In other words, these are all items that help create your brand. The process starts with choosing a name for your jewellery business. It is important to choose one that your customers will remember and associate with your jewellery. So, if you want to use your name as the business name, it may be a good idea to add the word ‘jewellery’ or ‘gems’ to the business. ‘Jane Smith Bangles’ is more memorable as a jewellery business than just ‘Jane Smith’ – although you may not want to restrict yourself just to bangles. On the other hand, you could choose a name that means something to you, such as your children’s names or a place that inspires your work or perhaps there is a name that you think matches the style of your jewellery. If this is the case, make sure you have a story to tell about the name. A good story will engage a potential customer a lot more than if your name is just some randomly chosen words. It is a good idea to test your business name on other people and think about all the implications of a name. For example, you might decide on the name Polka Dot Stegosaurus for your jewellery business. Ask yourself and others questions like these:

Will it make your customers think about jewellery – specifically your jewellery?

Does the style of name, in this case quirky, fit with your style of jewellery? Can people spell it? This is very important if people are going to find you again and could reduce the risk of costly printing errors. How will it look/sound as a web address? With our example www.polkadotstegosaurus. net could end up being understood as www. polka.stegosaurus.net. Are there any issues with the initials? For example, a quick web search turns up more than 40 meanings for PDS. If you are planning to have a limited registered company, you will also need to check with Companies House that there is no clash with another business.

Identifying your business

Flyers, business cards, labels and other printing: These should use the colours you have chosen and the logo if you have decided to have one. They should also all use the same font or typeface and style of pictures – again this is to make it easy for customers to recognise you.

Once you have decided on your business name you need to start thinking about the other things that will help identify your business:

Websites and social media: Make sure you use your business name in your website address and for any social media accounts you set up. Where possible use the same colours, logo, images and typeface that you’ve used elsewhere.

Colour scheme: These are the colours you will use in all your business materials – packaging, labels, business cards, flyers and website. You will need to be clear about how you use those colours. This means they should be practical choices. You don’t want to be spending valuable making and selling time tracking down an obscure shade of green ribbon to make your packaging plan work. And if your business name mentions a colour or a pattern, that should feature in you colour scheme. It might seem very clever for all the Polka Dot Stegosaurus packaging to be striped, but in reality it will confuse the customer.

By being consistent for all aspects of your business and taking your time to think about what a customer is likely to think about your name, colours, and so on, you are creating a brand identity. Not only does this identity give your customers something to help recognise your stall, label or website, it also can give an air of professionalism to your business, which can mean that people trust you and value your work more. So, a bit of work now to plan your brand is a worthwhile investment.

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MJ92_P49 business matters SHSD.indd 49

Logo: Start with whether you want a logo. It may be that you would prefer to use images of your work along with your business name in a particular typeface and style. In this case, choose one and stick with it. But if you decide to go for a logo think about it in the same way as you did for your business name. Does the logo style go with your jewellery style? Will it make people think of jewellery and of you?

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Tips & techniques Top technique

TRANSLUCENT POLYMER Translucent polymer has unique qualities that work beautifully in jewellery. By Debbie Carlton

W

orking with translucent clay is intriguing and fascinating. It doesn’t look translucent before baking but certainly will do afterwards. It’s also possible to add colour using alcohol inks as well as creating translucent canes and rainbow Skinner blends. Many of the techniques are similar to using other polymer clay but the results create pieces which show the light!

Our expert Debbie’s bold Jewellery designs explore the fantastic potential of polymer. She has become a passionate explorer of and advocate for these dynamic materials. Debbie teaches both metal clay and polymer to beginners and advanced students at her studio in North West London.

MATERIALS Translucent polymer clay Pinata or Adirondack Alcohol inks Krylon leafing pen General polymer clay tools: Tissue blades Acrylic roller Pasta machine Textures Cookie cutters 400, 600, 800 grit wet and dry paper

RESOURCES www.clayaround.com www.craftcellar.co.uk www.ejrbeads.co.uk www.metalclay.co.uk

CONTACT www.debbiecarltonjewellery.co.uk [email protected]

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www.craf tsinstitute.com

04/03/2016 11:37

PHOTOGRAPHS: DEBBIE CARLTON

STEP 1 BRANDS

STEP 2 BAKED CLAY

There are a number of different brands that make a transparent clay including Sculpey Premo!, Kato, Fimo, Cernit and Pardo Art Clay. The one I use is Pardo Art Clay.

Pardo and Cernit polymer clays start out quite white in the raw state. Kato and Premo are coloured in their raw state. It’s no surprise that the clays stay that colour once they are baked. Cernit polymer is just as white and as clear as Pardo when baked at the recommended temperatures.

Designer tips STEP 3 ALCOHOL INKS

STEP 4 MIXING INKS IN CLAY

Alcohol inks are an intensely concentrated dye dissolved in alcohol. They come in dropper bottles in a wide range of colours from the most intense brights to subtle colours.

Condition the translucent clay very thoroughly; roll out on setting no. 3 or 4 on a pasta machine (1.5mm thick). Wearing latex gloves, paint the ink onto the clay and let it dry completely. Then recondition it to blend it in very well.

STEP 5 INK COLOURED CLAY

STEP 6 EARRINGS

These are examples of ink coloured transparent clays. Each colour has been rolled through a pasta machine to create a thin sheet.

To create earrings, cut out the shape you’d like, using cookie cutters or a template and bake according to the brand. Use 400/600 and 800 grit wet and dry abrasive papers to polish the edges and then use a Krylon silver or gold pen to paint onto the edges which creates a lovely finish. Attach charms and earwires to finish the earrings.

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Make small metal clay charms Make your own unique template shapes for pendants and earrings Different translucent techniques include mokume gane and extruder canes.

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04/03/2016 11:37

Tips & techniques Top technique

STEP 7 SKINNER BLENDS

STEP 8 MIX AND CONDITION

Choose three colours for the Skinner blend (I used red, blue and yellow). Roll out sheets of clay and paint on the ink. Allow the ink to dry.

Mix the ink into the clay well and roll out sheets of each colour on the thickest setting on a pasta machine.

STEP 9 MAKE A BLEND

STEP 10 SKINNER BLEND EARRINGS

Cut each colour into thin strips, and place the strips together carefully to make sure they don’t come apart in the pasta machine. Feed through the machine, then fold in half and repeat the process until the colours blend.

When the skinner sheet is ready, choose the cutter shape you like and cut out pieces for earrings. You can add other small canes to the cut out pieces on both sides, as they will show through. Bake to the recommended temperature; this is essential as transparent clay burns easily.

STEP 11 CANES Making canes with translucent clay. Create a large ball of plain white translucent clay having conditioned it very well. Then roll it into a log shape. Cover with a very thin sheet of ordinary white polymer (setting 7 or 8 on the pasta machine) then repeat with a sheet of black polymer (setting 5 or 6). Using a tissue blade cut a thin disc and lay another smaller cane onto it.

STEP 12 CANE EXAMPLES Let your imagation go and create whatever combination of canes works for you. The choices are endless!

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04/03/2016 11:38

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3/3/16 12:05 PM

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Project Intermediate

CRYSTAL GARDEN Different beaded elements combine for this sparkling fl oral necklace perfect for day or evening wear. By Chloe Menage

C

hloe has a passion for beads and all things sparkly! A magpie at heart, she is a member of the Starman Trendsetter design team and enjoys teaching her beadwork patterns around the UK. This project is just so versatile. Once you’ve mastered the beaded flowers and bezelled crystals, you can use them for almost anything. Chloe says she was inspired by the soft pastels, but in reality the petal beads and crystals come in such a rainbow of colours you can recreate this piece in any scheme you like.

MATERIALS 4 or 5 x 14x10mm Swarovski 4610 fancy stone in Aquamarine, Peridot, Light Rose and Tanzanite 20 x 8mm CzechMates rose petal beads in a variety of colours 20 x 3mm Swarovski Xilions in variety of colours Approx. 1g x size 11 seed beads Approx. 1g x size 15 seed beads 4 x 10mm acrylic roses 2 x 15mm acrylic roses Approx. 3g x size 11 Miyuki Delica beads 7 strand Beadalon Bright 2 x necklace ends (callotes) 2 x crimp beads Chain 2 x jumprings Trigger clasp Scissors Chain nose pliers Cutters Toning beading thread (One-G, Miyuki or Fireline) Size 12 beading needle Synthetic wax

RESOURCES All supplies: www.perlesandco.co.uk 15mm acrylic flowers from The Bead Shop Nottingham (Ltd): www.mailorder-beads.co.uk

CONTACT [email protected] www.pinkhot.co.uk

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26/02/2016 15:53

Intermediate Project Fashion inspiration

1

Karolina pinafore dress £59, Monsoon

1 2

3 4

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

Flowers: Pick up 2 x size 11 beads, 1 x petal (back to front), 1 x size 15, 1 x Xilion, 1 x size 15, 1 x petal. Tie the ends in a knot. Pass through the 2 x size 11, the first petal and the size 15. Pick up 1 x Xilion, 1 x size 15, 1 x petal, 2 x size 11s.

Pass up through the previous petal and the size 15, Xilion, size 15 (s15) and down through petal 3. Pick up 2 x size 11s (s11), 1 x petal, 1 x s15 and 1 Xilion. Pass down through the s15, petal 3 and 2 x s11. Pass up through petal 4 and the s15. Pick up 1 x Xillion, pass down through the s15 and petal 2. Pick up 2 x s11 and pass up through petal 4.

You should have 4 Xilions on top with a s15 each side and 8 x s11 on the back. Pass through the next Xilion. Pick up 1 x s15, pass into the Xilion, repeat around to add a s15 between each. Pass down though a petal and pass through all the size 11s. Finish each of the ends.

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE

DIAGRAMS: CHLOE MENAGE

3 2

STEP 4

STEP 5

STEP 6

Bezelled crystals: Using single needle Right Angle Weave (RAW), pick up 4 x Delicas and pass through all the beads again. *Pick up 3 beads and pass through the bead you exited from and the next 2. Repeat from * until you have 16 units. Make sure the strip is not twisted: pick up a bead, pass through the first bead in the strip, pick up a second bead and back into the final unit to join. Reinforce.

Row 2: exit from an edge bead. Pick up 3 beads and pass back through the edge bead. Thread through the next bead in the new unit. *Pick up 2 beads and thread into the next bead along in row 1, (working back towards the first unit of the second row), pass around the new unit and into the next edge bead in row 1.

Repeat along in single needle RAW until you reach the beginning again. You will only need to add one bead to complete this unit, which finishes the second row. Work through to exit an outer bead.

Designer tips Wax your thread well or use Fireline for strength; crystals have sharp edges and can cut your thread. Try not to kink the Beadalon when you’re threading on the bezelled crystals, take it slow and make sure the threads do not twist or cross. Why not use exactly the same method for the necklace but turn it into a dramatic cuff bracelet?

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Project Intermediate

STEP 7

STEP 8

STEP 9

Pass through all the outer beads and when you reach the beginning again, pull the thread to draw in the beads slightly. Thread through a couple of beads (into the bezel) to lightly anchor. Drop the stone in. Work the thread through to exit from an edge bead on the other side and repeat this step. Tighten the thread so that the stone is held securely and the bezel is even.

Work through and create a half hitch knot to secure. Pass through to exit from a horizontal bead in the middle of the bezel. Pick up a Delica and thread into the next bead along. Repeat around to create a ridge. Finish your thread.

Make four bezelled stones and five flowers (or any combination you prefer). To make up the necklace, cut two 30cm lengths of Beadalon. Thread both through a necklace end and a crimp, crush the crimp near the end, trim the excess and close the cover.

Extra Projects Make a pendant and a bracelet PENDANT

STEP 10

STEP 11

STEP 12

Stitch a bezel as before and embellish with crystal pendants and flowers. Make a bail by creating two strips of ladder stitch five beads long from the back of the bezel. Reinforce and then finish the thread. Thread onto a chain of your choice.

Thread both ends through a pearl, then pass one end through two of the seed beads on the back of the flower. Take the other end through the two seed beads opposite.

To thread on a bezelled crystal, pass one thread through a Delica on the back, then across the stone and into another Delica on the opposite site. Repeat with the second length of Beadalon. With the acrylic flower beads pass both threads through the hole.

Continue to add bezelled crystals, beaded flowers and acrylic flowers in a pattern that suits you. Finish with a pearl. Pass both ends through a necklace end and add a crimp. Ensure you have everything sitting right and crush the crimp. Add a length of chain to each necklace end and finish with a clasp.

Create beaded flowers and thread them on to two lengths of Beadalon, with seed beads and pearls in between. Pass the thread through the pearls in opposite directions to create the crossover pattern.

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3/8/16 9:59 AM

Project Easy

DAISY DELIGHT Daisies are the quintessential summer flower and really easy to make in polymer clay. By Amelie Harrison

M

aking flowers like these is addictive! The process is quick and you get a really nice adaptable result easily. Follow the steps to make a pair of earrings, or make one and hang it as a pendant.

RESOURCES All materials are widely available from advertisers in this magazine.

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MATERIALS Polymer clay in turquoise, lime, pearl white and green 4 x jumprings 2 x earwires Pasta machine Roller Tissue blade Craft knife Cocktail stick Circle cutters (4–5mm, 6–7mm, 35–50mm) Non-stick surface (to work on)

Designer tips If you are taking on making anything with polymer clay you really do need a pasta machine, such as an Atlas 180. Condition all the clay used in this project before you begin. As you only need a small amount of green clay for the daisy centres you can mix some turquoise and lime together to make a green.

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04/03/2016 14:27

Easy Project

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

Fill up the turquoise strip with lime strands then place the other turquoise strip. Press down gently along the whole length and roll over with a roller (very gently, as you don’t want to distort the lime strands). Cut two lengths with the tissue blade that are about 2mm thick. Set to one side.

To make the flower petals, roll a sheet of pearl clay on setting 3 (5 playing cards, 1.6mm). Using a 4 or 5mm circle cutter, cut out lots of discs. Roll them up individually into balls and then roll on one side to create a tear shape. Keep rolling until it becomes long and thin. This is a petal and you will need to make about 24 on each flower (but this will vary depending on how big the balls are and how closely you pack them together).

Roll a sheet of lime clay on setting 4 (4 playing cards, 1.3mm). Lay it down and roll a small piece of green clay on setting 4 too. Cut out two discs from the green clay that are about 6mm (this doesn’t have to be exact use whatever cutter you have around that size). Start to lay down the petals, it’s easiest if you work in opposites so lay four down at the quarter points and then fill in between. You can use a cocktail stick to pick up the petals and place them.

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE, AMELIE HARRISON

STEP 1 Firstly make the cane that goes around the flower. Roll out a sheet of turquoise clay on a pasta machine at setting 4 (4 playing cards, 1.3mm). Cut two long strips with a tissue blade that is as long as the blade and about 30mm wide. Using the clay extruder and the disc with 1mm holes, extrude long strands of lime clay. Chop the strands into short lengths and lay along one of the turquoise pieces.

Extra Projects Make a brooch and a ring BROOCH Cut the shape out of paper first and then cut the clay shape out with a craft knife using the paper as a template. The shape is surrounded with the cane and finally the daisies are added with a turquoise line in between each daisy. After baking, refine the outside shape with very fine grit sandpaper.

STEP 5

STEP 6

RING

When all the petals are in place and you are happy they are evenly spaced. Press the cocktail stick into the point of the petal with the point of the cocktail stick against the side of the green central disc. This will make a dent in the petal and create the petal shape. Go around all the petals and press each one down individually. This also sticks them to the base sheet. Texture the central green disc with the point of the cocktail stick too.

Cut around the daisy shapes with a cutter, then take the cane made from Step 2 and fold it around the edge of the daisy. Cut it off where it overlaps and gently press the edges together. Gently push the cane outside edge against the daisy to stick the clay together. Back these pieces with a sheet of turquoise clay rolled at setting 4. Cut them out and then finish with a small hole le for a jumpring. Bake in the e oven and when cooled, d, attach to earwires with jumprings.

To make a ring, follow Steps 1 to 5. The flower has shorter petals and about three layers. Do the first line of petals then add more in between the first ones and build outwards. Stop when you are happy with the shape and nd size of the flower. Cut the shape out and bake it, then glue the piece ece to a ring blank with a flat pad.

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Tips & techniques Top technique

PEYOTE STITCH BEADED HOOPS Use a basic peyote stitch to create these fun and versatile beaded hoops. By Clair Wolfe

T

his stitch is easy to learn and fun to do. Once the basic stitch has been mastered, it opens up a whole host of possibilities for jewellery design. This weave creates a Saraguro-style bridal collar.

MATERIALS Beading thread Selection of size seed beads (delicas and 15s) Snips Beading needle Bead board

Our expert Clair says she is inspired by the 3D properties seed beads have. They can be used to produce a whole host of 3D shapes, which can be used in many designs. Usually the basic technique involved in producing a 3D shape is a simple, one, which is easily learnt.

RESOURCES All tools and materials for this project are available through companies who advertise in this magazine.

CONTACT www.etsy.com/shop/ClairWolfe

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26/02/2016 15:59

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE, CLAIR WOLFE

Top technique Tips & techniques

STEP 1 PREPARING THE THREAD

STEP 2 ADD DELICA BEADS

Cut a manageable length of thread and pull through your hands to condition, then thread through a beading needle. Add 60 delica beads to the thread, securing them into a circle with a couple of knots. Pass the needle through approx. 10 beads after the knot.

Add a bead to the needle and then pass the needle through the next but one bead, then continue to add beads for the circumference of the circle. Add the final bead and pass through the next but one bead as well as the first bead added in this step. Gently pull on the thread to align the beads.

STEP 3 ADD DELICA BEADS

STEP 4 ADD DELICAS AND SIZE 15s

Repeat Step 2, once again adding a bead and then passing the needle through the next but one bead. It is easy to see where the beads need to be added and slots have been formed in the previous step. Once again, gently pull on the thread to align the beads and retain tension. Do not pull too tightly.

Add a third row of delica beads the same as before. For the fourth round of beads use size 15 beads in place of the delicas. When you pull the thread you will begin to see the curve form in the beads. This is meant to happen and helps with zipping the beads together.

Designer tips Try increasing the number of beads in the base; as long as an even number is used these hoops should work. Experiment with different numbers of runs; as long as they add up to an odd number of runs, the beads will be in the right position to zip together. Have fun using this technique on different sizes of seed bead.

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Tips & techniques Top technique

STEP 5 PASSING THROUGH Pass the needle at a diagonal, though the bead next to the last bead added. Then follow the angle of the beads, passing through each until the needle is on the opposite side of the hoop.

STEP 6 FINAL BEADS

STEP 7 ZIPPING

Add two runs of the size 15 beads to this side of the hoop. Pull the thread and a deeper curve will appear and the size 15 beads will sit neatly in between each other like zip teeth.

Pass the needle through the bead that sits next to the final bead added in Step 6. This will be a bead on the opposite side of the hoop. Thread the needle back and forth through the beads sat next to each other, gently pushing the side in, if needed. Pull the thread after a few stitches to pull the zip together.

STEP 8 CONNECTING HOOPS Once the hoop has been zipped, sew the loose thread back through the beads until secure, snipping away any excess. Take a length of beading thread; add 50 beads and two of the beaded hoops before securing the base circle with knots. Connect the two hoops, with a third hoop by following all of the above steps. Repeat until you have made a chain of hoops to use in your design.

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PHOTOGRAPHS: RENATE STETTLER

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3/8/16 10:01 AM

Project Easy

Create totally different designs using exactly the same technique. By Tansy Wilson

BEAUTIFUL BEAD CLUSTERS

S

ometimes beads are so beautiful you just want to use as many as possible in one design. Making these clusters is a great way to do this, creating stunning pieces very easily.

MATERIALS String of 10mm black agate beads (approx. 38 beads) 16mm x 16mm rhombus striped agate bead Packet of 6mm silver stardust beads 2 x 1mm x 1mm crimp tubes 2 x 2mm crimp covers 40cm length of nylon thread 12 x 16mm rhombus square bead frames (Code MB12) 2 x 3mm silver beads 10 x silver ball headpins

RESOURCES

Designer tip Add as many beads as possible so you can’t see what they are attached onto to get a real cluster effect.

Ring shanks, agate, turquoise & lapiz lazuli beads: www.hcbeads.com Rhombus bead frames from eBay seller bellabeadsuk: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Sara-JaneJewellery 6mm stardust beads from eBay seller thecharmsellection: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/ thebeadselection All other materials can be sourced from suppliers listed throughout this magazine

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Easy Project

STEP 2 Thread a combination of agate, stardust and rhombus beads onto the nylon, also threading the 4cm tail through the first few beads added. Ensure your design keeps one rhombus bead at the centre of the string. The design in this picture is 40cm long.

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE, TANSY WHEELER

STEP 1 Thread a crimp tube onto a 40cm length of nylon filament and pass one end through a rhombus bead and back through the crimp tube. Slide the tube up the nylon so it rests against the rhombus bead leaving approx. 36cm length and a 4cm tail. Crimp the tube using crimping pliers and add a crimp cover keeping the nylon thread sticking out the bottom.

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

STEP 6

Thread a 3mm silver bead onto a headpin and then thread the headpin through your agate rhombus bead. Add another 3mm bead and make a wrapped loop at the top (see page 96). Open a 9mm x 4mm oval jumpring and link this agate focal bead onto the central rhombus bead of the strung necklace.

You can now add as many beads as you like to form the pendant cluster with your focal agate bead. Thread a headpin through a selection of agate and stardust beads and make a hook at the very top of each one.

Take one hooked bead and thread the headpin through the wrapped loop made at the top of the focal agate bead. Hold the stem of the hook in your pliers and wrap the remaining excess wire from the headpin around the stem securing it on. Repeat to add a bead to the other side of the loop.

Continue adding as many beads as you like to the 9mm x 4mm oval jumpring. Add them both at the front and back of the jumpring to achieve a large tight cluster.

Extra Projects Make earrings and rings This method of clustering beads can be used to make a matching pair of earrings. It can also look very effective when used in other designs too. Add lapis lazuli and gold beads to a looped ring for this stacked up effect or try adding bead cups to these turquoise beads for a more layered silver and blue cluster effect.

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Feature

What inspires

Justine Nettleton

Justine shows how art and photography inspire her jewellery designs. By Kira Withers-Jones MY DESIGNS I’ve always loved making things, painting and drawing. I went to university in Newcastle in the 1980s and studied Fine Art. After I graduated I carried on painting and making, then in 2008 I got a studio in the town where I live and started painting for shows. I made jewellery from the scraps left over from the painting process and found they started selling when I exhibited them. This gave me the confidence to experiment more and more.

PHOTOGRAPHS: JUSTINE NETTLETON

MY INSPIRATION My jewellery is inspired by the colour and textures in my landscape paintings, and the things I photograph on my travels. It all feeds back into the process – painting, photography, design, making, experimenting. The

process is constantly evolving. I transform my photographs of birds, plants, flowers and trees with the use of my own colours to make them unique. The colours and patterns I use to bring them to life are borrowed from my landscape paintings.

MY TECHNIQUES At the moment most of my jewellery is wood based. I create the imagery on my computer, then attach it to the surface of laser-cut wood. My animal shape brooches are decorated with colours from my paintings. My botanical designs are on circular and oval wood shapes and come as brooches and pendants. I’m particularly fond of my colourful bird designs. Trees are a big inspiration for my paintings and I have

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a range of tree brooches and pendants. I’m now experimenting with porcelain and silver, incorporating my designs into something even more precious.

CONTACT www.justinenettleton.com www.artyouwear.co.uk [email protected]

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Project Easy

BEADED LACE COLLAR Create a beaded lace collar, using one simple beading technique. By Clair Wolfe

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lair has created a lace collar that is both delicate and subtle. The lace sections are easy to make and this necklace can be created in a few hours. It would be perfect for an early summer tea party!

STEP 1 Cut a manageable length of beading thread, then condition it by running it through your fingers a few times, straightening out the thread. Pass the thread through a beading needle; it is best to use size 12 needles for this style of beadwork. Add 6 x size 15 beads to the needle and thread and position approx. 10cm from the end of the thread.

MATERIALS Size 15 seed beads Beading thread Beading needle Glue Snips Findings

STEP 6 Keep adding rounds of beads, adding 7, then 9 then 11, then 13 etc. depending on the size required. Make at least two of each size, and one central section of lace.

Designer tips Make a multicoloured necklace to wear with a plain cotton summer dress. Try using larger seed beads for a chunkier look. Make more of the lace sections and create a full bib-style necklace.

RESOURCES All tools and supplies are available from: www.beadsdirect.com

CONTACT [email protected]

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Easy Project

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

Add 1 x size 15 bead to the thread and pass the needle through the next bead in the circle of the base beads. Add another bead and pass the needle through the next bead in the base. Repeat until 6 beads have been added in total. End the round by passing the needle up through the first of the 6 beads added in this step.

Add 3 x size 15 beads to the thread and then pass the needle through the next of the beads added in the previous step. Continue to add three beads until the round is complete. Finish this round by passing the needle up through two of the first three beads adding in this step.

Do another round, this time adding 5 beads, passing the needle through the second of the three beads added in the previous step.

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE, CLAIR WOLFE

STEP 2 Pass the needle back through the 6 beads and gently pull to form a circle of beads. Then pass the needle through the next two beads. This will form the base for the lace.

STEP 7

STEP 8

STEP 9

One you have finished the number of rounds needed for a section, sew the thread through the whole of the outer beads. Then following the path of the beads, sew the thread back to the lace and end when the thread ends up at the same bead as the tail left from step one. Repeat this on all of the sections. This will stiffen each section of lace.

Once both ends of the thread are coming out of the same bead, use a double overhand knot to secure. Using the needle, guide the knot to sit as close the beads as possible. Add a dab of glue to the knot; allow to dry before snipping away any excess thread.

Condition another length of thread. Take the smallest section of lace and starting on one of the six points, sew around the outside until you reach the opposite point. Add 1 x size 15 seed bead before sewing through the next lace section in the same way. Repeat until all have been sewn together. Finish by sewing a length of chain to each side and adding a clasp.

Extra Projects Make a pendant and a cuff PENDANT Create one large section of lace; add a jumpring and chain to create a simple pendant.

CUFF Create lace sections in a variety of bead sizes and colours, sew them together and then then sew them onto a length of ribbon.

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MIX AND MATCH Make a unique necklace from lengths of chain linked together and embellished with charms and beads. By Joan Gordon

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his design is the perfect accessory for a spring garden party with a hint of sparkle without being too dramatic. The necklace was made using short sections of the same linked chain. The beauty of this piece is that sections can be unclipped to be worn as bracelets or removed to add new links and additional focals.

MATERIALS 35cm x Sterling silver or chain with 6mm long links 21 x 4mm wide silver jumprings 3mm wide ring 6 x 5cm long silver eye pins 5 x parrot clasps Heart-shaped watch face 12mm square Swarovski mirrorback crystal 10mm oval Swarovski mirrorback crystal 8mm round Swarovski mirrorback crystal 3cm long key, assorted charms for decoration 8mm long lamp bead 2 x 4mm crystal beads 8 x 4mm yellow crystal beads 4 x 4mm pink toned crystal beads 10 x 3mm green crystal beads Round, pointed flat and snipe nose pliers

Designer tips Avoid wearing perfume when wearing mirrorbacked crystals as the alcohol can damage the mirror coating. Crystals with scratched mirror coating can be repaired with Krylon Looking Glass Mirror-Like paint or silver spray paint. Use semiprecious stones or pearls to further embellish other links of chain to further the use of this accessory.

RESOURCES Silver chain, eye pins and findings: www.cooksongold.com

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Easy Project Fashion Inspiration Overlay dress £35, La Redoute

STEP 1

STEP 2

Add a parrot clasp to a jumpring and then the open ring to one end of a length of chain measuring 17.5cm. Close the jumpring securely. To the other end add another 4mm jumpring using snipe nose pliers. This plain chain link is the back of the necklace.

Thread 5 of the coloured 4mm and 3mm crystal beads onto two eye pins. Form a neat wrapped loop at the end of each eye pin using round and pointed flat nose pliers. Trim off any excess wire with sidecutters. Attach jumprings to either end of the eye pins. Make three separate beaded drops using 4 small crystals on two eye pins and five on another eye pin. Link these three together (with the 5-beaded eye pin in the middle) with a 3mm jumpring and set aside to link with the base of the watch face.

STEP 3

STEP 4

Lay out the three Swarovski crystal links. Open six jumprings and attach one either side of the crystal links. Attach a parrot clasp to a jumpring and then secure this ring to a 6cm length of chain. Link the open jumpring to the free end of chain and close. Also close the ring on the other side of the crystal. Open another jumpring and link this to the closed ring, link the key to the ring and another 4cm length of chain. Link a jumpring to the end of chain, add a beaded link, 2cm of chain, the oval crystal and a parrot clasp.

Thread an eye pin with a 4mm crystal, the lampwork bead, another crystal and then form a wrapped loop. Attach a jumpring to either side of the eye pin. Add a jumpring to one free end of 7cm of chain and link the other end to the beaded eye pin. To the other side of the beaded link add a heart motif and one end of a 4.5cm length of chain. See how the round crystal is attached followed by chain, a crystal beaded eye pin finishing with a pearl clasp. Finish with a jumpring and parrot clasp.

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PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE, JOAN GORDON

Project Easy

STEP 5

STEP 6

Join all the parrot clasps to the jumprings at each end of the chain links. The easiest way to check how the links will drape is to hang it from a jewellery display. Add more charms if you wish to make it more tactile or colourful. Link the end parrot clasps to the jumpring at the top of the watch face; this forms the focal of the necklace. The first plain chain made in Step 1 sits at the back of the neck.

Attach a jumpring to the top and the base of the watch face and close securely. Open the 3mm ring attached to the beaded three eye pins and link this to a small parrot clasp. Attach the parrot clasp to the 4mm jumpring attached to the base of the watch face. This forms the drop that finishes the necklace. Make several different coloured drops to interchange with the necklace to colour match with your wardrobe.

Extra Projects Make focals, earrings and bracelets FOCALS You can make lots of interchangable focal pieces for the necklace. Take the piece you want to use and thread onto a headpin then make a wrapped loop above the piece. Attach the loop to a parrot clasp.

EARRINGS Thread crystals onto eye pins, colour matching them to links on your necklace. Form wrapped loops at the top of the pins and then link to jumprings and earwires.

BRACELETS When making the necklace components, make sure they are the right length to use as a bracelet, that way you get lots of jewellery pieces in one!

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02/03/2016 11:40

OVER 100

NEW CRAFT BOOKS in store at

RELAX AND UNWIND WITH A GREAT CRAFT BOOK! Find pages of inspiration and project ideas, from books for beginners to expert hints and tips, and colouring books for adults, we stock crafting books for every level of experience and ability.

To browse the selection and/or find your nearest store:

www.hobbycraft.co.uk

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Project Easy

STEP 1 Start by pulling a 1mm diameter stringer from the rod of turquoise and put this to one side. You’ll use this stringer later to add dots to the centre of the flower. Using the Crocus glass, make a basic round donut-shaped bead. This base bead will determine the finished size of your flower. This one is about 10mm diameter and the flowers end up about 22mm across.

FLOWER BEAD GARLAND Create a chain necklace featuring lampwork glass fl ower beads. By Laura Sparling

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his long chain necklace is adorned with lavender and yellow flower-shaped lampwork glass beads, and spacers in pretty early summer colours. It would look fabulous with a long maxi dress or just with a plain T-shirt and jeans. Change the bead colours and the metal for a different look.

MATERIALS 2.4mm dipped mandrels 1.6mm dipped mandrels Tweezers Creation is Messy (CiM) glass in Crocus Effetre glass in Turquoise 232 Spacers are CiM Crocus and Peacock Green, Effetre Ivory 264, Pale Amber 008, Turquoise 232, and Reichenbach 104 in Opal Raspberry 920mm of 3mm x 2.5mm antique copper-plated curb chain 110 x 2in antique copper-plated headpins 140 x 3mm antique copperplated round beads

12mm antique copper-plated lobster clasp 2 x 4mm antique copper-plated jumprings 6mm antique copper-plated closed jumpring

STEP 6 Bring the top half of one petal to a glow and with the warm-but-notglowing tip of the Crocus rod, touch the top of the glowing petal, count to two and slowly and gently pull your rod back. Flame cut the rod from the petal. This petal-pulling action takes place outside the flame. Repeat on the other four petals and then place your bead into a hot kiln for annealing.

Designer tips Instead of a copper bead at the centre of each flower, try using a 3mm crystal or fire-polished glass bead. This necklace would look great in shades of just one colour. This would look fabulous in crystal and white with silver chain and findings. These flowers are a good way to use opal glasses that you might find otherwise tricky when making ‘normal’ beads.

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Easy Project

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

This step is great for honing your dot placement skills. Let your base bead cool a little so that you don’t disturb its surface with the next part. Using the rod of Crocus, add five largish dots around the centre of the bead. Heat the tip of the rod, press it onto the bead and pull back and flame-cut the rod from the bead. You can make six dots (or however many you prefer).

Melt the five dots in a little, let the glow come out of the bead and then go round again, adding more glass to each dot. Repeat this process until your bead is looking a bit like a starfish. Now you need to melt the dot stacks into round blobs. Do this by holding the bead under the flame, so that the flame skims over each stack, slowly condensing it down.

Bring the glow out of the bead and reheat one of the blobs. Once it is glowing, bring the mandrel just out of the flame and grab and squash the centre of the blob between the tips of your tweezers to make a petal shape. Repeat on the other four blobs, making sure to occasionally quench your hot tweezers in some cold water so that they don’t get stuck to the hot bead.

With the turquoise stringer you pulled earlier, add some dots to the centre of the flower. They don’t all have to be the same size or evenly-spaced. Don’t place the dots too near the mandrel or the end user might have trouble wiring or stringing the bead. Once you’ve added your little turquoise dots, melt them in enough that they are securely attached, but slightly raised.

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE, CHRIS GREGORY

Extra Projects Make earrings and a bracelet EARRINGS Make some 6mm spacers and attach them to lengths of chain. Add a small jumpring to each one and attach them to earwires.

STEP 7

STEP 8

STEP 9

For this necklace flowers were also made using Effetre Pale Amber with dots of Reichenbach 104 Opal Raspberry. You can etch these ones using Dip N Etch for a velvety matt finish. I made a batch of about a hundred 9mm spacers (in the colours listed) on 1.6mm mandrels. Again, I etched the Pale Amber ones. This is where the possibilities for colour choices are endless.

To wire the flowers, thread a 3mm copper bead onto a headpin, then a flower – face down so that its dots face the flat end of the headpin – and then another 3mm copper bead. Using pliers, make a loop, slip it onto the chain and wrap the loop (see page 96). For the spacers, thread one straight onto a headpin, add a 3mm copper bead and affix to the chain in the same way as the flower.

Work your way along the chain, adding the flowers and spacers in whatever order you prefer. You could alternate between the lavender and yellow flowers, adding three spacers between each one. You needn’t attach a clasp to a long necklace as it can just be slipped over the head, but you could add a lobster clasp and ring with jumprings so that the wearer can unfasten it if needs be.

RESOURCES

BRACELET

Glass: www.tuffnellglass.com Findings: www.bluestreakbeads.co.uk Chain: www.angs-attic.co.uk

Make a bracelet in exactly the same manner as the necklace. Try using five flower beads and fourteen spacers to make the bracelet.

CONTACT www.beadsbylaura.co.uk

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Tips & Techniques Product Test

BEAD BAGS This month’s test is not a tool or kit, but a selection of beautifully designed and hand-cast beads. By Clair Wolfe THE PRODUCT The Bead Bag is a great way to sample some of the most beautiful beads available – from the lovely people at The Celtic Beadshop. Annie, the owner of The Celtic Beadshop, not only designs each of the beads, but also casts them from pure pewter in her Welsh hillside studio.

WHAT DOES IT DO? This little bag of 12 beautiful beads is a great way to introduce you to part of the range of these gorgeous handcrafted pewter beads.

WHAT IS INCLUDED? The beads come well packed and in a small tie bag, to keep them safe and together. Also a card with the name of each of the beads included. There are three different bags available.

HOW GOOD ARE THE INSTRUCTIONS? There are no real instructions as these beads are ready to use in your jewellery designs. However, if you go to the website, there is an ‘About Us’

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page, where they have the story of beads, how they are made and how to care for them

WHAT ELSE WILL YOU NEED? You will need to grab your design book, pencil and jewellery making supplies.

CAN IT BE ADDED TO? Once you have sampled these beads you will most definitely want to add more to your designs.

OVERALL SCORE These beads are beautiful, and that is not just because they are created in my home country, Wales. They are tactile and have the most gorgeous sheen on them. They appeal to me as they can be used in unisex designs, and due to the nature of pewter, will get better with age.

SCORE

IS IT VALUE FOR MONEY?

COST

These beads offer great value for money; there are not many places you can buy such beautifully designs and hand cast beads for under a pound each.

£10 (inc. VAT)

RESOURCES www.celticbeadshop.com

IS IT EASY TO USE? The way these beads have been designed and made mean that they are easy to use; the perfect hole size allows for various leathers and cords to be used and well as micro macramé.

ABOVE The beads

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Product Test Tips & Techniques

1. The package

2. The bead bag

3. The clasp

4. Other versions available

5. Beads in use

6. Earrings

8. Bracelet

9. Necklace

10. Necklace

PHOTOGRAPHS: CLAIR WOLFE

7. Clasp

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Regular

GARDEN PARTY This month Joan Gordon suggests some bright new ideas for designs for special occasions.

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arden party invitations are always something to look forward to. What better way to celebrate a special occasion than out in the open air or a large marquee set in superb, well-manicured gardens? Using these pieces as inspiration, you can theme your new collection into floral motifs, cocktail rings, bracelets and brooches. Garland Jewelled Necklace, £27.50 www.whitestuff.com

Designer tips When making moulds of links or charms, ensure they are copyright free. At markets or fairs use unusual props when displaying jewellery – photos, boxes, shells, quirky items such as miniature cars or dolls’ house furniture can be used to draw attention to your work. Consider placing an ad in the local newspaper or newsletter offering bespoke jewellery for all occasions.

FLORAL MOTIFS This simple inexpensive bracelet is delicate and pretty, perfect for using as an accessory to wear with a party frock. For those makers who work in fi ne or precious metal clays – collect vintage or vintage style motifs to make moulds in latex putty that may be used to create stylish and sophisticated bracelets, necklaces and earrings. For those who work with wire – draw floral images and place a wire jig over the images. Peg out the design to then form the shapes with your chosen wires. Solder the joins to ensure a secure link and add a patina to further increase the vintage look. Silver Vintage Look Cut Out Floral Bracelet, £4.99 www.lyliarose.com

CONTACT Joan Gordon, [email protected]

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Regular

CAMEO STYLE Floral prints come back into fashion year after year. This authentic vintage brooch proves you can work a flourish of floral into your outfit all year round. With a delicate snowdrop flowers framed elegantly in a metal, chain effect setting, this 1950s brooch is like wearing a miniature piece of art, delicately hand-painted and in excellent condition. It is as vivid as the day it was made. Exquisite brooches are highly collectable, with this piece in particular being part of a wider collection of cameo-style flower illustrations. If you enjoy working with ceramic clay, consider making and hand-painting a range of focals that can be sold to other jewellery makers who may work them into bezels or wire-wrapped settings. Vintage TLM Brooch, £12 www.rockmyvintage.co.uk

BROOCHES These bright new-look hazy daisy brooches come in a range of bold colours and are a fun and affordable way to brighten up anything, from a dress to a cashmere cardigan. Worn either alone or in a trio, they add a bright pop of colour to your partywear. Consider adding inexpensive floral motifs to your range of jewellery using dried flowers set in crystal clear resin, formed from polymer or ceramic clays. It’s always good business practice to offer jewellery over a broad range of prices to suit all pockets. Several small sales soon add up! Hazy Daisy Brooches, £3.50 www.acornandwill.co.uk

WOOD AND SEMI-PRECIOUS STONES These handmade moon earrings are inlayed with wooden moon-shaped crescents and are set with Kenyan mined and hand cut semiprecious stones. They offer a casual sophisticated charm that would work well with linen frocks or trouser suits. Remember when making accessories for a theme such as a ‘garden party’ that not everyone likes romantic, pretty jewellery. If working to commission sit with your client and discuss their preferences for shape, colour and texture. Always sketch your original designs and offer these for approval before making the jewellery. Clear, concise coloured sketches save on your valuable time and material expenses. Mwezi Earrings by Loyangalani, £85 www.standseven.com

GOLD PLATING The Pietra cocktail ring has a striking and sophisticated design. The piece features a baguette-cut semiprecious amethyst gemstone in a raised prong setting. The linear setting and cut is contrasted by several organic, interwoven gold bands. The inspiration for this design comes from architectural and fluid shapes that fuse together bold statement structures with intricate details. The main material used is Sterling silver with a vermeil (plating) of 18ct gold. A product may be described or marked as ‘vermeil’ if it consists of a base of Sterling silver, coated or plated on all significant surfaces with gold or gold alloy of not less than 10 carat fineness, which is 2½ microns (or approx. 1/10000th of an inch) of fine gold. The ring is currently available in green amethyst by Neola. Pietra Gold Cocktail Ring / Gold Ring Green Amethyst by Neola, £145 www.not-on-the high-street.com

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making

NEXT MONTH IN

52

Issue 93 June 2016 www.craftsinstitute.com

ONLY

£4.99

PROJECTS TO INSPIRE YOUR SUMMER WARDROBE

In this issue... ON SALE 28 APRIL MJ92_P82_Next Month.indd 82

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE

Polymer, paper, wirework, copper clay and more...

04/03/2016 14:42

Regular CZECH PRESSED GLASS BEAD MIX This lovely Meadow in Bloom mix of flower beads and mixed pressed glass and fire-polished beads comes in a 50g pack, ideal for adding a splash of colour to your designs. Beads vary in size from 4mm to 14mm in size. There are 24 different bead mix packs to choose from, including Ladybirds, Water Empire and Mystic Violet. £2.50 for 50g www.spoiltrottenbeads.co.uk

CEBU ORCHID SHELL BEADS These gorgeous cebu shell beads will add something special to any nature-inspired design. They are perfect for long or multistrand necklaces, easy wrap-around bracelets and dangle earrings. Handcrafted from completely natural, beautiful shells, each one resembles the petals of a flower. Available as a strand, each bead is 5mm in size. £9.36 per strand www.ibeads.co.uk

PINK SQUARE FLOWER DESIGN GLASS BEADS Create floral-themed pieces with these beautiful pink glass beads featuring a white and pink flower design. Try them combined with beads and strung onto elastic to create a fancy charm bracelet. They also come in yellow red, blue, black, violet or orange colourways. Sold as a pack of 5, each bead measures 16mm x 10mm with a 1.5mm hole. £1.50 for pack of 5 www.beadsjar.co.uk

TOP 5

GARDEN PARTY This month we are having a garden party – think florals, lace, bunting and high tea on the lawn! By Linzi Alford Buckmaster This month we have chosen lovely flowery components for your jewellery creations. From handmade polymer flowers through to glass beads, there is a whole plethora of pretty items suitable for garden party attire. Here are five items to add to your craft box:

LISA PAVELKA TEXTURE STAMP BLOOMIN This Lisa Pavelka textured stamp design is called ‘Bloomin’ – with a floral pattern to create beautiful designs on polymer clay, metal clay, airdry clay and many other materials. These texture stamps come in a variety of unique patterns. Each is extra deep to give highly detailed results for both dimensional design and surface imprinting and is unmounted for optimal use. Ideal for polymer clay, applications include: textile effect, mica shift, patterned dichroic, sutton slice and faux tapestry techniques. Stamp size is approx. 110mm x 140mm. £9.60 each www.palmermetals.co.uk

ROSE GOLD LACE EFFECT OVAL FILIGREE CONNECTOR

DON’T MISS!

Next month’s top five summer florals www.craf tsinstitute.com

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Connect a few of these rose gold-plated lace effect oval filigree connectors together for a stylish bracelet or necklace. These are perfect for something with a vintage feel, with an old-fashioned look of textured metallic lace. The connector is super thin and has intricate detailing. Measuring approx. 18mm x 25mm, it is also available in gold and titanium-plated finishes. £4.99 each www.beadsdirect.co.uk

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Shopping Product review

REFRESH AND RENEW Spring is the time for renewal, so now’s the time to learn a new technique or to brush up on your business acumen and books are an ideal place to start. By Sue Mason-Burns WIREWORK Linda Jones is the doyenne of wirework in the UK. Linda’s first published book, The Complete Guide to Wire & Beaded Jewellery, carries a wealth of information to those starting out with wire and provides detailed step-by-step tutorials for over 50 beautiful pieces of jewellery. It is a comprehensive guide, perfect for cutting your wirework teeth. Many specialised and informative books later, Linda’s newest book focuses on hammered wire designs. Most of the 25 beautiful projects teach you how to get the most out of the Whammer, the wire hammer Linda designed specifically for use with wire in How to Make Hammered Wire Jewellery. It is easy, accessible jewellery making for beginners or more advanced crafters. Linda’s books are widely available and prices are around £12 to £15. www.wirejewellery.co.uk

BUSINESS KNOW HOW Beads Direct boasts an extensive range of books, covering a wide variety of jewellery making techniques and disciplines. They also have these books to help you turn your hobby into a lucrative business. Both Craft a Creative Business by Fiona Pullen and Setting up a Successful Jewellery Business by Angie Boothroyd look at different aspects of the business side of a jewellery making business, including branding and marketing, photographing your products and creating a unique selling point. They also give invaluable tips on the finance side of setting up your business and that all-important skill, pricing your work. Expect to pay around £12.99 for each of these books. www.beadsdirect.co.uk

GANUTELL The ancient art of making flowers from wire and thread originates on the island of Malta and the acknowledged expert in all things ganutell is Maria Kerr. Maria has teamed up with the Scientific Wire Company to produce this comprehensive book covering the subject. Covering all aspects of the art, from different shaped petals to leaves and describing in great detail the materials you will need and how best to use them, this book is an invaluable resource if you want to give ganutell a go. Ganutell is only available from the Scientific Wire Company, and they also stock a wide variety of the tools and materials you will need to achieve the art, including silk covered aluminium wire, farfalla or crinkle wire, precoiled wire lengths and silk yarn. The book is £12.58 and comes with a free sample of craft wire. www.wires.co.uk

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Product review Shopping New releases

ESSENTIAL REFERENCE If you like to keep abreast of jewellery making techniques, The New Encyclopedia of Jewellery Making Techniques by Jinks McGrath will prove an invaluable guide. Combining informative text with full colour photography, this reference tool will help you get to grips with everything from the basics to more advanced techniques, and priced at only £12.99. If you are a metal worker, The Jeweller’s Directory of Decorative Finishes, also by Jinks McGrath, will provide you with an indispensable reference for creating a wide range of spectacular effects in your work. From enamelling to engraving, this book covers it all and all for only £18.99. www.kernowcraft.com

METAL CLAY Metal clay is a very popular medium right now, and these books from specialist retailers Metal Clay Ltd, provide you with guidance to get the best out of your metal clay. Silver Clay with Style by Natalia Colman is suitable for every level of metal clay artist, from beginner to advanced. It covers a wide array of techniques, including step-by-step projects for you to try out, available for £16.95. When you’re ready to take that extra step in metal clay designs, Metal Clay and Mixed Media Jewelry by Sherri Haab provides you with the know how to incorporate other media, such as ribbon, resin, pottery shards, leather, glass, paints, polymer clay and even concrete. This book costs £15.99. www.metalclay.co.uk

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Did you know that MJ’s publisher, GMC Publications, also produces a wide range of crafting books? An extensive range of jewellery making books is available, including a number of titles by our very own Editor, Sian Hamilton. Among the new releases for jewellery makers this month is Timeless Beadwork Designs by Cynthia Rutledge. Create some truly beautiful and classic looking jewellery from the projects in this book, exploring colour, threedimensional form and mixed media, priced at £19.99. Or why not check out Earthy Boho Jewelry by Holly Witt-Allen? You can learn to create 12 different bohemian pieces using natural, earthy materials for £5.99. Or if you’re thinking about summer and looking for some design ideas for beachwear, Beach Chic Jewelry, introducing tranquil designs featuring seaglass beads, turquoise, sea charms, shells and other natural elements may interest you. This title is also £5.99. www.thegmcgroup.com

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Project Easy

INITIAL IT! Everyone loves jewellery with their initials, so here’s a really quick and easy way to make a pendant. By Sian Hamilton

S

tamping is quick and very easy. Kids could make these with supervision whilst using the hammer and punches!

MATERIALS 10mm aluminum discs 6mm jumprings Fine chain necklace with clasp to your desired length Beads and headpins (optional) 3mm letter stamps (ImpressArt Juniper) Old hammer Steel block Ultra-fine permanent marker pen Scotch pad (green washing-up pad)

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RESOURCES ImpressArt letter punches: cjbeaders.com cooksongold.com Aluminium blanks: stampingblanks.co.uk metalstampingblanks.co.uk blanksforstamping.co.uk reflectivemetals.co.uk littlefreckle.co.uk

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Easy Project

STEP 2

STEP 3

Take the protective coating off the discs and clean up the holes. You may have a burr around the edge. You can use a bead reamer to clean this off – or you could just clean the burr with a round needle file or sandpaper.

On a steel block, take the punch with the letter you want and line it up centrally under the hole. It doesn’t matter if it’s a bit off, though you may want to mark the disc with pencil if you want to be completely accurate. Aluminium is a very soft metal so you don’t need to hit the punch too hard (I used an old DIY hammer).

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREL GUILFOYLE, SIAN HAMILTON

STEP 1 Take the aluminium discs and with the protective coating still on them punch a pilot point where you need to drill a jumpring hole. You could use a centre punch to do this, or just do this with an old knitting needle. The hole should be about 2mm in from the edge. Drill the holes using a handheld rotary drill and a 1.5mm drill bit. Tape the discs to a piece of wood, as they are too small to hold whilst drilling. They also heat up a lot so keep that in mind when using the rotary drill.

Extra Projects Make a pendant and a keyring PENDANT One initial can make a statement pendant. This one is backed with a silver leaf textured disc that is slightly bigger so it shows around the edge. Both of these discs are attached to a cord necklace with jumprings.

KEYRING These initial discs can be used to make a keyring. Add beads on headpins and charms and attach them all to a carabiner clip with large link chain.

STEP 4

STEP 5

STEP 6

If you would like the discs to have a satin finish, you can use green (dish washing) pads to buff the surface. You can’t patinate aluminium, so colour in the letters in if you want them to stand out – using a Sharpie ultra-fine marker. Or you can just leave them plain for a more subtle finish.

Thread each disc onto a jumpring and then find the middle of your chain and place the middle letter there and each of the other letters about 10mm away on either side. If you only have two letters, place them equally either side of the centre.

You could add a couple of beads on headpins just to add a little more interest to this necklace; or you can leave it plain just with the discs if you want. The beads are each attached with more jumprings. See page 96 for how to make wrapped loops on headpins.

Designer tips ImpressArt stamps are very good quality, but expensive, so look around for cheaper alternatives if the price is a bit high for you. Plenty of small companies do aluminium shapes. The 10mm discs used were found on eBay. If you don’t have a rotary drill you can get punches that will punch out the holes for jumprings.

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Project Easy

MERMAID NECKLACE AND WRAP BRACELET Using the colours of the sea, make a beautiful jewellery set featuring a mermaid pendant and seaside charm. By Holly Witt-Allen MATERIALS 25mm diameter brass mermaid pendant Silver seashell charm 40 x 6mm x 14mm mint green twist beads Translucent blue seed beads (about 325) Metallic gold seed beads (about 350) 20 x 10mm teal round beads 4mm teal round bead 2 x 7mm rice pearls 49-strand x 0.5mm bead stringing wire Antique brass square toggle clasp 6 x antique brass crimp beads Antique brass headpin 3 x silver ball headpins 3 x 3mm silver daisy spacer beads 2 x 5mm antique brass jumprings 2 x 5mm silver jumprings Silver memory wire Crimp tool Variety of pliers Memory wire shears Wire cutters

Book details

NECKLACE

BRACELET

1. Cut three 70cm wire lengths. Use crimp beads to attach the wire lengths to one toggle clasp piece (Fig.1).

1. Use memory wire shears to cut a coil of memory wire that is long enough to wrap around your wrist five times, plus 5cm. Using round nose pliers, make a loop on one end. Thread beads on the wire in the following order: 58 gold seed beads, 63 blue seed beads, 1 blue seed bead, 1 gold, 1 blue seed bead, mint green twist bead; 6 times total, 1 blue seed bead, 68 gold seed beads, 20 teal round beads, 34 gold seed beads.

2. Thread gold seed beads on one wire length until the beaded area measures 56cm. Use a crimp bead to attach the wire to the remaining toggle clasp piece. Repeat using blue seed beads for the second wire. 3. Beginning and ending with 3 blue seed beads, follow Step 2 to alternately thread blue seed beads and mint green twist beads on the remaining wire and to attach the wire to the clasp. 4. Thread a rice pearl, a daisy spacer bead and a gold seed bead on the antique brass headpin. Make a wrapped loop. 5. Use the antique brass jumprings to attach the wrapped loop to the gold strand and the mermaid pendant to the blue strand. The necklace should measure about 56cm.

2. Leaving about 10mm for a loop, use the memory wire shears to trim any excess wire. Using round nose pliers, make a loop on the end. 3. Thread a rice pearl, daisy spacer bead, and gold seed bead onto a headpin. Make a wrapped loop. Use silver jumprings to attach the wrapped loop and seashell charm to the centre of the bracelet. 4. Thread the 4mm teal bead and a daisy spacer bead on a headpin. Make a wrapped loop, attaching the headpin to one end of the bracelet. Repeat using a gold seed bead and a daisy spacer bead.

Fig. 1

Beach Chic Jewelry by Holly Witt-Allen, published by Leisure Arts (£5.99, available from www.thegmcgroup.com)

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Easy Project

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Blog

IT’S A JEWELLER’S LIFE Passionate jewellery maker Eleanor Swinhoe keeps us up to date on life behind the scenes at bespoke jewellery making business, Eleanor Christine Jewellery.

I

have been building my jewellery business for five years and it is an incredibly hard thing to do – more so I think because you pretty much have to do it on your own. This, however, is the thing that attracts lots of people to run their own business – you don’t work to anybody else’s agenda, you can work in your PJs if you so wish and you don’t have to attend dull company meetings! But you do have to be terribly driven and disciplined – the buck stops with you and only you. If you have a off day, there is no one there to tell you to buck up and get on with things. I would love to spend all of the time in my studio designing and making jewellery, but the thing is I do have to sell it! Having the confidence to sell your own work is the hard part. I love art and I have lots of artist friends whose work I reckon I’d be brilliant at selling, because when the work is by someone else you don’t have any issue with telling people how much you love it. When it comes to your own work, it seems crass to be over-confident – you don’t want to look proud and cocky – but self-belief is crucial and an understanding that your work might only appeal to a select few is essential. Finding those few and the right audience is what it’s all about! Marketing is a minefield. I’ve been swept along by many salespeople from the likes of Vogue, Tatler and GQ who tell you how great your work is and how it would appeal to their readership. They always offer a ‘discounted’

rate if you take them up on their offer swiftly. The adverts are expensive and for someone like me and the way I work – they are absolutely not the right thing. My work tends to be unique and bespoke and it is only me making it – being put alongside massive jewellery making firms is not the right message – and I can’t compete with that anyway. I always refuse this type of marketing now. What does work for me is social media. Some people find Facebook, Twitter and Instagram the stuff of nightmares, but used in the right way it is hugely valuable. You are able to build much more personal relationships with ‘likers’ and customers. By its very nature, jewellery purchasing can be a very slow burner – a considered purchase that might take someone a couple of years before they take the plunge. I have had people follow me on my Facebook page since the very beginning and only now after seeing many, many images of commissions and designs do they feel they are ready to make that investment. Patience is a jewellery designer’s friend! Facebook also allows you to get feedback and opinion on your work – does anybody actually like the design you’ve been working on for ages? It is a good platform for offers and giveaways, especially if people share your posts – it builds your audience. Trying to post something every day is a good goal – even if it is work in progress, or you are sharing somebody else’s work. Sharing is GOOD.

I use Twitter and Instagram in a more casual, momentary fashion – shots of the studio, of unfinished work. Jewellery is a completely visual discipline so photos are crucial. A picture definitely says it all; so make sure that they are tagged properly so that you come up in searches (#jewellery #gold #fashion). I love Pinterest too, but I’m not all that convinced that it is a good marketing tool for me. It is a brilliant way of cataloguing inspiration and finding interesting pieces to use within my social media – for example, by linking images of beetles and butterflies to illustrate fabulous colour combinations. The best marketing tool you have is yourself – getting out to markets and shows, and joining Open Studios means that you are talking to potential customers, and you are hopefully talking about something that you love – your craft! And if you have built a relationship with a customer and they love your work, they are more than likely going to return to you for further purchases – nurture those relationships. Repeat business and business through word-of-mouth and recommendation is critical for me. I am lucky to have some wonderful customers and friends who happily giveaway my business cards and direct people to my site – I don’t think that I’d survive as Eleanor Christine Jewellery without them. Find out more about Eleanor and her jewellery at www.eleanorchristinejewellery.co.uk

“Some people find Facebook, Twitter and Instagram the stuff of nightmares, but used in the right way it is hugely valuable. You are able to build much more personal relationships with ‘likers’ and customers.”

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Blog

“Jewellery is a completely visual discipline so photos are crucial. A picture definitely says it all.”

Eleanor’s Instagram and Pinterest pages

“The best marketing tool you have is yourself – getting out to markets and shows, and joining Open Studios means that you are talking to potential customers, and you are hopefully talking about something that you love – your craft!”

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Tips & Techniques Jewellery Basics

BASIC TECHNIQUES HOW TO MAKE A WRAPPED LOOP

Thread a bead onto a head or eye pin. Grip the wire with round nose pliers next to the bead.

Bend the wire above the plier jaw to a right angle. You will need about 2mm of wire above the bead before the bend.

Move the plier jaws to sit at the top of the bend.

With your thumb push the wire back around the pliers, keeping it tight to the jaw.

Keep pushing the wire around the jaw until you meet the bead.

Move the pliers around the loop to and continue to bend the wire around until it is facing out at a right angle and you have a complete loop.

Use a pair of chain nose pliers to hold across the loop firmly.

Wrap the wire around the neck of the loop until it meets the bead. Snip off any excess wire and push the end against the coil to finish.

Roll the wire around to meet the bead. If it does sit centrally move the plier jaws around the loop to sit by the bead away from the open end. Bend the loop back to sit directly about the bead.

Use chain nose pliers to tighten the loop by twisting it from side to side do not pull it outwards as that will distort the shape.

PHOTOGRAPHS: SIAN HAMILTON

MAKING A SIMPLE LOOP

Thread the bead onto a head or eye pin and cut the pin about 1cm above the bead. Bend the wire to a right angle above the bead.

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Using round nose pliers, grasp the wire at the very end and curl it around the plier jaws.

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