Creative Beading Magazine Volume 17 Issue 2

pearl perfection

MATERIALS 140 x head pins 1.5cm extension chain 1 x parrot clasp 4 x ring crimps 25cm Tigertail wire BEADS 120 x (approximately) selection of pearls – mixed sizes 18 x (approximately) large size rounds – pearl shape TOOLS Round nose pliers Chain nose pliers Cutters LENGTH: 18cm Rating STEP ONE Thread pearl bead onto pin; using round nose pliers form a wrapped loop. See basic instructions on wrapped loops. Choose the pin length that is appropriate for the size bead you are using to minimise wastage of silver. Trim any excess wire. STEP TWO Repeat this process for remainder of selected pearl beads until you have approximately 120 small and 18 large beads completed. STEP THREE Thread 1 x pearl onto wire and loop it through the end of the extension chain. Turn and close the loop using the pliers. STEP FOUR Thread extension chain onto Tigertail, thread two crimps on,…

chintz frosted roses

MATERIALS Gold fill clasp 1 x 5cm gold fill eye pin 5 x 5cm gold fill head pins 1 x 8mm gold fill or vermeil soldered jump ring 1 x 6mm soldered jump ring 2 x gold fill earring hooks 3-4cm gold French wire 6 x 2mm gold fill crimps 2 x 40cm lengths of medium weight gold ‘Soft Flex’. BEADS x mm 6 x 18mm raised floral lentils 4 x 11mm raised floral rounds 24 x 6mm frosted quartz rounds 12 x 8mm frosted quartz rounds 12 x 10mm frosted quartz rounds 24 x 4mm vermeil daisy spacers 3 x 5mm pink Swarovski crystals 48 x 3mm peridot rondelles 30 x size 12 Japanese seed beads – dark pink silver lined 2 x 3-4mm gold fill beads TOOLS Crimping pliers Chain nosed pliers – 2 pairs Wire cutters Rating DESIGN NOTE I used a large holed spacer as the centre joint and the 6mm jump…

red, red is your love

MATERIALS 2 x black Thai silver ear hooks 6 x black Thai silver head pins 4 x 7 link sections of black Thai silver chain 2 x 9 link sections of black Thai silver chain 2 x 20cm sections of black silver wire BEADS 4 x 3mm black Thai silver spacers 24 x 8mm garnet coins 28 x 4mm faceted garnet rounds TOOLS Round nose pliers Chain nose pliers Wire cutters Rating STEP ONE Onto each head pin thread 1 x garnet coin. Start a wrapped loop attaching one section of chain. Complete the loop. Total of six head pins, each with one section of chain. Set aside. STEP TWO Using one section of 20cm wire, make a loop at one end and allow 3mm tail pointing down . STEP THREE Thread 1 x silver spacer, 5 x coins, including a faceted round in between each one…

out of africa

NECKLACE MATERIALS Gunmetal nickel-free brass chain Black Tigertail Black crimps BEADS Twisted oval Agate Carved rectangular bone beads Tapering glass cylinders Bone dragonfly Black and white ceramic beads Black glass diagonally-drilled cubes 4mm coloured opaque beads TOOLS Cutters Round nose pliers Flat nosed pliers Crimping pliers LENGTH: 80cm Continued … EARRINGS 1 MATERIALS Gunmetal nickel-free brass chain 4.5cm gunmetal head pins Gunmetal ear wires BEADS Carved rectangular bone beads 4mm coloured opaque beads EARRINGS 2 MATERIALS 4cm gunmetal head pins Gunmetal ear wires BEADS Black glass diagonally-drilled cubes 4mm coloured opaque beads Rating NECKLACE STEP ONE Using flat nosed pliers, open connecting ring on chain; slide oval shape off. STEP TWO Cut length of Tigertail to fix the feature bead – in this case the twisted oval Agate – and crimp onto the connector. STEP THREE Thread a 4-6mm round, bright bead onto Tigertail followed by the feature bead and another 4-6mm round bead. STEP FOUR Crimp onto the next oval chain link. STEP…

perfect pearl necklace

MATERIALS 1 x Tibetan Silver Pretty Twist Toggle – red copper 30cm x medium link Belcher Chain – red copper 2 x crimps 20cm Tigertail BEADS 5 x 12mm Swarovski pearls – copper 10 x 6mm Orchard Rd bi-cones – burgundy 6 x Tibetan Silver Squash beads – red copper TOOLS Round nose pliers Flat nose pliers Wire cutters Crimping pliers LENGTH: 45-50cm Rating STEP ONE Onto a 20cm length of Tigertail thread 1 x crimp. Thread back through the crimp, tension, form a small loop, and fold the crimp. STEP TWO Referring to the photograph, thread the beads onto the other end of the Tigertail. STEP THREE Thread 1 x crimp, threading Tigertail back through the crimp to form another small loop. Make sure all beads strung sit close together and fold the crimp. STEP FOUR Open the last link of the red copper chain. Slip onto one of…

the history of lampworking

THE ART OF LAMPWORKING has been around for many centuries in one form or another. It is difficult to ascertain when it first came into existence as the procedures used to create lampworked beads have changed over time, depending on technologies available to artists. The most renowned area for lampworked beads was centred in Venice with many of its glass making techniques having been developed throughout those eras. Lampworking got its name from the simple fact that the beads were originally made over an oil-lamp with the artist blowing air into the flame through a pipe to regulate the intensity of the flame. Modern day lampworkers use torches that can burn propane, natural gas or butane for the fuel (depending on the country where they’re located) with air or pure oxygen (produced…