Jewellery Making Supplies Blog

 Most types of jewellery require at least one movable joint, therefore it is a vital part of a piece and should be considered during the designing stages. You need to think about the type of movement you require, specific to the design.

Types of Joining Links 

•  Rivets: A rivet has the ability to hold pieces together without solder. You need to push your small piece of wire through similar holes in two or three separate pieces.
• Screws: A special “tap and die” set, designed for jewellers, allows small wire and tubes to be used to make screws that are in proportion of the piece. The size of the wire you are going to tap should be larger than the inside diameter of the tube, but smaller than the outside.
• Hooks: A hook can be used to fasten a chain or necklace or even to hang additional pieces from which prevents these pieces unhooking themselves when being worn. This type of joining method enables the piece to be more versatile, for example you might want to add a pendant to a simple chain but on some occasions just have the chain on its own.
• Hinges: Used to join two pieces which can then be moved without losing the integral line. On each edge, alternate your pieces of tube and solder them. Ensure wire passes through all the tube sections.

Joining Tips

1. Practice: When you are making joining links for your new design, we would recommend making a couple of mock-ups first. These can be made using paper, card, modelling clay etc. You should choose a material that mirrors the behaviour of the metal you intend to use.
2. Experiment: The most common joining links are having holes and jump rings. Try and make your piece stand out from the rest with an innovative joining method!
3. Strong Links: You need to ensure that the wire you are going to use for a jump ring is strong enough for your piece. The circle will distort if this is too light for the weight of the chain/necklace.
4. Solder your jump rings: To make your jump rings look neater, you might want to solder them. You will only need a small amount of solder, as long as you ensure the join is really tight. Large pieces of solder might form a lump, which will need to be filed down.

It’s never been so easy to make same-sized, perfectly shaped beads using your FIMO Bead Roller! All you need to do to get consistent, uniform FIMO beads is to slide the base and top of the bead roller back and forth. The measuring ring helps you to measure out the quantity required for one bead.

For making 3 different bead shapes:

This is how it’s done: 

1. Using the measuring ring, measure out the exact amount of FIMO required.

2. Push the FIMO out of the ring using, e.g., the end of a pencil.

3. Shape a small ball out of the measured-out amount and place it in the desired channel. Slide the base and top back and forth along the guiding rails.

4. Carefully make a hole through the bead, e.g. using a needle.

ATTENTION: Make sure that the hole is the right size for your chain.

5. Harden the FIMO in an oven at 110°C for approx. 30 minutes. Your FIMO beads are now ready for stringing!

Tip: Lacquering the beads adds a nice touch.

Cleaning:

When using different FIMO colours in succession, clean the shape with a damp cloth, otherwise it is possible for traces of colour to be transferred onto the following colours. After cleaning, always dry with a tea towel. Cleaning using soapy water is recommended after use. Do not use any strong chemicals or abrasive materials. Protect needles against the damp. Dry the needle using a tea towel and clean them with fine sandpaper if necessary.

Cut-off length:

Measure out the necessary amount of FIMO. To do this, first of all make the FIMO into a roll with the respectively stated diameter. After this, cut this off in the recommended length.

This article is written by Joanne Varney who holds a BA (Hons) in Jewellery and Silversmithing and is part of the Cooksongold team.

As with every large product group, there is usually a percentage which remains unchanged from year to year and forms the main stay of the range. This is known as the core range. Findings and stones are no exception to this and you will find many items remain unchanged from catalogue to catalogue. They become classics that you come to rely on as a jewellery maker, and know you will go back to time and again.

However, it is always fun to try something new and a good way to do this is to tap into some of the jewellery trends of the moment. If you know what to buy, your new purchases will become less of a gamble with customers, many of whom will already be aware of what is ‘on trend’.

 You don’t have to become a diehard fashionista to achieve this, instead simply arm yourself with a few relatively basic pieces of information based around themes, forms and colour. There are many complex factors that dictate global trends from economic to environmental issues and to understand them fully is not necessary for our purposes.

 Instead concentrate on the more tangible pieces of information for example: The Guild of Jewellery Designers has a review of Trends Autumn/Winter 2011 available to view on their website (http://bit.ly/oqu1PH) . In it they describe five themes they are tipping and within those themes are indications of larger scale pieces, layering/stacking and a move away from precious metals due to costs.

This could be interpreted in a number of ways, here is just one:

• Pendants can be hung on leather cord, coloured silks or rubber. Offer a choice with each sale or better still, sell each item with a selection of options e.g. Silver chain, neutral leather cord and vibrant coloured silk. This will allow your customer to layer, but also partake in a degree of customisation which has been a massive trend for many years now. Many of the major chain stores offer sets or groups of jewellery for sale now which has been extremely successful as they represent great value for money.  Even as designer/jewellers we all need to be aware that now more than ever people want value for money.
• Scale can be tricky to overcome without incurring significant cost. One way to achieve this is to use ‘found’ or recycled objects collected from charity shops or flea markets. Another is to use crystals or beads to create bold statement pieces. Swarovski produce a fabulous range of stunning pendants and beads in a myriad of colours, many of which are quite large. They too are a great reference point for trend information as they produce what they call ‘Gem Visions’ trend predictions each year (http://bit.ly/qUrtHF). This is a great resource for colour information.  Published in June of this year ‘Gem Visions 2012’ amongst other things is highlighting neutral tones, black and white and earth tones of orange and red to be big next year.  Get your ranges ‘on trend’ by incorporating some Fire Opal, Topaz or Light Siam Beads or why not try one of the Designer Edition ‘Devoted to You’ Astral Pink Heart pendants which ticks a multitude of trend boxes!

As you can see, being trend aware within jewellery and components doesn’t have to be complicated. Simply taking some time to do some internet research can have extremely beneficial results. Your customers will be impressed if you can reference your jewellery to a particular trend of the moment and it also means that your range will be regularly refreshed which keeps things interesting.

You will need:

FIMO Effect White Glitter

FIMO Effect Red Glitter

FIMO Effect Blue Glitter

Blade Set 

Acrylic Rollers

Ruler

Cocktail stick or large needle

Jump Rings

Clasps

Chain

Small Pliers

Baking Tray

Step 1

Knead 4 portions of blue FIMO to soften and roll 5mm deep. Cut a rectangle 3.5cm x 5cm. Roll 2 portions of white FIMO until 2mm deep and cut strips 1cm wide for the vertical and horizontal cross pieces. Cut strips 6mm wide to make the diagonals. Trim the ends at an angle so the strips fit neatly together. Gently roll over your cross to flatten it. Trim any white FIMO from around the edges. 

Step 2

Roll 3 portions of red FIMO until 2mm deep. Cut strips 5mm wide and place over the vertical and horizontal cross pieces. Cut strips 3mm wide, trim the ends at an angle and place over the diagonals. Gently roll over your cross to flatten it. Trim any red FIMO from around the edges.

Step 3

Gently bend your flag. Make a hole in the corner with a cocktail stick and place onto a baking tray. Oven-bake for 30 mins at 110°C / 230°F and allow to cool. Attach a jump ring through the hole in your flag and add a clasp or clip chain.

 This is a tutorial on how to use the moulding compound; at the end you will string as desired to obtain a finished piece of jewellery! Perfect to wear whilst you are on holiday this summer!

You will need:

• Fossil
• Moulding Compound
• PMC Clay
• Hand Torch
• Stainless steel brush
• Agate burnisher or Tumbler

STEP 1

Take equal parts of the Moulding Compound and work the 2 parts together until the Moulding Compound is a uniform colour.

STEP 2

Press your Fossil into the compound and leave it to set.

STEP 3

Once the Compound has set, press your PMC into the mould making sure it is pressed into all the edges. Carefully pop the clay out of the mould, if you re not happy with the result you can work the clay till reformed and press in again. Avoid doing this too much as the clay will start to dry and crack.

STEP 4

Once your PMC piece is dry, sand and refine your edges and back.

STEP 5

Drill a hole for your Jump ring using a hand drill or make a bail from any remaining clay.

STEP 6

The Fossil can be torch or Kiln fired. Torch fire for a minimum of 2 minutes, time this from after the binder has burnt off and the piece starts to glow orange.

STEP 7

Once fired use a stainless steel brush, agate burnisher or tumbler to make your fossil shine. String as desired.

This is a project designed in association with the PMC Studio in Coventry. For similar projects go here! As always if you have any thoughts or suggestions, let us know in the box below.

This is a guest project designed by Tansy Wilson. Tansy is a professional jeweller and runs her business from beautiful rural Somerset. She also teaches a jewellery evening class at her local college. Tansy has a BA in 3-D Design and has been in the design industry for 20 years.

You will need:

• 1 x fully annealed soft sterling silver sheet 1.2mm
• 2 x silver scrolls 110
• 2 x silver 5mm pegs and flat disc earring posts

STEP 1

The first crucial step in any design project is to plan your idea on paper first to ensure you have the right shapes and sizes of required material. This step avoids mistakes which can be costly if you cut straight into your silver sheet. I have used a 50mm x 50mm piece of 1.2mm thick sheet enabling me to plan 4 pieces the same size. All measure approximately 34mm x 16mm.

STEP 2

Mark these measurements onto your silver still keeping the protective film on. Use a piercing saw to cut out these 4 pieces. Remember to keep the blade at 90° to the sheet to allow the blade to cut smoothly and for you to keep control of the saw.

STEP 3

You should now have four pieces of silver sheet all the same size. Remove the protective film from one side only of two of these pieces. Using a ball nose or texturing hammer,  place one of these pieces onto a hard flat surface, protective film side down and hammer across the exposed side of sheet to reveal an evenly textured pattern. Repeat this for the other piece.

STEP 4

When both pieces are textured, using double sided sticky tape, stick one textured piece to a non textured piece ensuring that you leave the non textured piece on the top, so you can easily draw onto the protective film. Also ensure that the two pieces are aligned as closely as possible.

STEP 5

Again using the piercing saw, cut your shapes out. You will now be cutting through two sheets of metal at exactly the same time. Try and use as fine a piercing saw blade as possible at this stage. This is because the thickness of the blade will not remove too much silver when cutting, meaning that your opposite pieces will fit together as closely as possible.

STEP 6

When you have finished piercing out your shapes, pull the stuck pieces apart and remove all the protective film. You will now have positive and negative shapes that are textured and smooth. Place the best fitting opposite pieces together so you have a contrasting texture next to a smooth one.

STEP 7

When happy with your combination, place onto a piece of emery paper and rub all of the backs only of the shapes to remove any grease and then place face down onto a soldering block. Paint flux and place tiny squares (paillons) of hard silver solder along the joins of all the pieces. Soldering on the back means that solder will not run onto the textured fronts of your pieces. Heat slowly so the flux doesn’t bubble and continue heating so the solder melts and runs along the joins. Place in a mild pickle and wash.

STEP 8

When your pieces are clean, remove any blobs of solder from the back with a file and emery paper so it becomes a nice smooth flat surface again. Now you can draw a final shape onto each earring. Again plan this on paper before hand so you don’t make any mistakes when marking onto the silver.

STEP 9

File your earrings into their final shape. If you are removing a lot of material, it is advisable to cut excess away using the piercing saw. When you are happy with the final shape, polish both sides of each earring, ensuring you do not remove too much of the texture.

STEP 10

When all clean and polished, I have bent each earring over a former to add some shape. You will probably be able to bend your shape by hand but if not use a plastic ended hammer so you do not mark the surface of the earrings. Finally solder an earring post onto the back of each earring using easy solder. This enables you to solder the post on without melting any of the previously soldered joins. Pickle and rinse and polish up with a silver cloth.

Nothing says ‘Glamour’ like a pair of drop earring.  Unlike their safer, more sensible counterpart, the stud, long drops are made to be noticed! If the fashion press are to be believed, drop earrings, specifically the ‘chandelier’ style, go in and out of fashion on a regular basis. What can be more elegant than a pair of linear drop earrings? They go with most outfits and flatter all women as they add length to the neck. Note: by linear I mean a single vertical drop, usually straight, but sometimes curved. You will also find that by displaying pairs of drop earrings within your range, you add height and interest which will entice your customer. You always need more flamboyant items to capture people’s attention. This will help you start the conversation around the jewellery which, more often than not, will then convert into a sale.

As with a stud, to get a drop earring fully functional and comfortable there are a few crucial points that need to be considered.

1. First and foremost the weight: many people are put off by large drop earrings because they think they will be uncomfortable. However it’s all a question of balance. Try to consider your choice of materials. Use thinner gauges of metal, hollow beads and tube instead of wire; and don’t always assume you have to use a hook fitting. It can often be far more appropriate to use a stud fitting which will ultimately provide more support for the ear, provided you use an adequate scroll (see Focus on earrings Part 1). A Bead and Ring pin (French Fitting) is a great option: a classic ball stud with a simple open loop underneath allowing you to simply add your earring design. Just remember to consider the position of your loop or jump ring to ensure the design is front facing.

2. If you are using crystals in your designs try using a Crystal Stud Fitting. It’s always more aesthetically pleasing if you can carry the  design element through into your earring fittings, it creates a far nicer end result and sets a handmade item apart from a mass produced one.

To create a completely “handmade” earring, you can make both the design and the fitting yourself.  Hook fittings are extremely easy to make:

• Select your wire, usually 0.8mm as standard;
• Anneal to ensure flexibility: it is best  to carry this out in a darkened room. Annealing is the gentle heating of metal to alter the cell structure, creating more flexibility. Silver should be very gently heated using a torch. Keep the torch moving constantly until the metal becomes a dull, cherry red. Maintain this colour for approximatively 30 seconds. DO NOT OVERHEAT.  Gently cool on a metal plate;
• You can either heat the end of the wire to create a ball, or simply flatten with a file to create a good solder surface;
• Using round nosed pliers at the tip, gently bend the wire back on itself to create a tight loop;
• Using the same pliers at their widest point, bend the wire back the opposite way to create the main sweep of the fitting;
• Simply cut the wire to the required length, round off to a smooth end and straighten and twist to create a nice finish using flat pliers. Note, twisting helps to compact the cell structure of the metal which effectively gently hardens the fitting. Where the annealing process relaxes the metal structure allowing more movement, twisting, bending and flattening compacts that structure allowing less movement;
• Once attached to your design, solder the small loop closed to create a safe strong fitting.

If you don’t fancy making your own fittings or you don’t have the time, you can always buy one from the trade that will complement your style. You can always try simple fittings such as Hook Wire with Bead and Loop or Extra Large Safety Wire. Both of these styles are well finished and have a designer look about them.

3. One final tip: an essential element to jewellery making is wear ability. Never forget that however beautiful your jewellery is, its purpose is to be worn. Metal can be extremely sharp and if a sharp object is swinging around in your ear, you will soon have the tell tale scratches to highlight any bad workmanship. To ensure this never happens, whenever you finish a piece,  just take a few moments to hold the item in your hands. Close your eyes and run your fingers over the jewellery to check for any rough or sharp edges. You’ll be surprised at what might be revealed. You may feel a bit silly, but it may prevent any embarrassing returns from your customers!