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Connie Fox, along with other wire artists, is featured in “Linear Depth,” on page 28 of January 2002's Lapidary Journal. This charm bracelet is an ideal introductory project that will acquaint you with common tools used in wire work. If you are brand new to wire, allow yourself considerable time to get comfortable using the pliers and cutters. And, consider saving some money by working in copper before taking the plunge into the more expensive silver. For those of you who have some basic wire skills, you may find the unique head pin interesting to make. In this lesson you will learn 4 wire skills: S-links, jump rings, head pins, and spirals. Instructions for achieving an antiqued, or oxidized finish for your bracelet are also provided. I hope you enjoy the project and the end result. For help on basic wire instructions, see my Web site at www.conniefox.com. |
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Complementary: Use opposite hues on the color wheel; make one color dominant. Complimentary color schemes lend themselves to creating excitement and visual interest through contrast. Monochromatic: Use tints and shades of the same color. Tints are colors where white has been added. Shades are colors with black added. Monochromatic schemes create visual harmony and are often soft and pleasing to the eye. Analogous (as seen in this bracelet): Use three adjacent colors on the color wheel. Choose cool or warm tones to express your theme. Make one color dominant, another subordinate, and the third in between. These color schemes have less contrast than complementary color schemes, yet they are more complex visually than monochromatic arrangements.
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Hammer 1/4" to 1/3" of both ends with your chasing hammer. - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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Repeat Steps 6-8 until you have enough jump rings to complete your bracelet. You can now assemble the foundation of your bracelet by connecting the S-links with jump rings. I suggest you use two jump rings at each connection. At one end of the bracelet, add a jump ring that is a little larger, about 3/8" in diameter. At the other end, open up the S-link just enough to create a clasp. - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Blunt-cut the end of the wire. Grasp the end with the tips of your round nose pliers. Try to have very little of the wire peeking through the plier tips. Rotate the pliers away from your body and, with the thumb of your free hand, press down on the tail of the wire. Release and reset the pliers until you make a small circle. Continue wrapping the wire closely around the newly formed circle. - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
When you can go no further, release your pliers and regrip the spiral with the tail perpendicular to your pliers. Continue wrapping the tail next to the spiral. For a head pin, you will likely want the spiral to be small, so don’t get too carried away. If you want, flatten the spiral with your chasing hammer.
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Snip the tail with your wire cutters (blunt cut), allowing a 5/8" extension. Grasp the tail of the wire with your round nose pliers and rotate your hand away from your body to form a circle. The end of the wire should reach the top of the bead (or thereabouts). Knowing where on your pliers to grasp the wire will take some practice. I suggest you practice with copper wire and when you find the magic spot that gives you the perfect “eye,” mark your pliers with an indelible pen. - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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Grasp the end of the wire (very little peeking through) with the tips of your round nose pliers, and rotate your hand away from your body, forming a circle. Release and reset your pliers, and continue rotating your hand until you have formed two complete circles (or coils) with the wire. As in Step 14, grasp the joint with your chain nose pliers, rotate your hand towards your body to create a bend. Insert your round nose pliers and set the circle on top of the bead.
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| Connie Fox is a psychotherapist by night and an artist by day. She combines her experience in Ikebana (Japanese floral design) and floor loom weaving with her love for working with wire to create wonderful wire art jewelry. You can view her work and contact her through her Web site, www.conniefox.com. Her work is also available at Mingei International Museum, in San Diego. |
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Charm Bracelet
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS 
MAKING THE S-LINKS 
Measure your wrist with a soft measuring tape, leaving some room for your bracelet to hang comfortably. One finished S-link measures about 1" in length. However, this size will vary depending on the placement of the wire on the jaws of your round nose pliers. In addition to the length of the S-links, you will be adding jump rings in between these links and one at the end. To ensure a good fit, I suggest you make your S-links and some jump rings in copper first. This way you can adjust the size by increasing or decreasing the 2-3/4" length recommended in the directions.
Cut a 2-3/4" piece of dead soft, 14-gauge, sterling silver wire with your flush (semi-flush) wire cutters. Make sure both ends have a blunt cut. A blunt cut is achieved by placing the flat side of the cutters next to the wire you are cutting. Safety Concern: Flying pieces of wire are little missiles that can harm eyes. Always cover the beveled side of the cutter with your index finger (not too close though) to block wire flight.
Grasp one end with the tip of your round nose pliers. Rotate your hand away from your body to form a small circle. Repeat this action on the other end; make sure to form the small circle in the opposite direction of the first one you made.
Grasp the wire (right next to the little circle you just made) in the back of your round nose pliers. Rotate your wrist away from your body and, with your free thumb, press down on the wire until the little circle meets your thumb. Repeat on the other end of the wire in the opposite direction. If you wish, hammer the curved ends with your chasing hammer for a finished look. Make enough S-links to fit your wrist.
MAKING THE JUMP RINGS 
Wrap 20" of 16-gauge, dead soft, sterling silver wire around a wood dowel that is 1/4" or less in diameter. Keep a tail in your non-wrapping hand so that you have something to hang onto. Wrap away from your body and place the coils as close to each other as possible. When you reach the end of the wire, reverse the direction of the dowel and wrap the tail onto the dowel. Remove the coil from the dowel.
With your chain nose pliers, gently pull the coil apart so it will be easier for you to make your cuts. Blunt-cut the end of the coil with your flush wire cutters (flat side of the cutters will be towards your body).
Reverse your pliers so that the beveled side of your cutters now faces your body. This will result in both ends of your jump ring having blunt cuts. Snip the second coil right above the end of the first coil. You have now made one jump ring. To continue, repeat the same process. Blunt-cut the end, reverse your pliers and snip off your jump ring.
Grip one end of the jump ring with your chain nose pliers and the other with your flat nose pliers. Toggle the two ends back and forth 3-4 times to work-harden the metal. When you want to open and close jump rings, use this same motion.
MAKING THE HEAD PINS
Cut a 12" piece of 18-gauge wire and a 12" piece of 16-gauge wire. These lengths will allow you to make numerous head pins. You will use the 18-gauge wire to make head pins for smaller beads and the 16-gauge for larger ones.
With your chain or flat nose pliers, grasp your developing spiral. Point your pliers straight in front of you. Hold your pliers hand stationary and, with your free thumb, ease the tail of the wire next to the spiral.
Grasp the wire right next to the spiral and 1/4" down the jaw of your round nose pliers. The spiral should be facing your body. Use your free thumb to press the wire against the pliers while rotating your hand away from your body. Release the pliers when you can go no further, reset your pliers, and continue until a circle is formed. Continue wrapping until the tail of the wire is perpendicular to your developing head pin.
Insert your chain nose pliers into the top of the circle. With your free index finger, press the tail towards your body until the tail forms a straight line above the spiral.
Insert the tail of the wire through your bead. You will now make an “eye” above your bead which will allow you to attach it to the S-link using a jump ring.
Grasp the joint of the “eye” with the tip of your chain nose pliers and rotate your hand towards your body to create a bend. Insert your round nose pliers firmly into the eye, and rotate your hand away from your body to create the finished “eye.” It should be sitting proudly on top of your bead.
Here is an alternative head pin design. Using a 12" piece of wire, insert one end through your bead/pearl. Select the wire gauge that will fit through the bead hole. Pearls have pretty small cavities, so you may need 22- or 20-gauge wire.
Grasp the tail 1-1/2" from the bead (this will vary depending on where you place the wire on your round nose pliers). Rotate your hand away from your body to form a circle. Release and reset, and continue rotating until you have formed two complete circles. The double circles should be sitting close to the bead with enough allowance for wrapping. Knowing where to place your pliers on the wire to end up in this position takes some practice. As in Step 13, once you find the magic placement on your pliers, mark it with an indelible pen. With your chain nose pliers at the joint, rotate your hand towards your body to create a bend.
Insert your round nose pliers into the circle, or “eye,” so that the tail is in front of and free of the pliers. With your free hand, take hold of the tail and wrap it one or two times (motion is away from the body) around the wire below the “eye.” Snip the tail close to the joint and, with your chain nose pliers, ease that little tail neatly into place.
MAKING THE SPIRALS 
Use 14-gauge wire to make a substantial spiral. Consider hammering the spiral to make it even stronger. 8" of 14-gauge wire will make a spiral that is about 3/4" in diameter. Smaller spirals can be made with 16-gauge wire. Follow Steps 9 and 10 above to form the spiral. Keep wrapping until you achieve the desired size. When you reach the end, simply grasp the tail with your round nose pliers (very little wire peeking through) and rotate your hand away from your body to form the eye.
ASSEMBLY AND ANTIQUING 
To antique your bracelet (optional), move outdoors to avoid inhaling the noxious fumes. Boil 2 cups of water. Pour the water into a small glass bowl that you will use only for antiquing purposes. Add a pea-size chunk of liver of sulfur to the water and stir. Do not breathe the fumes. Dunk your bracelet into the water for about 5 seconds or until it turns a steel gray. Remove the bracelet and rinse it in clean water. Let it dry. With .04 steel wool, rub off all the darkened silver areas. Use a polishing cloth to bring a nice sheen to your silver.
