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ForJewelryMakingforBeginnersatArlingtonCommunityEducationNovember,2016Tostudents,inadditiontorequiredtoolsandmaterials,thisdocumentalsodescribessomeoptionalitemsthatyoumightfinduseful.However,pleasedonotfeelobligatedtobuymorethantherequireditems.Itismostimportantthatyoucometoclasswith:(1)yourownsetofthebasic,requiredtools*and(2)beadsthatyoulikeandothersimplematerialstoenableyoutocreatesomejewelry,aswellaspracticetheskills.Feelfreetocontactmewithanyquestions:SueDoctrow,srdoctrow@gmail.com,781-643-0595(*ifyouhappentoattendtheclasswithafriend,youcanshareonewirecutterandcrimpingtoolbecauseyoudonotneedthosefrequently).Requiredtools(seephotos).

• Chainnosepliers-togripandshapewire• Roundnosepliers-toshapewire,includingintoloops• Crimpingtool-toshapecrimpbeadsforfinishingoffanecklaceorbraceletprofessionally• Flushwirecutter-tocutwirepreciselyandclose• Beadingmator"BeadBuddy"(orsimilar)designboard-(IMPORTANT);topreventbeads

fromrollingontofloorwhilelayingoutdesignsMakesurealltoolsarespecificallymadeforjewelrybybuyingthemincraftstores(onlineorlocal).Pliersfromthehardwarestorehaveridgesinsidethatwillmarthewiresoshouldnotbeused.Youdonotneedtobuythemostexpensivetoolsbutbuygoodqualityonesthatoperatesmoothlyandfeelcomfortabletoworkwith.ThebrandBeadsmithisfoundinmanycraftshops(pliersaregenerallylessthan$10each)andareofgoodquality.Itispossibletobuyjewelrytoolkitsonlinethatarelessexpensive,butbesuretheyarethequalitytoolsyouwillwanttoworkwith.Avoidthe"mini-plier"setsthatseemtobeprimarilydesignedtobeportable,fortravel.

Photos:(LtoR),toprow:chainnoseandroundnosepliers;bottomrow:crimpingtoolandflushcutters."BeadBuddy"designtray(L)orbeadmat(R).(Beadsareforillustrationonly.)

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Requiredmaterials:Beads,beadsandmorebeads!Idecidednottoprovidebeadsselectedbymefora"materialfee"forthisclassbecauseIthoughteachstudentwouldwanttomakejewelrythatfitshisorherpersonalstyleandpreference.Thebeadswilldefinethecharacterofthejewelryyoumakeinthisclasssofindbeadsthatyoulove!Thereisanendlessarrayofbeadsmadeofgemstones,glass,plastic,wood,crystal,metalandothermaterials.Chooseseveraldifferenttypesofbeadsthatlookgoodtogether.Ensurethatyouhaveenoughforthelengthnecklaceand/orbraceletthatyoumaywanttomake,aswellasadditionalbeadsand/orcharmstodangleonearrings.Ensure,too,thatyouhaveenoughextrabeadstoallowyoutoexperimentwithvariousdesigns.Considermixingcomplementarybeadsofvarioussizesandmaterialstoaddinteresttoyourpieces.(Forexample,Ienjoycombiningnaturalgemstoneswithpearls,woodorglassinsomeofmydesigns).Ifyoulikelarge,chunkybeads,makesurethatyoualsobuysomesmallaccentbeads(crystal,glass,metalorevensmallergemstonebeads)whichoftenlookgoodtoprovidespacingbetweenlargerbeads.Youmightevenwantaverylargefocalbeadforthecenterofanecklace.Findings:Findingsareclasps,earwiresandothersmallpiecesthatgointothejewelryandareusuallymadeofmetal.Forthisclass,inexpensivebrass,copper,gold-platedorsilver-platedfindingsarefine.Thetypeofclasp(toggle,hookandeye,lobsterclasp,etc)dependsonyourpersonalpreference.Eachmusthaveahole/loop/ringenablingthebeadingwiretobethreadedthrough.Similarly,thetypeofearwiredependsonyourpreference,classicFrenchhooksormoresecureleverbacksforpiercedears;clipstyleforearsthatarenotpierced.(Ifyouhavemetalsensitivity,youmightwanttobuyearwiresinsurgicalstainlesssteelorsterlingsilver;orniobiumisamaterialwithaburnishedcopperylookthatisadvertisedasbeinghypoallergenic.)Anotheroption,especiallyforthemetal-sensitive:ifyouhaveanyinexpensivedanglingearringsyoudonotwearanymorebutthatyouknowyoucanwearcomfortably,weshouldbeabletoremovetheearwiresinclassandyoucanreusetheminyournewdesigns.)Forthisclass,besuretobring:

• Clasp(oneforeachnecklaceorbraceletyouwanttomake)• Earwires(atleastonepair)• Crimpingbeads(atleastonesmallpackagewithseveralbeads;Ilikethe2mmtubeshape,

but1mmlengthisalsofine)• Earringheadpins(Theseareoptionalifyouwantaverysimplebeadedlookbutwewillalso

belearningtomakeourowndecorativeheadpinswithwire.Ifyoubuythem,makethemaslongaspossibletogiveyouroomtoformaloopatthetop;theexcesscanbetrimmedoff.)

Wire:

• BeadingWire,onespool(~30ft),0.018–0.019inch.Thisissteelwirecoatedwithnylonthatwewillusefornecklacesandbracelets;themorestrandsithas,thestrongerandthesofterthe"drape".Iuse49-strandbeadingwireroutinelybut19-or21-strandarenice,too,andwillcostalittleless.The7-strandtypesarestifferandlessstrong.Besuretogetwireof0.018or0.019inchdiameter.Thisisagoodgeneralpurposesize.Thinnerbeadingwire(e.g.0.014in)isavailablebut,especiallywithheavygemstonebeads,itcanbreak.GoodbrandsareBeadalonandAccuflex.BESURETHATYOURWIREFITSTHROUGHYOURBEADSWHENDOUBLED--ifnot,getthinnerwire(e.g.0.014inch)orbeadswithlargerholes.

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• CraftWire(alsocalledArtisticWire),atleastonespoolorcoil,20Gasize.Thisismetalwirethatissoftandcanbeshapedusingthewire-wrappingtechniqueswewilllearn.Itusuallycomesinspoolsorcoilsofseveralyards.Eventually,youwillwanttoworkwithpreciousmetal(sterlingsilver,14ktgold-filled)orothermetals(copper,brass)butcraftwireisinexpensiveandgoodforlearningthetechniquesandcreatingsomefunbeadedjewelry.Choosethecolor(s)youlike,preferablysilver,goldorcoppercolors.Itisalsosoldinothercolorsbutsomeofthesearecoatedandthecolorscanwearoff.Plus,thelookofsilver,goldorcopperwiththebeadsis"classic"andwillmatchtheotherfindings.Itcomesinvariousdiameters.Forthisclass,pleasebuy20gauge.Thiswillcreatestrongitemsandwillfitthroughmostbeads.Ifyoudowishtousesterlingsilverorotherpreciousmetalwireinstead,buyitinaroundshapeand"half-hard".Halfhardissoftenoughtoworkbywire-wrapping(andcanbehardenedlaterbyhammering).However,unlessyouhavepriorexperienceinwire-wrapping,youwillneedalotofpracticeandmuchwirewillbewasted.So,Irecommendcraftwireinsteadofpreciousmetal.Itwillallowyouthefreedomtoexperimentwithoutwastingcostlysilverorgold.AGAIN:Besurethatthewirewillfitthroughyourbeads.

Someguidelinesforselectingmaterials:

• Startbyfindingastrandofinterestinggemstonebeads(colors,sizeandshape)thatyouloveandthenlookforother,simpler,beadstomatchand/orcomplementthem.

• Repurposingoldbeadednecklacesisanotherapproach!Feelfreetobringyouroldbeadednecklaces(ornecklacesfromThriftshops)totakeapartandrecycleinyournewdesigns.Theonlycriterionisthatyoulikethebeadsandthatyoubringalongothercomponentsthatwilllookgoodwiththem.Oftentheclasps(seebelowunderFindings)canalsobereused.

• Donotbuynaturalfreshwaterpearlsforthisclass.Oftentheholesinnaturalpearlsaredrilledverysmallandthebeadingwireswewilluseinthisbeginnerclasswillnotfit.Ifyou'dliketheiridescentlookofpearls,insteadconsiderSwarovskicrystalpearls,availableatPlaytimeinmanybeautifulcolors.

• Startlocal,whereyoucanseethematerialsinpersonandchoosewhatyoureallylike.Asyougainexperience,youwillbeabletobuysomeitemsonlinebut,becausethecolorsandtexturesaresoimportant,andthenaturalmaterialsinparticularcanvary,youarelesslikelytobedisappointedifyoubuywhatyoucanseeandtouchfirst.

• Makesureyourfindings,craftwireandanymetalaccentor"spacer"beadsmatch,generallyeithersilver,goldorcoppercolors.(Or,ifyouwanttomixmetalsinyourdesign,ofcourse,feelfreetodoso!)

Placestobuymaterialsandtools:ThingsWeLoveonMassAveinArlingtonHeightshasavastselectionofbeadsinallmaterialsandpriceranges.Thegemstonebeadsarehungonthewallincolorfamilies,whichmakesiteasiertostartwithcolorschemesthatappealtoyoumost.Theownertoldmeshewillgivea20%discounttostudentsinthisclass.(ShesaidtotellherthatitisSue'sbeginningJewelryClassatArlingtonCommunityEducation.)TheyalsohavesomeBeadsmithtoolsinstock,andvariousfindings,somecraftwireandothermaterials.PlaytimeonBroadwayinArlingtonCenterhasawonderfulselectionofjewelrysuppliesdownstairs.TherearemanybeautifulCzechglassandotherbeadspackagedinsmallbags.ThereisalsoagreatselectionofSwarovskipearlsandcrystals(thecrystalsareinacase;youbuythemindividuallyorin

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quantity--theyareexpensiveforanentirenecklace,buttheymakegorgeousaccentbeads).IfyouhaveanArlingtonCommunityCard,yougeta10%discountonpurchasesover$10.Therearemanydifferentfindingsinvariousbase(inexpensive)metalsinsmallpackagesontheracks.Theyalsohavesterlingsilverclaspsandotherfindingsinthebackroom--askthemifyouareinterested.Theystocksometoolsandwillordermoreforyou.Theyalsosellthebeadingdesignboardsdescribedunder"RequiredTools".CraftshopslikeMichael'sandJoAnn'sstockjewelrysuppliesandtools.Goodonlinevendorsinclude:Firemountainbeads.com(beads,findings,tools);Artbeads.com(uniquebeadsandcharms,findings);RioGrande.com(variousjewelrysuppliesandmoreexpensivetools;agoodsourceforpreciousmetalwire).Youcanpurchaseuniquehandmadebeads(e.g.lampworkglassorpolymerclay)directlyfromartistsonEtsy.comandsomeEtsyshopsalsosellothersupplies.*********************************Optionaltools,nicetohaveeventually.(Iwillbringminesoyoucantrythem):

• Pliers,bent-nose-similartochain-nose,alsogoodforgripping,shapingwire• Nylonjawpliers-straighteningwirewithoutmarring• Jeweler'sfiles-forsmoothingthecutendsofwires;especiallyimportantifyoumakeyour

ownearwires• Hammer(s)-metalchasingheadforflatteningwire;nylonorrubberheadforstrengthening

wirewithoutchangingitsshape• Steelanvilorbenchblock-asurfacetohammeron• Beadreamer-toenlargebeadholeswhennecessarytofitthewire(ithasanarrow,tapered

filingtip)

Photo:Optionaltools(fromtop,clockwise)bent-nosepliers(redhandle),nylonjawpliers,jeweler'sfiles,chasinghammerandsteelanvil(orbenchblock,notshown),beadreamer(bluehandle).

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Optionalforpearlknotting:Inthethirdsession,interestedstudentscanlearntoknotpearls.(Thistechniquecanalsobeusedforotherbeads).Thiswillrequireafewadditionalitems.IamnotsureifPlaytimesellstheforceps,buttheydosellalltheothersupplies.(Iwillprovidegluefortheknotsateachend.)

• Needle-noseforceps/tweezers(notjewelry-specific;drugstoresandperhapshardwarestoreshavethem)

• Pearls(IsuggestSwarovskipearls)orotherbeads• SilkBeadCord(withattacheddisposableneedle),TheNo.6sizeisgoodformostpearls;

largergaugeforlargerbeads.• Clamshellfindingsforeachend• Claspandjumpringstoattachittoclamshellfinding(e.g.smallsplitringsfromPlaytime)

Photo.Itemsforpearl-knotting(seelist)Usefulbooks.Thesebooks,especiallyLareau's,aregreatforlearningwire-wrappingbecauseoftheirdetailedinstructionsandillustrations.Unfortunately,bothappeartobeoutofprintbuttheyareavailablefromsecondpartysellersthroughAmazon.com(inbothusedandnewversions).BotharealsolistedintheMinutemanLibraryNetworkcatalog.1.AllWiredUpbyMarkLareauhttps://www.amazon.com/All-Wired-Techniques-Beadworker-How/dp/188301073X)2.MakingDesignerBeadandWireJewelrybyTammyPowleyhttps://www.amazon.com/Making-Designer-Bead-Wire-Jewelry/dp/1592531660