Hello!  I’m looking for some ideas for a new tutorial!

Lately I have been feeling like writing a couple of new tutorials to sell in my Etsy shop.  I would love some feedback on what you would like to see a tutorial for in the future.  Wire work, bead weaving, or maybe even metal smithing?  Please leave a comment with your suggestion!  Thanks!

I’m also open to suggestions for free tutorials for here on the blog.

These earrings are a twist on the herringbone weave.  They make these beaded drops a little more special than just using a head pin.  You can use almost any bead you like for these earrings, although I do not recommend a flat coin or flat oval bead.  For this tutorial you will need: round nose pliers, chain nose pliers, wire cutters, two 8-10″ lengths of 24 gauge wire, two 2 1/2″ lengths of 20 gauge wire or two pre-made ear wires, and two beads of your choice.

To start you will need to make a loop in the end of your length of 24 gauge wire.  I have chosen to use copper wire.

You will want to wrap it about 5 or 6 times, so that you will have approximately 1/4″ above your bead to wrap your weave around.

Cut off any excess wire with your wire cutters.

And smooth down the edge with your chain nose pliers.

You may also want to use your chain nose pliers to flatten the loop.

Now take your bead and slip it on.  For this demonstration I am using an 8 mm round Autumn Jasper.

Taking the length of wire begin wrapping the wire around the bead halfway.

Before you continue wrapping your wire the rest of the way around the bead, wrap it once around the base of the loop.

Now you will continue wrapping the wire all the way around the bead until you reach the base of the loop once more.  You want to keep the second wrap in front of the first.

And once again wrap it around the base of the loop one time

Next, wrap the wire around the bead for a final time.  This time wrap the wire behind the first wrap.

When you reach the base of your loop, wrap the wire around once or twice to secure it.

Remove any excess wire with your wire cutters.

And smooth down the end with your chain nose pliers.

And you have finished one drop!

Either using pre-made, store bought ear wires or making you own, attach the drop to finish the earring.

Follow the above steps to complete the other earring.

You can use a variety of beads and different wire to make these earrings.  You can also use liver of sulfur to give them an antiqued look like I have in this pair.

The possibilities are endless!  Have fun!

While spring may not be in the air here in Michigan where I live, it is certainly in the air in my studio where I have started working on some new designs for spring.  My spring jewelry line will feature some earthy metals such as bronze and copper, along with a little sterling.  Complimenting these metals will be some earthy and natural metal tone seed beads.  Some will be made with wire wrapping techniques like the ones here:

Others will feature bead weaving techniques such as brick stitch, right angle weave, and peyote.  I’ve been learning these techniques over the winter and ready to implement them into my jewelry making.  My goal to have a fun line of affordable, well made jewelry that is new to me, yet will still stay true to my earthy look with the colors and metals I have chosen.

I have also just finished a new wire jewelry tutorial.  It’s for these Tree of Life earrings:

This tutorial can be found here and is $8.50.  I also am working on a free tutorial as well for these earrings:

It’s a twist on a herringbone weave and can be used with a variety of beads.  You could could also use this technique to make a pendant.  That will be up in a week or so.

I’m so excited to have my muse back and to be feeling creative and productive once again!

Have a wonderful day!

Good morning!  If you visit my blog often, you’ve probably noticed a slight change in the design.  I have decided to merge my jewelry lessons and tutorials blog with my main jewelry blog.  Keeping up with both was not allowing me to post regularly enough on either blog.  I will still be posting great, free step by step tutorials, but I will also be posting about my thought process and inspiration when it comes to my work.  I would love some feedback on what topics to cover and what types of tutorials my readers would like to see in the near future.  Please leave a comment below with your thoughts and suggestions.  I’m excited to set off on this new adventure!

In this tutorial you will learn step by step how to make a pendant with a bezel made from wire.  I recommend starting with a stone that is round or oval if you are just starting.  I use 28 gauge wire in this tutorial, but if you are new to wire working you may want to use 26 gauge, as 28 gauge can break easily if too much tension is put on it.

Tools and Materials:

16 gauge copper wire – length depends on the size of the stone you are using  The stone pictured is a little over an inch in height.  Just make sure you have enough to make the bail later on.

28 or 26 gauge copper wire – for the stone I am wrapping I start with about 36″ of wire.  Add more if you are using a larger cabochon.

Cabochon

Steel Bench Block

Planishing or Chasing Hammer

Wire Cutters

Round Nose Pliers

Chain Nose Pliers

A small jump ring mandrel or a 12 gauge piece of wire

Jeweler’s File

Liver of Sulfur (optional)

Step 1:  Take your length of 16 gauge wire and begin to shape it around your cabochon.  Using the back of your cabochon as a guide, make sure the wire frame is slightly smaller that the stone.  This will keep the stone from coming out through the back once finished.

Step 2:  Pick up your chain nose pliers and make a bend in the frame at the top on both sides.  This will later be made into the bail of your pendant.

Step 3:  Placing the pendant frame on your steel bench block, hammer it slightly all around and on the extensions that will become the bail.  This is simply to harden the wire and give it a more finished look.

Step 4:  Now take your length of 28 or 26 gauge wire and wrap it three times around the top of the frame to secure it.  Now you want to grab your mandrel or 12 gauge piece of wire and wrap the wire over it to form a loop.

Step 5:  Take the wire and weave it through the front of the frame.  Once you have done this, take the end of the wire and and bring it back through your loop.

Step 6:  Pull the wire all the way through the first loop, pulling it snug.  Never put too much tension on the wire, as these smaller gauge wires will break quite easily.  Remove the mandrel or pice of 12 gauge wire from the first loop and place it along side of it to start your next loop.

Step 7:  Repeat the process of pulling the wire through the front of the frame to the back and weaving back through the loop.

Step 8:  Finish weaving your loops around the entire frame.  You should end up with something similar to the first photo.  Now grab your cabochon and place it on your frame.  You are going to use your thumb and index finger to hold it securely on place while you start the next step of your bezel.

Step 9:  Now you’re ready to get started on the bezel that will hold your cabochon in place.  Taking the tail end of your 26 or 28 gauge wire, weave it through the first loop you made on the frame from BACK to FRONT.  Alway bring the wire that is being woven from the back on over  the top of the wire that is being fed from the front.

Step 10:  Pull as lightly as you can on the wire once it’s fed all the way through from the back to the left and then to the right.

Step 11:  Continue the process of weaving the end of the wire  through the neck loop on the frame from back to front, making sure the wire being fed from the back is over top of the wire being fed from the front.

Step 12:  Continue this weave around the entire frame.

Step 13:  Once you’ve made you second row of loops, you are going to repeat the process once more, but this time feed the wire through the second row of loops.  You still want to bring the wire from the front to the back and keep the wire being fed from the back over top of the wire being fed from the front.

Step 14:  When you have finished your third row of loops, it’s time to finish off the bezel.  The way I do this is by taking the end of my wire and instead of feeding it through the back of the next loop, I go up one row and weave it through the first loop in the previous row.  Then again through the first row of loops until it is back at the frame.

Step 15: Weave the wire three times around the frame of your pendant and trim off any excess wire with your wire cutters.

Step 16:  Take your wire cutters and trim off the ends of your “bail” to about 2″ (I always have extra wire!).  Use your jewelers file to smooth the ends of the wire.

Step 17:  Using loops forming pliers or a jump ring mandrel (I use the 6 mm setting for this pendant), form the loops for your bail, making sure they go from front to back.

Step 18:  Take your round nose pliers and make an upward facing loop on the ends of the wire.

Step 19:  Use your fingers to pinch the ends of the bail against the back of the pendant.

Step 20:  If you’d like your bail to be a “V” shape, simply shape it with your finger until you are happy with it.  If you would like the copper to be a darker brown color, you may darken it using liver of sulfur like in the title photo.  I hope this tutorial was helpful!

In my welcome statement on this blog, I wrote about myself and what I make.  I never really got into why I wanted to start a blog about jewelry design with easy to follow tutorials.

When I got started making jewelry, like most people, I bought components such as ear wires, chain, earring hoops, etc.  As I moved forward in my jewelry making I wanted to learn to make these things for myself.  I found some free on-line tutorials that confused me even more, and even a few videos on You Tube. Everything seemed so scattered around the web it got mind boggling at times.   I’m not saying these tutorials weren’t good, I just am a different type of student, I guess.  I started to just learn by looking at something I wanted to make, and then through trial and error I eventually had my own little way of doing things.

My hope for this blog is that people who are just beginning their jewelry making journey, and even those who are further along, have a place to come for basic, straight forward jewelry tutorials all in one place.  If you don’t see what you’re looking for here, let me know and I’ll make it happen.  I’m no expert.  I’m someone just like you who wanted to learn how to make jewelry, made it happen, and now wants to share what I’ve learned with you.

I hope you find this blog fun as well as helpful.

Heidi Kinnally

HeidiLee Design

In this mini tutorial you will learn step by step how to make a pair of stud earring from wire and a couple of beads.  I recommend starting this project with copper wire, and as you become familiar with the technique you can begin working with sterling silver and gold wire.  I always use dead soft wire for this project.  Always take safety precautions by wearing protective eyewear.

Materials:

3 1/2″ – 4″ of 20 Gauge Wire

2  6mm Round Beads

Tools:

Wire Cutters

Flat Nose Pliers

Jeweler’s File

Step 1: Taking one length of your 20 gauge wire and your flat nose pliers and bend back 1″ of the wire at a 90 degree angle.

Step 2: Add your bead onto the longer length of wire, bringing it all the way to the bend.  Then take the shorter length of wire and bend t all the way over the bead.  Using your flat nose pliers, bend the wire back out starting at the middle of the bead.  This will be your post.

Step 3: Holding the post between your thumb and index finger with the front of the bead showing, begin wrapping the wire around the outside of the bead.  When you get where the wire first went through the hole, you want to continue wrapping over the front of that wire, then bring it back behind when you reach where you started wrapping.

Step 4: Your wire should be wrapped around the outside of the bead two times.  Using your wire cutters, cut off an excess wire.

Step 5: Leaving a post length of 3/4″, use your wire cutters to remove any excess wire.  File the end of your post smooth with your jeweler’s file.

Step 6: Now that your first stud is complete, all that’s left to do is repeat steps 1 through 5 to complete the other earring.  Now you can experiment with different beads and gemstones and a variety of wire.

In this step by step tutorial you will learn to make a basic wire  wrapped ring with one bead.  Always take saftey precautions by wearing protective eyewear and gloves.  In this project I will be using 20 gauge copper wire.  This project can also be done using 18 gauge if the hole in the bead is large enough for it to fit through.  I always use dead soft wire.

Tools and Materials:

One 12″-15″ piece of 20 gauge wire

Ring Mandrel

Wire Cutters

Flat nose Pliers

Jeweler’s File

One 6-10 mm Bead

Liver of Sulfur (optional)

Step 1: Begin by sliding your bead onto the center of the length of wire and bending it do that both ends are pointing down.

Step 2: Using your flat nose pliers, bend the wire away from the bead, making somewhat of an “L” shape.  Repeat on the other side.

Step 3: Place the wire onto your ring mandrel in the size you want it to be and wrap it around on both sides.

Step 4: Bring both sides of the wire all the way over the ring mandrel and then wrap one side up and over the bead until it’s facing the other direction.

Step 5: Bring the other side up and over the bead like you did in step 4 and repeat each side once more.

Step 6: Carefully remove your ring from the mandrel and take the loose end of wire through the ring and wrap it around the band.

Step 7: Continue wrapping the loose end around the band three times and then trim off any excess wire with your wire cutters.  Use your flat nose pliers to make the end lay flat against the band.

Step 8: Repeat step 7 on the other side and file down any sharp wire ends with your jeweler’s file.

Step 9: Put your ring back onto the mandrel to reshape it.

Step 10: (optional) Use liver of sulfur to give your ring a rich, earthy look.

I hope you found this tutorial fun and helpful.  Now you can have a blast with different wires and beads!

Ear Wires and Basic Hoops

In this lesson, I will be taking you step by step through the process of making ear wires and basic hoop earrings.  I recommend reading through the entire process at least once before beginning.  Always take safety precaution by wearing protective eyewear and gloves.

Step 1:  Choosing Your Wire

I recommend starting with copper wire, and as you get more familiar and confident with the technique, you may move onto sterling silver or gold.  I always work with dead soft wire.  For this project, you will be using 18 and 20 gauge copper wire.

Step 2:  Choosing the right Tools

Wire Cutters

Flat Nose Pliers

Round Nose Pliers

Chasing Hammer & Steel Bench Block

Looping Pliers

Ring Mandrel

Other useful tools:  jeweler’s file or wire rounding tool

Step 3: First we will make the basic hoops.  Using your wire cutters, cut two 3” lengths of 18 gauge wire.  You will notice that you have a burr on the ends of your wire.

Step 4: Using your jeweler’s file or wire rounding tool, smooth the burrs at the ends of thelengths of wire.

Step 5: Using your ring mandrel, wrap the two lengths of wire around the mandrel in the size 8 spot.

Step 6: With your round nose pliers, make a loop at one end of the hoop, and use your flat nose pliers to bend it slightly upwards.  Repeat this on both hoops.

Step 7: Using your flat nose pliers agin, bend about 1/4” of the other end of the hoop and file it smooth with your jeweler’s file.  Repeat this step on the other hoop.

Step 8: Slightly hammer the hoops with your chasing hammer and bench block.  Do not hammer them flat, just enough to harden the wire and give them a more finished appearance.

Congratulations!  You’ve completed your basic hoops.  Now you can experiment with different sizes and adding beads and or patinas.

Step 9: Now we will make the ear wires using two 2” lengths of 20 gauge wire and filing the ends smooth like we did with the hoops.

Step 10: With your looping pliers, make a small loop on the ends of both lengths of wire.

Step 11: Using your looping pliers again, make a slightly larger loop the opposite direction of the first smaller loop.  Repeat this step on both lengths of wire.

Step 12: Taking your looping pliers on the largest loop, bend the wire all the way around until you have a “hook” shape.  Repeat on both lengths of wire.

Step 13: Taking  1/8” of the ends of the ear wires, slightly bend them outwards using your flat nose pliers.  Repeat on both ear wires.

Step 14: Slightly hammer the ear wires with your chasing hammer and bench block.  Do not hammer them flat, just enough to harden the wire and give them a more finished appearance.  You’ll also want to make sure the ends of the ear wires are filed smooth.

Congratulations!  You’ve completed your basic ear wires.  Now you can experiment with different sizes and adding beads and or patinas.

My name is Heidi Kinnally, and I create hand-crafted jewelry inspired by nature and all its beauty. I try capture the colors, textures, and movements of our natural surroundings with each piece of my jewelry. I use , earthy, semi-precious gemstones that I choose not only for their beauty, but that are beneficial to the mind, body, and spirit. Natures gems, brought together with sterling silver and copper create wearable art that promotes, health, healing, and happiness.

I use earthy gems that for centuries have been used for healing and spiritual purposes. As far back as the Stone Age, men and women wore crystal jewellery. They had a protective, as well as a decorative function, guarding their wearer against harm. The ancients employed gemstones for protection, adornment, healing and for seeing into the future. Gemstones were frequently worn and carried by ancient Egyptians as amulets and charms. Greek mythology frequently refers to gemstones, and many have been discovered in the tombs of Chinese rulers. Gemstones were used extensively in ceremonies and initiations by the Native Americans, the Mayans and Aztecs. The breastplate of the Jewish High Priest was set with precious stones; it conveyed power to the wearer.

I also use a lot of copper which has been used in medicine for thousands of years — apparently since before the beginning of recorded history. The ancients recognized copper as an essential healing mineral. Copper was found useful for its curative powers — largely due to its antibacterial and antifungal properties — in the treatment of wounds and skin diseases. In modern times, copper is becoming more widely recognized for its effectiveness in the treatment of a number of internal diseases including anemia, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, stroke and heart disease.