Rings & Things Jewelry Blog

Created by: Rita HutchinsonDesigner TipsUsing ball-end head pins, make 8 beaded loop dangles in flowery colors. Use one metal rondelle on each side of the crystal bead for fuller dangles. Wrapped loops will add additional length.For step-by-step instructions for making beaded loop dangles, as well as the best way to open and close jump rings, see Jewelry Basics 101 (free download below).Use a small circle stamp, to stamp a pattern in the border of the round pewter blank. Fill center with sugar s …

Created by: Rita HutchinsonDesigner TipsCreate skull dangles and outer-circle Size 6 E bead dangles with headpins, corrugated beads, and seed beads.For step-by-step direction on making head pin loops, see Jewelry Basics 101 (PDF)Wrap wire around a 1-3/4" dowel or round form about 3 times. From this, cut 2 matching pieces of wire (each ring should overlap at the ends by about 1/2", in other words, be a bit more than 2"" long).Artistic Wire is soft. Hammer the ring of wire with the rawhide mallet …

Use memory wire to create your own ear wires!Created by: Rita HutchinsonDesigner TipsUse heavy-duty flush cutters to cut 2 equal lengths of memory wire.Form a loop at one end using sturdy round-nose pliers. New to making jewelry? See Jewelry Basics 101 (PDF).With flat-nose pliers, create a sharp bend at the "middle" of the wire.Smooth the opposite wire end with a cup bur.Form a spiral* (see below) with plated wire: Add the skull bead, complete the wrapped loop and attach to the ear wire.* To for …

Created by: The Swarovski Crystal design teamDesigner TipsCut wire into two equal pieces 18" long.Load onto one piece of wire: 13 Swarovski XILION Beads in Sunflower. Moving 6 beads off to one side, and keeping the 7 remaining beads in the center of the wire, take the wire exiting from the 6 beads and string the wire through all 7 beads. (Note: the wire tails should be exiting in opposite directions from the 7 beads. The 6 beads should be sitting on top of and in between the 7 Sunflower beads. I …

Created by: Michelle HorningDesigner TipsFor step-by-step instructions -- with detailed photographs -- for making wickedly simple wire-wrapped rings with beads and 22-gauge wire, see our tutorial at blog.rings-things.com.Choose your favorite dead-soft to half-hard 22-gauge wire (4 popular silver options shown below).Keeping the wires tight and close together will make a more stable, cleaner looking ring.Hide the cut ends of the wire on the back side of the ring.Optional: use a cup bur to smooth …