November 2006

Beaded Bracelet Tutorial

by linquesdesign on November 30, 2006

in Holidays, Jewellery+Accessories

Have you ever wanted to make your own jewelry? It’s not as hard as you may think! I hope you enjoy and use this tutorial…these are the basics, and it really doesn’t take much time! (contribution by linques design)

Here is the finished bracelet. The same techniques can be used for a necklace as well though!

Gather your supplies. You will need: 1. beading wire, I have used Beadalon 49 strand wire. For a bracelet use .018″, for a necklace you can use .015″. 2. crimp beads 3. clasp 4. crimping pliers (or flat nosed pliers) 5. wire cutters (I use fingernail clippers) 6. your choice of beads.

Step One: and Step Two:

Cut your wire to length. I simply wrap the wire around my wrist, and add about 3″. On one end, thread a crimp bead, and one half of your clasp.

Thread the end of wire back through the clasp, and push the crimp bead close to the clasp. This will be how your bracelet is secured together.

Step 3: and Step Four:

Time to try your crimping pliers! They are very easy to use, and produce professional looking results. Place your crimp bead in the slot closest to your hand, and press down. This is the first formation of the crimp.

Place your partially formed crimp bead into the slot closest to the tip of the pliers. As in the picture, you place the crimp in there horizontally, and then close the pliers. This closes the crimp bead tightly around the wire to hold it in place. Here’s what the finished crimp will look like:

If you don’t have crimping pliers, skip steps three and four. Simply push down on the crimp using your flat nosed pliers, and it will hold the wires in place as well. This technique is fine, but may shorten the life of your jewelry because it places more pressure on the wires.

Step Five: and Step Six:

Slide a bead over both wires, and push it close against the crimp. Then trim the second tail of wire close to the bead.

Start beading! Here I have use garnets and glass, but use whatever you like. Use a pattern, or put them on randomly. Keep beading until the bracelet is large enought to fit your wrist. A good way to figure out how long you need to make your bracelet is to measure your wrist, and add to that the width of your biggest bead.

Step Seven:

Once it is long enough, thread on your second crimp bead and then the other half of your clasp. Just like before, you will pull the wire through the crimp, and then through the last bead too. Push the crimp close to the clasp, and tighten the wire. Close the crimp using steps three and four, and trim your wire. Here is what the finished clasp will look like:

And that’s it! I’ve included a lot of steps just to show you in detail what to do. Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can jazz it up! You can add a dangle to the clasp for a little fun. See my previous tutorial here which shows you how to make a dangle.

You can also easily add another strand using the same steps as above.

Making jewelry is very rewarding, whether you are making it for yourself or to give as a gift. It’s a great new project to try for the holidays too!

{ 4 comments }

Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative

by Kim on November 29, 2006

in Quilting

marthabilski.jpg
Purple Fog by Martha Bilski, 7 by 10 inches
Used with permission of the copyright holder

As the population of the U.S. (and certainly other countries) ages, Alzheimer’s Disease is rapidly becoming a national health crisis. In the U.S., one in 10 individuals over 65 and nearly half of those over 85 are affected. Since people with Alzheimer’s live on average 8-20 years in a continual cognitive and physical decline, the emotional and financial effects on the individual and his or her family are absolutely devastating.

annlouisemullard-pugh.jpg

Shattered by Ann Louise Mullard-Pugh, 8.5 by 10 inches
Used with permission of the copyright holder

Ami Simms is a prominent quilter, teacher, and quilt humorist (she is the founder of the Worst Quilt in the World Contest) whose mother is one of 4.5 million Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s. This prompted her to begin the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI), a multifacted organization that raises awareness and funds research to find a cure for Alzheimer’s. There are many ways that you can be involved: you can make and/or buy a small art quilt as part of the Priority: Alzheimer’s Quilt Auction. You can go see Alzheimer’s: Forgetting Piece by Piece, an exhibit of 52 extraordinary art quilts that is traveling throughout the U.S. through July 2009. You can sign up for the AAQI newsletter. You can purchase Beebe’s Notecards, painted by an 82-year-old quilter who is in the moderate stages of the disease and no longer able to quilt. You can persuade your local quilt guild to adopt the Priority: Alzheimer’s quilt project as one of its community service projects.

amisimms-rhino.jpg
I Know a Rhino by Ami Simms & Beebe Moss, 7 5/8 by 5 inches
Used with permission of the copyright holder

More on the Priority: Alzheimer’s project. All the rules are here, but in a nutshell you make a quilt no larger than 9 by 12 inches using any theme, style, or techniques. You pre-register the quilt by email then follow the shipping instructions in the return email. The quilt will be auctioned or sold, with all profits going directly to Alzheimer’s research. What a wonderful opportunity — with such a small project, there is much opportunity for experimentation and self-expression. And, if you’re a U.S. resident, each quilt entry gets you into a drawing for a great Bernina sewing machine! Hmmm … maybe we can get an entire Whip-up contingent involved in the project.

{ 6 comments }

Book review: The best of children’s Art & Crafts

by kath_red on November 29, 2006

in Books

from the Australian Women’s Weekly. Published by ACP Magazines Ltd.

I was really excited to see that this classic has been reprinted. It is a fabulous collection of craft activities for kids aged 2-8 – parents too. Step by step instructions designed to stimulate imagination and confidence assist with coordination, concentration and problem solving and to encourage experimentation. Good instructions with easy recipes and hints on cleaning up, excellent photos of real kids making these projects.

The projects themselves really range from fun, messy and sensory to the more complex creative projects. But the really good thing is that even the more difficult projects have different levels suitable for younger ones and the easy projects can be taken to higher levels if needed.


For example this finger painting recipe and instructions which is also available online on the women’s weekly website.

Some other projects that will be keeping our family busy during the upcoming holiday season include:

fingerprint drawings (turning finger prints into animals, people and other characters)

blot painting (fold a piece of paper in half, open in up and blob on some paint, then fold the paper back together and press it around, then open it to discover the painting)

marbling (trays of water with coloured ink gently swirled around on the surface, lay a piece of paper on top and then lift it up again and see the marbled design)

play dough printing (make shapes from playdough, press them into paint and then use them to make a design)

printing from other objects such as leaves, fish and old kitchen utensils

paper dyeing (using absorbant paper folded a few times, dip the corners into food colouring mixed with water and open it to see the design it makes)

box sculptures (using tissue boxes, toilet paper rolls etc paint and glue and tape them together to make all sort of things)

peg people and rock creatures (paint and decorated pegs and river stones to make fun creatures and characters)

nature weaving (make a frame from sticks and string and then thread leaves and flowers in and out of the strings).

I think we should definitely make some slime and some goop for some messy outdoor play, and when it rains we will try our hand at leaf rubbings and some sock hand puppets. There are tons more ideas in here, most of which involve recycled materials or household objects and DIY materials such as making your own non toxic paints and glue. An excellent book with projects for years to come.

{ 0 comments }

Tutorial…silhouette necklace…

by Abigail Percy on November 29, 2006

in Jewellery+Accessories

Right…here is a tutorial to make your own silhouette necklace, just in time for a holiday gift {for yourself, or a lucky friend or family member!!}. There are a few basic tools you will need for this job – the main ones are pictured below – but in addition to this you will need some jump rings {bought ones are fine}, a packet of saw blades {I used a 4/0 but I would recommend the 2/0 size for beginners} some jewellery pliers {a flat nose pair and a round nose pair}…wet and dry paper {or fine sandpaper if that’s all you have}..a small amount of 0.8 wire {but you can open up a jump ring and use that if you don’t have any}….plus some scotch magic tape and a fine liner pen. If you can get one..a clamp-on jewellers bench peg makes projects like this much easier…and you can pick one up for around £15, so it is worth the initial investment.

..find yourself an image you would like to use in your necklace – I chose this stag {thinking raindeer really!} – but floral motifs, other animals, fruit, birds etc would all work well too. Print it off the computer, or re-size it to the scale you wish by hand. Choose your material carefully…I am using a piece of hot pink acrylic for this piece [3mm thick], but you could use any plastic, sheet silver, copper or brass…wood even! This would also be fun made from thick cork…you would only need a craft knife for that, but it is something to think about if you don’t have a jewellers saw.

Cover the image you are using with strips of scotch magic tape, overlapping each one…but don’t rub the tape down hard. Use a fine liner to trace the design..then peel off the tape [in one large piece]…

Stick the design down onto your material…make sure it is well stuck down now, and tuck the edges over if they are sticking out. Place the piece of acrylic flat on your wooden bench peg. [it is worth noting at this point, that the wooden peg for jewellers has a sloped side and a flat side. I don't believe the sloped side should be used for piercing, as the material can never sit flat and the cut edge will be at an angle..so, use the flat side where possible]…slowly start to cut the material following the lines of the design.

When piercing, try and maintain the saw in a permanent upright position…the saw should only go up and down. To change direction, gently turn the PIECE as you are sawing {not the saw itself} with your other hand {which is always holding the piece to stop it moving with the force of the saw} Resist going too fast with the blade…take slow, easy strokes. This is good practice for any piercing excercise, but especially when working with plastic as the friction from the blade can make the plastic dust melt if you go too fast..jamming up the teeth and forcing the blade to break prematurely. {expect to go through lot’s of blades if you are a beginner…especially if sawing metal, so get plenty {they come in bundles of 12}}

Keep sawing around the edge of the design…concentrating on where the blade goes, and keeping a good smooth line….the less filing to tidy up the shape you have to do the better.

..soon, you will have the outline cut out!!

Use the dremel {or similar drill with a chuck that will accomodate a fine drill bit…0.8 is the best size for this}…to drill a pilot hole in any internal spaces you may want to remove. You can then undo the blade of your saw at one end, feeding it through the hole…and then re-tightening it.

[note: to tighten your saw, place one end of the blade -- teeth pointing down -- in the topmost clamp of the saw frame and tighten. Then rest the saw frame in the 'V' of your bench peg...handle facing your body, blade at the top. Press forward on the frame with your body {rest the handle on your breastbone} placing the free end of the blade in the bottom clamp, tightening it under this pressure. This will mean the blade is good and tight, and will give a clear 'ping' when plucked]

Continue to saw out the internal spaces…being careful when you reach any fine or delicate points.

One you have the silhouette fully cut out {that’s the hard part done!!}…you will notice some saw marks on the edge of the stag. How much work you want to put into removing these is up to you….it is possible to fully remove all sign of any work from the edge and restore it to a full shine {file, sand with wet and dry through all the grades of paper, finish the edge with the wet and dry paper and water, then polish the edge out with brasso}..but this will takes *hours*. I like to remove the obvious saw marks and then sand with a medium grit paper to take the edge to a smooth, yet frosted finish.

Use your needle file to smooth the files marks away…working in careful, long movements {a half round needle file is the most versitile}. Again, creating too much friction can clog the file {beyond repair} and cause the piece to break if it catches.

I then chose to frost the face of the acrylic {perfect too if the plastic you have is a little scratched}…place it down flat on a sheet of wet and dry paper on your work surface, and move it in smooth circular motions, checking every now and then if it is totally and evenly frosted. Using circular motions makes it easier to get an even finish and not remove material at one side more than the other which happens if you sand back and forth.

Now that the shape is fully finished, find a good point to hang the chain from. {you can buy the pre-bought chains from craft stores or jewellers, or buy a length of chain by the metre from a silver dealer…or have a look at the unusual chains you can get at the hardware store..powder coated brightly coloured ones for example…or even just use ribbon or cord}. Use the dremel to drill two small holes into the edge of the acrylic {this is why you want a 0.8mm drill bit — so it is fine enough to drill the sides without bursting out the face of the piece}…with the wire and the round nose pliers, form two small ‘U’ shaped pegs to fit the holes..and then glue them in to the holes with araldite.
[use the end of one of your broken saw blades to place a tiny bit of the glue into the hole]

If you are using sheet metal..simply drill a hole, and fasten two jump rings through it directly.

Then you can attach any chain, thread, cord or ribbon of choice….inserting a catch if you wanted {I made the chain long enough to just fit over the head…}. I used a medium weight silver belcher chain with oval links {which I buy by the meter}, because I had some and thought it went well with the size of the piece.

Now — Wear with glee and abandon!!! ;)

::: I would say this took me just under an hour from inception to completion {including finding and printing the image, and photographing all the steps}..but I would perhaps give yourself a couple of hours to complete this necklace if you are a beginner with a saw :::

** even if you don’t want to make a necklace…consider the techniques used here and how they could be used and adapted to make a great Christmas tree ornament, gift tag, place-setting etc!! Once you master the saw, the possibilities are endless! **

If looking to source some jewellery tools, have a look at this previous post on where to source tools and materials.

….also, see all the images in a larger size by viewing this photo-set on flickr…

{ 24 comments }

reader letters and link suggestions

by kath_red on November 28, 2006

in News+Letters

Amanda sent in some info about a charity drive she is organising. There is a link to where you can download a poster or brochure to help spread the word.

I am doing a knitting drive in Canada for our local women’s shelter. This is the third year and last year we collected over 150 scarves! Pretty fun. Anyhow, you can find out info about the drive here.

Patricia sent in this letter:

Hello!

I enjoy your blog very much and have just added it to my list of inspirational blogs to visit. The amount of interesting material you post is
amazing!! I also wanted to make you aware of my blog called Crafty Synergy. I interview artists of all sorts to learn a little more about them and what they do. I hope you have a chance to visit.

Kate sent in this letter and link to a fabric dyeing post.

I know y’all have mentioned art quilter Lisa Call’s blog once before, but you might want to feature her recent series on how she hand-dyes the fabric for her quilts, which has lots of photos and specific tips on materials and techniques. It starts with this post

And this sweet letter from Shelby

Hello, I’m a loyal reader of whip up and thank you very much for posting so well and so often. Your site provides daily inspiration for me and is a must read every morning. (A few months ago I sent you a link to an amazing quilter which you shared with you readers.) I’m a collage artist and craftswoman living in Charlottesville, Virginia and recently launched my web site. It’s www.shelbyfischer.com. When you get a chance, please check it out..would be honored to be featured on whip up!

Here is some of Shelby’s work and this taken from her website:

Collage is the way I convey the stories and the universe in my head, … After “painting” backgrounds with layers of assorted papers, I arrange the images to create a scene that breathes new meaning into the originals. Each piece is completed with rhinestones, glitter, and found objects.

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