Beading for Beginners Jewelry Making
How to Attach Clasps
Learn an easy beginning beading technique: How to Attach Clasps. It's Beading for Beginners...Then,
How to String Beads. Use illustrated beginner jewelry making instructions!
Crimping Beading Wire
One way to attach clasps to bracelets and necklaces is to use crimp beads to crimp beading wire.
The beading technique used is called crimping.
It is one of many beading techniques used in bead stringing projects.
Follow these easy step-by-step Beading for Beginners Beading Basics jewelry making instructions to
make a perfect crimp every time.
Tutorial Category: Stringing Tutorials
Skill Level: Beginning Beading
Jewelry Making Supplies
- 2 crimp tube beads
- 2 crimp covers
- 1 jewelry clasp set
- length of beading wire
Jewelry Making Tools
- one pair crimping pliers
- one pair chain nose pliers
Beginner Jewelry Making Instructions
1. Gather supplies and tools.
2. For practice, cut a twelve inch length of beading wire.
When making a bracelet or necklace, always cut beading wire to equal the
length of a finished bracelet or necklace plus at least six inches. The
six inches allows room to maneuver the wire and to add a few more beads if
necessary. Most jewelry making instructions will tell you what length of beading
wire to cut.
3. About 1 1/2 inches from one end, make a bend in the beading wire.
4. String a crimp bead and one half of a clasp onto the same end of
the beading wire.
5. Thread the flexible beading wire back through the clasp's ring and
crimp bead, making a loop to hold the clasp.
6. With your non-dominant hand, pick up and hold the beading
wire and crimp bead with your index finger and thumb.
Try to make sure
that the wires are as parallel as possible (to allow the crimping pliers' notch
to go between them) and leave sufficient room between the clasp ring and the
crimp bead, allowing the clasp to move freely.
More Beading for Beginners How To...
7. With your dominant hand, pick up the crimping pliers.
Place the crimp bead into the notch closest to the pliers'
handle.
Try to ensure that the wires are separated and parallel
with one wire on each side of the notch.
8. Squeeze the pliers shut.
9. Place the crimped crimp bead into the notch closest to the
crimping pliers' tip.
10. Squeeze the pliers shut.
11. Folded crimp bead.
You're learning Beading for Beginners Beading Basics!
Hang in there...We're almost done.
12. Place folded crimp bead into crimp cover.
13. Place the crimp covered bead into the notch closest to the
crimping pliers' tip.
14. Squeeze the pliers shut.
Properly covered crimp bead.
Now you're ready to string beads (as instructed in a set of jewelry making
instructions).
More Beading for Beginners Beading Basics!
15. Perform steps 1 - 6.
With your dominant hand, pick
up the chain nose pliers. Place the crimp bead between the tips of the chain nose
pliers. Squeeze pliers shut to flatten the crimp bead.
16. Flattened the crimp bead.
Some beaders will stop here and
to finish off bracelet and necklace ends, but I do not. A flattened crimp bead
is not as secure as a fully crimped crimp bead. When stress is placed of the
jewelry piece (say if it gets caught on something) it can come undone.
Stop here when making earrings with beading wire.
You'll place
an earring wire where you have the clasp.
17. To better secure a flattened crimp, simply crimp it.
Place the flattened crimp bead into the notch closest to the pliers'
handle.
18. Squeeze the pliers shut.
19. Now, simply complete steps 9 - 14.
Now you have a very secure crimp. Use the flatten first, then crimp
method when you're crimping heavy beads.
The flattening, then folding
process ensures that there are no empty spaces in the crimped crimp bead. Extra
space can lead to the beading wire slipping from the crimped bead over time.
That's it. You're done!
Guess what? You're learning how to make bead jewelry! Now, use this beading technique
to make a necklace. Learn
how to string beads!
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