Are You a Lover of Beaded Learning?

I am knee deep in making plans for my 2014 teaching schedule. As I create new samples and design projects that will demonstrate techniques, I'm always wondering to myself "what do students really want to be learning?"

I have never met a beader yet that wasn't interested in learning something new.

Be they students, random shoppers in a local bead store or commenters on a blog, everyone has something they are aspiring to know how to do someday. I hear/read excited "OH, I wanna learn that someday" sentiments all the time! We are all constantly evolving our styles, eagerly devouring new techniques, and seeking knowledge of how the next cool trick might make our beading lives even better.

Right? Right.

So, I thought that it would be great to open up the comments today to a discussion about LEARNING! I think it would be a great insight for instructors as they design their class proposals, and cool for students too. Maybe someone else is excited to learn something you didn't even know existed!

Here are a few questions to get you started commenting...

• What is your dream class... what would have you in your car or on a plane and into a classroom in a heartbeat? 
• Do you like learning techniques or would you rather leave your class with a finished project to show off?
• Retreats vs. Big Bead Shows... which do you prefer?
• What technique is on your list as a must-learn? Bead weaving, stringing, wire working, metalsmithing, lampworking, polymer clay, ceramics, etc... what's next on your list?
• What jewelry designer or bead artist do you wish would start teaching?

I look forward to reading your thoughts!! Start sharing!!

Color Wire Tips

I <3 Colored Wire! 

I'm guessing you already knew that though! Spend any amount of time looking at my work and it's pretty obvious that I love the stuff. It allows me to add extra layers of color to my work and as a color lover, I don't know how I ever got along without it before I found it. 

There are some tricks to using it successfully, though, no matter what brand you choose to use! Here are a few of my tried and true tips:

• Friction and colored wires don't mix. So, use it as part of a wire link but not as the link itself. For example, you could make a coiled cage for a bead with colored wire, but then use another metal to link together the beads with wrapped loops. 
• It's durable but not indestructible. Avoid using it for clasps as the friction when it comes in contact with the catch for the clasp can cause the colored surface to wear away.
• It works GREAT coiled but, I wouldn't use it as a core wire. I like to stick to using it to cover a core wire. For example, I like to make a coil of color, slide it onto a silver core wire, and then bend into shapes. Keep in mind, if using it as part of a bangle, you don't want beads sliding back and forth across the surface of it. 
• It makes fun headpins and dangles and bail wires for your art beads. You can even hammer it! Keep your hammer strikes straight up and down, don't drag the hammer head when you hit the wire and it will flatten nicely. Be careful not to over flatten it though. 
• Yes, you can tumble it!! Like other wires, you might find yourself needing to work harden it. You can tumble it in a rotary tumbler with stainless steel shot and cleaning liquid without damaging the surface. 

Keep these few tips and tricks in mind when adding colored wire to your work and it's sure to work great! Pop over to the Art Bead Scene Facebook page and share your colored wire creations with our followers! And if you are wondering what brand of colored wire I use, it's always Parawire for me. 

Until Next Time Wire Tutorial

I recently ran my first eCourse devoted to wire working, Aspire to WIRE. On the last day of class, I shared this tutorial as a how-to solution to show off the hole side of a disc bead. I thought y'all would like to try it out too.

One of my tips... sometimes your hands are the best tool when making handcrafted jewelry. Go figure!

Tools - 
wire cutters
mandrel

Materials - 
18g round dead soft silver wire
22g round dead soft silver wire
1 lampwork disc bead (or other art bead) you want to show off the hole side of

Instructions - 

One of the cool things about this pendant is that you need hardly any tools to make it. A round object the size of a pen, wire cutters, and your bare hands are all that are needed. And it takes just FIVE simple steps. This will work with any size disc bead and would even work with other shaped beads. You'll need to start with a piece of 18g silver wire that is 8" (20cm) long. Fold it about 3" (7.5cm) from one end and slide your bead onto the wire. Pinch the wire so that it hugs tight to the bead. 

Wrap the shorter length of wire around the longer one as you would for a wrapped loop. Trim the excess wrapping wire. 

Tightly coil 22g wire around the remaining wire until 3" (7.5cm) is covered in coil. Trim the coil wire ends and butt the coil up close to the wraps made in the previous step.

Wrap the coiled wire around a mandrel and treat it like a wrapped loop. Simply wrap the coiled wire around those starter wraps. You should have an area of the coiled wire that is bare core wire. Wrap that once around the link too. And then trim your excess wire.

And there you have it... a great bail for a disc bead that shows off the hole side of the bead! Pretty sweet, wouldn't you say? You can slip it onto a beautiful sterling chain or a strand of silk cording.

Please note: This tutorial is intended for personal use only. Please do not sell or distribute this as your own. You may sell work created with this tutorial, however, I ask that you please note on your product listing "Project Designed by Kerry Bogert".

My Bookshelf - Metal & Wire Book Reviews

Here are three book reviews using metal to create jewelry.  While they are in serious need of some art beads sprinkled in the pages - they do offer great techniques and are all worth a look if you haven't picked them up already. 

Metal Style: 20 Jewelry Designs with Cold Join Techniques - I think I would get this book for the cover project alone.  What I love about the project is after looking over the directions I realized - hey I could actually make this.  I know how to do each of these techniques!  And what is covered in the book?  20 awesome cold connection projects (meaning no flames or soldering) from some of today's top metal and wire instructors.  The project range from organic and earthy to modern to completely whimsical with found objects.  If you haven't jumped into metal work this book covers lot of the basics with great photos and a thorough technique section.

Steel Wire Jewelry by Brenda Schweder - This books offers modern designs using this inexpensive hardware wire.  The designs look like they belong in a high end gallery, yet the author provides techniques that a beginner can grapple. The book starts out with a handy guide to using steel wire and great step-by-step directions and photos showing the basic building blocks used throughout the book.

My favorite projects are the chains, I would throw in some art beads in the mix for some artsy inspired pieces.  I picked up a few spools of steel wire this summer after reading the book and have enjoyed adding the blackened silver wire work to my designs.  Visit Brenda's Etsy shop for wire and tools.

Chains Chains Chains by Jaonna Gollbery and Nathalie Mornu - This a fun and inspiring book covering 25 chains from various artists with designs ranging from wire work to metalsmithing.  Some of the projects require a soldering set up, but there are enough designs in here featuring wire work and cold connection projects that I think someone who plays with mostly beads would find this a nice addition to their jewelry bookshelf.  The projects themselves are all metal, but it is easy to imagine a glass or clay bead as the focal for many of the chains used in the book and what a great way to showcase some of your favorite beads.  What I love about this book is the way it breaks down the designs and really expands how I think about jewelry construction.  Even complex looking projects are made accessible. 


But if you can only get one metalworking book, my all time favorite is Metalworking 101 for Beaders by Candie Cooper. She mixes in beads with basic metal techniques in creative designs.  If it's not already on you bookshelf - I suggest getting this one first!

Disclosure: the books were provided by the publishers for review.  Affiliate links to the books are provided.

Garden Gate Clasp Tutorial

Create a wire hook and eye clasp to use with a multi-strand design.  I think this would look great on a bracelet with some floral inspired art beads.  Ah, spring - so glad you are here!

Supplies:

9" 18 gauge half hard sterling silver wire

4" 22 gauge copper wire

Tools: Round and chain nose pliers, flush wire cutters, chasing hammer, bench block

Directions:

1. Cut the silver wire into two 4.5" lengths.  Bend the wires around a tube of beads (or a Sharpie Marker), form into two circles. 

2. Use your fingers to bend and form one circle into a slightly oval shape, a little thinner than the circle.  This part of the clasp will need to fit inside the circle. 

3. Create spirals on the end of wires with round nose pliers, keeping the spirals as uniform as possible.

4. Hammer the ends of the spirals with the chasing hammer on a bench block.  Hammer the circle on the round clasp and the end of the oval.  Don't hammer on the part of the wires that crosses over each other. 

5. With the chain nose pliers, bend the oval clasp section in half to form the hook.

6. Cut the copper wire into two 2" lengths and wrap around the center of the clasps.

The last two photos show the clasp in it's natural state and antiqued with liver of sulphur.

Designers note: Use brass or copper wire to practice this design before trying it in silver wire.