Page 7      Making Loops in Jewelry Wire Jewelry Making Technique

Making an open loop bead dangle is another technique for making an eye loop in the end of a wire component.  This technique is frequently used when making a bead dangle to hang beads from earrings or necklace components.  The open loop is not as strong a way to make a bead dangle (shown at left) as the "wrapped loop" technique that we will discuss later, but this technique is totally appropriate for applications like earrings where there won't be significant weight or force applied to the loop. 

Step 1:  Insert your head pin or wire component through your beads and grasp the wire immediately above your beads with your bent chain nose pliers as shown at right.  Use the tips of your pliers as you will want to minimize the amount of wire above the beads.  This technique is easier to accomplish in a more consistent manner when using 1/2 hard wire.

Step 2:  Using your thumb push the wire over about 90 degrees.  Push the wire with your thumb as close to your pliers as possible so that you get a crisp bend (as opposed to a rounded bend.)

Step 3:  Using your round nose pliers grasp the wire on the horizontal segment, but as close to the bend as possible.  See the picture at right for the orientation of your pliers relative to the bend.  Grasp the wire in roughly the middle of your round nose pliers according to the size of the loop that you want to make. 

Step 4:  Using your thumb, push the wire up and over the upper jaw in your round nose pliers.  Again, push the wire with your thumb as close to the pliers as possible. 

Step 5:  In order to complete the loop you will have to re-orientate the wire in your pliers otherwise the lower jaw of your pliers will prevent you from completing the loop.