Oval Links Jewelry Wire & Beads Bracelet Jewelry Making Project -- Page 3

Step 8:  While holding the wire tightly against peg 2, wrap the wire completely around peg 1 as shown at right. 

Step 9:  Remove the wire from the jig.  Using your flush cutter, cut the excess wire.  Using your bent chain nose pliers, close the final loop.  You will probably find that the wire doesn't want to stay in the shape shown at left.  To help the wire remain in this position, you can remove the two regular metal pegs, peg 1 and 3 and position the wire component back on peg 2, the Super Peg.  Shape the wire component by squeezing it against the Super Peg using just your fingers. 

Step 10:  Now we need to add the center wire and the beads to our oval link.  This center wire is important structurally as it provides longitudinal strength to the oval link so that it won't be pulled out of shape.  The first step in adding this center wire is to make a wrapped loop and connect that wrapped loop to the wire where it crosses before the loop made on peg 3.  Start by cutting a 2" segment of 22 or 24 gauge wire (preferably 1/2 hard.) When making your wrapped loop, make a relatively large loop because it has to go around two thicknesses of wire.  After completing your wrapped loop, wrap it closed with about two wraps of wire and cut the excess wire.  Squeeze the cut end of the wire flat using your bent chain nose pliers. At this point your wire component should appear as shown above-right.

Step 11:   Add first one size 6 seed beads and then your 6mm crystal bead, followed by one more size 6 seed bead. 

Step 12:  Slide the beads all the way down until they rest against the wrapped loop you made in step 10 and then grasp the wire above the beads with your bent chain nose pliers.  Bend the wire 90 degrees as shown at left.  In the picture at left, the oval link is laying flat on the table and the center wire is bent so that it is pointing up and away from the table.  Your goal is that, with the center wire pulled away from the wrapped loop, the 90 degree bend will happen just prior to the loops made in the oval link on peg 1. 

Step 13:  Using your round nose pliers, grasp the center wire as close to the 90 degree bend as you can and bend the wire 180 degrees.  Insert the end of the wire into the loops made on peg 1.  At this point, your wire should appear as shown at right. 

These instructions continue on the next page.