Page 5     Jewelry Making with Beads and Wire -- What a Beginner Needs to Know

One of the most used skills in jewelry making is the skill of making a loop.  There are essentially two types of loops, the most basic or a "P" loop, and the "Eye" loop.  A "P" loop earned its name because it looks like the letter P.  Making the P loop is accomplished by grasping the jewelry wire near the end with your round nose pliers and twisting the pliers while gripping the wire firmly.  Continue to twist the pliers and with the pliers, the wire, until the end of the wire touches the wire tail.  You may need to reposition your grip on the wire to complete the P loop.  For detailed pictures and instructions in this technique visit our jewelry making instructions and pictures of how to make a "P" loop here. 

Once you understand how to make a P loop, you need to understand how to make the loop in different sizes.  This is really quite simple.  Grip the wire closer to the tips of your round nose pliers and you will make a smaller loop.  Grip the wire closer to the hinge in the pliers and you will make a larger loop.  As you become proficient in making loops, you will learn to grip the jewelry wire in the same location on your pliers to make the same size loop. 

Just like with chain nose pliers, the best round nose pliers will have small tips (1mm) and will taper out, becoming larger toward the hinge in the pliers. 

The next type of loop to learn in jewelry making is the eye loop.  Making an Eye loops begins by making a P loop as described above.  After you complete the P loop you grip the wire near the tips of your round nose pliers, at the point where the end of the wire touches the wire tail on the inside of the loop.  Then bend the wire back so that the wire tail is centered on the center of the loop.  Visit here for jewelry making instructions and pictures of how to convert a "P" Loop to an eye loop. 

 Most, but not all of the jewelry supplies shown here can be purchased in our WigJig store.  We try to have a complete selection of jewelry supplies in our store including chain, wire, glass beads, findings, watches, tools, etc.