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Step 16: Now we are ready to wrap this link in the chain closed as we did in step 10. Position both loops on your step jaw pliers as shown and using the thumb on your dominant hand push the wire up and over the wire component. Push with your thumb close to the pliers. Wrap the wire around about 2 full wraps. (Step 10 on page 3 has another view of this step after wrapping the wire.) Step 17: To complete this link in the chain, you need to remove the wire from your pliers, then cut the excess wire with your flush cutter, and finally squeeze the cut end of the wire flat. This process is identical to steps 11 and 12 shown on page 4. Step 18: Continue adding links to your chain as described in steps 13 through 17 until you have 8 links in the chain. At this point, your chain should look like the one shown below.
Step 19: To make this bracelet, you will need to do the exact
same steps starting with step 8 to make a second chain of 8 links.
These two chains form the two sides of your bracelet.
Step 20: The two 8 link chain segments are connected in the center by a large bead using the wrapped bead link and a segment of 3" of 22 gauge wire. Instructions for making this wrapped bead link can be found starting here. Step 21: The commercial clasp was connected to the opposite end of the chain using 1 1/2" of 22 gauge wire to make a figure 8 connector. Instructions for making a figure 8 connector can be found here. You may need to adjust the size of this bracelet by adding or removing one or more links before adding the clasp. This completes the Wrapped Jewelry Wire Chain Bracelet with Beads. You have many design alternatives that you can choose to make other interesting bracelets using this chain. For this bracelet, we wanted a simple look with one large bead. You could easily make a bracelet with two wrapped wire chain links and then a wrapped bead link, or with three wrapped wire chain links and then a wrapped bead link. You can also adapt this chain to make earrings. We suggest 3 or 4 links of wrapped wire chain connected to an ear wire on one end and to a bead via a head-pin on the other end. Hopefully, you will like this chain as much as we do. In the following pages we will describe a modification to this chain that is slightly less strong, but is plenty strong for use as a necklace, bracelet or earrings. |
