WigJig Newsletter 031012 on Jewelry making, Jewelry Supplies, Beads and Wire

FREE DESIGN:
With every newsletter we provide a free design from WigJig University to spur the creative juices. This newsletter's we are providing two free designs. The first is the design for pumpkins shown at right. This design is hopefully in time for Halloween. The second free design is Victorian Rain by Karen Ray. This necklace is too large to show in a small picture here, but it is worth viewing. Check out Victorian Rain here.

Pumpkins

Victorian Rain

Tip of the week:
During the past week, I received several e-mails from people who were having problems making consistent wrapped loops. This is an important skill for making many of the jewelry pieces shown in WigJig University both in the wrapped bead link shown at right and in making a bead dangle on a head-pin. Basic instructions for this technique are provided here. The following paragraphs provide a few tips that I hope will help those who aren't satisfied with their wrapped loops.

1. 22G or 24G wire are easier to use in making wrapped loops than 18G or 20G. In addition, while you should practice this skill with inexpensive copper wire, you will find that soft wire, like copper practice wire, is harder to use in making wrapped loops.

2. When you are trying to perfect this technique, use larger loops. It is easier to be successful when making a wrapped loop when the loop is larger.

3. Try to keep the wire tail that you are wrapping perpendicular to the wire inside the bead as you wrap. When the wire gets at an angle to the wire inside the bead, you will notice gaps between the wraps.

4. When wrapping, it is best to hold the loop that you make with chain nose or bent chain nose pliers while you wrap the wire. This helps to retain the shape of the loop (keeps it from distorting out of round) and helps to stabilize the piece as you wrap.

5. As you are learning this skill allow yourself more wire in the wire tail that you wrap around the wire segment inside the bead. Instead of starting with a bend 1 inch from the end, make the initial bend 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 inch from the end of the wire. This will mean that you cut off more excess wire, but while you are perfecting this skill, you will find it easier if you have a little more wire to work with.

6. One final thing to try is to push the wire tail that you are wrapping close to the wire you are wrapping around. This may make it easier to control the wrap and help to keep the wire perpendicular.

I hope some of these tips will help.

Wrapped Loop

Announcements:
Vacation Celebration. During the past two weeks we had four winners in the Vacation Celebration. Please congratulate Tammy Aycock, Shirley Bowen-Lambert, Jessica Lloyd, and Paul Wasnetsky for winning vacations. Please view the bottom of our WigJig Home Page to see our Vacation Celebration banner. Select this banner to enter the contest to win a free vacation for yourself.

Online Books. If you are looking for new and interesting projects -- try one of our Online Books. Our most detailed jewelry making instructions are for sale online. Please select here to view our selection of online books. This week our new online book "Wire Design Basics Book 2" is on sale for 20% off.

Shipping Policy. We ship all retail orders over $60 for free within the US. For International orders we ship via FED EX International and charge $34.95 (our average cost) for this expedited shipping service. Please select here to view our entire shipping policy.

WigJig University. We provide Over 1,400 pages of free information, tips, techniques and free designs in WigJig University. We encourage everyone to view this information as a source for new ideas, projects, or a way to learn new techniques. We now have a page in WigJig University that shows you designs by type of WigJig tool. Please select here to view that information.

International Vendors. We do have vendors who sell our WigJig products outside the US. We encourage customers to contact these vendors in their home country. Please select here to view our list of overseas vendors.

Classes. We are still working to develop web pages showing who has classes where. If you are interested in classes, please select here. If you know someone who has classes in using our WigJig tools, please ask them to send us an e-mail so that we can include them in these pages. Please send the e-mails to custsrv@wigjig.com.

This WigJig jewelry making newsletter is provided as part of WigJig University. We try to provide interesting jewelry projects using beads, jewelry wire and other jewelry supplies. We hope that these pictures will provide you enough information for you to complete this project. Some of the skills and jewelry making techniques have not been discussed here. For beginners, we suggest that you visit our Beginners Start Here pages. These pages discuss the skills necessary for making jewelry in the detail that beginners need. We also suggest that beginners to jewelry making might need to visit the WigJig University College of Jewelry Making Techniques for additional information about some of the skills and techniques shown.

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.

6mm Swarovski Square Black Diamond Beads	4mm Round Swarovski Indicolite 25 faceted beads
Standard Bead Crimping Pliers	Chinese Turquoise Stone Chips
Sterling Silver Oval Curb Chain - Fine	24G Artistic Wire Natural Silver