WigJig Newsletter for 3/28/2004

If you are unable to view all the pictures in this newsletter you can always view the entire newsletter at:  http://www.wigjig.com/newitems/. 

ON SALE:
We update the jewelry supplies we have "On Sale" with every newsletter.  A small sample of the products we currently have for sale at a discount are shown below.  Please click on any of the text below the pictures to view our entire list of sale items.  Quantities are limited for these items so please shop early.  This sale will be effective through April 8, 2004. 

 


Fine Step Jaw Pliers
Yes they are finally back in stock!

Sterling Silver Ear Wire with Ball
 

Sterling Silver Ear Clip with Shell
 

6mm Swarovski Square Amethyst Beads
 

8x11mm Oval Aqua Silver Lined Beads
 

20g Artistic Wire Natural Silver Non-Tarnish Silverplate wire
 

Braided Wire Jewelry

Jewelry Making Technique:
This week's jewelry making technique is how to make a 30 inch beaded endless necklace.  This is a necklace that is long enough that it does not need a clasp.  There are two basic techniques for making a necklace that are described in WigJig University - College of Jewelry Making Designs -- the first is a necklace made with jewelry wire and beads and the second is a necklace made of Soft Flex or other bead stringing wire.  The following paragraphs will discuss these two approaches. 

For a necklace made with jewelry wire and beads, links are added to the necklace using the wrapped bead link described here.  Each link connects to the links on either side by the wrapped loop on either end of the bead.  Making a continuous or endless necklace is rather easy in this style of necklace.  Once you have completed 30 inches of necklace instead of connecting the last link on each side to a clasp, you just connect them to one another and wrap the loops closed.

For a necklace made with Soft Flex or other jewelry stringing wire, the technique for making an endless or continuous necklace is not as obvious.  The way this is done is to string your beads onto about 32 to 34 inches of your jewelry stringing wire.  To close this necklace, add a crimp bead to one end of the wire.  Then thread both ends of the jewelry stringing wire through the first several beads and crimp beads on the opposite end.  This should leave at least an inch of wire sticking out between the beads on both sides.  Pull these ends to close the necklace, making it one continuous loop.  At this point you use your crimping pliers to squeeze the crimp bead closed.  Instructions for doing this can be found here.  Finally you need to cut the both ends of the jewelry stringing wire.  Once both ends are cut, you have a completed necklace.  Please remember that special cutters are required for jewelry stringing wire, as this wire is made of steel and will damage jewelry wire cutters which are made for gold, sterling-silver, copper, brass and/or gold-filled wire. 

Announcements:
Online Books.  If you are looking for new and interesting jewelry making 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.  These books are delivered over the Internet and there are no shipping costs on an order with just online books.  This week, our Wire Design Basics Book 2 online book 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 1,500 web pages of free information, tips, techniques and free jewelry 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 our designs by sorted by the WigJig tool used to make them.  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 jewelry making 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. 

 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.