WigJig Newsletter 050213 on Jewelry making, Jewelry Supplies, Beads and Wire

Free Jewelry Design:
With every newsletter we provide a new jewelry design from WigJig University to spur the creative juices. The new design for this newsletter is the design for the shoulder duster earrings shown at right. We have instructions for making four different styles of these earrings as well as a modification to our prior design for chandelier earrings. You can view our instructions for making these longer earrings by selecting either the picture or the text at right. We think that these earring designs will get noticed. These designs are advanced beginners projects. They aren't difficult to make, but aren't the right project for a beginner.

Shoulder Duster Earrings

Past Techniques:
We maintain a techniques web page that provides links to the discussion of techniques in our prior newsletters. You can visit this web page here. Follow the links on that page to the discussion of the technique in that newsletter.

Jewelry Technique:
This weeks jewelry technique is two new pages on common mistakes and a review of the techniques for using a jewelry making jig. These new pages have been added as pages 30, 31 and 32 to our Beginner's Instructions. In these pages we talk about the following very important techniques for making wire components on a WigJig or other jewelry making jig:

1. Start by straightening the wire.
2. Use only those pegs that you need at that instant. Add pegs as you go.
3. Push the wire with your fingers as close to the pegs as possible. In general use your dominant hand to guide and hold the wire will you move the jig with your non-dominant hand.
4. Making wire components on a jig is a series of the following steps -- Push the wire just past where you want it to end up and remove your fingers. Check to see if the wire relaxes back to where you want it to stay. Push some more and check again if necessary.
5. For many wire components, the finished piece will be flatter and more symmetrical if you flip the piece over as you work whenever the wire changes sides on the piece. You might need to do this only one, or it may be necessary several times according to the component you are making.
6. Learn to recognize the "strong axis" and "weak axis" of the wire components that you make. When making bracelets and necklaces incorporate the strong axis in the necklace or bracelet.
7. Harden the piece and set the design after removing the wire from the jig and cutting any excess wire. Use nylon jaw pliers, the wacketdown, or for pieces with only one layer of wire you can use a nylon hammer, leather mallet, or metal chasing hammer according to the finished look you desire.
8. After hardening the wire component, use "hand finishing" to gently shape your finished piece to be as symmetrical and esthetically pleasing as possible. Bend the wire with your fingers so that it looks as good as possible.

Please visit pages 30, 31 and 32 to our Beginner's Instructions to view this new information.

Common Mistakes

We are continuing to improve our newsletter, so please feel free to provide feedback at custsrv@wigjig.com.

Announcements:
Online Books. If you are looking for new and interesting jewelry projects -- try one of our Online Books. Our most detailed 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.

Shipping Policy. We ship all retail orders over $60 for free within the US. For International orders we ship via UPS international service 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 2,000 web pages of free information, tips, techniques and free jewelry making 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. We are also happy to sell our WigJig tools to stores. Please send us an e-mail if you are interested in selling our WigJig tools.

Classes. We have a listing of various jewelry-making classes using our WigJig tools that are offered by bead stores throughout the country. 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 at custsrv@wigjig.com so that we can include them in these pages.

FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS OVER $60.00 SHIPPED to USA - Customer Care - WigJig, PO Box 5124, Gaithersburg, MD 20882; (800) 579-WIRE (phone), (240) 597-2262 (fax), custsrv@wigjig.com (email). Privacy Policy. All content on this web site including jewelry and wire designs are copyrighted by WigJig. WigJig is a registered trademark. Last modified: January 11, 2008

WigJig Jewelry Making Tools, Beads and Jewelry Supplies Home
See our selection of beads, wire supplies and jewelry tools.

View Prior Newsletters

2003

01/11/2004 01/25/2004 02/15/2004 02/29/2004 03/14/2004 03/28/2004

04/05/2004 04/11/2004 04/25/2004 05/09/2004 05/30/2004 6/13/2004

6/27/2004 7/11/2004 7/25/2004 08/08/2004 08/22/2004 09/05/2004

09/19/2004 10/03/2004 10/17/2004 11/01/2004 11/14/2004 11/28/2004

12/12/2004 12/26/2004 01/09/2005 01/23/2005

WigJig Jewelry Making Newsletter

6mm Round Swarovski Topaz Beads	Swarovski 6mm Bicone Jet Beads
Swarovski Round 25 Facet 4mm Montana Beads	Gold Filled Lever Back Ear Clip
Pin Vise	20 Gauge Artistic Wire Natural Silver Silver-plate

WigJig Jewelry Making Newsletter for 02/13/2005