WigJig Beads & Jewelry Making Newsletter for 3/13/2006

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 necklaces shown here.  These necklaces were originally made as a gift to a radio personality in the Washington, DC area who had requested beaded necklaces as his going away gift from his fans.  He wanted something similar to the beads that he had worn in his youth.  He called the necklaces he wanted "hippy beads".  As it turned out these necklaces weren't what the radio personality wanted, but they looked nice, so we are publishing directions on how to make them.  The beads used here are black onyx, red jasper, honey jade, green adventurine and red agate. 

The one unique feature about these necklaces is the way the clasps are attached.  These clasps were attached using end cone or end caps as shown at left.  The end caps covered the crimp beads and made the finished product a little more professional looking.  The clasps on the necklaces shown above are 6mm magnetic clasps to go with the 6mm beads in the necklaces.  We have these end cones on order and anticipate having them for sale in 3-4 weeks.  We will post a note in our newsletter when they are available. 

To view our instructions for how to make this jewelry item please select here or select any picture above.  We hope that you like these necklaces.  We liked them enough that after we gave them away, we had to order more materials so that we could make a second set for ourselves.   
 

Jewelry Technique:

 

This weeks jewelry making technique is a discussion on how to make a multi-strand necklace.  There are many ways to make a multi-strand necklace or bracelet.  One of the more simple ways is to make the 2:1 wire component shown on the left in the above bracelet.  This component allows you to connect two individual strands of a necklace to a single clasp.  Select the picture above to navigate to instructions on how to make this 2:1 wire component.

Another approach for making a multi-strand necklace is to use a multi-strand clasp.  These clasps have two or more separated loops for attaching each individual strand in your necklace.  The clasp shown at right is obviously made for a two strand necklace.  We have similar clasps for making 3 strand or 5 strand necklaces.  Select the picture at right to view our selection of multi-strand clasps. 

When making multi-strand necklaces, you can consider using spacer bars to maintain the separation of the strands.  You can also use a three hole spacer bar to act as the 2:1 wire component we discussed above.  We have 2 hole, 3 hole, 4 hole and 5 hole spacer bars in both silver-tone metal and gold-tone metal.  If the effect that you are trying to achieve is individual strands of beads separated by a consistent distance, the spacer bar can help.  Please select the picture at left to view our selection of spacer bars. 

A final way of making a multi-strand necklace is to combine, or twist the strands together.  In this approach, all of the strands are connected to the same two end points.  In most cases, for this approach to a multi-strand necklace you would use the same type of clasp as you would use for a single strand necklace and each individual strand would be connected to the loop in the clasp.  Please select the picture at right to view some of this type of multi-strand necklace. 

Nostalgia Corner:
This weeks featured design in our Nostalgia Corner is the design for the Deluxe Duplex Earrings shown here.    These earrings are made to match the Deluxe Duplex Bracelet shown above in the techniques section.  The wire components used here are a slightly smaller versions of the wire components used for the bracelet.  The wire component for the bracelet is made on the diagonal pattern on the WigJig Olympus Lite or Olympus, or could be made in almost exactly the same size using the horizontal/vertical pattern of the WigJig Delphi or Centaur.  The earrings components were made on the diagonal pattern on the WigJig Delphi or Centaur and are therefore slightly smaller and more delicate.  Please view the pattern below.  The figure on the left is the size of the component made for the pearl Deluxe Duplex Bracelet shown above in our techniques section.  The wire component on the right below is the size of the component used for the earrings.  This is a simple example of how to scale a wire component, making an identical design in two different sizes.  Please note also that while the wire component on the left is the size of the bracelet component made above, the bracelet component was made on the diagonal of the WigJig Olympus or Olympus Lite.  The diagonal of the Olympus produces designs that are the same size as the horizontal and vertical of the WigJig Delphi and Centaur. 

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 waive the shipping charge on orders over $60 shipped within the US (as long as these orders remain over $60).  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 2,200 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. 

SHIPPING WAIVED 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: 3/13/2006