Vintaj 100% Natural Brass findings, filigree, beads, charms and chain.

They are not antique plated or chemically treated and are nickel-free;

with  a rich, distinctive colour identical to vintage brass and have intricate detail,

fine-lined etching, and bold raised relief designs.

http://www.vintaj.com/

http://www.vintaj.com/wpblogInternational suppliers:

http://www.vintaj.com/retail.asp

Jewellerymaking techniques:

http://www.vintaj.com/tips_techniques.asp

Crimp covers come in various sizes from 3mm to 5mm. 1/ Add a crimp bead to fit the desired cord/wire.

2/ Use crimp pliers to close up crimp bead in usual 2 step procedure

 (use inside jaws first,then fold crimp using front jaws to get crimp as compact as you can).

3/ Place crimp cover in front jaws of crimp pliers with the opening facing forwards.

4/ Place crimp cover over the folded crimp bead on your cord/wire and press gently with crimp pliers to close opening. 

5/ Your crimp covers should now be tidy and round with only a fine slit visible when close up (as shown on the right side of the pearl bead).

 Where to buy crimp covers online: 

UK

Crimp covers at eBay.co.uk

Palmer metals.co.uk Sterling Silver Crimp Covers

Princess Jewellery Findings UK               Sterling silver & gold filled

Silver Moon Beads.com UK                        Sterling silver & silver plated

crimp covers at CJ Beaders.co.ukGold plated, sterling silver ,silver plated, copper, fancy finish

Crimp Covers at Spellbound Beads UK    Gold plated, sterling silver & silver plated

EJR Beads.co.uk      Sterling silver & copper

thebeadstore.co.uk            Copper, G/p & s/p

Just Beads.co.uk     Sterling silver, gold filled, g/p & s/p

Spoiltrottenbeads.co.uk    Sterling silver, gold filled & S/P

The Bead Shop.co.uk          G/p, S/p, Copper plated, Black plated

Beadaddict.co.uk    Sterling silver, gold filled & copper

Beadsunlimited.co.uk         Sterling silver, s/p & g/p

Crimps Clasps – Beadsisters UK   G/p, s/p & copper

Bluestreak Beads       S/p

World of Beads                 G/p & S/p

AUS & NZ

Polymerclay.com.au Australia     Sterling silver, ant copper, ant gold, ant silver, black plated, copper plated, g/p, s/p, gold filled.

AJMS.co.nz    G/p, S/p

 USA

Crimp covers on eBay.com

Land of odds.com USA       ***All types of crimp cover

Crimp covers at TheFind.com  USA ***

Charmfactory.com USA     Sterling silver & gold filled

You’ve GOT to be Beading.com USA        G/f, Sterling silver & copper

Auntie’s Beads.com USA    Sterling silver & gold filled

Bluesage Beads.com USA  Sterling silver, gold filled & copper

Abeadstore.com USA Sterling silver & copper

Artbeads.com USA  Sterling silver, gold filled & copper

JewelrySupply.com USA    S/s, g/p, s/p, g/f, ant brass, ant copper, gunmetal

Inmcrystal.com USA          S/s, G/f, g/p

Brightlingsbeads.com USA            S/s & G/f

 Good Viking Knit Tutorial Links

Check out the list of informative links below, 24 to 26 gauge soft wire seems to be the most popular type used. 

Viking knit chain/trichinopoly history

http://www.fineartbyrocio.com/vikingknitdirections.html

http://www.janra-jewelry-designs.com/viking-knitting.html

Viking Chain Knitting

Viking Chain Knitting Page 2

Viking Chain Knitting Page 3

Viking Chain Knitting Page 4

Viking Chain Knitting Page 5

Perfect Finish – Free Projects – Beading Daily

(You’ll need to register with Beading Daily) 

 Viking Knit Chain Video’s

YouTube – Viking Knit Chain Making

http://www.diynetwork.com/cr/cda/playerex/1,1979,DIY_45263,00.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iS6Y8Uz-Uo

Copper Clay Suppliers

Copper clay is very new and seems to be only available in US, Australia and New Zealand at the moment. Copper Clay comes in 100gm packs.

Both Copper and Bronze clay comes in powder form.

Metal Adventures, the company who brought you BronzClay, will be bringing out a copper clay version.

 Watch this video clip for more info: 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPER4UJvbmo

Here are the links where you can buy copper clay in powder form:

The Eclectic Studio – Australia

Hadar Jacobson – US http://www.artinsilver.com/blog)

http://www.silverclaycanada.com/ (soon to bring out copper clay in Canada)

 Check out these links for more info:

http://cs.artjewelrymag.com/artcs/blogs/artjewelry/2009/02/18/we-know-you-love-bronze-clay-but-have-you-tried-copper-clay-yet.aspx

http://dailyartmuse.com/?p=9720

http://gaillannum.blogspot.com/2009/02/did-someone-saycopper-metal-clay.html

http://gaillannum.blogspot.com/2009/02/more-on-copper-metal-clay.html

                                                                                                                                                                                        This weeks feature is on Beadwork: find all about beadwork weaves

and stitches from Emma Warrillow, an Australian living in England

and has been beading for many years; as well as beadwork she has

dabbled in wirework and bead stringing.

Visit her Website/blog:   http://glitterglowbeading.com/

 Gallery: http://glitterglowbeading.com/?page_id=389

Learn how to do netted beadwork, peyote stitch, brick, herringbone as well as

right and left angled weaves, (scroll down the page to ‘Learn Beadwork Links’ )  

http://www.squidoo.com/learnbeadwork

 Free Beading Tutorials          http://glitterglowbeading.com/?page_id=380

Beading Forums and Groups      

http://glitterglowbeading.com/?page_id=385

 Beading Book Authors and Their Books     

http://glitterglowbeading.com/?page_id=378

This weeks feature is on Polymer Clay; find all about Polymer Clay Bead Making withTips, Pics and Tutorials by Cindy Lietz from Canada.

Visit her blog :http://www.polymerclaytutor.com
Polymer Clay Bead Making Tips, Pics and Tutorials by Cindy
Lietz… “I learned by making the mistakes… Now you don’t
have to.”

Visit her Website below:
By subscribing to Cindy Lietz’s email newsletter at
http://www.beadsandbeading.com/ you will receive 3 free polymer clay bead making videos plus weekly color recipe cards.

A handy list of chainmaile and wire wrapping resources from Longcanyon.com

 Includes how to make jump rings, recommended ring sizes for chainmaile weaves, aspect ratio of jump rings, and wire gauge charts.  

Longcanyon.com/Resources

Learn to use Metal Clay, FREE, online!

by Elaine Luther

This is your guide to learning to create with Precious Metal Clay online, 100% for free. I’ve searched the web for the best of free videos and how-tos, and even more importantly, I’m presenting them to you here in a logical order.

The internet is full of free information, but when you’re a beginner, how do you know how to harness that information?

I was inspired to create this tutorial by the concept of a web quest, a teaching tool.

According to WebQuest.org, “a WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web.”

In this web adventure, I present excellent resources on beginning to work with metal clay, in a logical order. Let’s get started!

Tools You Need

Supplies for Beginning Working with Metal Clay
http://creativetexturetools.com/news

Top Ten Tools for Metal Clay
http://www.Squidoo.com/PMCtopten

Precious Metal Clay, Getting Started and Beyond
http://www.squidoo.com/allthingsmetalclay

How to Work the Clay

Videos from Art Jewelry Magazine: MUST BE A REGISTERED USER, registration is free
Metal Clay
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/ART

Repairing a Break In Metal Clay
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art

Making Metal Clay Paste
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art

Texturing Metal Clay
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art

More on textures
http://www.squidoo.com/metal-clay-textures

Rolling & Cutting Metal Clay
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art

Liver of Sulfur Patina
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art

Making Lavender-Oil Paste For Metal Clay
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art

Firing Metal Clay with a Handheld Butane Torch

Getting Started with PMC pdf, PMC Guild.com
http://www.pmcguild.com/gettingstarted/gettingstarted.html

Video Clips
http://www.pmcguild.com/gettingstarted/video_clips.html

Rolling Coils
http://creativetexturetools.com/news

Choosing Combustible Cores
http://creativetexturetools.com/news

Relatively Simple First Project:
http://pugetsoundmetalclay.com/shellpendant.htm

Rehydrating Dryish Clay
http://creativetexturetools.com/news

Reconstituting Metal Clay
http://langeestla.canalblog.com

http://www.silverclayart.com/reclaim_clay.htm

Add gold foil using Keum boo
http://alienorbijoux.canalblog.com
and
http://www.pmcconnection.com/pdf/KUMBOO.pdf

Stone setting

Overview of choices
http://www.creativetexturetools.com/resources

Using tabbed bezel wire from Metal Clay Findings
http://www.metalclayfindings.com/pdfs/bezelwirehowto.pdf

Embed prong setting, fire in place, set stone after firing

(free pdf project at Art Jewelry)
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art

Setting Stone using a recessed bezel cup
http://pugetsoundmetalclay.com/bookofkells.htm

Stone setting using a plaster plug and making your own fine silver bezel wire (can be made to fit any cabochon stone)
http://pugetsoundmetalclay.com/freeformbezel.htm

How to Torch Fire
Video Clips:
http://www.pmcguild.com/gettingstarted

Video, how to torch fire MUST BE A REGISTERED USER
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art

Which Torch is Best
http://creativetexturetools.com/news

How To Kiln Fire
http://www.paragonweb.com/videos

How to Tumble-polish
http://www.jewelrylessons.com

How to add Liver of Sulphur

http://www.hollygage.com

How to add Liver of Sulphur without dipping
http://creativetexturetools.com/news

Liver of Sulfur Patina
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/ART

Iridescent Patina
by Katherine Palochak
http://www.ganoksin.com

Additional skills to use with metal clay:

Make your polymer clay texture plates
http://blog.craftygoat.com

Make your own photopolymer plates
http://www.silverclayart.com

Video by Tonya Davidson:
http://www.wholelottawhimsy.com

Dry Metal Clay? It Could Be Your Hands (and what to do about it)
http://creativetexturetools.com/news

What else? Have I missed any essential skill? A great tutorial that you know about? Tell me, and the world, by posting a comment below, and feel free to post the url of the great tutorial you recommend. Thanks!

Learn to use Metal Clay, FREE, online! by Elaine Luther is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at creativetexturetools.com.

 

 

Here’s a great tutorial from Evelyn Lim at Amethysti.com.

How to make a friendship band

Includes a video of Japanese Kumihimo Braiding Instructions using a Kumiloom

and step by step tutorials on how to make your own version.

An informative article from Jewelrywirewrap.com:

What’s the best wire to use for wire wrapping?

 This is a common question for most new and aspiring wire wrap artists.  However, the “best” wire to use is wire that’s appropriate for the design or project you want to create and then personal preference as you become more experienced. Most artists will experiment with different wires to create new and unusual designs and end up choosing their favorite which dominates most of their work.

There are many types of wire from Stainless Steel craft wire to Gold Filled and Solid Gold wire.  The most popular craft wire is available in a variety colors usually coated with colored or clear vinyl and is made with multiple strands for durability and flexibility and is used for beading.  There is also solid or thick single strand stainless steel spring wire used for a lot of popular bracelet and necklace designs. On occasion I use gold filled and solid gold wire for some of my work.  But my favorite, which happens to be the most popular for a variety of reasons, is sterling silver. Copper wire is the second most popular wire used for making jewelry.

Wire for Wire Wrap Jewelry, including Sterling Silver wire, is available in many shapes like oval, triangle, square, and round profiles.  Each profile lends itself well for the various styles they are used for.  Sterling wire comes in other shapes or profiles, but those listed above are the most commonly used.  Wire also comes in different thicknesses or gage and hardness levels also known as malleability.  Wire gages range from 6 gage to 28 gage with 28 being the thinnest; which is about the thickness of human hair.

Hardness levels range from Dead Soft (DS) to Soft, Half Hard (HH) to Hard.  Soft and Half Hard are used more often because it’s easiest to work with.  Dead-Soft wire does not hold its shape well when used for wide looping or elaborate designs so I stay away from it for this reason.

I use Half-Hard and Hard Sterling Silver Round wire for 99.9% of my work with the majority falling between 18 and 24 gage wires.  I simply prefer round wire and it happens to be the easiest to obtain.  Half-Hard and Hard wire is difficult to work because it is hard to bend and requires a strong hand and tools.  The wire nicks or damages easily as well because you must firmly clamp down on it to get the wire to bend correctly.  However, I still prefer HH and Hard wire because once it’s bent , it’s done, and will usually not get damaged through wear and tear.  Durable is the word I’d use. These pieces should last for generations and even become heirlooms.

- Earrings: I use 22 to 24 gage sterling wire.

- Pendants: I prefer 18 and 20 gage sterling wire.

New wire wrap artists and beading enthusiasts may want to practice with copper wire.  Not the multi-strand wire you buy for speakers or lamp cords, but electrical wire like the type used for light load household use.  These wires can be purchased at major hardware or building supply stores.  A 12 to 18 gage *ROMEX works well and is a common brand of 3-conductor (3-wire) solid copper wire that comes in various gages and is sheathed with white or black plastic.  The profile is a flat oval due to the 3 wires inside.  Simply stripe away the outer insulation as well as the insulation around the wire inside.  Each inner wire is insulated with black, white and green , and one wire may not be insulated at all.  A non insulated copper wire inside the outer sheath is the ground wire and will not need to be striped; which can save you time.

*Romex is a brand name and copyright is held by the Romex company. This is not an endorsement, merely a guide.

Sterling Silver and Copper wire can become tarnished over time; keep its luster by storing in plastics bags.  This is a nice way to keep your wire shiny or to preserve the luster for a longer period coiled up in a plastic bag.  The kind with a tight seal , or zipper style works well; just press out as much air as possible before you seal it.  Air is the culprit of oxidation, removing the air keeps you and your wire happy for a longer time!

The wire I use for Pendants spans the gamut and depends on the size and shape of stone or other material that I am wrapping.  But I mostly use 18 and 20 gage wire for pendants since I prefer a specific size, shape, and stone or bead type.

Hope this tid-bit of info helps you.

Happy Wrapping!

Raymond Ihrig

http://www.jewelrywirewrap.com/index.htm

How to wire wrap crystal points tutorial

http://www.jewelrywirewrap.com/Tips/Wire%20Wrap%20Instructions.pdf