Vintaj Natural Brass Jewellery Making Supplies
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/wpblog
International suppliers:
http://www.vintaj.com/retail.asp
Jewellerymaking techniques:
Tierracast beads and jewellery components
TierraCast beads and jewelry components are made with Britannia pewter alloy which is certified lead-free culinary grade pewter.
This is then electroplated with various metals to create the finished piece. Ordinary plated jewelry components are notorious for wearing or rubbing off, leaving the base below exposed, electroplated finishes are much thicker and more durable, and will easily withstand reasonable wear and tear.
TierraCast beads, findings and jewelry components have antiqued finishes to bring out the detail. Some pieces are not antiqued and have a brighter appearance.
Antique Gold and Bright Gold finishes are electroplated with 22k quality Gold Plate. This finish will not tarnish.
Antique Copper finish are plated with genuine copper, topped with a tarnish stopping metals. This finish will not tarnish (or make your skin turn green).
Antique Rhodium and Bright Rhodium finishes are electroplated with Rhodium. Rhodium is a metal in the platinum family, and is scratch resistant and does not tarnish. These finishes are a slightly darker grey than the Antique and Bright Silver finishes, but they blend well with sterling components.
Antique Silver and Bright Silver finishes are electroplated with pure silver (also called “fine silver” or “.999silver”). These finishes look exactly like sterling silver. These finishes, like sterling silver components, are susceptible to tarnish. However, they can be cleaned with a soft jewelry cloth or with a gentle liquid cleaner. 
TierraCast
http://www.tierracast.com largeholebeads
UK
USA
How to use crimp covers
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
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
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
How to make viking knit chain
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
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
Find Beads.com
Find-Beads.com is an online beading portal and information resource for beads and jewellery making. It lists hundreds of exciting beads stores and jewellery designers with an emphasis on easy navigation, list YOUR Beads and Beaded Jewellery FREE!
There is also a handy bead show finder using GoogleMaps.
Interview with Gemheaven
This weeks interview is with Jo from Gemheavenjewellery.com in west Cornwall, UK.
Jewellery Website/Blog Interview
1. How long have you had a website/blog?
I’ve had my website open since 2006 ~ my hobby was becoming a business with requests for pieces from friends and family and so I took the leap of opening my website up. My blog started in June 2007 ~ things were really taking off and it’s a great way of people to see what you have been doing, life and jewellery.
2. How did you get into jewellery making, as a business/hobby and how long have you been doing it?
I started in 2005 after a long illness ~ I needed something creative and sort of fell into jewellery design when a favourite necklace broke ~ needless to say I never did mend that necklace!!
IT became a business once I started selling ~ in the UK you have to declare yourself a business within three months of selling so it was something that happened quite quickly and it was very exciting to suddenly think of people all over the world wearing a piece of gemheaven.
3. Who are your favourite online jewellery designers?
OHhh I have so many favourites and many I can now say are friends of mine ~
Ginger ~ www.msbelle.etsy.com ~ beautifully elegant jewellery.
Freya ~ www.tigerburningbright.etsy.com ~ her wire wrapping and composition of gems is fabulous
Iza ~ Mgypsy ~ http://www.wireboutique.com ~ Iza also another wire wrapper but in a totally different context ~ organic beauties.
Anna Karin ~ www.smabla.etsy.com ~ she does things with wire, material and gemstones that just blows me away!
As you can see there are so many and yes I could go on!
4. What is your favourite medium to work with?
Silver, gemstones and Artisan created lampwork. I also like using local sea glass and now I am really enjoying bezel setting the glass to create beautiful pendants and rings.
5. Are you self taught or have you studied jewellery making professionally?
I am mainly self taught with a silver work basic course which I took at a jewellery school locally.
6. What has been your favourite creation?
Ohhh that’s a hard one ~ in wire I think my Snow Queens Bouquet it turned out perfectly from what I had in my head! In silver I think would be harder to choose but I am really pleased with my latest ring Summerblues
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24986044
7. What site do you use for selling your products on?
8. What type of jewellery do you make?
I call my jewellery ~ organic jewellery in silver with a hint of colour. Most of my ideas come from living in Cornwall ~ it’s a pretty organic place surrounded by the sea with a fabulous hint of mystery!
9. Do you belong to any online jewellery making groups or forums?
I am proud to be part of the Etsy Street Team Artisan Beaders ~ and there is a fabulous network on Flickr ~ a great gallery for showing off your latest work.
10. Which is your favourite jewellery making website/blog?
Eni Oken has a fabulous website for anyone interested in wire work ~ http://www.jewelrylessons.com/jewel/home
The artisan Beaders Street Team blog also give techniques on a Tuesday J
All about Argentium sterling silver
Argentium Sterling Silver is a modern sterling silver alloy which modifies the traditional alloy (92.5% silver + 7.5% copper) by replacing some of the copper with Germanium. As it retains the same 92.5% silver content, it is still sterling silver.
Germanium is a crystalline semi-metallic element which is found naturally in small amounts in silver, copper and zinc ores, as well as in the mineral, germanite. The germanium forms an invisible film on the surface of silver alloy. This film prevents oxygen from reaching any tarnishable metals, such as copper, employed to harden the pure silver.
Germanium was discovered to impart the following properties to sterling silver:
- High tarnish resistance(An excellent selling point for your silver jewellery)
- Firescale elimination
- Increased ductility
- Increased thermal and electrical resistance (making alloys suitable for welding and laser forming)
- Environmental advantages (associated with not having to remove or plate over firescale)
The absence of firescale eliminates time-consuming steps required by the silversmith when working with sterling silver
Argentium Silver is the result of research begun in 1990 and perfected in 1996 by Peter Johns at the School of Art & Design, Middlesex University, England. The University owns the patent and licenses its production. Argentium Silver is patented and trademarked by Argentium Silver Company, UK..
As for working with Argentium Sterling, artisans who forge and weld sterling need to be aware of certain differences between Argentium and traditional sterling silver (e.g. lower melting point), but those who merely incorporate Argentium findings or wire into their jewelry will not find it any different to work with.
Argentium wire it is a bit stiffer than sterling silver. So if you make wirework jewellery it is recommended you use dead soft Argentium wire.
Links about Argentium silver:
Official website:
- http://www.argentiumsilver.com/availability/suppliers
- http://www.argentiumsilver.com/availability
- http://www.argentiumsilver.info/index.php/questions-answers
- Email: info@argentiumsilver.com
Useful links:
ByHand artisan handmade community
ByHand is a free artisan co-op for those who make handmade and those who buy handmade.
The site includes:
- Artisan Directory
- Forums
- Member Blogs
- Social Networking
- RSS Feeds
- Handmade Wishlists
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