JEWELRY MAKING

To earn this award, complete and check off each requirement: 1. Jewelry Projects 2. More Valuable Than Jewels

1. Jewelry Projects (do three)

WHERE TO GET SUPPLIES Look in the phone book or on the Internet for: bead stores craft stores hobby stores

Pendant Necklace

Supplies needed:

• cord (rubber, leather, etc.)
• pendant
• optional: 2 4-mm beads and 2 head pins
• 2 cord crimps or cord coils that fit the diameter of your cord
• flat-nose pliers with no ridges inside jaws
• 2 jump rings
• clasp

Pendant Bracelet

Follow the directions for the Pendant Necklace, but loop the cord two or three times around your wrist.

Adjustable Cord Necklace

Supplies needed:

• one or more beads
• stringing material (leather cord, satin cord, jewelry twine, ribbon, waxed linen, etc.)
• scissors

Choose stringing material that looks good with the style of your bead(s). If your bead(s) are heavy, choose stringing material that’s strong enough. Make sure the stringing material will fit through the hole in your bead(s).

Your necklace will be adjustable. Since it won’t have a clasp, it will need to fit over your head when it’s at its longest length. Cut a length 12 inches (31 cm) longer than the length needed to fit over your head.

String on your bead(s).

Follow figure 2 to tie a slip knot on both sides of the necklace. Now, by pulling on the cords or the knots, you can make the necklace longer or shorter.

figure 2

Adjustable Cord Bracelet

Follow the directions for the Adjustable Cord Necklace but cut a shorter cord to make a bracelet or ankle bracelet instead. Remember to add the necessary extra 12 inches (31 cm) to the desired final length of your bracelet before cutting the cord.

Charm Bracelet

Supplies needed:

• chain long enough to go around your wrist
• 1 charm
• 4 4-cm beads
• 4 head pins
• 2 jump rings
• clasp
• round-nose pliers
• flat-nose pliers
• wire cutters (and eye protection)

Attaching the clasp:
Open a jump ring (see figure 1). Slip it through the last link on one end of the chain. Slip half of the clasp onto the jump ring, too, and close the jump ring.

Open the other jump ring. Attach it to the other half of the clasp. Fasten the two halves of the clasp together. Don’t close the jump ring yet.

Hold the chain around your wrist. Decide how long the chain needs to be. Use wire cutters to clip off any excess links. Slip the last link through the open jump ring, and close the jump ring.

Attaching the charm:
Use another jump ring to attach the charm to a link in the chain.

Attaching the beads:
Thread a bead onto a head pin. You'll want about ½ inch (12 mm) of wire sticking up past the bead, so use wire cutters to cut off any excess. Use your finger to bend the wire at a 90-degree angle, as in figure 3. Bend it as close to the bead as possible without scraping or chipping it.

Grab the very tip of the wire about halfway down your round-nose pliers. Make sure none of the wire is sticking out the other side of the pliers, or your loop won’t be perfectly round.

Following figure 4, gently turn the pliers away from you, bringing the wire around in a loop. Don’t pull the wire—try to keep the 90-degree bend in place. If your loop doesn’t close, adjust it by winding it around a smaller section of the pliers. If your loop doesn’t meet the bend in the wire, wind it around a larger section of the pliers. Expect to use up several head pins before you master a nice-looking loop.

Open the loop in the head pin in the same way you opened the jump rings. Slip it into a chain link near the charm, and close it. Attach another bead beside the first bead. Then attach two beads on the other side of the charm.
figure 3 figure 4

Memory Wire Necklace
Supplies needed:

• seed beads
• larger accent beads
• necklace memory wire
• wire cutters (and eye protection)
• chain-nose pliers (or needle-nose pliers)

Decide whether you want the necklace to wrap once or twice around your neck. Wrap the wire around your neck to find the right length. Remove the wire from your neck and cut it about an inch (2.5 cm) longer than the length you want.

Use the pliers to make a tiny loop in one end of the wire, so your beads won’t fall off. String beads onto the wire, stopping ½ inch (12 mm) from the end. Make another small loop at that end, and you’re done.
figure 5

Memory Wire Bracelet
Supplies needed:

• beads of your choice
• bracelet memory wire
• wire cutters (and eye protection)
• round-nose pliers

Follow the directions for the memory wire necklace. You can use larger beads and more wraps if you want. Have fun experimenting.

“Floating” Necklace (or Anklet)
Supplies needed:

• flexible beading wire (the thickness you need depends on the weight of your beads)
• 5 beads
• 12 crimp beads
• flat-nose pliers with no ridges inside jaws (or crimping pliers)
• necklace clasp
• wire cutters (and eye protection)

Cut a length of jewelry wire about 6 inches (15 cm) longer than you want your necklace to be. String on a crimp bead to the halfway point of the wire. Flatten the crimp firmly with the flat-nose pliers, keeping the wire centered in the crimp. Option: Learn to use crimping pliers to make a neater, rounder crimp.

String on one bead and another crimp. Keeping both crimps and the bead together, flatten the second crimp. This is the center bead of your necklace.

Use the same method to attach two beads on either side of the center bead, spacing them evenly apart.

Attaching the clasp:
Hold the necklace up to your neck to determine where the clasp should attach so that your necklace will be the length you want it. Remember to allow for the length of the clasp. Use a marker to make a light mark on both sides of the wire where the clasp should attach.

String on a crimp bead and then one half of the clasp. Run the wire back through the crimp bead until the mark you made is at the tip of the loop. Adjust the crimp bead so it's near the clasp but not so tight the clasp can't move. Flatten the crimp. Tug on the crimp to make sure it's flattened securely. Then trim off excess wire.

Do the same on the other end of your necklace with the other half of the clasp.
figure 6

Bead Earrings

Supplies needed:

• your choice of beads
• 2 head pins
• 2 ear wires
• round-nose pliers
• wire cutters (and eye protection)

Stack beads onto each head pin in a design you like. Leave about ½ inch (12 mm) of wire sticking up. Cut off any excess.

Use your finger to bend the wire at a 90-degree angle, as in figure 3. Bend it as close to the beads as possible without scraping or chipping them.

Grab the very tip of the wire about halfway down your round-nose pliers. Make sure none of the wire is sticking out the other side of the pliers, or your loop won’t be perfectly round.

Following figure 4, gently turn the pliers away from you, bringing the wire around in a loop. Don’t pull the wire--try to keep the 90-degree bend in place. If your loop doesn’t close, adjust it by winding it around a smaller section of the pliers. If your loop doesn’t meet the bend in the wire, wind it around a larger section of the pliers. Expect to use up several head pins before you master a nice-looking loop. Option: Learn to make a “wrapped loop” for a professional look.

Open the loop as shown in figure 1. Slip on an ear wire. Re-close the loop.

Your Choice:
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Find directions for another jewelry project at a bead store or craft store, in a jewelry-making book, or on the Internet.

2. More Valuable Than Jewels

Read Proverbs 3:13-15.

On paper, design a bead that symbolizes wisdom to you. Consider its shape, color, and texture. (For example, a smooth bead could symbolize wisdom helping to smooth out rough spots in life.) You could look through bead books or catalogs for inspiration. Explain your design to someone.