Guides on how to clean glass beads

Cut the clasps off necklaces and bracelets with scissors or wire cutters and remove the beads from the stringing cord or wire. Save clasps and other reusable findings. Check the beads carefully and discard any that are chipped or cracked
Fill the bowl or pan with warm water, and stir in detergent.
Place beads in the bowl or pan; and swish to loosen dirt and body oils. Soak for about an hour.
Drain the beads in a colander, and rinse thoroughly under warm water. Rinse bowl or pan.
Refill bowl or pan with the second quart of warm water; add vinegar, and mix. Swish beads for a minute or two, then drain and rinse in colander as before.
Place a towel on a table or counter that won't be needed until the beads have dried overnight. Spread the beads on the towel, and blot them dry.
Check to see if all beads are clean. Use the toothbrush or cotton swabs to remove any remaining grime. Wash and rinse until you are satisfied with the result.
Spread the clean beads on a dry towel, and air dry them overnight. If china beads are not dry next morning, blow dry with dryer set on lowest setting.

Wire working bracelet making tutorial

Step 1 Cut two pieces 30cm 18 gauge jewelry wires and make two U-shape loops as shown in pictures. Please note that one of them is bigger than the other.
Step 2 Cut a piece of 50cm 28 gauge jewelry wire and wrap it around the U-shape wires.
Step 3 Wrap around the U-shape wires tight.
Step 4 Cut another two pieces of 18 gauge jewelry wires in 20cm and insert them between the U-shape wires as shown in the picture.
Step 5 Continue to use the thin jewelry wire to wrap all of the 18 gauge jewelry wires.
Tip: Use chain nose plier to better squeeze and fix the wires to make all the wires in the same surface.
Step 6 Wrap the wires to your desired length to ensure all the wires are fastened together. Then make an end of the cord.
Step 7 Cut the end of the wire on other side that closed to U-shape loops.
Step 8 String the jewelry beads with different sizes or colors through the wires.
Step 9 See the overview picture when you string all the beads. Make slight bent to the wires using chain nose plier.
Step 10 Make four free swirls using round nose plier to the wires with U-shape loops.
Step 11 Cut 28 gauge wire of 50cm and wrap around the wires as shown in the picture.
Step 12 Make the closure with the rest two jewelry wires by creating simple loops as shown in picture. Then use thin jewelry wire to wrap wires closed to the closure.
Step 13 Insert the closure to the U-shape loops! Congratulations, you have made an elegant bride wire working bracelet.
About the author:

Do you like to make your own jewelry or surprise family and friends with unique creations? You'll find everything you need to make jewelry yourself right at www.zacoo.com. We have basic materials such as clasps, eye pins, head pins, chain, wire and crimp rings... In addition you can also find jewelry tools such as pliers on our site. Purchase these items separately or order a complete package including wholesale beads and tools.

Jump rings

Jump rings are a very popular connector to use in jewelry making. They come in different kinds of materials, colors and sizes, ranging from 2mm to 1cm and above. Although it is possible to make your own it, most people buy them fairly cheaply at jewelry supply stores.
Jump rings differ from split rings which look very much like the ring that holds your keys together. They are basically a metal loop of wire which is cut in one place. As basic requirements for jewelry making, those rings are a necessary part of your jewelry making equipment. If you are a beginner of jewelry making, you need to lean two easy beading techniques: how to open and close jump rings, how to make a pendant with jump ring bail. Both sound very simple, but you'd better to open and close them carefully in order to not damage your rings.
When purchasing jump rings, it is important to note how they are measured, as everyone does it differently. Some places measure the inner diameter of the rings, others use the outer diameter. Some prefer inches, some are metric and other combine both systems. Adding to the confusion, wire gauges are not consistent across metal types. The gauge refers to how thick the wire is. Different numbering systems are used, depending on the type of metal. You should always ask your supplier for the exact measurements of their rings after spring back to ensure you are buying what you need.

Tools for working wire

The basic tools that you need to get started making wire jewelry are easy to find. In general, it is always better to buy the best wire working tools that you can afford. Quality tools will be easier on your hands and will last longer. And tools that feel better in your hands when you're working with them will make your time spent making wire jewelry more enjoyable!
Wire Cutters Also known as flush cutters, these are required for making clean cuts of different sizes and types of wire. Most cutters have a flat side for smooth cuts and an angled side for making sharper cuts.
Round-Nose Pliers Round-nose pliers are perfect for creating even, round loops. The jaws of these wire working pliers should be smooth and come to a tapered point.
Flat-Nose Pliers These pliers are used for gripping wire while working it into shape. The jaws of flat-nose pliers are flat and broad and come to a somewhat tapered point. These pliers are also handy for pulling Viking knit chain through a draw plate.
Chain-Nose Pliers These wire working pliers are a combination of round-nose and flat-nose pliers. The jaws are rounded on the outside and flat on the inside, coming to a tapered point. These pliers are helpful for crimping down the ends of wrapped wire and for grasping wire in tight spaces.
Wire Straighteners Also called wire smoothers, these are broad, nylon-jawed pliers that are used to smooth or straighten wire that has come off of a spool.
About the author:
Zacoo is a professional retail and wholesaler specialized in cheap and quality beading supplies, such as china beads, rhinestones, flower cabochons, jewelry clasps, bails, bead caps, jump rings, charms, pendants…. Founded in 2005, it has emerged as one of largest wholesale jewelry supplies wholesalers in the field, and it now serves worldwide customers from many countries. What's more, you can enjoy free shipping worldwide.

Basic jewelry supplies for a piece of bracelet

Beads may be found in an amazing diversity of colors, shapes, sizes, and materials.
Tiger tail and other flexible beading wires are made of multiple strands of metal, with a nylon coating that can be colored or clear. Flexible beading wire is suitable for many types of beading projects and is available in a number of different metals and thicknesses.
Crimp beads are metal beads used to secure findings or other beads to flexible beading wire.
A lobster claw clasp is the most secure type of clasp.
A jump ring, closed and soldered, serves as the ring for the lobster claw clasp.
Headpins are relatively short lengths of wire with a head affixed to one end that holds a bead (or beads). You will need either headpins or eyepins for making a pendant or a charm.
Eyepins are relatively short lengths of wire with one end formed into a round loop. This loop holds beads in place and can also be used to connect to other findings (e.g., headpins, clasps, other eyepins). You will need either headpins or eyepins for making a pendant or a charm.
About the author:
Zacoo is a professional retail and wholesaler specialized in cheap and quality beading supplies, such as china beads, rhinestones, flower cabochons, jewelry clasps, bails, bead caps, jump rings, charms, pendants…. Founded in 2005, it has emerged as one of largest wholesale jewelry supplies wholesalers in the field, and it now serves worldwide customers from many countries. What's more, you can enjoy free shipping worldwide.

What take into consideration when choosing jewelry wire

Select a Wire Gauge
Use gauge 20 or higher for earrings and wrapped bead links in bracelets and necklaces.
Buy gauge 18 to 20 for making most bracelets.
Get 16 to 18-gauge wire for making necklaces. Remember that 16 gauge is very large and difficult for most beginners to work with.
Decide on Wire Hardness
Use soft wire (hardness 0 or 1) for making spirals and round shapes.
Choose half-hard wire (hardness 2 or 3) for designs that require sharp angles, or where the wire must wrap around itself.
Buy hard wire (hardness 4) for beads jewelry that must stand up to a lot of wear and won't have any round shapes.
Choose a Metal Type
Use gold wire for aesthetics if your budget allows for it. Gold-filled wire is less expensive and looks and wears like gold. Both are tarnish resistant and come in soft or half-hard. Gold-plated wire is made to look like 24K gold, but the gold will wear off eventually.
Get silver wire for the look of it, but remember that it does tarnish and must be cleaned regularly. Silver-plated wire is inexpensive, but the silver can wear off, and it tarnishes also. Sterling silver is available in soft or half-hard.
Buy copper, brass or other less-traditional wire for its strength, looks or durability as necessary for your project.

Possibilities to consider when crafting with beads

The most popular bead craft hobby is that of jewelry. Everything from beaded earrings to necklaces and bracelets are widely available and are handmade by artisans around the world. Found at craft shows, in specialty stores and online, beaded jewelry designers are responsible for hand threading each bead until the desired look is completed. Jewelry beads are available in a variety of metals, including gold-tone, silver-tone, genuine gold and genuine silver. Products used to create beaded jewelry are typically found at most wholesalers that deal in jewelry findings.
If you have ever seen a beaded pocketbook, then you have already seen the workmanship that goes into this type of product. However, many do not realize this, but some pocketbooks are made completely of beads. Understandably so, these are very expensive due to the amount of time and work involved in addition to the cost of the beads themselves. However, they are quite possibly one of the most elegant purses that a woman can own.
Another popular bead craft hobby is that of creating handmade napkin rings. These rings are designed to hold a rolled napkin into place before dinner. With beaded napkin rings, many people choose to use them as decor, but they are actually quite functional and are more than capable of serving the purpose as they are intended.
Yet another popular bead craft is hair accessories. It's all about the added touches, right? When it comes to hair accessories, beadwork is everywhere. It is commonly found in hair pins and other hair embellishments that help to complete the perfect look.
After creating their latest designs, most bead craft artists make their work available at craft shows (either local or national), at online auctions, or through specialty craft stores. In some cases, their work is even sold nationally in retail stores. Bead craft artists are skilled professionals that opt to display their artwork in the form of beadwork rather than on canvas. But, make no mistake, an artist who works with beads is no less of an artist than anyone who uses a pencil or paintbrush.