How to Use Eyepins and Headpins in Jewelry Designs

Many people, especially the jewelry makers and designers, know what eyepins and headpins are. Both eyepins and headpins are very popular for earrings, charm bracelets and many other fashion jewelry projects.

 

Brass Eyepins

When you walk around in your local jewelry stores or search eye pins and head pins online, you will find that both pins come in a wide variety of sizes, colors and finishes, from silver or gold plated base metal, to vintage or precious metals like sterling silver and gold filled pins. About their sizes, you will find that they are described as different units—gauge and millimeter. Some people may not clear about gauge. The smaller the gauge number, the thicker the wire, so a 24 gauge eye pin or head pin is thinner than a 20 gauge pin.

 

Iron Headpins

Katrina, one of my friends, likes beadings, but still just a beginner. She asked:” what are eye pins for? How do I use eyepins?” I think it is the same problem or question many other beginners meet. Eyepins are one kind of pins who have a loop at one end. Eye pins are used when you want to connect things on both sides of the beads. Well, if you just want a dangle, a head pin is normally used. And eye pins may be used when the inside of a bead is rough and might cut thread. For a bracelet, beads on separate eyepins would be more flexible than one strung on tiger-tail. In a word, head pins are great for making drops and eye pins are perfect for linking your creations.

 

Handmade Polymer Clay Flowers Earrings

Here I’d like to share an earring design to show the usages of eyepins and head pins with beginners of jewelry making. The materials we need are handmade polymer clay flower beads, faceted drop glass beads, eyepins, headpins and earring hooks. First, string a drop glass bead on a headpin, and use round nose jewelry plier to make a loop at the top of glass bead. Second, string a handmade polymer clay flower bead on an eyepin, and use round nose jewelry plier to make a loop at the top of flower bead too. Third, use your jewelry plier to attach the glass drop on the bottom ring of eyepin. Fourth, attach the whole earring drop on the ring of earring hook. Sixth, repeat the above five steps to create the other earring for a pair.

A pair of beautiful, elegant handmade polymer clay flower earrings has been finished. I am sure the beginners should have known how the eyepins and headpins work well. Just purchase some eye pins and head pins to create your own one of a kind jewelry designs. 

Versatile Number Beads and Alphabet Beads in Personal Jewelry Designs

What are number beads? They are these beads have numbers on them. Number beads are available in different materials, such as metal, acrylic and so on, various colors, shapes and sizes. When people choose number beads, almost all of them will choose alphabet beads too, as both these beads are very popular and widely used in jewelry making.

 

Colorful Acrylic Beads

Why people like to use number beads and alphabet beads? Both beads are perfect for spelling out a special date, year or a name of special person. They are versatile in creating personalized jewelry and crafts together. Use number beads for bracelets that have the year and add your name, team name or other special name or message. You can wear these bracelets yourself, but also can present them to others as jewelry gifts. You can also use both number beads and alphabet beads for phone number bracelet which are a great way to help someone remember important phone numbers.

 

Colorful Acrylic Beads

And here, I would like to share a jewelry making idea about a pair of earrings with number beads and alphabet beads. The other materials we also need are 6pcs black round glass beads, 2pcs number beads (NO. 1), 2pcs alphabet beads (alphabet “I”), 2pcs light brown faceted round glass beads, 4pcs small round glass beads, headpins, eyepins and 2pcs earring hooks. Steps are very simple, and suitable for beginners of jewelry making to learn. First, string a large black glass bead, a small black glass bead and a number bead, and use your round nose plier to make a loop at top of bead. Second, string a large black glass bead, a light brown faceted round glass bead and a small black glass bead on an eyepin, and use jewelry plier to make a loop too. Third, string a alphabet bead, a small black glass bead and a large glass bead on an eye pin, and use your jewelry plier to make a loop at top of bead too. Fourth, use your jewelry plier and jump rings to attach these three beaded links together, and attach the long earring drop on earring hook. Repeat the four steps to create the other one. Till now, a pair of beautiful earrings is finished. You can also create a bracelet and necklace for a completely jewelry set. About the bracelet necklaces, you can use more number beads and alphabet beads to express you or things clearly.

Number beads and alphabet beads can help you to create personal, one of a kind jewelry easily. And some of these jewelries are not only fashion decorations, but also very useful in daily life, just like phone number bracelet. 

How to Choose and Use Steel Tiger Tail

Along with the popularity of jewelry making, more and more people start to create handmade jewelry. But some beginners may ask which jewelry wire should I choose to create bracelet or necklace? If we choose steel tiger tail, how to use it?

Steel tiger tail is a versatile jewelry wire, and widely used in jewelry making. If you want to choose a wire to create heavy necklace or bracelet, tiger tail will be a good choice. Tiger tail is an industry term that typically refers to stranded wire that is made of three strands or fewer. It is available in many different sizes, so that you need to choose correct size for your designs according to the hole of beads and findings.

Tiger Tail

Steel tiger tail is braided wire and coated in nylon. This wire is very strong and available in a plenty of colors. Although it is widely used in jewelry making, it is not used for wire wrapping as it is still, and cannot be bent into wire wrapped loops as its ends like other types of beading wires. But as we have said above that this kind of jewelry wire is the very strong, it is should be used with heavy, large beads, natural gemstone beads and etc. If you have some large, heavy beads with rough edges, tiger tail will be the perfect jewelry wire to use.

Handmade Polymer Clay Necklaces

How to use steel tiger tail for jewelry making? The first step is cutting the wire to the length of your project, of course. 8 inches is suitable length for bracelet, and 36 inches is suitable length of necklace. Second, put a white cloth on your work area so that you can easily see beads and wire, and then arrange all supplies on your work area. Third, add a crimp bead and jump ring on steel tiger tail and use a crimp plier to press it to stop beads fall off. Fifth, string beads on steel tiger tail according to your design. Sixth, add another crimp bead and clasp on the other end of tiger tail once you have string all the beads on. Seventh, you can add a piece of extended chain on jump at one end to make this bracelet or necklace adjustable. Now, you have completed your one of a kind handmade jewelry design with steel tiger tail.

From above instructions, it is not hard to find that steel tiger tail is very easy to be used, even if you are just a beginner of jewelry making. And they are easy to be purchased in your local jewelry stores. But if you need more of that kind jewelry wire, you’d better to purchase them from wholesale stores to save money.

Ideas about Using Waxed Cord to Create Fashion Bracelets

Waxed cord, some people may call it as waxed thread, waxed string or waxed twine, is a widely used stringing material in jewelry making. Well, what is waxed cord? It is basically made by lightly coating individual pieces of cord, usually polyester or nylon, with wax. Waxed cords are always used for a number of different applications, and today, we would like to share some good ideas about creating popular bracelets with these cords.

Fashion Tibeten Style Bracelets

Anchor bracelet is very popular and timeless. So, it is our first jewelry making idea with waxed cord. The materials we need are Korea cotton wax cord (any color you like), silver alloy lobster, silver anchor, 2pcs silver cord ends, jump rings and 1 strand of extended chain. Cut off 2 strands of waxed cord with the same length first. Second, fold them at their middle place, and make knot to hold and/or hang anchor at its two ends separately like picture. Third, use cord end to combine cords together. Fourth, use jump rings to attach lobster clasp and extended chain on each cord end. Till now, a popular anchor bracelet is finished.

Fashion Acrylic Bracelets

The second bracelet is created with beige waxed cord, 6pcs 12mm black opaque acrylic beads, Tibetan style starfish pendant (about 23mm long and 19mm wide), cord ends, jump rings and lobster clasp. First, cut off two strands of waxed cords with the same length. Second, make a knot with cord at one end, and string 3pcs black opaque acrylic beads on it. Making knot between each beads like bead spacers, and make a knot at the other end of third beads to stop it fall off. Just like the picture. Third, repeat the second step to string the rest 3pcs beads on the other wax cord. Fourth, string the Tibetan style starfish pendant on two strings. Twist the two strings for twice, and use cord ends to combine together like picture. Please kindly note the places of beads. The last step is using a jump ring to attach lobster clasp on a cord end. You can also add a string a extended chain on the other cord end to make this bracelet as adjustable one.

Apart from using waxed cord to make bracelets, waxed cord is also used in necklace making, anklet making and many other crafts making. Anchor bracelet and starfish bracelet are very popular, and you cannot miss them. If you are a jewelry materials retailer, you cannot miss the waxed cord, anchors and starfishes. Wholesale them from reputable jewelry materials online wholesalers, like PandaHall.com, at competitive prices to earn more money is a wise decision.

Cheap Decorations Can Enlarge Happiness of Holidays and Parties

There are many different holidays and parties every year, and we need to purchase something to decoration our houses on these days. It will cost us much money if we have no good ideas about what kind of decorations we need buy and where to buy. In fact, there are countless, various cheap decorations for choosing in today’s fashion market.

The materials of cheap decorations are various, including porcelain, lampwork glass, nylon, gemstone, leather, resin, plastic (acrylic), ribbon, cotton, cloth, feather, wood, metal, silk, shell, glass, polymer clay and others. No doubt, all the cheap decorations produced by these materials are available in different shapes, sizes, colors and designs. Some of them are versatile for many different occasions, and some of them are produced for a special holiday, for example, Valentine’s Day, Easter Day, Halloween Day, Christmas Day and etc.

Handmade Lampwork Decoration

The coming holiday is Easter which is a celebration of many events. Christians remember the death and resurrection of Christ, and children anticipate the coming of the Easter Bunny. Everyone rejoices that spring is in the air and the winter gloom is gone. Colorful eggs, rabbits, chickens and candies are the main things and decorations in Easter Day. Search them on craft stores or decoration stores, you will find many choices. You can also create some decorations for Easter dinners and parties in person by reusing some materials which used last year, which can be simple and cheap.

Halloween Day is a crazy holiday and everyone will be very happy that day. You can gouge out the inside of the pumpkin to make your one of a kind Halloween lantern. And you can purchase many other cheap decorations to decorate both you and your house to celebrate this crazy and happy holiday. Don’t doubt the functions of these cheap decorates, it just depends on your creation.

Wreath Decoration for Christmas

About the Christmas Day, you need many different decorations to decorate your Christmas tree and house, for example, small colored lights, Santa Claus, snowflake, socks, Christmas ball and many other dangling decorations. And don’t forget the wreaths. All these cheap decorations can be purchased easily and available in various designs and colors.

When we want to celebrate birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, even wedding, we can use cheap decorations too. And many of them can be used in various occasions so that we can purchase them with other holiday decorations together to save time and money. And if you need a large quantity, you can purchase them from wholesalers who can offer you large range of selections and cheap prices. 

Use Number Beads and Alphabet Beads to Create Kids Bracelets

It is time for children to go to school now. Have you prepared any gifts for your kids? If no, why not try to make some school spirit bracelets with number beads and alphabet beads for them? That kind of gift can express your love to them directly and encourage them to do better in school.

Fashion jewelry pieces are always popular among people, from kids to adults. The new term will begin soon. School spirit bracelets with number beads and alphabet beads are good gifts for kids at that time. If you like, you can ask your kids to make these bracelets with you together. They can wear their own designs or present them to her and/or his friends. These bracelets are very easy to be created so that little kids can make successfully. And I would like to share two ideas about school spirit bracelet here.

Alloy Number Slide Beads

The first one is created with black pony beads, red pony beads, basketball beads, number beads (2, 0, 1, and 3, which mean the year of 2013.) and elastic cord. First, measure your kid’s wrist, and cut off a length of elastic cord. Second, string two red pony beads and one black pony bead on cord. Repeat it for 5 more times. Third, string a basketball bead and all the number beads on cord. Fourth, string the other basketball bead on cord. Cut off the extra cord and make a knot to stop the beads fall off. Hide the knot into a hole of bead to let this bracelet looks clear and finished. A lovely school spirit bracelet with number beads is finished. You can also change the beads in other colors or materials.

Alphabet Acrylic Beads

I think all the parents hope their kids can do better and enough their study life in the new term. So, you can add some inspiring words on these bracelets, for example “Hope”, “Courage”, “Brave”, “Sweet”, “Cute” and many others. If you want to create such a bracelet for a little cute girl, you can use some pink pony beads, white alphabet beads (“C”,”U”,”T” and “E”), number beads (her birthday) and elastic cord. Steps are very simple. String the number beads on cord first, then add three pieces pink pony beads. The next step is string these alphabet beads and rest pink pony beads on cord. The last step is cutting off the extra cord and making a knot to finish this cute bracelet. I am sure your little angel will like it very much.

Both number beads and alphabet beads can be purchased easily. Just take action. It is time for you to prepare gifts for your kids in this new term. 

Ideas about Using Jewelry Displays

If you are a jewelry maker who wants to sell jewelry designs to others, you need to buy some jewelry displays to show your designs to your customers. To jewelry makers, jewelry display creates a setting and atmosphere for their jewelry designs that when done properly can make their jewelry designs more desirable to their potential customers.

Iron Necklace Displays

Jewelry makers who initially started to sell their jewelry designs at craft and jewelry shows, they didn’t spend a lot of time on jewelry displays. They thought that if people liked their jewelry designs they would buy it. In fact, it is not absolutely as jewelry displays play a quite important role in selling jewelry. Some of them spent some time on upgrading their displays after they found jewelry design was not selling as well as they thought it should. After they updated their displays, to their delight, sales exploded. That is to say, don’t underestimate the power of a correct display to give your jewelry sales a boost.

Jewelry displays include necklace displays, bracelet displays, earring displays, ring displays and some others. All these displays are available in different materials (such as wood, plastic and so on), colors, sizes and shapes. With so many displays ideas and options, the question is not if it is necessary to use display but quickly becomes which displays are most effective in communicating jewelry designs to potential customers.

Organic Glass Bracelet Displays

On a jewelry show, never lay your jewelry designs flat on a table. Choose a suitable display is quite important. If you have no enough money or don’t want to spend money on buying displays, you can find some boxes in different sizes, and cover them with some elegant fabric to elevate your jewelry. If you sell natural jewelry you might spread some beautiful leaves, pinecones or natural materials around your designs. If you sell some designs for a season typically, for example, for spring. You can lay some natural flowers or leaves around your designs.

If you don’t use jewelry displays to show your jewelry designs, the beauty of your designs will not be translated to your customers. Some DIY jewelry displays are quite unique and useful, but they are easy to break or not suitable for transport. Therefore, you should buy some displays which are strong enough. Displays made in wood, leather and plastic are strong and cheap if you buy them from wholesale stores. They will be good choices.