Jewelry Making

DIY Jewelry, Beads And Patterns

Make your own jump rings

by

There are lots of ways to make jump rings. Time is money, and it makes sense to buy base metal average size rings rather than make them. But sometimes you need a special size you can’t buy or you just need a few sterling or gold rings and don’t want to pay inflated prices for them..

The easy way to make them is with a dowel or mandrel, wrap a coil and cut it with a saw. You could use double flush cutters-but they are hard to find. Flush cutters leave a pinch of wire on one side which means you spend more time filing down the rings.

 If you want to make rings in bulk, its better to get a tool. I got to use one and I’d LOVE the jewelry tools fairy to bring me one someday.  The Jump Ringer Tool from Connie Fox is GREAT tool but pretty pricey! A more affordable tool is the Koil Kutter.   Either would be a nice addition to a jewelry studio work bench.

Comments

  1. I am completely self taught in making jewelry so I had to learn the wrong way before I could discover the right way to do things. For making jump rings, I always find that I am out of a jump ring in the metal that I need when I need one, so I usually make my own. I found as you indicated that making a jump ring using a mandrel or dowel and with one cut with a flush cutter did not work because one side was pointed and one side was flat. I now make my jump rings with two cuts for each jump ring. I begin by making a coil on my step jaw pliers and cut the first 1/8″ off the coil, leaving a flush cut on the coil. Then I reverse my cutter and cut the second time at the point on the coil where the wire completes the ring. This leaves a flush cut on both sides of the jump ring and a pointed end on the coil. Making the second jump ring requires two cuts with my flush cutter again.

    Sincerely,
    Gary Helwig
    http://www.wigjig.com

  2. Actually the simplest way to do your own jump rings is to cut them with a micro handsaw. That gives you no sharp ends or points

Have you read?

Book Review Wednesday: 3D Beaded Animal Crafts for Kids

This week’s Book Review Wednesday pick is 3D Beaded Animal Crafts for Kids, and I’ll admit this one is another of those books that makes me pause for a moment and ask, “Does this belong in Jewelry Making, Kids Crafts, or somewhere in between?”

Technically, it is not jewelry in the traditional necklace-and-earrings sense, but it is very much a beading book, and beading skills are such a useful doorway into jewelry making. For kids especially, learning how to thread beads, follow patterns, work with wire, and build little 3D shapes is a brilliant way to develop patience, fine motor skills, and confidence with craft materials.

The cover promises 3D beaded animal crafts for kids, with a focus on cute seed bead animals made with wire. The little fox on the cover is exactly the sort of project that catches attention — bright, cheerful, and very giftable. I can see this being a fun book for crafty kids, tweens, grandparents crafting with children, or even adults who secretly enjoy tiny beaded animals but pretend they are “helping the kids.”

What I like about this type of project is that it gives children a finished piece they can actually be proud of. These are not throwaway crafts. A beaded animal can become a bag charm, keychain, desk buddy, zipper pull, ornament, or little handmade gift. And if you have a child who loves collecting small things, well, prepare yourself — you may soon have an entire zoo made from seed beads.

There is also a nice connection here for beginner jewelry makers. Working with beads and wire in a simple 3D form helps build the same kind of careful hand skills used in beaded jewelry, wire wrapping, charms, and small accessories. So while I would be tempted to cross-post this over on our Kids Crafts section, I still think it earns its place here for anyone wanting beginner-friendly beading projects.

This book would suit kids who already enjoy detailed crafts, families looking for screen-free creative projects, or makers who want small bead projects that are playful rather than overly serious. I would suggest adult help for younger children, especially because seed beads and wire can be fiddly, and nobody needs a craft session ending with beads in the carpet forever. Although, let’s be honest, that may happen anyway.

My Shellie-style take? 3D Beaded Animal Crafts for Kids looks like a fun, colourful and practical beading book for young makers who like cute projects with a real finished result. It is crafty, giftable, a little bit nostalgic, and a lovely stepping stone into more detailed beadwork and jewelry making later on.

You can find the book here: 3D Beaded Animal Crafts for Kids.