RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

beading & jewelryprojects

Summer Garden Bracelet

Cassie Donlen
Originally published in Step by Step Wire Jewelry Summer Preview 2008

Photo by Jim Lawson.

Summer Garden Bracelet originally published in Step by Step Wire Jewelry, Summer Preview 2008. Interweave Press, LLC Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved

publishers of Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazinejoin the online beading community at BeadingDaily.com
Visit InterweaveStore.com/jewelryprojects for more great projects!
page 1

Lampwork Beads join forces with fused rings.

People are drawn to unusual jewelry that cant be found on a store shelf. Incorporating handmade fused silver rings within a simple bracelet design turns it into something unique and special. This is a two part article that covers both the making of the fused silver rings, and the bracelets assembly.
WHAT YOU NEED 12"14" of 14-gauge round fine silver wire Wire cutters Needle nose pliers Steel ring mandrel Butane torch Ceramic firing block Rawhide/plastic mallet Steel block Chasing hammer Brass hammer Metal stamp with swirl pattern Liver-of-sulfur and fine steel wool 3' of 20-gauge dead soft silver wire Chain nose pliers Round nose pliers 3.5mm ID 18-gauge jump rings, 8 Toggle clasp 6 assorted lampwork beads Resource: Silver rings and lampwork beads from glassbeadle.com.

Making the rings. fused rings. Making the rings. fused Making the fused Using a pair heavy duty wire Make sure each open Using a pair of heavy duty wire Make sure each open of end the of the Using a pair of heavy dutyof wire Make sure each open end ofend the Take an 8" strip of 14g fine silver cutters, individually cut each silver rings silver rings has cut. aflush blunt flush cut. Take an 8" of 14g fine silver cutters, individually cut each silverhas rings has aflush blunt cut. Take an 8" strip ofstrip 14g fine silver cutters, individually cut each a blunt round wire. Wrap the wire around wrapped loop, them into single Depending on the type wire cutters wire. Wrap the wire around wrapped loop, turning them into single Depending the type of wireof cutters round round wire. Wrap the wire around wrapped loop, turning them turning into single Depending on theon type of wire cutters the size 5ring section of mandrel a ring mandrel rings. Three rings from size two 5you and two you used, tipwire of thewire silver wire the 5 section of mandrel a ring rings. rings Three rings from 5 and you the used, tip the of the silver the size 5 size section of a rings. Three from size 5 size and two used, tip the of the silver four times, and remove Take anothrings from size are needed. might beangle. at an angle. File the ends four times, and remove it.anothTakeit. anothrings from size 11 are 11 needed. might be at an File the ends four times, and remove it. Take rings from size 11 are needed. might be at an angle. File the ends er wire, 8" strand of wire, anditwrap it if needed. er 8" strand ofand wire, and if flush needed. er 8" strand of wrap itwrap flush ifflush needed. around the section around the size 11size section of the of the around the size 11 section of11 the mandrel three times, and remove. mandrel three times, and remove. mandrel three times, and remove.

1 1 1

2 2 2

3 3 3

With pliers, needle nose close pliers, close Align rings on a ceramic the rings back into a cirWith needle nose pliers, Align the rings on a ceramic firing firing Reshape theback rings back into a cirnose close rings on a the ceramic firing Reshape the Reshape rings into a cir4 5 6 4 needle 5 the 6Slide 4 With 5 Align 6 evenly each ring must snugly. Theymeet must meet block. Using a butane torch, cle. Slide them at a time onto each ring snugly. Theymeet must block. Using a butane torch, evenly cle. Slide them at one a time onto each ring snugly. They block. Using a butane torch, evenly cle. them one at one a time onto with nospace open for the heat one ring atby a time by slowly the mandrel. Using a rawhide perfectly with no open for the heat one ring at by a time slowly the mandrel. Using a rawhide mallet, mallet, perfectly withperfectly no open space for thespace heat up oneup ring atup a time slowly the mandrel. Using a rawhide mallet, silver fuse properly. Dont if worry if moving the in a circular motion. gently all around thecircumrings circumsilver fuseto properly. Dont if worry moving the torch intorch a circular motion. all tap around the circumrings silver to fuseto properly. Dont worry moving the torch in a circular motion. gently gently tap all tap around the rings the a shape isperfect not a perfect circle. They When the silver starts to develop a white ference until the shape is circular. the shape is perfect not a circle. When the silver starts to develop a white ference until the shape is circular. the shape is not circle. They They When the silver starts to develop a white ference until the shape is circular. be reshaped after fusing.film, its itsfor ready for fusing. Aim the flame be will reshaped after fusing. film, itsfilm, ready fusing. Aim the flame will be will reshaped after fusing. ready for fusing. Aim the flame at the join. The ends will melt directly at the join. The ends will melt directly at the directly join. The ends will melt and fuse together. Quickly and fuse together. Quickly remove the the and fuse together. Quickly remove the remove heat. Quench infor water fast cooling. heat. Quench infor water fast for cooling. heat. Quench in water fast cooling.

Summer Garden Bracelet originally published in Step by Step Wire Jewelry, Summer Preview 2008. Interweave Press, LLC Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved

publishers of Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazinejoin the online beading community at BeadingDaily.com
Visit interweavestore.com/jewleryprojects for more great projects!
page 2

and fuse and together. fuse together. and Quickly fuse together. remove Quickly the remove Quickly the remove the heat. Quench heat. Quench in water heat.in for Quench water fast cooling. for in water fast cooling. for fast cooling.

Place silver the rings Place silver on the rings a steel silver on a rings steel on a Take steel a brass Take a hammer, brass Takehammer, aand brass tap hammer, and tap and Make tap the Make swirls pattern Make swirls the pattern stand swirls out stand pattern out stand out 7 Place 7 the 7 8 8 9 9 9the block. Using block. a Using chasing block. a chasing Using hammer, a hammer, chasing hammer, the8 metal the stamp metal the with stamp metal a swirl with stamp pata swirl with pata swirl by placing pat- by placing the rings bythe placing in rings warm the in liverwarm rings liverin warm livergently hammer gently hammer each gently ring hammer each until ring it is each until flat ring it is tern until flat onto it is tern flat each onto silver tern each ring. onto silver Using each ring. silver a Using ring. a of-sulfur Using a of-sulfur solution. of-sulfur solution. The rings solution. The will rings turn The will a rings turn a will turn a and uniform and uniform in width. and in uniform width. in width. brass hammer brass hammer helps brass protect hammer helps the protect helpsthe protect dark the color. dark Remove color. dark Remove them, color. and Remove them, rinse. and them, rinse. and rinse. integrityintegrity of the steel of integrity the stamp. steel of the stamp. steel stamp.

ferred over a matte finish, use polishbeads. Slip this ring onto a large 20g dead soft wire. to Repeat to make ferred over a matte finish, polishbeads. Slip this jump ring onto a large 20g dead soft wire. Repeat make ferred over a matte finish, use polishbeads. Slip this jump ring onto ajump large 20g soft wire. Repeat to make ing paper, or put in ause tumbler for dead fused ring, and close the jump ring. another one. See Wire Basics ing paper, or put them in them a tumbler for another fused ring, and close the jump ring. one. See Wire Basics for help for help ing paper, put them a for tumbler forwire fused ring, and close the jump ring. another one. See Wirefor Basics help ing paper, or put in a tumbler fused ring, and close the jump ring. another one. See Wire Basics help for ing paper, or put them in them a or tumbler for in another fused ring, and close the jump ring. one. See Wire Basics for help a great shine. Repeat for the opposite end of the with wrapping. a great shine. Repeat for the opposite end of the with wire wrapping. a great shine. Repeat for the end wire wrapping. a great shine. Repeat for the opposite end of the with wirewith wrapping. a great shine. Repeat lampwork for the opposite end of opposite the with wire wrapping. bead. Create a second oneof the lampwork bead. Create a second one lampwork bead. a one second one lampwork bead. Create aCreate second lampwork bead. Create a second one with the other large ring and wire with the other large ring and wire with the other large with the other large ring and ring wireand wire with thewrapped other large ring and wire wrapped bead. bead. wrapped bead. bead. wrapped bead. wrapped

the rings fine steel a jump ring from BraceletBracelet design. design. Dry the Dry rings and useand fineuse steel Open a Open jump ring from front to front to 10 12 Bracelet design. Dry the rings and fine steel Open afront jump from Bracelet design. Dry the rings and use fine use steel Open a jump ring from to front to Bracelet design. the wool rings and use fine steel a back jump (see ring from toring 10 Dry 12 Open to rub off Wire , front and slip Wire wrap both of a lampwool to rub off some ofsome the of the back (see Wire Basics) ,Basics) and slip Wire wrap both ends of ends a lamp10 12 10 12 10 12 11 wool to rub off some of the back (see Wire Basics) , and slip Wire wrap both ends of a lampwool to rub off some of the back (see Wire Basics) , and slip Wire wrap both ends of a lampwool to rub off some of the back (see Wire Basics) , and slip Wire wrap both ends of a lamp11 dark If a polished it onto one of the wire wrapped work bead using about dark finish. If finish. a polished shine is shine pre- is preit onto one of the wire wrapped work bead using about 5" of 5" of 11 11 11 dark finish. If a shine iswork preit wire onto one ofring the wire wrapped work bead using about 5"one of dark If matte a polished shine is preit onto one of the wire wrapped work bead using about 5" of dark finish. If finish. aover polished shine ispolished preit onto of the wrapped bead using about 5" of ferred a finish, use polishbeads. Slip this jump onto a large 20g dead soft wire. Repeat to make ferred over a matte finish, use polishbeads. Slip this jump ring onto a large 20g dead soft wire. Repeat to make

attach the toggle bar onto one of another the the another bead. before nating the small and large fused links. attach the toggle bar onto one of another the bead. However, before wrapnating the small and large fused links. attach the toggle bar onto one of the bead. However, before However, wrapnating wrapthe small and large fused links. small fused rings. to complete the loop, small fused rings. ping theping coils to coils complete the loop, small fused rings. ping the coils to complete the loop, small fused rings. ping the coils to complete the loop, small fused rings. ping theslip coils to complete the loop, loop onto the small fused ring slip the loopthe onto the small fused ring slip the loop onto the small fused ring slip the loop onto the small fused ring slip the that loop onto the small fused ring also the toggle bar attached. that also has the has toggle bar attached. that also has the toggle bar that also has the toggle bar attached. that also has the toggle bar attached. Attach the other side of tothe one of the attached. Attach the other side to one Attach other side to one of the Attach the other side tothe one of the Attach the other side tothe one of large fused rings. large fused rings. large fused rings. large fused rings. large fused rings.

Attach two jump rings onto the Cut a 5" Cut a 5" dead of 20g dead soft round Repeat Repeat 14 to connect the Attach two jump rings onto the of 20g soft round Step 14Step to connect the 13 14 15 Attach two jump rings the Cut a soft 5" of 20g dead softRepeat round Repeat 14 to alterconnect the Attach two jump rings onto theonto Cut awire. 5"dead ofBegin 20g dead soft round Repeat 14 Step to connect the Attach two jump rings onto the Cut a 5" of 20g round Step 14 Step to connect the 13 14 15 toggle bar. Use a third ring to silver to wire wrap remaining beads and links, toggle bar. Use a third ring to silver wire. Begin to wire wrap remaining beads and links, alter13 14 15 13 14 15 13 14 15 toggle bar. Use a third to wire. silver wire. Begin to wire wrap remaining beads and links, altertoggle bar. Useonto a third ring to ring silver wire. to wire wrap remaining beads and links, altertoggle bar. Use a third ring to silver Begin toBegin wire wrap remaining beads and links, alterattach the toggle bar one of the another bead. However, before wrapnating the small and large fused links. attach the toggle bar onto one of the another bead. However, before wrapnating the small and large fused links.

use a fused fused

16 16 16 16 16 use a

has been a lamfull time lamhas been a full time has been a full time lampwork artist and jewelry pwork artist and jewelry pwork artist and jewelry pwork artist and jewelry pwork artist and jewelry designer for the past designer for the past designer for the past designer for the Mo. past designer for the past seven years. She lives in St. Louis, seven years. She lives in St. Louis, Mo. seven years. She lives in Cassie St. Louis, Mo. seven years. She lives in St. Louis, Mo. seven years. She lives in St. Louis, Mo. with her husband and three sons. with her husband and three sons. Cassie with her husband and three sons. Cassie with her and three sons. Cassie with husband and three sons. Cassie has linehusband of instructional DVDs covering has aher line of a instructional DVDs covering a line of instructional DVDs To complete the bracelet, has a and linehas of instructional DVDs has a line of instructional DVDs covering To complete the bracelet, take take lampworking and jewelry design. The sil- covering lampworking jewelry design. The sil-covering complete the bracelet, take To complete the bracelet, take To complete the To bracelet, take lampworking and jewelry design. lampworking and jewelry design. sil- The sillampworking and and jewelry design. The silthe other end of the clasp, and rings lampwork beads for The this the other end of the clasp, and ver ringsver and lampwork beads for this other end of the clasp, and ver rings and lampwork beads for this the other end of the clasp, and ver rings and lampwork beads for this the other end of the the clasp, and ver rings and lampwork beads for this project can be purchased on her Web site use a jump ring to attach it to the last project can be purchased on her Web site jump ring to attach it to the last project can be Web purchased on site her Web site project can be purchased on site her Web can be purchased on her use a jump ring to attach it glassbeadle.com to the last at glassbeadle.com use ring a silver jump ring toitattach it to the project last jump to attach to the last at fused ring. silver ring. at glassbeadle.com at glassbeadle.com at glassbeadle.com fused silver ring. fused silver ring. silver ring.

Donlen Cassie Cassie Donlen Cassie Donlen Cassie Donlen Cassie Donlen been a full time lamhas beenhas a full time lam-

Summer Garden Bracelet originally published in Step by Step Wire Jewelry, Summer Preview 2008. Interweave Press, LLC Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved

publishers of Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazinejoin the online beading community at BeadingDaily.com
Visit interweavestore.com/jewleryprojects for more great projects!
page 3