Beading Basics
Attaching a Colette
Step 1. Take your length of tigertail and attach a crimp bead as below.
Step 2. Now, take the Calotte and slid it onto the Tigertail, pulling the secured crimp inside the Calotte. Trim excess Tigertail close to the crimp.
Step 3. Using round nose pliers, curl the Calotte loop round, so the end is sitting just inside the Calotte.
Gently squeeze the 2 sides of the Calotte together, trapping the crimp and the end of the loop inside.
Step 4. For the other end of your bracelet or necklace, thread on a calotte, then a crimp. Secure crimp inside calotte with your pliers.
Attaching a Crimp
Step 1. Take a length of Tigertail and slid a crimp bead onto the end.
Step 2. With your pliers, place them around the crimp and position the crimp where you would like it on the Tigertail.
Step 3. Squeeze the crimp flat, trapping the Tigertail inside the crimp.
Attaching a Crimp Cover
Step 1. Take your secured crimp that you would like to cover and a Crimp Cover.
Step 2. Slide crimp cover over crimp and make sure it is sitting neatly over the crimp and tigertail. You may find it easier to hold the crimp cover in your pliers to slid over crimp.
Step 3. With your pliers, gently squeeze the crimp cover closed over the secure crimp and Tigertail. Make sure you close the cover evenly, to create a neat round bead shape.
Attaching a Wire Protector
Step 1. Take a length of Tigertail, slid a crimp bead and one side of a wire protector onto the end.
Step 2. Thread the end of the Tigertail back through the other side of the wire protector. (Image A) Then back through the crimp. (Image B)
Step 3. Pull the tigertail tightly around the wire protector and push the crimp as close to the wire protector as possible. With your pliers, gently push the crimp flat to secure in place.
Creating a Loop
Creating a Loop on a Head/Eye Pin -
Wrap Around Method
Step 1. Slid bead onto pin and hold the pin 5mm above bead with round nose pliers.
Step 2. Wrap top of pin into a loop (Image A), curling it around the pliers. (Image B) Then twist the wire back around the pin just above the bead. (Image C)
Step 3. Wrap 1-2 times round the pin, then trim excess wire. To neaten, push end of wire inwards.
Curl Method
Step 1. Slide bead onto pin and hold the pin just above bead with round nose pliers.
Step 2. Bend the pin wire at right-angles to the bead (Image A), then curl the pin round the round-nose pliers to create a loop. (Image B)
Step 3. Trim excess pin wire as close to your loop as possible with wire cutters, (Image C) then gently push end of your loop inwards to sit in line with the pin. (Image D)
Knotting Elastic
Step 1. Hold the end of strand A in your left hand and the end of strand B in your right hand. (Image A) Then Cross A over to form a X. (Image B)
Step 2. Wrap A once around B, like the first step of tying a shoelace. A will now be on the right and B on the left.
Step 3. Cross A under B, forming another X.
Step 4. Now wrap A around B again and pull to tighten the knot.
Opening a Jump Ring
Step 1. Hold Jump ring with 2 pairs of pliers.
Step 2. Gently push the Jump ring apart, moving Pliers A away from you and the Pliers B towards you.
Step 3. Attach the ring to your piece of Jewellery then holding the pliers in the same position, reverse the action in Step 2, pulling pliers A towards you and pushing pliers B away.
Quick tip: When closing your Jump ring, push the ends just past each other and then pull them back in line to ensure a tight, neat closure.