![]() ![]() Aim to wrap the wire around three times or more if you‘ve left a little more space between the loop and the bead. Now start to wrap the excess wire around the straight length of wire below the loop with your flat nose pliers.Once you’ve created your wire loop, you’ll then need to take your flat nosed pliers with your free hand, still holding onto the loop with your round nose pliers in the other.Create your initial loop as in steps 1 – 4 above.Start out with a longer headpin or eyepin to create a wire wrapped loop, as you’ll need the extra length to create a wrapped effect.This will give your jewellery pieces an additional touch of finesse as well as improving your wire wrapping skills. If you’re up to speed with how to make basic headpin loops, you may want to learn how to make a wire wrapped loop. Now you can easily attach jump rings to the loops you’ve created to add more beads or charms to your links.Now start to rotate your pliers, bending the wire as you go creating a loop.In the same way as you would with a headpin, take your round nose pliers and bend the wire at a right angle just above the bead.Make sure there is enough wire above the bead to create a loop – you may need to trim the end of the eyepin with wire cutters if it’s still a little too long with your bead threaded onto it. ![]() Thread your bead onto the eyepin so that it rests gently at the eye of the pin.Similarly to headpins, they can be bought in a number of metals and lengths depending on the look you want to create. How to use eyepinsĮyepins are an excellent time saver when it comes to bringing your jewellery pieces together, as they already have a loop at one end, and can be easily manipulated to create bead links fairly quickly. This will give you an accurate point at which you can clamp and rotate the wire for a small, neat loop. Take a set of flat nosed pliers to close the loop, remembering to add any other element or link that you would like to add before tightly closing the loop.īeginner Tip: Still getting to grips with your round nose pliers? Use a marker to indicate 5mm from the tip of your pliers.Adjust your pliers as you continue to rotate them and bend the wire – this will help you to form a full loop.Gripping the wire in your round nose pliers, start to rotate the pliers towards the bend in the wire that you have already made, creating a half loop.Take a set of round nose pliers and bend the wire at a right angle.Make sure there is enough wire above the bead to create a loop – this should be about 1cm.Thread your bead or charm onto the headpin so that it gently rests at the head of the pin.They can also be used to create bead or charm links using a wire wrapping technique. In jewellery making, headpins are often used to create earring dangles that feature beads or gemstones. Both headpins and eyepins are available at jewellery findings suppliers in varying lengths – this comes in handy when you’re working with larger beads that will require that extra bit of wire wrapping to secure in place. The most common materials used by jewellery makers include sterling silver, gold-plated or brass-plated silver, gunmetal, antique copper and brass. Headpins are normally available in different precious metals and alloys. At the other end of the headpin, the wire is flush cut to make it easier to use. The head acts as a stopper, ensuring beads are secured onto the wire. ![]() Headpins are thin pieces of wire, with a flattened piece of metal at one end, also known as the “head”. ![]() How to use headpins in jewellery making What are headpins used for? Use our guide below to master the basic techniques of how to use headpins and eyepins. A simple method can be used to make eyepin and headpin loops an additional feature of your design, as well as being a functional finding that holds your piece together. Forming wire loops using headpins and eyepins is primarily to secure beads into place, but they don’t just have to be functional. Using headpins and eyepins for jewellery making is an essential skill that, once mastered, will help you create a number of designs with minimal effort. ![]()
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