Shabby Chic Cuff - video and written tutorial

Tools Used –

Spellbinders Grand Calibur die cutting machine

Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Fifteen (2^nd smallest in set)

Sewing Machine

Scissors

Small hand drill or rotary drill

Pliers: round-nose

Wire cutters

Textured stamp

Bone folder

Products Used –

ICE Resin®

2 small pieces of Art Mechanique cream sheer ribbon

Muslin

Fusible interfacing (sew-in will work)

Crocheted flower

Brown thread

Vintage ear ring with faux pearls

Copper sheet: 34 gauge

Snaps and snap setting tool

Fingernail buffing stick or very fine sandpaper

Liver of sulfer solution

Epoxy glue

Instructions

1. Use the die to cut and emboss a square from the copper sheet.

2. Lay the square on the stamp and rub with the bone folder to create texture.

3. Soak the square in a warm liver of sulfer solution until it is very dark. Remove and rinse with cold water. Lightly sand with the nail buffing stick to remove some of the dark patina.

4. Cut the back off the earring. If the earring has a dangle and is removable, remove it.

5. Glue the earring at the center of the flower. Let cure.

6. Mix the resin according to the package directions. Cover the front side of the square with resin and place the flower centered on it. Drip a little more resin onto the piece to cover the flower. Let it cure according to the package directions.

7. If the earring dangle was removed, replace it.

8. Tear two pieces of muslin to 2 1/8” wide and to your wrist size plus about 2”. Cut a piece of interfacing that is just a little smaller than the muslin. Iron the interfacing to one muslin piece.

9. Lay the second muslin piece on top of the other with the interfacing sandwiched between the two pieces of muslin. Sew a zigzag stitch around the edges twice. Sew two lines of gathering stitches down the center of the cuff.

10. Pull the threads to gather the cuff to fit your wrist, (remember to allow enough overlap for the snaps). Tie the threads off to secure.

11. Follow the manufacturers directions to apply two snaps to the cuff.

12. Drill a hole at the center of each side of the square.

13. Thread a ribbon through the holes. Trim the ribbon tails to extend to within about ½” of the snaps.

14. Center the square onto the cuff and sew a zigzag and straight stitch down the center of each ribbon tail.

15. Thread a piece of ribbon under the ribbon on the cuff to one side of the square where it is not sewn down; tie it in a knot and trim.

Finished Cuff

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Video Tutorial - How To Create A Transparent Layer For Resin Projects

I'm excited to say that my very first online technique based video for the ICE Resin® Creative Team is up and running!

Creating a Transparent Layer with Kathy Thompson from ICE Resin Creative Team on Vimeo. 

I’ve created this quick video to show you how to make a transparent layer by printing an image directly onto ordinary tissue paper. The image will appear to float above the background layer adding depth and interest to almost any resin project.

All you will need is some ordinary tissue paper, a printer and some ICE Resin®, of course!

Tips:

1. This technique works best if you choose a black and white image to print onto the tissue paper and layer it over a light background.

2. This same technique could also be accomplished by stamping onto the tissue with permanent ink.

Here is a peek at the finished pendant.

Thanks for visiting. I hope you enjoy the video!

 Kathy

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Hook and Eye Clasp - Basic Wire Working Technique Series

 

Why use a handcrafted hook and eye clasp over a ready made clasp?

It will add much more interest to your design and give that extra unique quality that transforms it into a piece of wearable art.

Tools and Supplies:

Chain-nose pliers

Round-nose pliers

Stepped forming pliers

Flush cutters (one side of the cutters are flush and make a straight cut, the other side makes a "V" cut)

Small jewelers file

Hammer

Steel bench block (or something solid to hammer on)

Wire: I've used 16 gauge copper for my photos. I suggest you begin with copper; it's malleable which makes it easy to work with and it's inexpensive.

The picture above shows two pairs of chain-nose pliers, round-nose pliers, and flush cutters. Below is what stepped forming pliers look like.

A note before I start the tutorial: 

In my photos I did not leave the looped end that will attach to the chain open. If you are going to use a jump ring to attach the clasp then you can go ahead and close the loops as I did in the photos. If you choose to attach it directly to a fused chain link then you will need to leave the loop end open (see "Links: Beaded and Crazy" to see how to connect loops).

Hook Clasp

Hammer one end of an 8" wire to flatten it.

Place the round-nose pliers at the tip of the flattened area.

Curl the wire around the pliers.

Your piece should look like this.

 

Place the base of the round-nose pliers on the wire above the curl (how far up will determine how long the clasp will be).

Use your fingers to bend the wire back towards

the underside of the curl.

Place the chain-nose pliers on the wire and make a 90 degree bend.

Make a wrapped loop (click here to refer to my earlier tutorial on wrapped loops). Trim the wire and file the end smooth.

Hammer to add texture and strength.

(Hammering metal work hardens it and helps it to keep its shape.)

Your finished hook clasp should look like this.

 

Eye Clasp

Make a wrapped loop  at one end of an 8" wire (click here to refer to my earlier tutorial on wrapped loops). Place the stepped forming pliers on the wire (each tier is a different diameter - use the tier that will make the size of loop you desire).

Wind each wire tail until they meet and fill the space

between the loops. Trim ends and file to smooth them.

Hammer the loops to add texture and strength.

Your finished eye clasp should look like this.

The finished hook and eye clasp set should look like this.

Here are a few examples of where I have used handmade hook and eye clasps in my designs. Notice that sometimes I just use the hook part and use to a large handmade jump ring for the eye part and sometimes I added a bead to the clasps.

 

 

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Jump Rings Tutorial - Basic Wire Working Technique Series

Jump rings are readily available and fairly inexpensive so most of the time it makes sense just to purchase them. However, there are times when I find a need to make my own. I often times work with dark annealed steel wire and cannot purchase jump rings that are from the same wire. By making my own, I can match the wire perfectly. Also, there are occasions when I want a size - usually very large - that I do not have and need to make it myself.

Tools and Supplies:

Two pairs of chain-nose pliers

Flush cutters (one side of the cutters are flush and make a straight cut, the other side makes a "V" cut)

Knitting needle in various sizes or any round object to wrap the wire around

Small jewelers file

Wire: I've used copper for my photos. I suggest you begin with copper; it's malleable which makes it easy to work with and it's inexpensive.

Wrap a long piece of wire several times around a knitting needle or other object that is the same diameter that you would like the finished size or your jump rings to be.

Remove it from the needle. Use the flush cutters to trim one end of the coiled wire (make sure to place the straight edge of the cutters inward facing the coils).

 

 Place the cutters (with the flush side the opposite direction as before) onto the next coil and trim even with the first cut to create a round circle of wire.

 

Place the cutters (flush side towards the coils) and trim off the rough cut edge left from the previous cut. You are now ready to make another jump ring as before. Use the jewelers file to smooth out the edges. Use two pairs of pliers to open and close the jump rings.

Your finished jump rings should look like this.

Here are few examples of where I have made my own jump rings.

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Links: Beaded and Crazy -Tutorial - Basic Wire Working Technique Series

A wrapped loop link is an important technique to learn because it will allow you to incorporate uniquely handcrafted chains into your jewelry.

Tools and Supplies:

Pliers: round-nose and chain-nose

Flush cutters (one side of the cutters are flush and make a straight cut, the other side makes a "V" cut)

Small jewelers file

Wire: I've used copper for my photos. I suggest you begin with copper; it's malleable which makes it easy to work with and it's inexpensive.

Beads of your choice

Single Beaded Link

Begin by making a wrapped loop (click here to refer to my earlier tutorial on wrapped loops). Add a bead.

Place the chain-nose pliers below the bead.

 Make a wrapped loop. 

It's as simple as that! Your finished link should look like this.

To make a chain, use another piece of wire to make a loop and thread it through the loop of the previous link.

Wrap the wire and finish the link as before.

 

Swirl Wrapped Double Beaded Link

Use a long length of wire to make a wrapped loop (click here to refer to my earlier tutorial on wrapped loops). Add two beads. Make a wrapped loop but do not trim the wire.

 

Wind the wire tail around the beads.

Wrap the wire a few times just under the loop.

Trim the excess wire.

Your finished link should look like this.

Crazy Link

Make a wire link with a wrapped loop at each end (click here to refer to my earlier tutorial on wrapped loops).

 

Place the chain-nose pliers about 1/3 of the way into the link.

Use your fingers to put a slight bend in the wire.

Place the pliers about 2/3 into the link and make another slight bend.

Your finished link should look like this.

Or, if you're really feeling crazy, kink the wire a little more.

Here are a couple of examples of how I've used

beaded and crazy links in my jewelry designs.

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