NJAD Index by Type of Found Object

Yesterday, we published an index of our first sixty New Jewelry a Day projects by type of jewelry. Today, we present an index of the first sixty projects by type of material used to create each NJAD project:

Bottle Caps
Make Chanukah Menorah Earrings from Plastic Bottle...

Buttons
Make a Leather & Button Bracelet
Make a Button Bracelet
Make Button Earrings
Make a Chain and Button Bib Necklace

Chain
Make a Belt from Brass Chain
Make a Chain and Button Bib Necklace

Duct Tape
Make a Braided Duct Tape Bracelet
Make Duct Tape Earrings
 
Game Pieces
Make Post Earrings from Vintage Game Pieces

Gift Card
Make Post Earrings from a Gift Card
Make a Necklace from a Credit Card
Make a Bracelet from a Gift Card
Make Earrings from an iTunes Gift Card

Glass
Make a Pin from a Glass Pebble
Make Glass & Copper Earrings
Make Leather & Lampwork Glass Bead Earrings
Make a Pendant from a Bottle
Turn a Glass Jar into a Pendant
Make a Glass & Knotted Leather Necklace
Make a Glass & Brass Link Bracelet
Make Recycled Glass & Sterling Silver Earrings
Make a Kiln Formed Bracelet
Make a Glass Charm Necklace

Hair Bands
Make a Stone & Elastic Belt 

Hardware
Make a Three Strand Bracelet from Copper Washers
Make a Bib Necklace from Washers
Make Earrings from Grommets
Make a Bracelet from Grommets

Holidays
Make a Stamped Bracelet
Make a Pin from a Glass Pebble
Make LEGO® Christmas Earrings
Make Chanukah Menorah Earrings from Plastic Bottle Caps
Make a Dreidel Pendant
Make Dreidel Earrings

Leather
Make a Leather & Brass Link Bracelet
Make Leather & Lampwork Glass Bead Earrings
Make a Leather & Button Bracelet

LEGO®
Make a LEGO® and Chain Necklace
Use LEGO® as Beads to Make a Necklace
Make LEGO® Christmas Earrings
Make a Giant LEGO® Necklace
Make Lego Earrings

Misc
Make a Ring from Gimp
Turn an Earring into a Pendant
Make a Necklace from Shells
Make Earrings from Shoe Charms

Paper
Make Earrings from Paper

Pipe
Make an Enamel Necklace from a Copper Pipe
Make a Beaded Bracelet with Copper Pipe & Wire
Make a Neck-Ring from Copper Pipe
Make a Bangle Bracelet from a Copper Pipe

Scrap Metal
Make Earrings from Paper
Make Glass & Copper Earrings
Make Earrings from Scrap Wire
Make a Stamped Bracelet
Make Earrings from Copper Wire
Make a Tricolored Riveted Pendant & Chain
Make Tricolored Riveted Earrings

Steel
Make a Bangle Bracelet from Steel Wire
Make a Bracelet from Steel Wire
Make Earrings from Steel Wire

Toys
Make a Necklace from Figurines
Make a Lizard Pin from a Toy
Make Dog Earrings from Toys
Make Post Earrings from Vintage Game Pieces
Make a Dreidel Pendant
Make Dreidel Earrings

NJAD Index by Type of Jewelry

Today is day 60 of our New Jewelry a Day project. So far we have been able to resist the temptation to supplement our ample craft supplies and have made 60 projects upcycling, repurposing and using only what we have. To find new materials, we've sorted through the recycling bin multiple times and spent a lot of time going through toy boxes...but so far we girls met our self imposed goal of spending no money on our NJAD project.

As we work through our craft materials and use things up, the project gets more demanding...but that also mandates more creativity. All in all...not a bad way to spend a very chilly winter.

Here is an index of projects to date by type of jewelry or accessory made:

Belts
Make a Belt from Brass Chain
Make a Stone & Elastic Belt (Made from Hair Bands)

Bracelets
Make a Stamped Bracelet
Make a Braided Duct Tape Bracelet

Copper Bracelet by GeltDesigns.com

Make a Leather & Brass Link Bracelet
Make a Three Strand Bracelet from Copper Washers
Make a Leather & Button Bracelet
Make a Beaded Bracelet with Copper Pipe & Wire
Make a Bracelet from Grommets
Make a Glass & Brass Link Bracelet
Make a Bracelet from a Gift Card
Make a Button Bracelet
Make a Bangle Bracelet from Steel Wire
Make a Bracelet from Steel Wire
Make a Bangle Bracelet from a Copper Pipe
Make a Kiln Formed Bracelet 

Earrings
Make Earrings from Scrap Wire
Make Dog Earrings from Toys
Make Glass & Copper Earrings
Make Post Earrings from a Gift Card
Make Leather & Lampwork Glass Bead Earrings
Make LEGO® Christmas Earrings
Make Duct Tape Earrings
Make Earrings from Grommets
Make Post Earrings from Vintage Game Pieces
Make Earrings from an iTunes Gift Card
Make Earrings from Shoe Charms
Make Earrings from Copper Wire
Make Chanukah Menorah Earrings from Plastic Bottle Caps
Make Dreidel Earrings 
Make Earrings from Steel Wire
Make Tricolored Riveted Earrings
Make Recycled Glass & Sterling Silver Earrings
Make Lego Earrings
Make Button Earrings

LEGO®  Necklace by GeltDesigns.com

Necklaces
Make a LEGO® and Chain Necklace
Use LEGO® as Beads to Make a Necklace
Make a Necklace from a Credit Card
Make a Giant LEGO® Necklace
Make a Bib Necklace from Washers
Make a Necklace from Shells
Make a Glass Charm Necklace
Make a Chain and Button Bib Necklace

Neck-Rings
Make an Enamel Necklace from a Copper Pipe 
Make a Neck-Ring from Copper Pipe

Pendants
Make a Pendant from a Bottle
Turn a Glass Jar into a Pendant
Turn an Earring into a Pendant
Make a Dreidel Pendant

Back of Pin made by GeltDesigns.com

Make a Tri-colored Riveted Pendant & Chain

Pins
Make a Lizard Pin from a Toy
Make a Pin from a Glass Pebble

Rings
Make a Ring from Gimp

Questions about Glass Clay

Pate de verre Turtle Earrings by GeltDesigns.com

We received a number of questions recently from folks working with commercially made glass clay. Sorry. We never used the stuff. We began making our own glass clay long before anybody was selling glass clay commercially so we really cannot comment on why folks seem to be having difficulty using the commercially prepared product... other than to say there is a learning curve with all warm glass techniques.

by GeltDesigns.com

When we began experimenting with different pate de verre techniques (including freeze and fuse and glass clay) we had a LOT of mistakes, failures and really ugly experiments. It happens.

Two years ago I was invited to give a presentation on Pate de Verre and PMC at the PMC Conference, another presenter discussed freeze and fuse and I was surprised at how different their firing schedule was from my own.

When it comes to both freeze and fuse and glass clay, in our studio we tend to allow the clay to dry out longer, fire a LOT slower and anneal the glass longer than did some of my presenting peers... but then we are always always trying to push the envelope to tease out the most colors in my work.

Bottom line: kilns vary and firing schedules are not absolute. Keep detailed records and expect trial and error when working with glass clay... and consider making your own. It is not difficult to do and you can make a greater variety of colors.

Pendant by GeltDesigns.com

Related Tutorials
All about Glass Clay
How to Make Glass Clay
How to Use Glass Clay
How to Form Glass Clay
How to Fire Glass Clay
Freeze and Fuse: Pate de Verre the Easy Way
 
Further Reading
Warmglass.com

How to Select a Cup Burr

Cup burrs are great tools for filing the ends of wire. Cup burrs are a fabulous tool for making ear wires, ear posts, clasps and building chains. Cup burrs can save you a lot of time when fabricating your own jewelry or findings.

Recently, we have received a number of questions about which cup burr is the best to use for jewelry making. The answer, of course, is that "it depends" on the project.

Like most tools, there is no definitive rule about which cup burr must be used. The best cup burr is the one that works for you. With that said, I generally use a cup burr that is two gauge sizes larger than the wire I am using. For example, if I am using 20-gauge wire (.8 mm) or 21-gauge wire to create ear wires or posts, then I typically use an 18-gauge cup burr (1.0mm). If I am using 18-gauge wire, I usually use a 16-gauge cup burr (1.3mm). If I am using 16-gauge wire,  I most often select a 14-gauge or 1.6mm cup burr.

Many companies sell cup burrs using metric measurements rather than wire gauges...so it is helpful to know the metric size of typical wire.

Wire Gauge        MM                  
10                        2.6mm
12                        2.1mm
14                        1.6mm
16                        1.3mm
18                        1.0mm                
20                        0.8mm
21                        0.7mm
22                        0.65mm
24                        0.5mm
26                        0.4mm
28                        0.3mm

How to Make Jump Rings

Jump rings are an important component in many jewelry projects. You can purchase commercial jump rings but making your own is both more economical and allows you to make exactly the size and shape jump ring you need for a particular project. Below is a brief tutorial on how to make your own jump rings. 

Tools
Round nose pliers  or 3-Step wire looping pliers
Chain nose or bent nose pliers
Wire rounder or needle file or cup burr and flex shaft
Jewelry saw and blades or wire side cutters or flush cutters
Mandrel
Steel bench block or anvil
Rawhide or plastic mallet

Step 1
Wrap the wire around a mandrel. The first and last wrap will not likely result in a nice jump ring. Add at least two wraps to the number of jump rings you require for your project.

We used a mandrel from our dapping set, but you can use many things (inlcuding a pen or pencil) as a mandrel. The size mandrel determines the size and shape of the jump ring.

Step 2
Remove the coiled wire from the mandrel and cut the coil using a jewelry saw and blades.

If you do not have a jewelry saw and blades, then you can use wire side cutters or flush cutters. Note that a jewelry saw and blades will result in a cleaner cut that will be easier to solder.

Step 3
File the ends of the jump ring smooth using a wire rounder or needle file or cup burr and flex shaft.  

Step 4
Adjust the shape of the jump rings to form a square or an oval, if desired.

Step 5
Place the jump rings on a steel bench block or anvil and hammer the jump rings with a rawhide or plastic mallet to harden the jump rings and prevent them form becoming misshapen. The jump rings may be slightly misshapen when hammering; if needed, adjust the jump rings with chain nose or bent nose pliers.

Note: If you are making a lot of jump rings, consider using a tumbler to harden the jump rings. 

Related Tutorials
How to Use a Jewelry Saw
How to Smooth Sharp Edges on Copper, Brass and Sterling Wire 
Make Earrings from an iTunes Gift Card

Further Reading 
"Complete Metalsmith: Professional Edition"; Tim McCreight; 2004.
"Jewelry: Fundamentals of Metalsmithing (Jewelry Crafts)"; Tim McCreight; 1997.  
"Jewelry: Concepts And Technology"; Oppi Untracht; 1982.

How to Make Frit

My kids laugh when I say it....I know it is a lame, bad pun...but frit happens.

One of my favorite way to take my frustration out on failed warm glass projects is to turn the project into frit. The project cracked in the kiln? Oops. "You're frit now, baby!"

Low on funds? You can break glass bottles and jars into frit and then use the frit to fuse or cast the glass.

Plate Cracked & Bubbled in Kiln

Turing a glass into frit is a fancy way of saying I break the glass into small pieces that I can be used to decorate other projects and to fuse into another project. There are a number of different ways to create frit. Some folks like to heat the glass in the kiln and then drop the hot glass into a bucket of cold water.

My favorite technique of making frit requires a hammer and something to catch the small pieces. Very basic. Very therapeutic. I use a box constructed of wood to make frit. After cleaning the glass, I put the glass into a plastic bag to keep the glass clean. I place the glass into the wood box and then hit the glass with an old, heavy sledge hammer until the glass is the size frit I want.

Frit in Jars

Regardless of which method you use to make frit the result will be different size glass. Sift or sort the frit according to sizes and store it for future use. I like to store the glass in a clear plastic container (pulled from the recycling bin, of course) so I can see the frit. I also like to label the glass with the COE since we use different COE glass for different projects in our studio.

Making your own frit from failed projects is great therapy, as well as being a great way to reuse glass for kiln formed projects.

Related Tutorials
Turn a Glass Jar into a Pendant
How to Make Fused Glass Frit Paintings
How to Make a Fused Glass Mosaic
How to Make a Fused Glass Bead

Further Reading
"Warm Glass: A Complete Guide to Kiln-Forming Techniques: Fusing, Slumping, Casting";  Philippa Beveridge, Ignasi Domenech, Eva Pacual; 2005.
"Contemporary Warm Glass: A Guide to Fusing, Slumping & Kiln-Forming Techniques": Brad Walker; 2000.
"Fused Glass Handbook"; Gil Reynolds; 1987.
"Fuse It - 18 Fused Glass Projects": Petra Kaiser; 2007.
"Innovative Adornments - Introduction to Fused Glass & Wire Jewelry";  Jayne Persico; 2002.
"Richard La Londe: Fused Glass Art and Technique"; 2006.

New & Noteworthy
"Contemporary Fused Glass";  Brad Walker; 2010.
"Microwave Kiln Techniques: For Fused Glass Jewelry, Stained Glass Projects and Silver Clay"; Geneva Perkins.