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Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace, Contemporary Wire Jewelry. Making Chain, Chain Making . This tutorial describes how to make a chain that is approximately 32

Link-it Necklace

by Karen Meador, Ph.D.
  • Category: Contemporary
  • Technique(s): Chain Making
  • Skill Level: Beginner
This tutorial describes how to make a chain that is approximately 32" long. The length can obviously be varied by adding more sections of a link pattern or putting more individual links into the sections. Four sections of each link pattern are shown herein.

Materials

Mirrored Lines Copper Pattern Wire - 3 Feet
H25-11A
  • Lesson Quantity: 3.00 feet
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $12.29
  • Gold Club Price: $9.22
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18 Gauge Round Dead Soft Copper Wire
H11-18D
  • Lesson Quantity: 3.00 feet
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 5FT
  • Price: $3.53
  • Gold Club Price: $2.65
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16 gauge copper 8mm jump rings
  • Lesson Quantity: 16.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Size 8 seed beads
  • Lesson Quantity: 48.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
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Tools

Round Nose Wire Pliers
G2-507
  • G2-507
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $32.95
  • Gold Club Price: $24.71
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C.H.P Milano Small Sprue Cutter, 6-1/4 Inches, Flush Cut
PLR-488.00
  • PLR-488.00
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $24.95
  • Gold Club Price: $18.71
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Chasing Hammer with Wooden Handle, 1 1/8 Inch Face
G3-27
  • G3-27
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $13.95
  • Gold Club Price: $10.46
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Premium Steel Bench Block 2 1/2 X 2 1/2
G17-9
  • G17-9
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $15.97
  • Gold Club Price: $11.98
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Instructions
Step 1
You can cut various lengths for the mirrored lines wire links or make them all the same link. I cut 16 pieces and varied the lengths. The largest link was 2 ¼” flat and the smallest was 1 ¾” flat.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , cut wire
Step 2
Use the largest diameter of your round nose pliers to curve the end of the flat link until it touches itself. You want the diameter of the space in this curve to provide ample room for movement in the chain.
Curve the other end of the link in the opposite direction.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , create a loop
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , make a loop
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , make a loop
Step 3
Repeat step 2 until all these links have been created. Then use large jump rings to connect three of the links. You will need four sets of these.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , connect with jump rings
Step 4
Cut a 2 1/4” piece of 18g wire. Be sure this wire will fit through the seed beads you have selected. If not, use 20g wire.
Use a permanent marker to denote the half way point on your graduated round nose pliers. This will indicate the wire placement for bends and loops and help you make the size consistent.
Bend the wire in half at the marked diameter on your pliers and hammer it. The tops of the wire should be even.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , cut wire
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , mark your pliers
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , bend the wire in half
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , hammer the wire
Step 5
String three seed beads on one side of the wire and create an inward loop in the top of it. The seed beads may slide past the bottom curve, but that’s OK.
Gently hammer the loop being careful not to smash your beads.
Repeat for the other side of the link, adding three beads and making a loop. Push the two loops inward so they mirror each other.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , string on 3 beads
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , make a loop
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , hammer the loop
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , string on 3 beads
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , make a loop
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , push the loops together
Step 6
Create a bead-less link by cutting another 2 1/4” piece of 18g wire, bending it in half and hammering it.
Feed this link through the top loops of the beaded link. Create and hammer inward loops on the ends of this piece and push them together.
Pro Tip: Position the wire loops on the bench block such that the beads hang off of it. This helps you keep from hammering the beads.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , create another link
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , thread through a beaded link
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , make loops on each end
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , hammer tip
Step 7
Cut, bend, and hammer another piece of wire, feeding it through the loops of the bead-less link. Then string on beads on each side and finish the link as before.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , make another link
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , make loops
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , push the loops together
Step 8
Now you should have a section of three links to be added to the mirrored wire links previously created. Make three more of these 3-link sections. To finish the necklace, alternate attaching the beaded links to the mirrored links with jump rings.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , 3-link chain
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , add jumps to each end
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , attach to other links
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Link-it Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , chain necklace

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