Jewelry Making: A Day Without Headpins

Here's a crazy jewelry making idea. Give up headpins for just one day.

No headpins! A crazy notion indeed. Headpins are a jewelry making staple. An earring DIY must-have. Headpin + bead + loop + earwires = earrings. You can do it with your eyes closed. Why would you reject your dependable, little flat-headed jewelry making friends?

I love headpins too; but when you let go of what you usually do, you challenge your creativity. Try it for just one day.

Tools

-Pliers

-Round nosed pliers

-Cutters

-Hammer and block - optional

-Pull out your wire jig if you have one

Materials

-20 and 16 gauge wire - 20 fits bead holes best. 16 makes bold shapes.

-Beads - flat beads work well

-Ear-wires

Wire, the great headpin alternative

Learn a few basic no headpin techniques. Use your imagination; and soon you'll have tons of your own no headpin ideas.

Coiled Pin

-Cut 2 - two inch wire pieces. (longer or shorter if you choose)

-½ inch down bend the wire to a right angle.

-Use round nosed pliers to form a loop at the end of the ½ inch segment.

-Hold with pliers and rotate the loop into a tight coil.

-(Optional) Hammer the coil for smooth flat texture.

-Use like a headpin.

-Add beads, a loop and earwires.

-Try forming a triangle or square instead of a coil

Folded

-Cut 2 - three inch wire pieces

-Hold pieces together and make a zigzag pattern 1 & ¾ inches from the top.

-(Optional) Hammer the zigzag part only.

-Use round nosed pliers to "fold" the zigzag part back against the straight "pin" part (see illustration #2)

-Slip the pin part inside a bead. (flat beads work best)

-The zigzag should lay flat against bead.

-Wrap the end of the zigzag part around the pin.

-Make a loop.

-Add earwires.

Eye Pin

-Cut 2 - two inch wire pieces.

-Form a loop at each end. (Se illustration #3)

-Add a charm. Make a wire coil or add other shape to the bottom.

-Use instead of a headpin.

Hoops

-Form hoops using a rod or other long, round object.

-Use them plain or add beads, charms or wire coils if you choose.

No Beads Allowed​?

Would it be cruel to insist you give up headpins and beads on the same day? Try it.

-Experiment with shapes. (See illustration #4)

-Practice making people

-Make "Simple Hearts"

-Bring out your wire Jig and create unusual shapes.

-Hammering helps retain the shape

Metal

-Use your jeweler's saw or metal shears to cut simple metal shapes.

-Add texture with a hammer.

-Drill holes to add a few danglies or beads .

Source:
From my class: "No Headpins Allowed"