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beading & jewelryprojects

Summer Garden Bracelet

Cassie Donlen
Originally published in
Step by Step Wire Jewelry
Summer Preview 2008
Photo by Jim Lawson.

Summer Garden Bracelet originally published in Step by Step Wire Jewelry, Summer Preview 2008. ©Interweave Press, LLC Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved
publishers of Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazine…join the online beading community at BeadingDaily.com
Visit InterweaveStore.com/jewelryprojects for more great projects!
page 1
 Lampwork Beads join forces with fused rings.
People are drawn to unusual jewelry that can’t be found on a store shelf.
Incorporating handmade fused silver rings within a simple bracelet design turns it
into something unique and special. This is a two part article that covers both the making of
the fused silver rings, and the bracelet’s assembly.

WHAT YOU NEED • Rawhide/plastic mallet • Chain nose pliers

• 12"–14" of 14-gauge round fine silver wire • Steel block • Round nose pliers
• Wire cutters • Chasing hammer • 3.5mm ID 18-gauge jump rings, 8
• Needle nose pliers • Brass hammer • Toggle clasp
• Steel ring mandrel • Metal stamp with swirl pattern • 6 assorted lampwork beads
• Butane torch • Liver-of-sulfur and fine steel wool Resource: Silver rings and lampwork
• Ceramic firing block • 3' of 20-gauge dead soft silver wire beads from glassbeadle.com.

MakingMaking Making
the fused the rings.
the rings.
fused fused rings.
2 2 2 Using aUsing
pair ofaUsing
pair
heavy a pair
of dutyofwire
heavy heavywire
duty
3 3 3
duty wire Makeeach
Make sure Make
sure sureend
each
open each
open open
ofend
the of end
the of the

1 1 1Take an Take
round round
anTake
8" strip
wire.
wire. Wrap
an
8"ofstrip
roundthe
14g
Wrap
8"offine
wire.
wire
strip
14g
Wrap
the
of
wire
around
14g
fine
silver
the
fine silver
silver
wire
around
cutters,cutters,
around
wrapped wrapped
loop,wrapped
cutters,
loop,
individually
individually
individually cut each
them turning
loop, turning
turning
cut each
them
into
cut each silver rings
them
into
single into
single single
silverhas
onDepending
Depending
Depending theon
silver
rings
type
rings
has
a blunt
theofon
type
has cut.
aflush
blunt aflush
bluntcut.
theofcutters
wire type
wireof
flush cut.
wire cutters
cutters
the size the
the5 size
section size
of a5ring
5 section section
of mandrel
a ring of mandrel
a ring mandrel rings.from
rings. rings
rings. Three Three Three
rings rings
from
size from
5 size
and 5
twosize two
and 5you
andused,
two
you the you
used, used,
tip the
of thetip the
of tipwire
the
silver of thewire
silver silver wire
four times, fourremove
four times,
and times, and
and remove
it. Take remove Takeit.anoth-
it.anoth- Take anoth-
rings ringssize
from rings
from from
11size
are 11 size
are 11
needed. are needed.
needed. might bemight might
be
at an at an
angle. beangle.
at an
File theangle.
File
ends theFile
endsthe ends
er 8" strand er wire,
er 8" strand
of 8" strand
ofand
wire, ofand
wrap wire, anditwrap it
itwrap flush ifflush if flush
needed. needed. if needed.
aroundaround around
the sizethe11sizethe11size
section of11
sectionthesection
of the of the
mandrel threemandrel
mandrel threeremove.
three times,
times, and times,
and remove. and remove.

4 With
each 4snugly.
4 needle
each
ring
With pliers,
With needle
nose
each
ring
needle nose close
nose pliers,
close
ring must
snugly.
They snugly. 5 Align
pliers, close
Theymeet
Theymeet
must must meet
block. 5ringstheaUsing
5 theAlign
block.
Using
Align a the
rings
on
block.
butane
onrings
aUsing
butane
on a ceramic
a ceramic
ceramic firing
a butane
torch,
firing firing
torch,
torch, evenly
evenly 6Slide
6 evenly
cle. 6the
Reshape
Reshape
cle.
Reshape
theback
rings
cle.one
Slide
them Slide
them
the
rings
athem
at one
rings
back
into
time
back
into
a cir-
at one
aonto
into a cir-
a cir-
at aonto
time time onto
perfectly withperfectly
perfectly nowith
opennowith
open
spacenospace
open
for thespace for the
for theheat upheatoneup heat
ringoneatup
aring one
time aring
at by time atby
slowly a time by slowly
slowly the
the mandrel.
the mandrel. mandrel.
Using aUsing
rawhideaUsing a rawhide
rawhide
mallet, mallet, mallet,
fusetosilver
silver
silver to fusetoproperly.
properly. fuse properly.
Don’t Don’t ifworry
Don’t ifworry
worry movingifmoving moving
the torch theintorch theintorch
a circular in a circular
a circular
motion. motion.motion.
gently gently gently
tap all tap all tap
around theallring’s
around around thecircum-
the circum-
ring’s ring’s circum-
the shape
the shape the ashape
is not not aisperfect
is perfect not a perfect
circle. circle. circle.
They They When They
When
the When
the
silver silver
starts the silver
starts
to developtostarts
developto develop
a white a white a white
ference ference ference
until
until the the
shape until
shapethe shape is circular.
is circular.
is circular.
will be will be will
reshaped be
reshaped reshaped
after after fusing.film, it’sfilm,
after fusing.
fusing. it’sfilm,
ready ready
for it’sfor
fusing. ready
Aimfor
fusing. thefusing.
Aim
flametheAim the flame
flame
at the directly
directlydirectly at the
join. The atends
join.the
The join. Thewill
ends
will melt ends
meltwill melt
and fuseand fuseand
together. fuse
together.
Quickly together.
Quickly
remove Quickly
the remove
remove the the
heat. Quench heat.
heat. Quench
in waterQuench
infor
water
fastinfor
water
fast for
cooling. fast cooling.
cooling.

Summer Garden Bracelet originally published in Step by Step Wire Jewelry, Summer Preview 2008. ©Interweave Press, LLC Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved
publishers of Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazine…join the online beading community at BeadingDaily.com
Visit interweavestore.com/jewleryprojects for more great projects!
page 2
 and fuseand
together.
fuse together.
and
Quickly
fuse together.
remove
Quickly the
remove
Quicklythe
remove the
heat. Quench
heat. Quench
in water
heat.in
for
Quench
water
fast cooling.
for
in water
fast cooling.
for fast cooling.

7 Place
7 theUsing
block.
Place
7a Using
silverthe
block.
rings
Place
silver
chasing
onthe
block.
rings
a steel
silver
a chasing
Using
hammer,
on arings
a hammer,8 hammer,
chasing the8
steelon aTake
steela brass
metal 8 brass
Take ahammer,
thestamp
Takehammer,
metal
the
with
aand
stamp
brass
metal
taphammer,
a swirl
with
stamp
pat-
a swirl 9a swirl
and tap and
withpat-
Make
9pat-Make
tap the
by placing 9therings
swirls
by placing
the
pattern
Make
swirlsthe
bythe
pattern
stand
placing
in rings
swirls
warmthe
outstand
inliver-
pattern
warm
outstand out
rings liver-
in warm liver-
gently hammer
gently hammer
each
gentlyring
hammer
each
untilring
it is
each
until
flat ring
it is tern
until
flat onto
it istern
flat
eachonto
silver
tern
eachring.
onto
silver
Using
eachring.
silver
a Usingring.
a of-sulfur
Using aof-sulfur
solution.of-sulfur
solution.
The ringssolution.
Thewillrings
turnThe
will
a rings
turn awill turn a
and uniform
and uniform
in width.
and inuniform
width. in width. brass hammerbrass hammer
helps
brassprotect
hammer
helps the
protect
helpstheprotect
darkthe
color.
darkRemove
color.
dark
Remove
them,
color.and
Remove
them,rinse.
and
them,
rinse.and rinse.
integrityintegrity
of the steel
of
integrity
the
stamp.
steel
of the
stamp.
steel stamp.

10 Dry
10 10
Dry the Dry
10
ringsthe
10
Dry the
and rings
useand
Dry
rings the
fineuse
and rings
use and
fine use
BraceletBracelet
steelfine steel
steel
design. design.
fine steel
Bracelet Bracelet
design. Bracelet
design. design. 12 Open
12 12
Open a Open
12 12
Open
a jump
jump ring fromring
Open
a jump
from
front
afront
Wirering jump
to front to
toring
from from
front to front to
11
the wool
rings and use fine steel a back
jump (see
ring from
wool
wool
to rub
to wool
rub
darkIf finish.
dark finish.
to
off
to
off
rub
some
wool
rub
some
off
off
If a polished
a polished
ofsome
to
of
the of the
rub
some
the
shine is shine
off
of some
the
pre- is pre- 11
11of
Wire wrap
the
11
Wire
work
Wire
Wire
wrap
work
bead
wrap
both
11 wrap
both
both
ends
Wire
of ends
both
ends
beadabout
using
of
a lamp-
wrap
ends
a
of a lamp-
both
lamp-
using5"about of aends
lamp-of a
of 5" ofit onto one
back
lamp-
back
(see Wire Basics),
back
(see
it onto Wire
onewire
of the
(seeback
Wire
Basics),
of the
and slipand slip
Basics),
(see Wire
Basics),
and
wire wrapped
wrapped
slip and slip and slip
Basics),
dark finish.
ferred dark
darkIf finish.
aover
polished
a afinish.
If matte shineIf aispolished
polished
finish, shine
pre-
use shine
is pre-
polish- iswork
pre-
20g work
bead
dead using
soft work
beadabout
wire. bead
using
Repeat ofusing
5"aboutto 5"about
makeof
it onto5"one
of
it onto
of the
beads. it wire
one
Sliponto
of
this one
the ofring
wire
wrapped
jump the wire wrapped
wrapped
onto a large
ferred over a matte finish, use polish- 20g dead soft wire. Repeat to make beads. Slip this jump ring onto a large
ferred
ferred over
ing ferred
over
a matte
paper, over
orafinish,
matte
put a matte
finish,
use in ause
polish- finish, use
polish-
20g polish-
20g
for dead dead
soft 20g
wire. dead
soft soft
wire.
Repeat wire. to
Repeat
to make Repeat
make to make
beads. beads.
Slip beads.
this Slip
jump this
ringSlip
jump this
onto ajump
ring ontoring
large onto a large
a large
ing paper, or put them in them
a tumbler tumbler
for another another
one. See one.
WireSee Wire
Basics Basics
for help for help fused
fused ring, andring,
close and the close
jumpthe jump
ring. ring.
ing
ing paper,
a ing
orpaper, orpaper,
putshine.
great them put a or
in them put
in athem
tumbler for in another
tumbler a for
tumbler forwire
another
one.
with another
Seeone.
WireSee one.
WireSee
Basics
wrapping. for Wirefor
Basics
help Basics
help for
fused help
fused
ring, andring,
Repeat fused
close
for and
the ring,
the close and
jump
opposite the close
jump
ring.
end ofthe jump ring.
ring.
the
a great shine. with wire wrapping. Repeat for the opposite end of the
a great shine. a great shine.
a great shine. with wirewith wirewith
wrapping. wire wrapping.
wrapping. Repeat
Repeat lampwork
for Repeat
for
the opposite for
endthe
the opposite
bead. of opposite
aend
the end
of theoneof the
lampwork bead. Create aCreate
second second
one
lampwork lampwork
bead.
with the lampwork
bead.
Create
other large bead.
aCreate
second
ring aCreate
andsecond
one
wire a one
second one
with the other large ring and wire
with
otherthe
with thewrapped with
largeother the
ring other
large
and ring large
wire and ring
wireand wire
wrapped bead. bead.
bead. wrapped
wrappedwrapped bead. bead.

13
13 13 Attach
Attach two
13 13
jumptwo jump
rings rings
onto
14
14 14
theonto the Cut a 5"Cut
14
a 5" dead
of 20g
14
of 20g dead
soft round
15 15
soft round Repeat Repeat
15
Step 14Step
15
14 to connect
to connect the the

to15
Attach Attach
two jump
toggle Attach
two jump
rings
bar. Use two
onto
a jump
rings
the
third onto
ringrings
theonto
to Cut the Cut
a 5"silver
of 20g Cut
awire.
5"dead a soft
ofBegin
20g 5"dead
ofround
to 20g
softdead
wire wrap softRepeat
round round Repeat
Step Repeat
14 Step
remainingto 14 Step
connect
beads to 14 to alter-
connect
andthe
links, connect
the the
toggle bar. Use a third ring to silver wire. Begin to wire wrap remaining beads and links, alter-
toggle
attach toggle
bar.
theUse atoggle
bar.
toggle third
bar bar.
Useonto
ring Use
a third
to
one aofthird
ring to ring
the to wire.
silver
another silver
Begin
bead. silver
wire. wire.
toBegin
wire
However, to Begin
wrapwire wrap
before wire wrap
wrap- remaining
remaining
nating thebeads
smallremaining
beads
and
and links,
large beads
and
alter-
fused and
links,links.links, alter-
alter-
attach the toggle bar onto one of the another bead. However, before wrap- nating the small and large fused links.
attach
attach the toggle
small attach
the
fusedbar thebar
toggle
onto
rings. toggle
oneonto bar
oneonto
of the one of another
of another
the the theHowever,
bead. another
bead. bead.
before However,
toHowever, before
nating wrap-
before wrap-
wrap- nating
the nating
smallthe small
and the
and
large small
large
fused and large
fused
links. fused links.
links.
small fused rings. ping thepingcoils to coils
complete complete
the loop,the loop,
smallrings.
small fused small
fused fused rings.
rings. ping
ping theslip
coils the
to ping
coils the
completeto coils
complete
the to complete
loop,the loop, the loop,
slip the loopthe ontoloop theonto
small the smallring
fused fused ring
slip the
slip the that
loop onto slip
loopthethe
onto loop
small the onto
small
fused the small
fused
ring fused ring
ring
that also hasalso the hastogglethe toggle
bar bar
attached. attached.
that
hasalso
that alsoAttach the that
has also
toggle
theside the
other has
toggle
bar theone of the attached.
toggle
bar
attached.
side of
tothe bar
attached.
Attach the other to one
Attach theAttach
largeother the
fused Attach
other
side tothe
rings. side
one other sideoftothe
oftothe
one one of the
large fused rings.
largerings.
large fused fusedlarge fused rings.
rings.

Cassie Cassie
DonlenDonlen
Cassie Cassie
aDonlen
has beenhas been
full aCassie
time lam-timeDonlen
Donlen
full lam-
has
pwork been has been
a full
pwork
artist and time ahas
artist been
full
lam-
jewelryand time a lam-
full time lam-
jewelry
pwork
designer pwork
artist andartist
designer
for the pwork
jewelry
for
past the artist
andpast
jewelryand jewelry
seven
seven years. She designer
years.
lives She designer
for
lives
in St. the
in St.
Louis, past
Mo. designer
for the Mo.
Louis, for the past
past
seven
with her seven
years.
with She
husbandher seven
years.
andShe
lives
husbandin years.
lives
St.
three She
in
Louis,
and
sons. lives
St.
Mo.
three Louis,
Cassiesons.in Cassie
St.
Mo. Louis, Mo.
with
has aher with
husband
linehas her with
linehusband
and
of ainstructional herDVDs
three husband
and
sons.
of instructional three and
Cassie
DVDs
coveringsons. three
Cassie
coveringsons. Cassie

16 16
16 16 16
To complete
To complete
To complete
the other the the To
To complete
other
end
the bracelet,
the bracelet,
complete
the
bracelet,
end
of the of the
clasp,
take take
bracelet,
take
andclasp,
has
lampworking
the bracelet,
take
and
lampworking
has linehas
a and
a linelampworking
of instructional
take
lampworking
ver ringsverandrings
aand
jewelry line
lampworking
and and
jewelry
lampwork and
DVDsof instructional
of instructional
jewelry
design.
jewelry
design.
lampwork
beads and
for
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covering
design.
The
The
beads
thisjewelry
design.
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The
for The
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sil- covering
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this sil- The sil-
the
useother
a the
jumpend of the
other
ring end
the
to other
clasp,
attach end
of the and
it toofthe
clasp, theand
verclasp,
last rings and
ver
and
projectrings ver
and
lampwork
can be rings
lampwork
beadsand
purchased lampwork
for beads
this
on her for
Webbeads
thissite for this
use a jump ring to attach it to the last project can be purchased on her Web site
use a use ring
jump
fused useattach
a silver
jump
to a jump
ring
ring. ring
toitattach
to thetoitlast
attach it glassbeadle.com
to the
to the project
last
at last
project
can
at canproject
be purchased canher
be purchased
glassbeadle.com on be Webpurchased
on site
her Web on site
her Web site
fused silver ring. at glassbeadle.com
at glassbeadle.com
at glassbeadle.com
fused fused
silver ring. fused
silver silver ring.
ring.

Summer Garden Bracelet originally published in Step by Step Wire Jewelry, Summer Preview 2008. ©Interweave Press, LLC Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved
publishers of Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazine…join the online beading community at BeadingDaily.com
Visit interweavestore.com/jewleryprojects for more great projects!
page 3