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There are various findings that can be used in beading. Findings are all the metal components that are used in beading and are made of various metals including nickel, sterling silver, or gold. Lengths and sizes vary and the size of any particular finding will depend on its purpose. Head pins are pins that have a flat section at one end. These pins are commonly used to pass beads onto to make earrings, charm bracelets and necklaces. The flat section prevents the beads from falling off the pin. They look a little a fine nail. The non flat ended side is then curled into an 'eye' which you can attach onto other pins or clasps. There are some head pins that have an ornate shape such as an arrow or flower in place of the flat end. These serve the same purpose. Eyepins are very much like head pins. The difference is eye pins don't have a flat end. Instead they have an 'eye' at one end. You pass the beads through the pin just like with a head pin, and then curl the blunt end once again. These are used more as joiners, making longer earrings or necklaces. Jump rings are round loose little loops that are used to link other findings together. The diameter of the jump rings vary vastly as do their purpose. They can be used as a decorative piece on an elaborate item of jewellery or to link clasps, charms or spacers. Some jump rings are completely circular and cannot be opened others have a slice through one side that can be opened to adjust the size of the jump ring depending on its purpose. Split rings look like little keyrings. Very similar to jump rings they are used for the same purpose as jump rings only are much stronger as they have a double loop. Parrot Clasps are clasps shaped in the form of a parrot's beak, hence the name. They are perfect for all sorts of jewellery making from bracelets, to necklaces, to bag charms. Lobster clasps serve the same purpose as the Parrot clasps, though there appearance varies slightly. They look more like the lobster's pincer and so they are named. Barrel clasps resemble a tiny barrel, giving them their name. They are clasps that come in two parts that screw into each other. Each side of the clasps attaches to either side of the bracelet or necklace. They can be attached using eye pins, jump rings, split rings or tiger tail wire. Toggle clasps also have two parts. Again you join each part to either end of the necklace or bracelet in much the same way as a barrel clasp. The toggle clasps however has a long side that resembles a bar and a shaped side, can be round or other shape such as a heart. To clasp the toggle clasp, you merely pass the long side through the 'round' side, joining both ends together. Tiger Tail is a soft bendable wire, coated with synthetic. Though you can bend it, it does not hold its shape. It is used instead in place of thread or fishing line, to thread beads onto. You cannot tie the ends of tiger tail together, and so need to crimp off the ends. Crimps are tiny little balls or tubes, hollow, which are used to prevent beads from falling off thread of any sort. They do so by pressing them closed using pliers. Charlotte crimps look like little oyster shells with hooks on them. At the join there is a tiny hole. This is where thread, fishing line or tiger tail is passed through. A knot or regular crimp is then used at the tip of the threading material and is hiding by closing the two oyster sides. They are used to beautify pieces by hiding the knots and crimps. The hook is then used to attach the charlotte crimp to a jump ring, split ring, ear hooks or other item. Ear hooks are the hooks attached to earrings that you pass through the pierced section of an earlobe. They are otherwise known as Shepherd Hooks as the hook shape that goes through the ear looks like the hook on top of a shepherd staff. There is a loop at one end onto which you attach and eye pin, head pins or chain to form an earring. Bead Caps are used as either decoration or as protection for the bead. They are cup like and can be plane or ornate. They are threading around the bead, cupping it. Having a bit of a heads up on what's what in findings will help you are buying findings or following a beading pattern. My next article will continue with more goodies. Article Source: http://www.articlewheel.com
Author Terri Batsakis runs you through what various silver findings are called and their function, making it easier to understand beading patterns in magazines. This information that will also make is easier when purchasing beads, even if you are just a beginner.
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