Michon Jewelry Blog

Fun Crochet Bracelet Tutorial

Posted by Leah on Oct 12, 2008

Found this fun crocheted bracelet tutorial via craftypod.com (it’s by Sister Diane, the host of Craftypod).

I don’t think I’m going to make a bracelet, but this looks like an easy way to make all kinds of cute crocheted accessories.

Make a Resin Bottle Cap Charm

Posted by Leah on Oct 2, 2008

Using bottle caps as bezels for resin is a great way to make jewelry without spending a lot of money on materials. If you are just starting to work with resin, I recommend using bottle caps for your practice pieces - they are free, and you probably have some lying around your house. Plus it’s recycling!

Here’s what you will need:

• two-part epoxy resin
• clean, dry bottle caps
• newspaper or plastic bags to cover your workspace
• scissors
• glue (I use mod podge)
• paper
• small found objects, bits of hardware, beads, glitter, or whatever else you hav that is small enough to fit inside the bottlecap
• drill & small drill bit (1/16 inch or smaller) (optional)
• water or other lube for drill (if using a drill)
• wire (16, 18, or 20g is what I would use)
• round nose pliers
• flat nose pliers
• wire cutters
• safety gear, including good ventilation & a respirator so you don’t breathe in the resin fumes

Now here’s what you do:

• Prepare your workspace: protect it with newspaper, or plastic such as plastic grocery bags.
• If using an image for a background, cut the image out to fit in the bottle cap & glue it down. Let glue dry completely before moving on.
  

  Bottle Cap Charms After Gluing

• Arrange your objects, glitter, etc in the bottlecap
• Mix the resin according to the manufacturer’s instructions and use a small stirring stick such as a popsicle stick or wooden coffee stirrer to drip just enough resin into the bottle cap to completely cover your objects and/or collaged image. Be careful not to overfill the bottle cap because cleaning up spilled resin is really not fun - trust me.
• Let the resin cure - this could take up to 72 hours - you may want to put something like an upside down pie pan over your pieces while they cure, so that they don’t get dust stuck to the surface
  

  Bottle Cap Charms with One Resin Layer

• If you are happy with the look of the piece, you are ready to drill or wrap it. If it looks like it needs more resin, you can pour a little more and let it cure again. I like to do two layers of resin so that I can place objects on top of the first layer, giving the piece a little more depth.

Once your final resin layer has cured, you are ready to make these into something. A few ideas:

• Drill a hole near the top & insert a jump ring or bail to make a pendant or charm (tutorial coming soon!)
• Wire wrap it to use as a pendant or charm (tutorial coming soon!)
• Glue it to a ring finding, brooch finding, or magnet

Resin Collages

Posted by Leah on Sep 6, 2008

My regular readers are probably familiar with my 3D resin pendants - but embedding objects in resin in only one of its many potential uses in jewelry making and other crafts.

For example - it is a great medium for making collages, and because it stiffens and seals paper, creating a collage with resin is a great way to prepare paper for use in jewelry projects. Just think of all the things you can do with paper…write on it, paint on it, draw on it, print on it…plus you can use pages of old books, magazines, newspapers, photos…and don’t even get me started on all the cool stuff available to papercrafters today like stamps, embossing powders, metallic inks…

One very important thing to know about how resin affects paper: if you apply resin directly to paper, it tends to make the paper transparent. So if you have a piece of paper, such as from a magazine, that has text or images on both sides, you may want to seal it with glue or mod-podge before using it in a resin collage. (Or not, sometimes the transparent, double-sided effect is nice.)

Also - because resin will seep through paper and fabric, you need to have a sheet of plastic underneath your collage to protect your work surface. I used a sheet protector, and when my collage was dry, it just peeled off. I’m sure you could use other kinds of plastic, but I happen to have some old sheet protectors lying around so I used what I had. I can’t guarantee all types of plastic will work as well…so try this project at your own risk!

For my collages, I tore articles out of a recent issue of the San Francisco Chronicle - politics, hurricane Gustav, and some sports clippings. I also used scraps of ribbon, and some tissue paper that had been used as wrapping for a baby gift I received. So the materials, other than the resin, are all recycled.

The technique is pretty simple: mix your resin according to the manufacturer’s directions. I used about 1/2 ounce of resin for my collage. I laid out a layer of paper on the sheet protector, and using a foam brush, coated it with resin (on both sides). Then I layered tissue and ribbon over the paper & covered that with resin, again using the foam brush. I made sure everything was coated well and sticking together. At one point, I peeled the collage off of the sheet protector and flipped it over so I could add stuff to the back. When I was satisfied with how it looked, I set it aside to cure.

Resin safety tip: wear a respirator and work in a well-ventilated area. I worked next to an open door, with a fan blowing fumes away from me.

Once my collage was completely cured (you can tell because it doesn’t feel sticky) I peeled it off of the sheet protector. I noticed that I could have done a better job of getting rid of air bubbles while I was working, but it still looks pretty good - you can read the text in most places, and there are areas that are transparent with others that are more opaque.

Resin tip: if the resin doesn’t ever stop feeling tacky, unfortunately you probably mixed it incorrectly or got the ratio a bit off. It’s important to be very precise when mixing resin, or it won’t properly cure. If this happens, and you really want to save the piece, mix a new batch of resin & apply a coat over the piece, again allowing it to cure - 90% of the time, this has worked for me.

Now that my collage is finished, I’m going to cut it up and use the pieces in a jewelry-scale project. With mica!

Related ideas you could try:

• plasticize a sheet of paper or fabric using the same technique - just don’t layer anything with it
• add pigments or glitter to the resin to add some color or sparkle to your collage
• incorporate non-paper objects into your collage - resin sticks to most non-plastic, non-wet objects

Easy Crocheted Headband

Posted by Leah on Jul 10, 2008

Headbands seem to be back in style, and they are really easy to make - and a great way to use up partial skeins of yarn.

I made one recently for myself using worsted weight cotton yarn (cheap stuff - sugar ‘n cream, I think, which you can get at big chain craft stores). Here’s what I did:

• Chain 5
• Single crochet into second chain from hook, single crochet in each chain across (you now have a row of 4 single crochet stitches)
• Turn and chain 2
• Double crochet into each stitch across (row of 4 double crochets)
• Turn and chain 1, single crochet in each stitch across
• Repeat these two rows over and over - so you have alternating rows of single crochet and double crochet
• Stop when your fabric will almost stretch around your head, weave in the ends
• Weave a length of ribbon or decorative yarn back and forth through each end, kind of like if you were lacing a pair of shoes. Leave enough length to tie a bow.
• Tie your headband on your head - you’re done!

You could really use any stitch pattern you like for this, but the one I used is really easy. The important thing is not to make it too wide, since it needs to go under your hair in the back - wide bands will show a lot more in the back.

My how-to articles

Posted by Leah on Jul 7, 2008

I thought it might be useful to post links to some of my past how-to articles for any new readers to my blog. Now that I’m looking at the list, I can think of a bunch more to write - so check back soon if you want more jewelry and craft tutorials. Is there a basic jewelry technique you want information about? Leave me a comment & if I can, I’ll write up a how-to for you.

Jewelry Making Info, Techniques, and Projects:
Tools for Wirework
Pickle
Wire Gauge
Making Headpins
Seed Bead Sizes
Finishing Wire Ends
Flux
Felt Bead Earrings

Crochet Projects:
Bobble Cuff
Easy Crochet Flower
Easy Crochet Pendant
Crocheted Mesh Scarf

Jewelry 101 - Soldering

Posted by Leah on Jun 27, 2008

I could write an article on soldering, but there’s already a good one with basic info over at H. Palleiko Designs blog.

One thing I would add to her directions is this: wear a ventilator mask and work in a well ventilated area. Fumes from flux, solder, and your torch are things you probably don’t want to be breathing. You can find ventilators at hardware stores. At my local hardware store they are right near the torches - very convenient!

Crocheted Mesh Scarf

Posted by Leah on Jun 26, 2008

This scarf is made with a very easy lacy mesh pattern that could be adapted to make a choker, cuff bracelet, or headband. It’s a very simple pattern: chain 4, then slip stitch into the next chain 4 space.

To start, chain a multiple of 4 (plus 1 extra) the width that you want your scarf to be. Then slip stitch into the fifth chain from the hook, chain four, and slip stitch into the fourth chain from the slip stitch. Do this across your row, then start the pattern of chain 4, slip stitch into the next chain 4 space. I love simple patterns, and this one makes an open mesh so it’s great for summery projects.

My scarf is about 20 chain stitches wide, or 5 repeats of chain 4, slip stitch. I used exactly one skein of Vickie Howell Collection “Love” from Southwest Trading Company. It’s a bamboo/silk blend that I love, so soft, and has a nice sheen. If it was a little thinner, I’d make jewelry out of it, because the slight shine would look great with beads - but its thickness is sport or DK, which would make kind of bulky-looking jewelry. It would be great for crocheted flowers though.

Felt Bead Earring Tutorial

Posted by Leah on Mar 20, 2008

I wrote a guest tutorial for Jewelry and Beading on using felt beads to make an easy, cute pair of earrings. You can make the felt beads yourself if you know how to felt wool, or buy them if you want more of an instant gratification project. I sell the ones I make in my etsy store. Here’s a link to the felt bead earring tutorial.

Jewelry 101: Making Headpins

Posted by Leah on Aug 8, 2007

I enjoy making my own silver head pins by melting a ball of metal at the end of a piece of wire. It’s fairly easy to do, and enables you to always have the length you need in the gauge you need for a project.

I use a slightly different technique depending on which type of silver I’m using - sterling, fine, or Argentium. Whichever metal you use, you will need a torch. I use a propane torch, but butane torches also work, although for thicker wire it can be hard to get the flame of the butane torch big/hot enough. Other options are acetylene/oxygen and oxygen/propane, but butane and propane torches are cheap & available at the hardware store.

Using fine silver is the easiest, because you don’t need flux or pickle, just a torch and some tweezers to hold the wire. A heat-resistant surface to let your headpins cool is desirable, and always be safe and use proper ventilation and eye protection when using a torch. Cut a piece of wire slightly longer than you want your headpin to be - maybe 1/2 inch longer. Hold one end of the wire with the tweezers, with the other end of the wire pointing down. Point the torch flame at the end of the wire that is away from your tweezers, and watch a little ball of metal appear! The longer you keep the torch there, the bigger the ball will be - but if it gets too big, it might fall off, so be careful.

I like to use Argentium silver for making headpins. With Argentium, I use basically the same process, except I used the tiniest little bit of flux on the wire end where I’m making the ball. If you use too much flux, you’ll have flux residue, which has to be removed, but if you use just enough, you’ll end up with a nice looking head pin that doesn’t require clean-up at all. If the wire above the ball gets slightly discolored, quickly passing the flame over the discolored part will usually turn the wire silver again.

With regular sterling silver, there is always some clean-up involved, unless you are going for the oxidized (black metal) look. I don’t bother with flux, and start by following the same process as for fine silver. You end up with a head pin that has a very blackened end. This can be cleaned up by soaking in pickle, or by using an abrasive to polish off the oxidation. I like to use a piece of a green kitchen scrubber sponge to polish off most of the oxidation, leaving a slightly rough look. If I want my headpins to be perfectly shiny, I don’t usually use sterling, since it’s easier to get nice shiny head pins with fine silver or Argentium, but if you want clean and shiny sterling head pins, use pickle to remove oxidation, and then toss the finished head pins in a tumbler with stainless steel shot and water for a few minutes.

You can also make head pins by bending the end of a piece of wire into a nice looking shape, such as a spiral. All you need for this method are some pliers and a little practice bending the wire into the shape you want without marking it. When I make head pins this way, I like to lightly hammer the shape I’ve made to harden the wire a little bit.

Jewelry 101: Finishing Wire Ends

Posted by Leah on Jul 31, 2007

I make a lot of jewelry using wire - in fact, nearly everything I make incorporates wire in some way, even if it’s just a wire head pin or an earwire.

One problem beginning wireworkers have is that when you cut a piece of wire, the ends feel sharp and jagged. To make wire jewelry look and feel smoother and more finished, it is necessary to smooth out the ends of the wire.

Luckily, this is not difficult, it just takes a little bit of time.

Here are just a few ways I’ve smoothed wire ends:

• Using a cup burr - cup burrs are used with dremel-type machines or flex shafts, and come in different sizes for different wire gauges. If you use a cup burr to smooth the end of your wire, they will become slightly rounded, so this is a good method for finishing ear wires. Cup burrs & flex shaft machines are available through jewelry supply companies - but there are several simple methods that don’t require special eqiupment.
• Using sandpaper - wet/dry sandpaper can bu used to smooth out wire ends. I especially like the sanding pad that are sold at hardware stores. A relatively fine grade - 300-400 - will work well.
• Jeweler’s files or needle files from the hardware store - using files is quick and easy and with a little practice, you can get very smooth, flat wire ends using files.
• Sharpening stones - a lot of wireworkers I know swear by using sharpening stones. There are special stones made for sharpening fish hooks that have a little groove, and you just swipe the wire through the groove a couple of times for a smooth, slighlty rounded end. Flat sharpening stones also work, but won’t automatically shape the wire end the way the grooved stones do.
• Fingernail files - this is one of my favorite tricks, if I’m working away from my studio. Fingernail files are great for smoothing wire ends, and they come in many different grades, and are easy to find at drug stores and grocery stores.