Jewelry Making Resources | Fire Mountain Gems and Beads

Ask the Experts Right-Angle Weave Q&A

Q: What is the "correct" way of doing 2-needle right-angle weave? Do I keep changing from one needle to the other, or should I try to be a rightie and a leftie at the same time, i.e. keep one needle in each hand?

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Quick And Easy Earrings For Holiday Bazaars!

Generate extra income this holiday season with these straightforward Christmas projects crafted for selling at holiday bazaars.

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Ask the Experts Metal Patinas Q&A

Q: From what I have read, liver of sulfur turns copper dark or black. I want to take hardened copper and give it the blue-green look it might have developed after being out to sea. Is there a product you can recommend?

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Ask the Experts Stringing Q&A

Q: What is the best way to thread soft materials like bugtail, cotton, etc. through snug holes? When I thread a woven cotton through a hole that is the exact size of my material I can't use a needle. I end up cutting off a lot of material to get to a new point that's stiff enough to pass through the bead. Is there a hollow needle or wire wrapping technique that will guide the cord end through beads with a similar hole size?

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Bracelet

Icy blue coated glass and crystal clear fire-polished beads coil around the wrist alongside two styles of silver-plated beads. This quick-and-easy winter bracelet design ends with an intricate snowflake charm for seasonal style.

Design Idea PF4B

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Ask the Experts Brads Q&A

Q: I purchased brads and want to use them to connect a piece of filigree to leather. The brad pulls through the leather. What can I do to fix this problem?

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Earrings

Like classic ornaments, these beautiful earrings feature Christmas reds and greens framed in fashionable copper beads and elegantly woven copper wire.

Design Idea PH2M

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Ask the Experts Gemstone Drilling Q&A

Q: How do I drill a hole in a gemstone already polished.

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Ask the Experts Mica Powder Q&A

Q: What is mica powder and what is it used for?

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Ask the Experts Polymer Clay Embellishment Q&A

Q: How should I use Gilders Paste on polymer clay?

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Ask the Experts Crimping a 4-Strand Necklace Q&A

Q: I am making a 4-strand necklace, using a triangular spacer at each end. The spacer has four holes at the bottom but only one hole at the top. How do I finish and crimp the wires after they go through the spacer? Will all wires be visible?

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Ask the Experts Creating Earrings with Wire Q&A

Q: I want to create earrings by bending, shaping, bending back and so on. I design as I go but not sure what gauge and softness to use.

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Ask the Experts Finding the Strongest Magnetic Clasp Q&A

Q: Which of your magnet clasps would be the strongest? I need some for bracelets which need an extra secure clasp.

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Ask the Experts Making Wind Chimes With Wire Q&A

Q: I am going to make some wind chimes with glass beads. What type and size wire should I use? Thanks.

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Ask the Experts Cutting Plated Chains Q&A

Q: What tools should you use to cut silver plate chains?

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Ask the Experts Soldering Jump Rings onto Jewelry Q&A

Q: Hello, I'm a very beginner at jewelry making. I want to learn how to solder jump rings. I'm using gold-plated brass jump rings and wanted to know the best way to proceed. The jump rings that I'm using are very small and I'm wondering how to solder such small jump rings without heating the rest of the jewelry? Are there any alternative ways to do this?

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Ask the Experts Soldering Jump Rings Q&A

Q: I am wondering how to solder gold-filled jump rings. I have a soldering iron, what else do I need to purchase? And what size jump rings should I purchase? I need pretty small ones since my jewelry is delicate.

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Ask the Experts Making Necklaces with Leather Cord Q&A

Q: Question: I want to make necklaces with leather cord. I must buy supple cord so that it falls "flowing" around neck, not stiff. Nothing is mentioned about your leather spools. Please advise, I need all colors, all sizes, and all must be very flexible. Thank you.

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Ask the Experts Jewelry Torch Recommendations Q&A

Q: I want to do professional jewelry making. I have a micro torch but my pieces are bigger and usually are 10 gauge sterling silver. Can you recommend a torch?

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Ask the Experts Wire for Heavy Beads Q&A

Q: I am creating a necklace with rather heavy beads and am thinking about using 22 ga wire but have no idea how to finish it. I don’t think there’s a crimp big enough...HELP!

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Ask the Experts Best Wire for Hook Clasp Q&A

Q: If I want to make an S-hook shape out of a sterling silver round wire to join the ends of a bracelet, is half hard the best? I know that dead soft is way too soft and malleable, and I think full hard would require way too much force to be able to shape by hand with needle nose pliers.

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Ask the Experts Beading Wire for Waist Beads Q&A

Q: Is Tigertail good for making waist beads? And if so, which strand is best?

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Ask the Experts Best Glue for Metal Q&A

Q: How can I seal the glass lockets with stained glass in them so a young child cannot access the glass inside them? What kind of glue would seal the lockets?

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Ask the Experts Seed Beads Q&A

Q: Hello, I am looking for non-tarnish seed beads to use in my jewelry work. It is so disappointing when the lovely bright metal seed beads go all dark and they spoil the look of my beaded pieces. Can you help please? Thank you.

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Ask the Experts Elastic Cord Q&A

Q: I live in Denver, CO and I have a problem with elastic cording breaking. My guess is it due to the lack of humidity. What would be the best elastic cording to use that will last?

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Ask the Experts Drill Bits Q&A

Q: Can you please tell me what type of drill along with drill bits I will have to purchase to drill through the stones like quartz crystal? I currently use a water pump lapidary tool by Gunther but the drill bits are too expensive and they don’t last. I’m looking for another alternative.

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Ask the Experts Polymer Clay Q&A

Q: Can polymer clay be painted on with water-based paints? Before or after baking? And what kind of sealer do you use on finished product?

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Ask the Experts Wire for Suncatchers Q&A

Q: I am making a sun catcher to go outside, hanging on a tree. It will have seed beads (#11 the smallest) as well as large glass beads. What is the strongest wire to use that will go through these beads twice, and will not rust? Do I really need to run the wire through twice?

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How to Use the Versa-Loom™

Craft beaded bracelets and other pieces with precision using the Versa-Loom™ bead weaver. Set up and use this tool with these comprehensive instructions.

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