Jewelry Making Resources | Fire Mountain Gems and Beads

Ask the Experts Right-Angle Weave Q&A

Q: I am new to the right-angle weave. I have watched the video several times. My thread is showing really bad and is loose in some spots. I am using round beads on FireLine thread. What am I doing wrong and also how do I finish it off? Thanks.

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Ask the Experts Finishing Q&A

Q: When finishing a piece, I don't have a problem with crimping or threading the wire back through the finished beads but I have to pull on it a little too tight for comfort to make sure that the piece doesn't have too much slack in it...and be ruined. Some pieces cannot abide a crimp cover and the crimp will be hidden well but still, is there a secret to achieving the aforementioned task without using a winch?

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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.

Video Length 11:00

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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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How to Use the Vintaj® One-Step Looper Pliers

Transform a challenging task into a breeze with the Vintaj® One-Step Looper Pliers! Easily shape head pins to perfection for all your jewelry designs.

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Diana Rose Chua

When I was 12 years old, my mom gave me crystals. I was mesmerized by how shiny they were and I loved the way the light bounced off of them.

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Earrings

These heishi drop earrings are sure to add a touch of boho style to any fashion.

Design Idea 720D

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Warping a Mirrix Loom for Beadwork with the Shedding Device

Bead weaving on a loom is more convenient with a shedding device. Here's how to warp a Mirrix loom for bead weaving while accommodating the shedding device.

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How to Use the Kemper® Clay Square Hole Cutters

Cutting perfectly square holes into or shapes from clays and clay resins is easy with this two-step tutorial for the Kemper® clay cutters.

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Earrings

Create the popular Christmas tree earrings by stacking three sizes of Crystal Passions margarita beads in majestic green, accented with golden findings, stardust beads, and Preciosa crystal rondelles.

Design Idea PH2Z

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Using the Elastacord™ Bead Threader

Never has it been easier to string beads than with the Elastacord™ Bead Threader. These concise instructions tell you everything you need to know to use this convenient tool.

Design Idea EA5B

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How to Use the Artistic Wire® CONETASTIC™ Hourglass Mandrel

Follow these instructions for the Artistic Wire® CONETASTIC™ tool to create custom coiled wire double cones. Developed by metalsmith Sandra Lupo, it includes three sizes of two-piece hourglass mandrels.

Design Idea F64H

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How to Assemble the Beading Station Organizer

Assemble the beading station organizer using these illustrated step-by-step instructions from the manufacturer.

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How to Use Patina Gel

Patina gel by Cool Tools is a sulfur-based antiquing solution in a stable form for use on bare clean copper, bronze or silver. This illustrated tutorial guides you through each step.

Design Idea B12V

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How to Use the Artistic Wire® CONETASTIC™ Inverted Mandrel

From the ingenious mind of metalsmith Sandra Lupo comes the Artistic Wire CONETASTIC mandrel for creating custom wire-wrapped cones. Use this tutorial to create three different sizes of inverted cones using these full instructions.

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How to Attach Pop Clasps

Pop clasps feature glue-in ends for attaching jewelry cording. See how to add cord with these illustrated instructions.

Design Idea BB9G

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Terminating Leather Strands with Cones

Learn how to elegantly terminate leather strands with cones in this simple tutorial.

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Soldering Iron Owner's Manual

Owner's manual for using a soldering iron in jewelry making. It contains all the information to safely and properly set-up, operate and maintain your soldering iron.

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How-To Secure Drops to an Ear wire with Peg

Add a top-drilled component to a fishhook ear wire with an extra-long peg to create easy earrings with this 3-step tutorial.

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Art Clay Gold 22k - Clay Type

Art Clay® Gold Clay creates pieces made of 22Kt gold after firing. This tutorial includes guidelines for preparation, molding, drying, kiln firing and finishing this clay material—plus handling tips and safety precautions.

Design Idea F93D

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How to Make a Peyote Stitch Mandala

Create intricate beaded mandalas with ease by following these straightforward instructions. Your beadwork has never been more extraordinary!

Design Idea D18R

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